The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
I started my business full-time right before we went into lockdown due to COVID. I had enough work to get started and most of my clients wanted to keep moving forward on the projects we had already arranged, but as the lockdowns got longer and companies started to lose more and more money, everyone started cutting back. This was a challenge, but I’ve continued to make myself and my services marketable even during a difficult time for our country.
Additionally, I have mistakenly taken on really entitled and toxic clients. I have had to walk the road of letting these clients go because I wasn’t being treated with respect. I have been very proud of the way I have handled these situations. I hate wasting my precious time on people who don’t value and appreciate my work, especially because there are so many people out there that love working together. I would much rather put my efforts and energy into these clients and brands! I’ve learned that I need to screen people more carefully and weed out people who don’t seem to be a good fit for me and my brand.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
I love being my own boss! I try to be the best boss to myself. I love that I get to make decisions about what I put my time and energy into. If I feel a shift in vision or direction, I can move. It can be stressful though. As much as it is fun and exciting, you feel stressed when work starts drying up or when you make a mistake. The key I have found is community. Having people you can talk to about your experiences and what it’s like in the industry makes all the difference in your ability to cope with the challenges. Knowing you are not alone is half the battle.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I want to serve more small to medium businesses with their marketing and design strategies and needs. I realise the need is greater than just me as one person. I am already building a team to help create the vision I have for serving businesses in New Zealand. I also want to make marketing more accessible to the masses. It shouldn’t be something that only big companies with big marketing budgets have access to.
Head to the Savill Studios website to find out more, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
