Even though this moment happened almost ten years ago, I remember it vividly.

Sitting in my college apartment with my well-loved laptop in hand, I nervously hit publish on my little Etsy shop.

Because, as a broke gal who’s about to graduate with student loans, get married, and then move across the country, opening an online business is the logical next step, right?

With so much exciting change on the horizon, I knew that I wanted to do something of my own to help contribute to our new family and bring value to my days as a newly married college grad. And I saw a tiny little space in the online creative community where I could combine my background in communications with my love for design. So I decided to leap first and look later!

And, at first, things were good.

People were buying the small collection of pre-made brands I had to offer. A handful even decided to spring for a custom package! (If I remember correctly, my most expensive offering was $500, and I thought it was a big freaking deal.)

But then the sales started to slow. And the panic started to settle in.

I quickly realized I wasn’t the only designer who had caught onto this wave of opportunity within the creative industry. There were hundreds (okay, thousands) of talented designers I had to compete with every day just to get my work in front of a potential customer.

So I had to get creative.

Today, nearly a decade later, I’m sharing the ONE change I made that took that fledgling business from blending-in and barely-making-it to the successful brand that it is today! If your design biz is struggling to stand out in a saturated market, then keep on reading, sweet friend.

THE THOUGHTFUL CHANGE THAT TRULY TRANSFORMED MY DESIGN BUSINESS

Friend, I believe the most incredible transformations can happen with such small changes, things that you easily could have overlooked. It doesn’t always need to be a revolutionary reinvention of the wheel; sometimes, the smallest adjustments, when made intentionally, can bring the greatest impact.

When I feared my little business would go under, I looked to what my fellow designers were doing. And I realized I could take brand design so much deeper. I could create a space in the industry to do business differently. Most designers at my skill level were guiding their clients through an initial brand discovery worksheet or, even more commonly, expecting their clients to come to them with their brand strategy already hashed out. I knew that was a pain point for most design clients. Wasn’t that part of the whole point of hiring a designer? To have their expertise guiding your visual brand’s direction? That’s when I realized: I could create a brand strategy process that guided my clients every step of the way.

So I got to work creating a process to craft brands that reflect the heart of my clients’ work. And that one strategy process changed everything for me! In fact, it’s the same signature process I use to this very day.

THIS STRATEGY OPENED SO MANY DOORS FOR ME…

It allowed me to market myself differently. Instead of being just another brand designer, I was able to invite my clients into an experience that delivered a heartfelt brand and clear strategy to reach their goals.

It allowed me to connect with my ideal client time and time again. Because I want to work with the creatives who want to do business from a clear place of purpose, not just from a thin foundation of pretty.

It allowed me to deliver lasting results after every project. Instead of designing to be another lovely brand on Pinterest, we chose to design with my client’s goals in mind every time.

And now I’m sharing that process with YOU, fellow brand designer!

ARE YOU READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR OWN BRAND DESIGN BUSINESS, FRIEND?

Let me introduce you to the Brand Strategy School, a blueprint for designers to guide you through my process to creating your dream design business and connecting with your ideal clients!

Filled with 9 video lessons, monthly private live trainings, actionable worksheets, brand strategy resources, and so much more, I’ve poured ALL my “secret sauce” as a brand designer and strategist into this 5-week course. Inside the Brand Strategy School, I peel back the curtain on the signature brand development process I’ve used to transform my business from blending in and barely making it to thriving and crafting heartfelt brands that authentically convert for my clients! I could not be more excited to share this content with you, friend.

You don’t have to fine-tune your existing brand discovery process or figure out what piece of the puzzle isn’t fitting. Instead, you can swipe my exact process from start to finish! This means you can immediately begin guiding your clients through a brand discovery approach that works.

Join me inside the Brand Strategy School and immediately elevate the way you do business, friend.

NOT SURE ABOUT A WHOLE COURSE YET?

No worries, friend! If quick, free, value-packed education is more your speed, then I’ve saved a seat just for you in my Netflix-style masterclass on how to triple your income without taking on more branding clients.

After tuning into this training, you’ll be able to:

• Charge more for your services so you can experience consistent income without working crazy hours or taking on hundreds of clients
• Kick imposter syndrome to the curb and position yourself as the expert your branding clients are searching for
• Get out in front of your ideal clients without hustling to be seen online

I can’t wait to see you there!

JOIN MY FREE MASTERCLASS!