October 8, 2018

What does being a creative person entail, and how do you translate creativity into a successful business in under 5 years? According to Raphael Farasat, CEO & Creative Director of TRUFFL, an award-winning creative agency based in Los Angeles, being creative is about much more than developing a particular skillset like graphic design or photography.  “Being creative is an outlook on life, a lifestyle and a value set,” he tells the Jewish Journal. “It means that what motivates you in life is to create something of meaning.”

To succeed on this path, you need to have varied experiences — “like traveling and discovering other cultures, exposing yourself to different types of movies and books, and surrounding yourself with interesting people,” he adds.

These experiences are the creative fuel that generates new ideas, help people see things in a different way, and ignite the passion for someone to continuously approach new creative problems with vigor.

But if you want long-term, sustainable success in business, self-care is critical to your progress. According to Farasat, “taking care of yourself emotionally, physically, spiritually — even little things like sleeping enough, taking breaks, eating right, going on vacation – are as important as how hard you work.”

At times, Farasat says he has felt guilty because making self-care a priority rendered him to feel like he wasn’t focused enough on his business.

But you can’t afford not to take care of yourself as a business owner or as a professional, says Farasat.  “When you are in the right state of mind, you make smarter decisions, are more pleasant to deal with, and have a clarity of purpose and energy that is more focused and productive.”

Owning a business is hard — no matter the size or type.  “If it were easy to start a new business, everyone would do it,” says Farasat.

Farasat, who is continuing to expand his business in New York, has consulted for Fortune 500 companies like Tesla, Spotify, Heineken and Fox and helps build startup technology, luxury, real estate and hospitality brands.

“As the owner, my job is hard to describe, but basically you are responsible for fixing any problem that other people are unable to solve — often thanklessly,” he tells the Jewish Journal.

The biggest lesson he can pass on to others? Persistence and belief in self, are the most important qualities. “Resilience is as important as talent,” he says.

One of the highlights of running a creative agency is that Farasat gets the opportunity, with each new client, to learn everything he can about a particular business and industry. “I enjoy being able to not only make a living being creative every day, but to be intellectually curious as well,” he says.

But a positive outlook is what really fuels the award-winning CEO. “I try to live with an outlook of gratitude every day that I hope in some small way has a positive impact on those around me,” he tells the Jewish Journal.  “I am grateful for the opportunity to make a living doing something creative, that people are willing to pay me for my ideas, and that I have the freedom to work on projects that are exciting to me.”

Farasat also tries to work with brands that give back to their communities, which is taken into major consideration when selecting which clients TRUFFL works with.  “For example, one of our clients donates 10% of their proceeds to rescuing animals and another client donates a meal to a hungry child for every meal purchased at their restaurants.”

It all makes sense, because TRUFFL is known for growing businesses that promote job growth, competitive salaries, and provide customers with products and services that improve quality of life.

Farasat attributes his success to many things, but says that his mother has instilled in him an appreciation for spirituality that has helped give his life meaning and an understanding of why he’s on this particular path.  Farasat’s father always stressed the importance of self-reflection and constantly striving for personal growth, which also helped the entrepreneur.

“My older brother’s example, friendship and including me in his life have always given me a preview of my next stage in life — from college to starting a family — that has given me a head start and for which I’m grateful,” Farasat adds.

Like most Jews, Farasat also appreciates his grandparents, who have sacrificed so many things to make family a priority.

Finally, being raised in a relatively traditional Persian Jewish community, and then coming out as gay, has also played an important role in Farasat’s growth. “I am incredibly grateful for the universal acceptance of my family and friends,” he says.

Currently, TRUFFL is working on numerous exciting projects — such as developing a Members Club Spa, Vegan Fast Food Restaurant, and more.  Bringing projects like this to life are extremely exciting to Farasat, who is also an avid reader.

“Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead had a big impact on my life,” he says. “ I read them before law school and they helped foster in me a seriousness and commitment about building the life I wanted to build.”

Another book that has impacted Farasat is Getting Things Done.  “It helped me build a system of habits that enabled me to be efficient in organizing my life and achieving the most I could each day.”

TRUFFL develops brand identities, manages social media, provides marketing consulting, produces events, and designs and develops websites.

Prior to starting his company, Farasat pursued a JD/MBA and started a private members’ club for creative professionals.