bizSanDiego the business of san diego county

A Quasi-Celebrity Among Us posted on December 15, 2008

Craig Slike’s reality TV appearance has fueled his business venture’s success.

By Dave Thomas

By day, most people know Craig Slike as a San Diego graphic designer. But earlier in 2008, people sitting down after work and tuning in to ABC’s reality show The Mole got a different impression of Slike.

You see, Slike, who one year ago started up a local graphic design/advertising firm called The Agency San Diego with a partner, turned out to be the mole as contestants competed for a maximum prize of $500,000.

He may not be stopped every five minutes for his autograph, but Slike’s appearance on The Mole has no doubt opened a door or two for The Agency San Diego.

“My experience on ABC’s The Mole was amazing,” Slike says. “It began with an open casting call up in Los Angeles—where I impersonated a casting director at one point—and ended with me being revealed as the title character in the finale months later. I was asked to be the mole hours before the game started due to my strategy to be the harmless, funny guy who ‘failed spectacularly,’ meaning I would try my best, not succeed and be admired for trying so hard. I saw the show as an opportunity to test myself to see what I could do, as well as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.”

Being the mole was not exactly an easy task for Slike who, like many folks, has his limitations.

“Despite my physical limitations, vertigo and acrophobia, I was still able to go over a waterfall on a raft, jump off a 90-foot bridge, diffuse a bomb, and climb the Andes—even if it did land me in an ambulance for hypothermia,” Slike says. “For a while I was wondering, ‘How are they going to try to kill me this time?’ The response from the show has been overwhelmingly positive and a boost to our company. Some clients have sought us out due to my involvement on the show, and we’ve seen a dramatic increase in hits at theAgencySD.com.”

While many people may be familiar with The Mole, many more people are getting to know The Agency San Diego. The company is an independent, creatively led, full-service advertising, graphic, Web and package design firm that exists to provide its clients with the most effective and relevant solutions to their individual needs, be it for business or personal use.

“My partner, Joel Kordyak, and I first conceived The Agency as a side project for us to donate design work to charitable organizations,” Slike continues. “Our first client was the It’s All About The Kids Foundation, a local charity that works with underprivileged youth. As we built a reputation in the community, we began to take on for-profit work. By November 2007, Joel was able to quit his day job to run the company full time as I took on a supporting role, keeping my full-time job and building The Agency on the side.”

But now Slike is 100% dedicated to the venture as well, and having more fun helping people than deceiving them. He talks about one client in particular with great enthusiasm.

“I’m very excited about the DigiTells Read Along With Me software that lets anyone create personal, professional-quality audio books for children,” Slike says. “Created by Giselle Uffens in loving memory of her mother, who passed away from breast cancer in 1998, she wants every child to experience story time with a parent or grandparent, even when they can no longer be there in person.”

After winning his way onto TV in the form of the mole, Slike and The Agency San Diego are no doubt going to leave more impressions when it comes to being successful. “We love what we do,” Slike adds, “and we want to translate our passion and our clients’ ideas into winning solutions.”

* The company opened in November of 2007 and includes partners Craig Slike and Joel Kordyak, who are both graduates of Point Loma Nazarene University.

* Over the last decade, Slike’s work has included rebranding for architecture firms, designing for local and global charities, political campaigns, award-winning CD cover design and demonstrative backup for the biggest legal trials in Southern California.

* Partying for a Purpose’s top fund-raiser of the year is its annual gala at the Playboy Mansion. The Agency San Diego has donated the design of the program and all printed collateral for this event for the past two years.