Kelsie Klaustermeier’s Post

I'm incredibly proud and excited to announce that my new venture, ⚡ Technically Creative, is LIVE! 🚀 👉 https://lnkd.in/eNpTSBwJ For years I've worked with businesses who have struggled with the same issues: → Sales collateral that doesn't convert → Web pages with low response rates → Inconsistent branding that doesn't resonate This is because design is often an afterthought, not a strategy - leaving £££ on the table. I've worked in-house, agency, freelance, and back again over the past 13+ years, helping businesses get more through PROPER design. That's why I've launched Technically Creative—An unlimited design subscription that helps actively increase your bottom line. 📈 → Make every touchpoint a conversion point with quality, consistent design → Get designs when you need them, without the wait, with lightning fast turnaround → Avoid hiring hassle and other expensive employee costs with one fixed monthly fee Technically Creative isn't your typical 💩 graphic design agency that has no measurable metrics or accountability. Head to our site 👇 to find out how https://lnkd.in/eNpTSBwJ

Not all creatives can squeeze into a one-size fits all box. We see you. You rotate through various hats whether you’re a designer, freelancer, or a sleep-deprived parent. Juggling so many ideas that extend beyond the workplace must be exhausting. We’re amazed by all the cool stuff you create. We’re curious: How do you keep your creative juices flowing outside your 9-5?

In the competitive landscape of business, the first impression can be the difference between securing funding and being overlooked. Your pitch deck is the visual gateway to your business story, making the decision between a DIY creation and professional assistance a critical one. Let's delve into the considerations that can guide you in making the right choice for your pitch deck. Ready to elevate your business narrative? Head to the link and start exploring freelance designers specializing in pitch deck designs: https://fvrr.co/4835j89.

When you decide to turn your creative freelance business into an agency, do you have to inevitably give up on doing some/all of the creative work? 🤔 What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts! #businessowner #creative #creativebusiness #design #designstudio

When it comes to developing physical products, there are a some different approaches: - Doing it yourself. - Working with big agencies. - Working with small studios. - Working with a freelancer. The choice is yours and there is no right or wrong way. Here's why you might want to choose to partner with a smaller design studio like Abtin Valerie Design Studio : ☑️ We become the experts on your team instead of you doing all the guesswork yourself. ☑️ You work directly with us. No work is being passed down a long list of team members. We aim to provide clear, valuable and honest communication resulting in less misunderstandings. ☑️ The focus is on doing quality work. Having a limited number of clients that we work with at a time leads to shorter project timelines, better work and more valuable outcomes. ☑️ Our network of experts and suppliers means that your project gets guidance and support from the best. ☑️ We have a 24-hour response time (excluding weekends). Happy Friday everyone! #industrialdesign #designpartner #smallbusiness #designstudio

In January 2022 I started a design studio. I had done freelance work for a couple of years. But this wasn’t the same. Starting a business felt different. Mistakes were made, opportunities were missed. But I did everything I could to make it work. The more I learnt, the clearer my intentions. Here’s 5 things I’ve learnt since starting my business: 1) You never feel ready to start. Just go with it. You learn from experience. 2) Believe in your ability. Be confident even when you don’t always feel like it. 3) Systems and repeatable processes are important. For you and the client. It looks professional and creates an efficient experience. 4) Be specific. About your offering and who it’s for. 5) Your ideal client won’t come to you. You have to stand out to them. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I didn’t start. You have to put in the work and continue to learn. Trust the process. It doesn’t happen overnight. #branddesign #brandstrategy #designstudio #brandstrategist #branddesigner #branding #creativeindustry

Hey, All Creatives We've made it to the end of another week! Take a moment to think about all you've achieved, whether it was nailing a client brief, figuring out a tricky design, or just staying motivated through a tough project. Your dedication and passion shine through. Freelancing can feel like a solo journey sometimes, but remember, each design you create has the power to inspire and make a difference. Every stroke, detail, and creative choice is a testament to your unique vision and hard work. So, give yourself some credit. Celebrate your wins, big and small. Take the weekend to recharge, let new ideas flow, and come back ready to create even more amazing work. Keep pushing boundaries, keep innovating, and most importantly, keep believing in your talent. The world needs your creativity. YOU'VE GOT THIS!

Too often I see business owners skip the process of strategy & pay cheap freelancers for design work, due to their tight budgets. If that’s you, take the time to unpack this the best you can for yourself, so you can give your designer better creative direction when they start their visual design process. Knowing your brand strategy before you start designing will save you expensive mistakes, make you more clear, more distinctive from competitors and more relevant to your target audience.

3 redundancies in & I am fucking DONE. 😮💨 🖕 Here's what I've learnt... There's a peace within the chaos. When your working life has been thrown into uncertainty so many times, you learn to face it and sit in it- and think, what's the lesson here? I'm not gunna die, but what do I need to do with my life to redirect in the right direction? Something I've learnt is that you're no more safe in an employed role these days than you are doing your own thing. At least with your own business you call the shots, you understand how to control the inflow of work and financial stability. Hence why Prismal.io was born. 👶🏼 STORYTIME: I had a lightbulb/sad ass moment when I interviewed for a senior creative position at a agency in Manchester recently. I joined the call feeling confident that I can present and pitch my skills effectively. I've worked with big names, had big ass responsibility running the design side of an agency and as creative lead for another, I can do art working with my eyes shut and know full well I've buckets of swiss-army knife style value to add to every avenue of the business. All was going well until I was asked to present a piece of work I was super proud of and talk through it... and, I couldn't. I straight up had to tell them that "Listen, I've done a whole host of stuff, and I'm confident to do it all, yet my own work and the freelance work I've done for my own clients is what I'm most proud of" Agency life has you working on all manner of shit. Small, bitty, sometimes fucking ugly (from another designer that you're continuing the pages for, someone else dated branding etc) and there isn't much of it I'd put my name against. I felt none of it, regardless of how complex of a project it was or how big the client is, is something I'd be proud to say I made. For context, I have a non-linear path to success in design, and my experiences so varied and wide, that I don't FIT into any clean cut design role in a full time capacity anymore, nor, on reflection do I even want to. 🤔 I left that interview incredibly deflated. Questioning myself, my design skills, my worth, and it left me feeling flat as fuck, in that moment I forgot about the awards I've won, the large clients I've been trusted to work with, the workshops I've ran around the world and all the great and loving feedback I get from working with my own clients. It was time, I was done, something had to change. I'm fried with back to back having to prove myself and my worth. I share this story as a reminder to you that most of us don't have it figured out. But find what you love about your job from all the life experience you have, and do that, as that's typically where your greatest alignment and happiness lies. For me it's shit hot branding and web design, and pushing the boundaries of creativity within AI. This is what I'm strong at, this is what I enjoy, and this is what I can powerfully supply to others via Prismal.io 🧑💻 → How has your journey shaped you?

Amongst the huge list of to-dos, I had a wonderful realisation today. "our true potential and the amount of work we can get done is only limited by out mind" So when I was freelancing, I used to take breaks left and right, even between projects, whenever I felt like it. & Yet somehow still managed to burn out. But now, Even though I'm working on a lot more stuff. I somehow manage to get everything with little to no stress. (And I rarely feel burnt out) Because I know I HAVE to do it. & Theoretically, it's a LOT of work. But as long as I sit and start, everything works out. And all Incan think of now, after this realisation is how much time and potential I've wasted just because somethings felt uncomfortable :') But I'm happy I started this challenge, because even if this doesn't work out perfectly, Just realising things like this about myself would be worth the effort - Anyway, today was Day 60/100 of building a design studio publicly For the work part, similar stuffs been happening for the last 3 4 days. → Talking to a lot of writers insearch for a perfect fit for studio's comms. → Working on and managing both the on-going projects simultaneously. → Trying to focus a little more on actively 'build' the business. & That's all for today! - Don't forget to follow me if you'd like to see more of what's to come, & I'll see you tomorrow. ✨ #brand #brandingprocess #agency #brandagency #100dayschallenges #design #designer #graphicdesigner #Entrepreneurship #smallbusiness #brandagency #designstudio #agency #brandidentity