June 20, 2019

Meet Trevor Shaffer of Inflight Creations in Scottsdale

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trevor Shaffer.

Trevor, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always had an entrepreneur mindset growing up. I got my first real job at sixteen as a grocery store bagger and then worked as a landscaper at a golf course during the summers of high school. I hated both jobs and quickly realized that a 9-5 wasn’t going to be for me. This made me explore other ways to make money (legally, of course). When I got some cash flow from jobs, I always found ways to turn it into more money. I would buy and sell newly launched electronics such as the first iPhones for profit. If there was a demand, I knew there was money to be made in the market.

During my college years, I spent most of my free time running a music blog called The Tapedeck. It was my creative outlet at the time. I was able to learn the fundamentals of graphic and web design as well as network with other creative artists. As a media outlet, I got invited to cover local concerts and music festivals around the country. Those were some pretty cool experiences. Ultimately, it became a great stepping stone for me while getting a degree.

After graduating from college, I knew the day was upon me to find a real career. One day, I was sitting in my apartment with my longtime friend soon-to-be business partner, Carson Poe, and we brainstormed ways to start a business. Why not use the tools and knowledge we gained through college and put it to work? We were both pretty good with graphic and web design and that’s when Inflight Creations was born.

We landed our first client through a Craigslist posting. I won’t say the price, but at the time, I thought we struck gold. We were just stoked to get paid to do what we love. That was the motivation needed to keep us moving forward.

Five years later, and a few speed bumps along the way, we’ve grown the business into a premier marketing and advertising agency in the Phoenix area. Our team has landed some cool awards along the way, including several Best Of the Valley awards and an Emmy for video work.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business is never a smooth road no matter what you think. Most people and friends only see the perfections of the business, not how much dedication and work it takes to turn a profit. I’ve had exceptional support along the way from friends, family and my wife. This is what has allowed me to take risks and start new businesses outside of Inflight Creations.

The toughest part of starting a new venture is not knowing when you’ll see your next paycheck. I think that ultimately deters people away from starting a business. If you can’t take a risk, then you’ll never succeed in being an entrepreneur. You have to eat dirt for a long time. That’s the truth in it.

My best advice is to find a great business partner because it’s always good to have someone there you can chop it up with. We could have thrown in the towel several times, but having patience and persistence really paid off. I’ve been presented with many opportunities which have led me on this amazing journey.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Inflight Creations – what should we know?
I’ve always been interested in technology and design. I remember taking my first digital media class in junior high and falling in love with video editing. That was the first time in school I was able to have full creative control and it sparked my passion from then on.

Inflight Creations specializes is digital marketing and advertising. We take existing brands and grow them to the next level. We’ve learned how to target the right customers and convert those leads into sales. We are a team of creative individuals that have a strong background in design, video, and marketing.

What sets our company apart from the competition are the dedication and relationships we set forth with our clients. We don’t accept every offer that a client presents to us. We look at it like a partnership and the only way a business can be successful if both sides are willing to put in the work. It’s really that simple. If we don’t see a strong work ethic with our partners, we won’t touch the project. A lot of people have the misconception that they can sit back and drink scotch while your business makes you money. However, that’s not realistic in the world today.

What are your plans for the future?
The future is looking bright for our company. We’ve recently brought on a 3x Emmy nominated director to the team this past year. We’re looking to hire on some more creative talent in the coming months.

In the years ahead, we would like to open more offices in the southwest. We have built a great reputation in Phoenix that has caught some momentum and we’re excited to see where it takes us next.

Contact Info:

Address: 9393 N 90th St #208, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Website: https://www.inflightcreations.com
Phone: (480) 331-4621
Email: info@inflightcreations.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inflightcreations
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inflightcreations
Twitter: https://twitter.com/inflightcreate

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.