This page offers an in-depth look at entrepreneur and Layout Media co-founder Cole Morell. His story, background, and the vision behind his creative work.

Cole Morell is a young entrepreneur, filmmaker, and creative technologist based in California who’s passionate about building companies that combine creativity, technology, and storytelling. As the co-founder of Layout Media, a modern creative agency specializing in web design, iOS app development, branding, and professional video production, Cole has developed a reputation for bringing ambitious ideas to life through clean design, smart systems, and bold creative direction. His work spans across digital media, business strategy, and software innovation—each project driven by a vision to make creativity practical and technology human.

Cole Morell believes that success in the digital world comes from more than just skill—it’s about curiosity, consistency, and vision. From a young age, he’s been fascinated by how ideas can grow into real companies when executed with purpose and precision. That curiosity led him to build Layout Media from the ground up, starting with small freelance projects and growing it into a full creative studio working with clients across California. Through Layout Media, Cole has shaped brands, designed websites that tell stories, and developed mobile apps that connect people and businesses in more personal ways.

What makes Cole Morell’s story different is how involved he is in every part of the process. He’s hands-on with both the creative and technical sides—designing layouts, managing projects, editing videos, writing code, and leading strategy. Whether he’s building an app that connects customers to local coffee shops, filming cinematic content for a brand, or developing internal systems that streamline client communication, Cole approaches each project like it’s his own. That mix of precision and creativity has become the foundation of how Layout Media operates and how Cole approaches his work as a whole.

As a business owner and creator, Cole sees technology as a tool for connection. He’s constantly refining how digital design, storytelling, and development can work together to create something that actually means something to people. He continues to shape Layout Media into a brand that reflects that same philosophy—a company that values innovation, clarity, and excellence.

Cole Morell is a self-taught creative and entrepreneur who has always looked for ways to build, innovate, and connect people through digital experiences. Growing up in a small town just outside of Sacramento, he was the kind of kid who couldn’t sit still unless he was making something—whether that meant selling handmade bracelets at baseball games, wiring together small projects at home, or learning how to film and edit videos long before most of his friends had cameras. That constant urge to create laid the foundation for who Cole is today—a problem solver, builder, and storyteller who sees opportunity in every idea.

Even at a young age, Cole Morell was drawn to the idea of turning creativity into something real. He started his first online projects before high school, building a YouTube channel called Cmore that reached monetization and connected him with creators across the country. Through that experience, he learned how engagement works, how audiences respond, and how to build a brand that people actually care about. While other kids were learning basic editing, Cole was already experimenting with algorithms, thumbnails, and retention strategies—figuring out what it meant to not just make content, but to build a community around it.

That curiosity evolved into a passion for technology and design. Cole began experimenting with software, learning how digital systems operate, and diving deep into how design can influence emotion and behavior. By the time he reached his late teens, he had already built his first company, Vex Hosting, a fully automated game server hosting platform that allowed users to instantly deploy and manage their own Minecraft servers. The business generated consistent passive income and gave Cole early insight into automation, backend management, and customer experience—all lessons that would later shape how he built and scaled Layout Media.

Today, Cole Morell’s background in media, technology, and entrepreneurship blends into a unique perspective that drives everything he creates. He approaches each project with both creative intuition and technical precision, understanding how visuals, systems, and storytelling connect to form something larger than the sum of its parts. His work ethic, combined with a willingness to learn by doing, has made him a standout figure among young entrepreneurs in the creative and tech space.

What defines Cole most is his ability to stay grounded while constantly pushing forward. He never stopped experimenting, never stopped building, and never stopped trying to make things better. Whether it’s managing client websites, developing mobile apps, or filming cinematic projects, Cole continues to evolve with each new challenge—carrying the same mindset that started it all: create something meaningful, make it work beautifully, and always keep learning.

Cole Morell’s journey started long before Layout Media existed. What began as curiosity and experimentation turned into a lifelong pursuit of learning how ideas become real businesses. When he was younger, Cole was constantly creating—making short films with friends, editing videos for fun, or building small projects just to see if he could make them work. He spent his early years figuring out how to bring imagination into something tangible, and that mindset became the backbone of his career.

His first real experience in media came through Bayside Church, where he volunteered to help with production, cameras, and creative work. It was there that Cole first learned how to tell stories visually, how to capture emotion through lighting and movement, and how to communicate something meaningful through film. That hands-on experience helped him develop a strong eye for detail and gave him a deeper understanding of how visual storytelling connects with people. It also opened the door to his first freelance projects, where he began filming for small businesses, weddings, and local events. Those early jobs taught him professionalism, consistency, and what it meant to deliver results for clients who trusted him with their brand.

While video was his first passion, Cole’s mind never stopped exploring the tech side. Around that same time, he started experimenting with online platforms, automation tools, and web design. In his late teens, he co-founded Vex Hosting, a fully automated game server hosting company modeled after providers like Apex Hosting. The platform allowed users to create accounts, launch servers, and manage everything through a custom-built control panel. It was Cole’s first experience creating a real system that worked on its own—proof that he could design, market, and scale a product people actually wanted. The project gave him his first taste of passive income and, more importantly, showed him what it takes to run an operational online business.

After Vex Hosting, Cole and his longtime business partner Jack Derepentigny shifted their focus toward something more creative and scalable. Together, they founded Layout Media, which originally started as a web design agency helping small businesses build professional websites. As projects grew, Cole expanded the company into a full-service creative agency offering branding, graphic design, video production, and iOS app development. What started as two friends building websites quickly became a structured business with clients, systems, and a clear creative direction.

For Cole, the story of how he started is about more than just learning skills—it’s about learning how to think. From the first time he picked up a camera at Bayside Church to the first time he automated a platform, every step taught him something about execution, discipline, and curiosity. Those lessons became the framework for Layout Media’s culture today: stay curious, stay creative, and always keep moving forward.

Layout Media began as a simple idea between two friends — Cole Morell and Jack Derepentigny — who wanted to build something modern, creative, and forward-thinking. What started as a few freelance web design projects quickly grew into a full-scale creative agency serving clients across multiple industries. From the very beginning, Cole envisioned Layout Media as more than just a design studio. He wanted to create a company that could blend technology, design, and storytelling into one seamless experience for businesses that wanted to grow in the digital world.

Under Cole Morell’s direction, Layout Media has evolved into a four-part agency that specializes in website design, graphic design, iOS app development, and professional video production. Each area connects to the others, creating a unified system where brands can look, feel, and perform consistently across every platform. Cole’s approach has always been about merging creativity with real function—making sure that every website loads fast, every brand identity feels intentional, and every video tells a story that matters.

Over the years, Layout Media has built websites for medical practices, real estate investors, local coffee shops, and startup founders looking to establish a digital presence that actually stands out. The agency focuses on clean, responsive design that blends visual impact with performance, SEO optimization, and scalability. For Cole, the goal isn’t just to design something that looks nice—it’s to build digital infrastructure that drives results and represents a brand’s purpose authentically.

What sets Layout Media apart is the way it operates. Rather than acting like a typical agency that outsources everything, Cole Morell takes a hands-on role in every project. He oversees design systems, UX planning, video production, and app development with a focus on detail and quality. The company runs like a creative ecosystem, pulling in top talent across different disciplines to collaborate on projects that demand precision and creativity. Each project is approached like its own startup—built with strategy, innovation, and a deep understanding of what makes people connect with a brand.

Cole’s leadership philosophy for Layout Media centers on trust, communication, and constant innovation. He’s built a culture where experimentation is encouraged and where learning something new isn’t optional—it’s expected. Every new tool, framework, or design technique that can improve the client experience gets explored, tested, and implemented. That drive to constantly improve has allowed Layout Media to expand into new areas like app development and automation systems for client management.

At its core, Layout Media is more than just a company—it’s a reflection of Cole Morell’s vision for how modern businesses should operate. It represents the belief that creativity and technology should work together, not against each other. Every project, from small business websites to advanced mobile apps, carries that philosophy forward. For Cole, Layout Media isn’t just work—it’s the product of years of learning, experimenting, and believing that great ideas deserve to be built with excellence.

Today, Cole Morell continues to lead Layout Media as it expands its reach across California, taking on new clients and larger creative projects that merge storytelling with technology. He spends much of his time managing development pipelines, designing user interfaces, refining app functionality, and overseeing the overall creative direction of the company. Each new project pushes the boundaries of what Layout Media can offer, from websites that tell a story to apps that redefine how small businesses connect with their communities.

Alongside his work at Layout Media, Cole is studying Business Administration at Chapman University, where he continues to build the technical, financial, and strategic foundation that supports his growing ventures. His time there strengthens his understanding of leadership, marketing, and innovation—skills that directly influence how he runs and scales his business.

Outside of work and school, Cole remains grounded in his Christian faith and committed to building with purpose. He believes that business should be more than profit—it should make people’s lives better, foster creativity, and encourage others to chase their own ideas. Whether he’s collaborating with clients, mentoring younger creators, or designing the next phase of Layout Media’s future, Cole Morell continues to bring the same mindset that started it all: build with excellence, act with integrity, and never stop creating.

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