EPISODE SUMMARY
Join us as we chat with Brooke from Flora Creative Co about all things branding and design. Brooke is a creative brand and web designer, and in this episode, she shares how effective branding can positively impact your business and attract your dream clients. We also chat about her experience working with a mentor and why having a mentor can be so helpful when you’re starting or hoping to grow your business.
EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
About Brooke:
Brooke is a talented brand designer and the founder of Flora Creative Co where she offers customized branding and web design services. She cultivated her passion for art at a young age through drawing and went on to complete a degree in graphic design at Ringling College of Art and Design.
Brooke had originally envisioned herself working in a corporate environment for 10-15 years before opening her own studio however, the pandemic and 2020 had other plans for her. While furloughed from her job, and freelancing part-time for other designers, she decided it was time for her to take the leap – she quit her full-time job and that’s when Flora Creative Co was born. Brooke is passionate about uplifting and empowering other creative lady entrepreneurs through powerful branding design and strategy.
Brooke is also a devout dog mom and a Pinterest aficionado. She draws inspiration from black and white photography, vintage design, thrifting, the color gold, and Paris, to name a few.
“I’m very inspired by mixing the past and present to create a really cool, timeless modern design. “- Brooke
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Brooke credits her mentor, Chelsea Blackwell – founder of Honey & Co, for helping her reach her business goals a lot quicker than if she’d done it on her own. Having a mentor helped pave the way for her to start her own business taking a lot of the guess work out of the process. She highly recommends others invest in a mentor, as well.
When looking for a mentor start by following people you look up to on social media and see if they mention a mentor they’re working with. Another tip is to use #mentoring and you can find a lot of cool people like that as well. Before committing to a mentor be sure to schedule a call to make sure you’re a good fit. And finally, pick someone that you aspire to be like.
Hiring a branding expert can help you really hone in on who your dream client is. Then, through targeted branding design and strategy your business will begin to attract the person you ultimately dream of working with.
People spend months, maybe even years, looking at your content before deciding to work with you or buy from you. For this reason, it’s so important that you stay consistent with your branding design and messaging.
When you’re first starting out, it can be hard to identify your dream client. To overcome this hump, experiment with different styles, even if it’s just on the sidelines of your actual business. Once you find the style that resonates the most with you, the clients who also resonate with your style will come.
If your budget doesn’t have room for a full branding strategy, at the very least start off with a color palette, a logo, and a consistent typography style.
Branding is so much more than just the logo, the colors, and the font; as your business grows, you’ll also want to consider your messaging, your story and brand voice.
“I tell photographers that it’s important to have a presence about you and a presence for your business. Your business has to tell a story, and people resonate with stories. You want people to feel your story coming through in your colors, textures, and typography. It’s meaningful to people.” – Brooke
Brooke’s advice for creatives just getting started – I strongly recommend finding your magic sauce Continue experimenting with different styles, look around your house and at the things you buy, ask yourself “What do I really like” or “Who am I, actually?”, and finally, don’t try to be right for everyone!
“It’s important to be yourself and don’t be afraid to talk about things that you’re passionate about on stories, and on posts. Those things are going to attract the right people to your business.” – Brooke
Connect with Brooke:
Website: https://floracreativeco.com
IG: floracreative_co
Pinterest: floracreative_co
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TIME STAMPS:
(00:09) Introducing Brooke from Flora Creative Co
(4:00) The advantages of having a mentor when you’re getting started
(6:28) Recommendations for finding a mentor
(8:58) How effective branding design and strategy can help attract your dream client
(11:36) Tips for identifying who your dream client is
(19:28) How important is branding for your photography business?
(24:17) Different types of branding services for varying budgets
(32:30) Brooke’s advice for creatives starting a business and working toward finding their style
SEGMENTED TIME STAMPS (adding a 1 min intro):
(01:09) Introducing Brooke from Flora Creative Co
(5:00) The advantages of having a mentor when you’re getting started
(7:28) Recommendations for finding a mentor
(9:58) How effective branding design and strategy can help attract your dream client
(12:36) Tips for identifying who your dream client is
(20:28) How important is branding for your photography business?
(25:17) Different types of branding services for varying budgets
(33:30) Brooke’s advice for creatives starting a business and working toward finding their style
