Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Phillips.
Hi Ron, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born here in Fort Worth, Texas in 1966 and raised in Burleson, Texas until I left for the US Air Force in 1984. Left the USAF in 1996 and became an I.T. professional building computers and managing corporate networks. My career has included service technician, Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer and ultimately the Vice-President of Operations for a software development company. I eventually became a software developer management consultant before my contract ended during Covid. I’m a serial entrepreneur. From financial services, to website design/development, to motorcycle accessories and then laser engraving, I’m an businessman at heart. I became a voice over artist and radio broadcaster in the 1980s and still do both today. I’m a podcast/radio producer for several national shows. We started Romika Laser Engraving and Custom Designs in 2021 just after the world shut down. We operated out of our home garage for 4 years and then moved into our own retail/shop in 2025 in Burleson, Texas. Using my skills in I.T., design & development, we offer services to the greater DFW area in engraving, gifts/awards, and personalization.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road hasn’t been easy. Just after leaving the Air Force, my family and I struggled a lot. Having a relatively new family, I couldn’t initially find work. We moved to East Texas to live with my grandparents. I worked as a pest exterminator for a while before becoming the Dept. Manager of Electronics at an East Texas Walmart. After a divorce, brief custody battle (which I retained custody of my kids), and eventually meeting my current wife, we moved back to the DFW area in 1997 and I became an IT Director for my Uncle’s financial services business. The pandemic shutdown really hit us hard. All of my consulting contracts were cancelled and I needed something that I could transition to that would generate revenue. I’ve always wanted to be in a service industry where I could help and support people. My wife, Misty, and I talked about it and we bought our first laser engraver in March 2021. Our company Romika Designs was formed at that time. The word ROMIKA is a combination of the first two letters of my name, my wife’s name and my daughter, Kate’s, name. We’ve been growing our business locally and through our national radio programs ever since.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I started as a radio DJ in 1986, while stationed at Grand Forks, AFB near Grand Forks, ND. It was my first radio job. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I did brief radio work throughout my career years, but in 2012, I decided to jump back into it again. I started my voice over work again and became an audiobook narrator, having narrated over 30 books for Audible.com and Amazon. During that timeframe, I also started several digital talk-radio stations from political talk to UFO/Supernatural talk. My digital stations were picked up by iHeartRadio and we broadcast there 24/7 with over 70 shows/hosts for several years. In 2018, I formed a partnership with some other political talk show hosts and we started another station and podcast that I’m still the on-air producer for today. We broadcast live every weekday morning from 7a to 10a Central online and nationally.
As an artist, I also learned design/development using the Adobe suite of products. That has helped me build my laser engraving company, Romika Designs, by utilizing those skills to design, develop and build products for customers in the DFW area and nationally, through advertising on our national podcast/radio show.
Also, as an artist, I decided to do some background acting work and was able to become a background extra on the Paramount Plus TV series, Landman. I was an extra in two episodes of Landman in 2025 (season 2) and thoroughly enjoyed learning what goes on behind the scenes and in film/tv.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I have a considerable background in information technology management, software architecture, personnel management, project management and the development of financial services tools. I also have extensive experience in corporate management, training, leading teams, counseling, and employee coaching and development. I’ve been an entrepreneur and excel with a background in corporate operations, communications, organizational management, and morale building. I’ve worked in corporate operations, IT and business management industries as an expert providing leadership, management, business development and software development project management expertise to organizations for over four decades.
Leadership and management have been my greatest skills. Becoming an entrepreneur has also had its benefits by learning and growing companies from the ground up. Most of my skills that made me successful I learned in High School Air Force ROTC and throughout my US Air Force tenure where I became a top 10% instructor for Air Force basic training. All of those skills helped me to become successful in business and in my personal life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://romikadesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/romikadesigns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RomikaDesigns/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rondphillips/
- Twitter: https://x.com/RomikaDesigns
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RomikaDesigns
