Opening a Boutique Design Studio: How We Started
Your brand's success and customer engagement depend on defining your company's story, whether it's personal or straightforward. It's moving to hear entrepreneurs reflect on how they got started.
One of my favorite stories is about Melanie Perkins, the CEO and co-founder of Canva. She believed that everyone should have access to graphic design tools and transformed her online yearbook design business into the Canva we know today.
Entrepreneurship was not a goal for me initially, but I realized that it was the best way to serve my clients. I started my boutique brand design company after going through some significant twists and turns in my design career. Please continue reading to learn about my journey from being an intern to becoming the owner of my own company.
Design Intern
Many successful business owners began as inexperienced but eager interns. Maybe you are one of them!
In my last year studying graphic design, I worked as an intern for the university marketing department at Belmont University. It helped me understand project management and I got a taste of what it was like to design with a robust university brand. At the same time, friends and family were coming to me for logo design and would continue to for years.
Chicago Media Company Designer
Like many entry-level designers, I wanted to gain experience working with Fortune 500 brands. The woman-owned media company I worked with in Chicago had big-name clients like Motorola, Pfizer, and Abbott Labs. As a result, my desktop was full of brand identities and style guides. Eventually, I found my niche in event brand design but soon after my life took a turn.
Entrepreneurship and Parenthood
About 5 years into being on staff, I became a mom!
That same year, I also lost my condo to foreclosure during the 2008 housing crisis and resigned from my senior designer position. Not to worry, the company continued to work with me on a freelance basis.
Finally, I was working with impactful brands and beginning to build a solo design career.
Soon , I would question everything and turn my career upside down once again.
Opening a Studio
In 2021, I had moved to Nolensville, Tennessee with my husband and our three sons. We wanted to live closer to his family and enjoy the city where we first met—Nashville.
Finally, I addressed the persistent curiosity in my life around brand design. So many companies were privileged to have the ability to massively invest in strategic logo design. I had the honor of working with brands that are fierce and definitive. I knew that parts of the strategy and creative process could be accessible to small businesses. But, I was keenly aware that everything hinged on the designer.
‘Could I do it?’
I knew how to drive the creative process and help a company remain cohesive. Still, I wanted to master brand design, and especially how to help clients. I found everything I needed in the Elevate mentorship with Fiona Humberstone in the UK. In the months following, all the details of Laura Grant Design LLC fell into place.
Stephanie Aykroyd, Ontario-based fine artist, was my first official brand launch. There have been many awe-inspiring brand launches since and expansion into Squarespace design.
Our team grew with the amazing OBM, Lunimae, who helped us beginning in October of 2022. Next, we added a designer from Austin, TX, Francisca Li. Now, if you require local brand photography, a Hendersonville-based photographer, and my amazing sister-in-law, Cayte King, is partnering with us.
What’s next?
If you’re on our email list, you may have heard that we have even bigger plans this year. Keep an eye on our social media for hints and reveals coming very soon!
Till then we have…
A new freebie for you!
Can you handle expert eyes on your brand? Customers in our mailing list are loving our new FREE Brand Audit. Don’t miss out on finding clarity this year.
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