I really want to showcase what real creative business people do to help grow a business and life that they love. And so here begins a series of interviews with amazing creative owners who’ve taken the brave step of going out on their own to share their talents, skills and creativity with others.
First up, we’ve got Laura from Little Bird Creative. Laura’s great, because she had not only a dream but a gut feeling that starting her graphic design and digital marketing business was the path for her, and she dived in and made it happen. Let’s hear more…
Walk me through your journey of growing your business. What was the thing that made you dive in?
It was always a goal of mine to start a business before I turned 30. So I left my full-time role in October 2019, and turned 30 in January 2020! I was working at a social media agency – I loved it but it was one of those ‘now or never’ moments, and I had this little voice telling me it was going to work.
When I left my job I had April 2020 in mind for a full launch. If I’d known about lockdown I wouldn’t have… but I’d been drumming up some business before that, so it was okay. I had plenty of work and I’ve been busy ever since. Most of my work comes through referrals, and places I’ve worked at in the past.
It’s nice to be in Hamilton, I’m finding that a lot of businesses would rather support someone smaller and local – smaller businesses have that passion and investment in their clients that bigger agencies don’t necessarily. I also love being able to catch up with people in person, especially when it’s going over initial and final designs. Communication is that much harder over email!
What are the things you value most in your life and work?
I’m very big on honesty and integrity. I’d rather a client be completely honest and open, even if it’s to say they don’t like what I’ve done, or even if it means referring work to someone else – people like working with someone who’s a good fit. I’ve turned clients away before when I wasn’t getting a good vibe about the project.
I’ve learned a lot about myself in the last 12 months, and the main thing I’ve learned is to listen to my gut about whether a project is something I should take on or not. Loyalty is another thing I’ve discovered is really important to me; I’m not going to chase the money if it means a conflict of interest, I’m going to be loyal to my existing client.
What have you struggled with as a creative business owner?
Probably just time – even though I’m very organised and I like planning, time management becomes a problem if things pop up unexpectedly.
Email is a big thing. Something I’ve learned is that they don’t have to be answered straightaway, and work doesn’t have to be done straightaway either! As long as I return an email within about 24 hours, that’s fine for most people. I need to build in time for creating, but also for travel and meetings.
What do you do to overcome that?
I use an app called Toggle to track all the tasks I do. It’s good for time tracking and planning tasks – I have some clients on monthly social media packages, so it helps me make sure I don’t go over or under, time-wise.
I also block out every week before it starts so I know which projects I need two or three hours at a time for.
What do you love most about your business?
Being able to meet other business owners! I’m always motivated by them, and I love building relationships where we’re working for the same outcome and helping their business grow.
I’m a people person – I love helping people and I want to be surrounded by other business-minded people who drive each other.
What’s been one real game changer in your business?
When I started, I was working at the kitchen table off a laptop. My big purchase was a wireless mouse! But then I invested in an iMac and set up a separate space in the house and it made a huge difference. My thought has always been to start small, start humble, gradually get equipment, then you have a better idea of what you need.
What are your aspirations? Short/long term?
One of the main reasons I wanted to start a business is that, heading into my 30s, I’m looking at children in the next 5-10 years, so I wanted the flexibility to work from home.
I’m not in it to have a big design firm. I get contractors if I need different skills, and if there’s extra work I’d rather help out other creative professionals. I believe there’s plenty of work for everyone, and I don’t see other creatives as competition.
What does success look like for you?
Celebration! I’m practicing celebrating every success – even the little ones!
Every new client, every weekend I don’t work, every morning I wake up happy, and each month that I hit my revenue goal, I celebrate! The positive energy I infuse in every little step toward success creates momentum all around me.
Top 5 Takeaways
- Listen to your gut. You know more than you think, and if a project or potential client is sending up red flags, pay attention. Don’t paint those red flags green – it’s okay to admit when the fit’s not right.
- You don’t have to drop everything to reply when an email comes in, unless it’s really time-sensitive. Definitely reply promptly – but if someone’s going to get antsy because you haven’t replied minutes after the email was sent, do you really want to set that expectation?
- Time management is really important for getting everything done. Blocking out time guarantees you’ve got that two or three hours you need to get into the zone, and you can build in time for putting out any fires that come up.
- You don’t need All The Things right away. Start with the basics, and upgrade as finances and necessity see fit. Often you’ll decide you HAVE to have something, then realise later that you could have managed fine without it.
- Celebrate every success! Noticing and being happy about every little success primes you for feeling really good about the big ones, and it’s from positivity that you get your momentum.
https://www.instagram.com/littlebirdcreativenz/