The Hustle Doesn't Sleep

This morning a friend sent me a message on Facebook to ask me what I was up to today. I told her a breakdown of all the tasks I had planned out: working on my e-book, a few client orders, preparing some send outs for my travel clients, adding some finishing touches to a new product line I'm working on, and a little SEO in my shop. She immediately responds back with, "But it's Saturday?" If you're a creative entrepreneur, a small business owner, run a direct sales company, or just have goals you want to achieve, I know you can relate to me when I say, The Work Doesn't End Because It's The Weekend. 

Why You're Worth It and Overcoming Self Doubt

Have you ever heard the saying, "When you learn how much you're worth, you'll stop giving people discounts"? I've heard it...but it didn't stop me from undervaluing myself or from letting other people undervalue me. As a professional graphic designer it should come as no surprise to anyone, let alone those who hire me, that I charge a fee for my services. Custom design fees are not cheap, but I don't believe my fees are unreasonable, either. But it never fails. A potential client will contact me and say, "I love your work, your style is exactly what I'm looking for. BUT can I get a discount?" These emails would always frustrate me and leave me questioning my prices. Were my prices too high? Was my service not worth the price? Logically I felt like my prices were very accurate to the service I provide. I know any entrepreneur can relate to the rigorous calculations made to come to an end price for our goods and services. So why would someone expect a discount if my services were accurate to what I provide AND they love my work?

The Low Down On Hashtags

I know we've all seen a hashtag and we probably know someone who uses them to label every.single.thing they do. #perfectlife #livinglife #dranksomecoffee #atesomegrapes #pooped #goingtobed. But what the heck does a hashtag really do? Well, preceding a keyword with a hash character, or pound sign, (#) will identify messages on that keyword. So think of it like an archive of similar posts or pictures.

What Is Branding and Why Is It So Important?

As a Graphic Designer you get asked a lot of the same questions, but I get asked the same question daily, "What is branding?" Branding is defined as the marketing practice of creating a name, symbol, or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products. Constantly I am asked if "a brand" is "a logo design." Yes and no. Your logo design is a part of your brand, but branding is more than just a logo design. Think of your logo as the symbol that represents your brand.

Stylish Free Font Guide

Whether you're looking to spice up your branding, make some cute graphics, or just have a little fun with fonts, we know that not everyone has a budget to pay for those ultra nifty typefaces. I love to find stylish and hip fonts that you can enjoy for free! If you have a particular style you might like to see in a future feature, please let me know!

Branding to Attract Clients and Grow Your Business

We live in a time of rushing. Rushing around, rush shipping, we've become so impatient that we won't order something if it's not guaranteed next day. That mindset carries over into everything; Eating out – what's quickest? Traveling – which route gets me there fastest? Branding – will I have this tomorrow? We're in such a rush that we forget the most important part – quality! Sure you might get the gift you ordered on Amazon next day, but is it really on par with a handmade gift you could have purchased from an Artisan on Etsy? We've subjected ourselves to the rush mentality for so long, maybe we've forgotten that quality is important. People respond to quality; they notice it, they appreciate it, quality is what makes your brand stand out.

Turing Your Logo Into A Photoshop Brush

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, "How do I use my logo as a brush in photoshop?" It's a pretty simple concept, but it may be confusing for beginners, so I wanted to create a quick tutorial on how to do that, and how to export your new brush/ABR file from Photoshop.

The Secret to Success

Recently I was having a chat with a fellow entrepreneur and she brought up a very important topic, "What is the secret to success?" At the time, I couldn't think of an appropriate answer. I went on about my day, but the comment kept popping up in my head; What exactly is the secret to success? What exactly is success? Am I successful? Who is successful? To figure that out, I decided to do my research on success itself.

Marketing Your Business With Pinterest

Social media has become a huge marketing source for many companies, big and small. Celebrities use websites like Twitter to endorse products for companies. Big brands use Facebook to engage with their audience and promote their new products. You can even purchase ads and start paid campaigns to increase your visibility on Facebook & Twitter. But what about Pinterest? This is a site where you can create individual boards and pin relative content within it. It's basically a digital inspiration board. People use Pinterest for everything to weight loss to decorating rooms in their homes. With all the amazing content available, it's no wonder Pinterest has become a go-to resource on what products to buy and what products to avoid.

Recovery Reflection Realization

There are days where I wake up and I feel like I'm moving backwards. Nothing I do seems to push me in the direction I want to be going in. This feeling could explain why I have a planner, six notebooks, and calendars on both my phone and my computer all with to-do lists of things I want/need to accomplish. If left to my own devices I would walk backwards all the time. When I make a plan, it means that I am committed to doing something. Whether there's a chance that I won't finish or that I might fail, commitment is big motivator. I really envy those impulsive people who lived life with no intention. No plans, no lists, no rules. I frequently wish I could be more like them. How freeing a life of spontaneity must be!