Today we’d like to introduce you to Mohamad Fardous.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Honestly, Karma by Design started pretty unintentionally. I was just creating art for fun — painting and making pieces for friends and family, never thinking it would turn into a business. It was never something I started as a means of income or profit — if anything, I’d pay for the materials and spend hours creating without expecting anything in return.
I’d make gifts for people or get requests from friends and family who were always persistent about compensating me. I’d just tell them, “If you really want to support me, donate to a charity instead.” That mindset of giving before gaining kind of shaped everything that came after.
Over time, I realized my art was connecting with people in ways I didn’t expect. It became less about selling pieces and more about building something with meaning — a brand that could create, give back, and make an impact. That’s when Karma by Design really came to life.
The name came from that exact philosophy — karma representing the good energy that comes from giving without expectation, and by design symbolizing that everything we create has intention and purpose behind it.
Then things started to grow. I began getting messages from people I didn’t even know — complete strangers asking for custom pieces. That’s when it hit me: this could actually be a real, profitable business while still staying true to that original mission of giving back.
And now, it’s evolving into something even bigger — a platform for change. I’m encouraging other artists to join the mission, helping them market and sell their art while giving them the opportunity to be profitable doing what they love, all while making an impact. That’s what we call Art with a Purpose.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely not — not even close. When I started, this was never meant to be a business. I was a Director of Finance for a large mortgage company, and art was just a hobby — a creative outlet to unwind and reset. Since I wasn’t doing it for profit, I obviously had to keep my corporate job. But the more people connected with the work, the more it pulled me in. Eventually, I took the gamble — I left my six-figure finance job to pursue Karma by Design full force.
I took everything I’d learned from finance, marketing, and sales and applied it to my passion for art. But that transition was anything but smooth. I went from having a steady paycheck and a team to doing literally everything myself — the marketing, the packaging, the production, the shipping, and trying to still be an artist through it all.
At one point, I was diagnosed with severe carpal tunnel in both hands and had to undergo surgery. And as you can imagine — being an artist and losing mobility in your hands is pretty much a nightmare scenario. That was about a four-month setback, both mentally and physically. I had to step away from creating completely and trust the process would pick back up when I healed. It tested everything — my patience, my faith, and my drive.
There were moments where sales were slow, times where I questioned if I made the right move leaving the corporate world, and countless nights grinding to keep things alive. But every challenge pushed me to adapt — to learn new skills, streamline systems, and focus on the bigger vision.
And now, all those lessons are shaping what Karma by Design is becoming. We’ve built a powerful e-commerce platform and marketing system — not just for my work, but for artists everywhere. We’re creating funnels, strategies, and promotional tools to help other creators grow, get seen, and actually make a living doing what they love.
The goal now is to turn Karma by Design into more than a brand — it’s a platform for change. We’re giving artists the same tools and exposure that helped me build this from the ground up, helping them turn passion into purpose and profit. That’s what “Art with a Purpose” is all about.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Karma by Design isn’t just another art brand — it’s a movement centered around Art with a Purpose. What started in Detroit with one artist creating handmade pieces for friends and family has evolved into a full-scale e-commerce platform featuring over 700 curated artworks, reaching customers across the U.S. and internationally.
We’re not just in the business of selling art — we’re in the business of creating meaning. Every piece tells a story, sparks connection, and supports a greater cause. A percentage of every sale goes toward charitable initiatives and community programs that use creativity to uplift others. In 2024 alone, we donated over $25,000, and we’re on track to close out 2025 with nearly $35,000 in contributions to various organizations and causes.
Between our website traffic and social presence, Karma by Design now generates over 3 million monthly impressions, powered by a marketing spend of roughly $20,000 a month across multiple platforms. That investment isn’t just for exposure — it’s the backbone of a marketing system we’ve built to connect the right art with the right people. And now, we’re extending that same system to other artists — helping them promote, sell, and scale their own creative work.
That vision has expanded through our sister brand, House of Karma — a full-service creative agency that handles branding, web design, and digital marketing for artists, creators, and small businesses. Together, Karma by Design and House of Karma form a creative ecosystem designed to empower artists and brands to grow with intention.
What sets us apart is purpose. We’re blending art, impact, and strategy into something sustainable — proving that creativity and business don’t have to compete. Every canvas we sell, every collaboration we launch, every dollar we give back is designed to move culture forward.
At the end of the day, Karma by Design is more than a brand — it’s a platform for change. We’re building opportunities for artists to turn passion into profit while keeping purpose at the center of everything we do.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Honestly, a lot of people — even some of my closest friends and family — were shocked to find out I do art. For most of my life, I was known as the business and finance guy. I spent years in corporate banking, eventually becoming a Director of Finance for one of the largest mortgage companies in the country. No one ever pictured me covered in paint instead of wearing a suit.
Art started as something private — just a late-night creative outlet to clear my head after long workdays. I never really shared it publicly until people started seeing my work online. That’s when everyone was like, “Wait, you made that?”
It’s funny because the people who knew me professionally saw me as the numbers guy, and the people who know me now as an artist have no idea about the corporate life I came from. Karma by Design is kind of the bridge between those two worlds — creativity with structure, passion backed by strategy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Karmaxdesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Karmaxdesign and https://www.instagram.com/hokdetroit
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarmaXdesign/
- Other: https://www.hokdetroit.com
