What I do
So I never really set out or had big plans to own a business… but things happen. After many years pursuing ministry opportunities at several different churches, I began to grow a skill of design and marketing. It started from a crash course in Photoshop 7 (yes, the old and original edition for Windows 98) from my friend CJ in 2001 and grew over the next several years. Fast forward to Spring 2007 with a $300 HP DesignJet 3500 printer, I started
Real Graphics. In the beginning, I was designing anything that people needed from business cards, flyers, postcards, signs, banners to posters. I was printing posters and some small banners in-house. This continued to grow until about a year later, I could quit my other jobs (which I always has multiple) and went full-time Real Graphics in late 2008. Heck, a couple of years later, I even met my awesome wife, Emily, here at Real. She came in as a 2010 summer intern and her design talents stood out almost as much as how amazing she was as a person. Months later, we started to date and a couple of years later, we got married.
From there the business continued and continues to grow today! In 2015, we have a staff of about 14 great people, all working together and bringing great skills to the company. Because of the team in place, we can design anything, build great websites, produce all types of printed media, signs, banners, screen printing, vehicle wraps and so much more. It’s amazing to see what God has done over the last 9 years. We are not there, but we have come so far!
Our business still has growing pains and struggles, but through those we also see great mile markers. I remember when we took the biggest step to buy our first new eco solvent printer… a $22K investment! That was a huge step! Now we have 2 of those and looking to get the 3rd this year. We started with a small (junky) used screen printing press in my brother’s garage printing t-shirts… now we have a top of the line screen printing setup and will be adding a second printing press in the next few months. It’s great to see the progress as we head in the right direction. These successes really do not tell me how great I am, but how great God is when you trust Him. He has assembled a wonderful team and leading the crew is a great honor. It’s amazing to see us where we are today… but even more exciting to see where we will be tomorrow!
Oh and I did not even mention a couple other businesses we started along the way. In 2011 we started the Lufkin Real Estate Magazine! A monthly publication that advertises local real estate listed homes in the area. The magazine is nicely designed and printed each month and distributed all over the Lufkin area. You can see more atlufkinrealestatemag.com or just pickup a copy next time you are out and about the area. In 2016 we sold this business to Zimmerman Communications so we could devote our focus more to our projects at Real Graphics. AND Emily and I were expecting our first baby in April so something had to give!
Back in 2013 we bought an old storage unit property in Diboll, cleaned and fixed it up to create Diboll Self Storage. This was a dream/goal of mine since I was in high school and I heard of a friend of mine’s dad had rental properties and a storage unit business. 
I though man what a great opportunity to make money each month and not have that much that would have to go in it. Well who would have known that this would pan out for us. It was a sacrifice for me and Emily because instead of buying a home that year we had to push that plan back a couple years. But it was worth it! We got the storage business off the ground a going…we are not getting rich but it is generating some income each month. We are so grateful for how things have turned out. My mother Beth has been a life saver on managing this business. She helps with the calls to rent, send out invoices and collects when people do not want to pay. She gets it done! So if you know anyone needing some storage space in Diboll, Tx…. just send them to dibollselfstorage.com
Real Graphics continues to grow. In 2016 after a few years of searching, praying and wishing for a larger building we found the perfect one. Well not perfect on the surface but after a lot of labor, money, and time it because a dream come true. January 2017 we were able to move in our new home, and we love it!
Also during 2016 another goal was met. We purchased a great apparel business Sport Threads from Tom and Sherri Arnal. This business specialized in embroidery and sublimation printing, 2 services that we did not currently do in-house at RG. So this was the perfect acquisition for us not only for the equipment but also the great staff and customers from Sport Threads. After merging in the business to Real Graphics and moving it to our new location, we developed the Sport Threads name into a brand of sublimated sport jerseys. These jerseys are designed, printed and sewn together by our team all in house. This has because a brand product that we are very proud of over the last couple years! You can see more at sportthreads.com
We just cannot stay still. In August 2017 we had another expansion. This time was with a friend company that we used for years to outsource print for us. Dan Eddins had built a great local print shop East Tex Printing, focusing on all things printed. Products like business cards, postcards, envelopes, forms, letterhead, brochures, booklets, and yea I could keep going. Having a print shop so versatile and able to crank out print products like this in-house was another dream of ours. In 2017 it just made more sense. With the new building there were about 2500 square feet that we were not using, so we built it out for the print shop and made a deal with Dan to purchase the business. The best part again was not just the equipment but the AWESOME staff and customers that followed. These mergers truly made Real Graphics so much better.
Now going through 2019-2020 we have a company that can truly do so much in-house and has a team of about 25 to do excellent work in design, printing, apparel, signage, wraps, websites, and now marketing. Real Graphics has grown into a true one-stop for advertising products and marketing services.
I never liked the word “entrepreneur” …I think it sounds cocky for some reason… but that is basically what I have become over the last several years….and I really like it. I like the challenges, the risks….and the rewards. I am thankful for all the opportunities that have panned out for us. (there are some small ventures that I did not mention…that did not go anywhere) But glad to live and learn! Every day is a new challenge.
Want a tour of Real Graphics? Here are some walkthrough photos:
Why not an Ice House?
Sounds like a cool idea? We (not sure how much my wife claims this venture) bought a vending machine ice house!
To be continued…
Wait, why could not have someone warned us about this Covid crap coming our way! Dang that sure made some curve balls in life and in work, but nothing that can not be maneuvered through. 2021 came in just the right time, not to totally shift from hard times but at least move us forward.
By the time 2022 makes its way here we are going to be completely different individuals and companies. These challenges are causing us to look at so many different things differently.
2023 is a good year for lots of changes!
I have enjoyed cigars for many years and dreamed more and more of having a nice local cigar lounge…. maybe that couple become a reality? Adding another venture to my plate was something that did not seam feasable or desirable….and letting go of something is not my first go-to action. But after a conversation with Emily the thoght of …. if I did not have the storage unit business, maybe that little bit of monthly effort could towards a venture that I would be more excited or passionate about. This idea sparked into a new direction and plan. The new thought was “how could we make a cigar lounge happen in lufkin?” and grew from there.
Diboll Self Storage was a business opportunity that we have always been so grateful for and has been a good investment from the beginning. After 10 years of owning and opperating, thinking of selling it was way more complex than I imagined. Months later we were prepared to list the property and business for sale. The connection and history to the business was slowly off-set with excitement of the possibility of a new venture. Closing and selling was a weird experience, no regrets in doing this, but more surprised on all the memories and years of help from family and friends to make the operation a sucess. On to new things!
From the closing of the storage business led to the exciting pursuit of the cigar retail and lounge venture. Added some friends in the process and we started evolving the ideas and dreams into the reality of Stories Cigars + Lounge in downtown Lufkin, Tx.
My Spill 