Kat Filice , CEO / Executive Creative Director and Jason Raby , Director of Communications
Articulate Solutions
When Kat Filice began what is now Articulate Solutions from her kitchen table , she had no idea her business would grow to be one of the best design and marketing firms in the Santa Clara County . From the very beginning it seems that her company has been blessed , with things coming together in so many ways , and it continues to flourish today .
Kat initially started out as a Fine Art student back in college , but eventually changed her major to business and started working for Apple Computer . While she was at Apple , she witnessed all of the new technology coming out and how people were using computers as a platform for personal and commercial art . She found this unique blend of art and technology fascinating and it would go on to shape how she approached her own business . In an effort to stay close to her young daughter , Kat decided to try doing commercial art from home . She spent $ 35 on a print ad labeled “ Desktop Publishing ”. As luck would have it , her very first client was the owner of the magazine that featured her ad .
Kat approached every job opportunity determined to do the best possible job she could and her efforts showed . Eventually , the Chamber of Commerce hired her to do their newsletter , which she considers a huge milestone . As her business grew , Kat decided to move from her house to an office downtown and she was surprised by how much the location made a difference . “ It gave me credibility and a storefront ,” she says , “ You ’ d be surprised how many big accounts we got from people just walking in .”
Today Articulate Solutions has received 80 awards for design , programming , writing , and photography . They serve a diverse array of clients that range from big companies as far as New York to small local businesses at home . “ A lot of people are surprised to see our agency here . We hear all the time , ‘ Wow ! This is in Gilroy !” and
our response is , ‘ Why wouldn ’ t it be in Gilroy ?’. It ’ s a great place to do business ,” Kat smiles .
Kat has always been quick to credit her enduring success to her hard working staff , starting with her business partner of 3 years , Jason Raby . Jason started out with a degree in Graphic Design , but he was also interested in the technical aspects of the business . His expertise allowed Articulate Solutions to expand their technical offerings so that they could do a lot of multimedia and work with digital and online platforms . His ability to evolve with the rigorous technological changes has played an integral part in the agency ’ s ability to adapt to fit these new times . This , in addition to his drive to ensure everything runs smoothly for their clients , makes Jason indispensible to the agency . Both Kat and Jason feel that they have formed the perfect partnership . “ I come from the younger side , so sometimes certain clients will tend to gravitate towards me because I ’ m more into the tech . But then there are people who look at Kat
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2015 gmhtoday . com
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