Name: Stacey Richardson
Business Name: Stacey Richardson Creative
Type of Business: Creative Design, Illustration and Writing Services
Location: London UK
How Long In Business: 2 years
Originally from Canada and now based in the UK, Stacey is a freelance designer, illustrator and writer who specializes in the fashion and beauty industries. She has obtained an Honors Bachelor of Design and Communications with a minor in Marketing from Ryerson University (Toronto), and was the winner of the MacGregor Design Competition as well as the recipient of the Le Chateau Fashion Communications Scholarship. She has since worked in various areas of the fashion, design and marketing industries in Canada and the UK.
Her experience includes working as an accessory designer, illustrator, writer, stylist and make up artist which greatly influence her work. She incorporates the latest fashion, beauty and culture trends into her work to give it a modern look, with a retro, pop art flavor. She is often commissioned to do portraits and images in pop art styles, ranging from Andy Warhol to Lichtenstein. In addition to art and design, she also writes articles and web content about fashion, culture, fitness, nutrition, travel, relationships and dating for various clients. Her work is featured in various e-books, blogs, newsletters, and magazines, as well as on products (clothing, cosmetics, books) available in the US and UK.
Her clients are located all over the world and include fashion companies, marketing firms, event planners, promotional agencies, web and graphic designers, media companies, Fortune 500 companies, publishers, photographers and more. Please visit www.staceyrichardson.co.uk for more information.
What were you doing before you launched your business?
I was working as an accessory designer and assistant account manager for a prominent handbag design company located in London. We worked on ranges for high street retailers such as Laura Ashley and Jaeger. I was more involved on the business side of it and became a frustrated designer!
Why did you decide to transition out of working for others?
The best piece of advice my dad ever gave me was to always aim to work for myself doing something I loved. When I was about to go on maternity leave from my job at the handbag company I decided that it was the perfect time to venture into my own business. I needed to work for myself to feel fulfilled in my career and really utilize all of my talents. The thought of working my way up in a company didn’t appeal to me because I had so many ideas that were going to waste working in positions where I didn’t have the creative freedom that I needed.
What was the first step you took in taking your idea to a reality?
Creating my website was the first step for my business. Being a designer, your portfolio and website are everything when you are getting started. I took my time creating the website and created a portfolio that would show my best work.
Were you afraid to step out on your own? If so, how did you overcome your fear?
Being a freelancer, it is scary putting your ideas and creative work out there for everyone to judge, so that did scare me. I had a fear of ‘not being good enough’ to branch out on my own. However, once I started to research my competition, I realized that my work was at the same level and I was qualified to compete in the market. I used visualization and positive thinking and it really did make me more confident in myself and my work.
Once you left your job, what did you do first?
Well, I had a baby! It was nice because the transition for me was not about quitting one job to start a venture on my own, but more of a gradual change where I had a newborn to deal with first and then the work was my little creative sanctuary on the side. I didn’t have to deal with financing, overhead or staff so it was just a matter of getting the site done, and getting clients.
Who were your first customers/clients?
I started freelancing when I was still in university so my first “client” was the Ryersonian (the student newspaper at Ryerson University). Unpaid of course, but to see my illustration in print was exhilarating! My first paid job was a t shirt design for a small company in NYC.
What was your marketing strategy initially? How has it changed?
My marketing strategy in the beginning was to get on as many design directories as possible, and advertise via the internet. I also used Google Adwords to help with my site traffic. It’s changed now because I get a lot of my business from repeat clients or word of mouth advertising, and I no longer use Adwords as they really didn’t work for me. I am also focusing on marketing to individuals- I specialize in pop art portraits and have been working to sell custom portraits to the public- rather than solely B2B marketing.
What advice would you give to others who are interested in launching a business similar to yours?
Having a niche is very important. It sets you apart from the millions of creatives out there and gives you more of an identity as a designer.
What are the future goals for your business?
I’ve just launched my writing business which is going phenomenally well, so Id like to continue with that in addition to doing design and illustration. I have some big projects in the making now so watch this space!
How do you juggle your business responsibilities with those of being a wife and/or mother?
Honestly, I have no idea! I’m up from 6:45 am until 12 am most days and still manage to happily take care of a toddler. Under normal circumstances I’d be shattered, but I love my work and I love my son, so generally I just feel really lucky to have the best of both worlds. That gives me the energy to keep going.
What is an average day like for you?
I’m up early in the morning and am busy getting my son fed and ready for the day. I check my emails first thing and reply to the urgent ones right away. I usually take my son to a toddler group or activity class for the morning. When we get back, we have lunch and he naps. This is my first work session of the day and I’ll dive into my projects. When he wakes up we are off to visit friends, go to the park, play outside etc. I check emails when I can throughout the day and also deal with phone calls if I can, but when my son is awake that’s our time together, so I try not to let work take over. Then it’s dinner, bath and bed for him and I start my real workday at about 7pm. I’ll work until 12am or later if I have a deadline. I’ll get about 6-7 hrs sleep and do it all again the next day!
How do you motivate yourself and stay motivated?
I always set goals for myself that I need to reach. Whether they are short term or long term milestones, I think it’s important to have something written down that I can reference and remind myself of what I want to achieve. Having motivated people around me also keeps my enthusiasm up.
If you had to start over from scratch, knowing what you know now, what would you differently?
I would have started my business earlier. I wish that I would have started my business much earlier, simply because it’s such a great job! I feel like there was a lot of time spent working for others that could have been devoted to my venture…but it’s easier to see these things in hindsight of course! My advice to those looking to start their own business is be prepared, but don’t procrastinate.
What’s the most important business or financial discovery you’ve made in the past year?
Being based in the UK, I’ve found a great resource called Business Link. It offers information, advice and contacts for everything you need when running your own business- from tax/accounting advice, seminars, networking opportunities- the list is endless. Instead of having to search around for information, it’s all in one place for me.
What do you do to promote your business, to beat the competition, and to dominate the market?
As a freelancer, I rely on my marketing background to promote my business and beat the competition. There are so many designers and writers out there who have amazing work, but don’t know how to sell their services to potential clients. I also take pride in how I treat my clients. I offer friendly, personalized service and always make sure they are completely satisfied with the end result.
What are the three threats to your business, your success, and how are you handling them?
1. Outsourcing- There is a lot of competition from designers and writers overseas who can work for a much smaller rate due to their lower cost of living. Being in the UK where the cost of living is double what it is in the US, I have to convince clients why they should hire me for a higher cost vs. someone that can do it for a fifth of the price. Some people are just looking for a cheap price, in which case I just have to accept it and move on.
2. Time- I’d really like to expand my business but at the moment I have all the workload that I can handle time-wise. In the next few years as my son grows up and goes to school I will have more time to focus on work, so for the moment I am enjoying a balance of work and home.
3. The credit crunch/recession- The UK and US have been hit hard financially over the past year, and it looks to continue for a while unfortunately. I have been able to remain busy, but in case things do slow down for me as less people are spending, I am being careful to plan ahead and put off any major investments until a more stable time.
What has been your biggest disappointment in your life – and what are you doing to prevent its reoccurrence?
I’m quite a positive person and tend to see the bright side of any negative situation, so nothing really comes to mind as a big disappointment in my life so far. In work and life, I am very big on being prepared and thinking ahead, which may be the reason why I haven’t suffered any major disappointments.
What do you observe most people in your field doing badly that you think you do well?
In any creative field, there are people who get stuck in a rut and don’t really evolve in their work. While having a niche or signature style is a definite asset, you still need to constantly change with the times so your work doesn’t look outdated. This is especially true in work relating to fashion and beauty, you always have to be one step ahead.
