Behind the Design

This episode shares the actionable steps and mindset shifts that doubled my revenue last month. - Importance of mindset and five key shifts that led to revenue growth. - Transitioning from an agency model to a leaner studio setup. - Surrender versus strategy: trusting the process and focusing on small daily progress. - Tools and templates for streamlining business processes and prioritizing self-care. - Expanding mindset, embracing the "yes, I can" attitude, and creating white space for increased productivity. Timestamps: 01:00 Business transformed to align with lifestyle and values. 04:33 Mindset shifts for revenue growth: strategy, surrender. 07:18 Setting big goals and letting go. 10:22 Focus on small daily tasks for progress. 14:51 Shifted mindset, prioritize self-care for better days. 16:49 Prioritize self-care, and wake up earlier. 20:34 Expanding capacity and mindset to achieve goals. 25:04 Embracing simplicity and self-care for success. 29:58 Recommend meditation, self-reflection, and self-care practices. Check out our resources & links: Free Course: 6 Figure Designer's Growth Guide Website: byoliviaaustin.com Instagram: instagram.com/byoliviaaustin

Kelsey Ogletree is the founder and CEO of Pitchcraft, a tech platform connecting writers, editors and PR professionals. She's also an independent journalist, holding a master's degree in magazine journalism from Northwestern University. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, AARP The Magazine, Travel + Leisure and more. She is a new mom to baby Asher, born in April 2023, and cat, Monty. In her free time, she enjoys baking, golfing, reading, being active outside and spending time with family and friends. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to guest: transitioned from editor to successful freelance writer. 03:58 Media industry faced uncertainty during March 2020. 09:18 Freelance writer pitches story ideas to publications. 10:51 Experienced writers: pitch directly or find freelancer. 13:29 Start local with niche community publications first. 17:00 Adding value to others, not self-promotion. 20:17 Clearly state your keywords and follow up. 23:20 Managing email productivity and setting work boundaries. 27:42 Guard your time, prioritize tasks effectively. 31:26 Prioritized balance and grace over rigid routines. 34:56 Parenting requires juggling, but we're blessed. 38:59 Struggle to balance motherhood and personal identity. 42:38 Trusting intuition and prioritizing self-care and family. 44:30 Following my heart over traditional marketing strategies. 46:30 Evaluate activities based on your hourly rate. 50:17 How to Find Kelsey

In this episode of "Behind the Design Podcast", hosted by Olivia Austin, we get an inspiring glimpse into the colorful world of Nicole Goldfarb, the creative CEO of Nixie, and her journey into the business of joy-infusing design. Nicole Goldfarb is a color-loving creative whose eye-catching illustrations radiate a playful energy that is synonymous with joy. With a signature blend of lively hues, bold shapes and funky typography, her mission is to inspire a life full of fun by making the most out of every day. Nicole believes life is so much more fun when you lean into the things that make you truly happy, so she created Nixie, a brand toting a colorful curation of art and lifestyle goods. Color is her love language, summer is her muse, design is her passion, and the beach is her happy place. Nicole is currently catching rays and making waves in Venice, CA. Timestamps: 00:00 Olivia Austin, brand designer, strategist, business coach. 04:10 Worked in freelance creative agency, then started selling art. 06:40 Struggling between job and passion leads breakthrough. 12:24 Preparing to move, given different feedback related. 15:27 Launching collection with colorful and cute items. 18:58 Finding joy in small, creative moments daily. 21:20 Finding inspiration in world, city, nature. 23:06 Create, sketch, and let ideas simmer. 27:22 Adapting and taking breaks to enhance productivity. 31:19 Be open to different creative opportunities. 35:42 Excited about expanding party accessories with Nixie. 38:07 Podcast host offering guidance and resources. Follow!

Angela is the Founder and Creative Heart behind Saffron Avenue, a graphic design studio for ambitious brands and a template shop for entrepreneurs and artists. With a love of designing with intention and connection, I focus on infusing strategy, sophistication, and hand-crafted details into each brand, website, and product. Her mission has been to help creative business owners gain clarity and confidence with their brand and website, allowing them to effortlessly evolve with growth. Today we chat about her evolution of Saffron Avenue and everything she's learned along the way from simplifying her services, honing in on her niche, what her schedule is like as a new mom and business owner and where she finds creativity to do multiple launch collections/year. If you're a creative at heart, you're going to love this episode! Timestamps: 00:00 Feeling determined to start creative business early. 04:38 Ignorance turned to success through hard work. 07:08 Learned design skills through self-teaching and perseverance. 11:09 Passionate about branding and unique websites. 14:24 Love playing with color, creating seasonal palettes. 18:56 Personalized branding creates excitement and customer engagement. 19:36 Workbook helps brand alignment, Pinterest board review. 25:28 Semi-customs provide clarity and save time. 28:53 Entrepreneurship: follow intuition, find joy, attract success. 30:52 Mindset change, fear replaced by joy. 35:36 Women leading, setting positive examples for kids. 36:31 Changing mind, aging, career impact on family. 39:33 Scheduled work, ongoing projects, and flexibility. 43:13 Shifting focus to branding education, website templates.

Join our guest, Kay from KAC Marketing, on the Behind the Design podcast as we dive into secrets on scaling agencies, leveraging AI for efficiency, and mastering email marketing and ad management strategies for small businesses. Plus, you'll hear expert advice on balancing work-life and harnessing the power of organic content and paid ads to grow your client base. Don't miss these valuable insights - perfect for agency owners and marketing professionals looking to thrive! Kay is a marketing strategist with over 15 years of experience helping businesses take a data-driven approach to increasing revenue. She is a former VP of Marketing & Analytics and is now the founder of the KAC Marketing Agency where she helps 7-figure brands scale through ads and email marketing. Timestamps: 00:00 Launched email marketing agency, grew through referrals. 06:09 Messaging strategy, GBT training, boosts efficiency. 07:38 AI enhances efficiency and profitability in agencies. 10:49 Learning from previous large agency experience helped. 16:19 Delegation is key for successful hiring. 18:47 Consistent content with client results generates leads. 20:34 Strong network connections essential for business success. 25:48 Starting from scratch, testing messaging and imagery. 29:31 Agencies are expensive; consider freelance options. 33:24 Disagreements with art director over design choices. 35:48 Instagram content should have specific calls-to-action. 37:49 Lower costs with in-app ads, better conversion. 42:45 Prioritizing balance after experiencing burnout, flexible schedule. 44:31 Embrace flexibility in work for success.

On today's episode, we are taking it super logistical, legal I guess ha! Where Paige Hulse of Paige Hulse Law is answering all of your small business legal questions. Paige Hulse received her Juris Doctorate from The University of Tulsa and is the owner and lead attorney of Paige Hulse Law, the founder of The Creative Law Shop® (CLS), Co-Founder of the Special Forces Support Fund™ and the owner of Fairway Stables™. As an intellectual property attorney and passionate serial entrepreneur, Paige fosters the tension between ambition and contentment; equipping diligent entrepreneurs to embrace their seachange, build an enduring business, and experience their own version of The American Dream. Timestamps: 00:00 Introducing Paige Hulse, IP Attorney and Mastermind sister 03:53 Creative work often misunderstood, undervalued in society. 08:38 Following intuition, meeting demand, being adaptable, successful. 10:27 Flexibility in work, diverse income sources important. 17:40 Registering intellectual property protects your business name. 19:44 Contract determines ownership of created content. 22:51 Small business owners should consider intellectual property. 26:28 Website legality and liability for designers explained. 31:12 Designer's need for creative license and AI. 35:38 Ensuring trademark and copyright compliance in design. 39:04 Original designers will have valuable intellectual property. 42:21 Plan business with potential for future sale. 48:04 Separate design studio from liability perspective first.

Liz Spears is a marketing coach and consultant teaching purpose-led women how to promote their business online with authenticity, magic and magnetism. In this episode, we chat about omnipresent marketing strategies, how to easily create content that converts and implementing a seamless strategy that doesn't make you want to pull your hair out. Liz and I connected on Instagram and now have followed each other's journey's, so I'm so excited to have her on the podcast! Links: https://lizspearsmarketing.com/ https://www.instagram.com/lizspearsmarketing/

Refining my client process is the reason I was able to scale to a multiple six-figure online business. In part one, I talked about onboarding, brand direction, and logo design. Today, we're talking about collateral (including a brand guide!), web design, and offboarding. Be sure to take notes and massive action, as you're going to learn a lot in part two.

Caitlin Durning is the owner of a social media management and consulting company, Meraki Media, giving you the tools and confidence you need to succeed online. In this episode, I pick Caitlin's brain about all things Instagram - the dreaded algorithm, content that engages your ideal client, hashtags 101, what to focus on (and what not to focus on), and how to manage your mental health online. Caitlin is truly in the business of making your presence on Instagram more authentic. I took a full page of notes during this episode. It is so packed with knowledge and is a great episode for any entrepreneur to tune into. I hope you enjoy!

"Why do I need branding?" is an objection I hear from designers all the time. Branding is why you buy that specific $130 pair of leggings, are loyal to your local coffee shop, and make buying decisions based on aesthetics & ethics. That is all branding. But what makes a solid brand? What is the true value of branding for your business? This is what I'm exploring in today's episode.

In this week's episode, I'm rounding up my top resources and tools that I use every day to run my business. I'm also sharing some that are specific to the coaching and wellness space.

Today we’re going to talk about all things copywriting with strategist Kayla Dean, from your website to your social media. She started her business, the Literary Co. in 2018 and since then has been turning brand stories into transformational copy that supports businesses for years to come. We talk about how to write your about page and be more unique with your copy, and the biggest mistakes she sees entrepreneurs making. You'll also learn how important copy is when working with a designer.

Kari is the Founder + CEO of Feathered Arrow, a creative company specializing in wedding planning and design, lifestyle photography, and prints for your home. She is also the host of The Local Table, a podcast for entrepreneurs. In this episode, we're talking about entrepreneurship, finding your ideal client, the joy of missing out, and how to have compassion for yourself.