Bejan Douraghy, Founder and CEO, Artisan

In 1988, Bejan Douraghy made his way from New York City to Chicago with $1,000 in his pocket and an idea for a business. A prior job experience had taught him that you had to treat creative talent with the same level of respect as you treat your customers, because as a creative staffing agency, people are his products and his service.

Artisan is now a creative haven for top talent in New York and Chicago, such as artists and designers, that balances the demands of businesses needing creative services while advocating for the talent filling those needs.

Five years after starting Artisan, the company tripled in size and was listed in Inc. magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in America. A year later, he appeared on the cover of Inc. magazine about how bootstrappers change their business practices to foster growth and move beyond the start-up phase.

Almost 14 years later, Artisan’s offices in New York City and Chicago are complemented by partnerships in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Douraghy has built one of the best-known brands in the United States’ creative staffing services industry, serving nearly 2,000 companies and providing challenging work to 8,000 artists. The company continues to gain recognition with promotional events that recognize the best artists and designers in the global creative community. Artisan also has a relationship with Columbia College students to help them develop portfolios, conduct mock interviews and understand their real-world options after graduation.

Douraghy knows that putting together the right people for his client needs is equally as important as putting together the right internal team for Artisan’s culture and sustained success. When employees ask for professional development opportunities, he examines the request, considers an appropriate budget and encourages them to pursue creative endeavors, such as opening an art gallery, producing a movie and teaching yoga.

Douraghy holds a bachelor of science degree in retail and marketing management from Syracuse University. He is a member of Vistage, coaches his son’s soccer team, has participated in three Chicago marathons and Accenture triathlons, and has been practicing Wing Chug, a form of Kung Fu, for 20 years.