Introducing: the new Anchored Creative Studio
I usually don’t work with brand-new businesses, mostly owing to my belief that you need to work through a few struggles of business to really define your audience and realize what’s important to the business you’re building. And I’ve realized lately that this is no less true for my own design studio.
I’ll likely look back on the summer of 2018 as one of burnout and growth. After starting Anchored Creative Studio in May 2016, I went through varying degrees of full-time employment with other organizations and working on Anchored on the side; working part-time freelance on other projects outside of Anchored; and working part-time in-house at a nonprofit while working on Anchored. In January 2018, I made the decision to make the jump to full-time with Anchored, and quickly began to take on most projects that came my way, as a way to stay financially afloat and grow my business.
After about six months full time, I began to drown a bit in work. Client work began to bleed into my free time, and I found that there was a clear divide in my projects - work that I was passionate about, and work that was simply a means to keep my business running. Being pulled in both directions, I found that the projects I wasn’t devoting enough critical thinking into the turnkey projects, and wasn’t devoting enough time to the projects I was passionate about.
Over the last couple of months, I’ve put a pause on new projects, as a way to finish up all existing ones and take the time to examine both the clients I take on, and my process behind all client work. This has resulted in a new visual brand for Anchored Creative Studio (which I think speaks more to myself, what I offer, and my audience), as well as updated offerings. Here’s a list of what you can expect:
Updated brand packages. Based on past experiences with client needs, I’ve reformatted my branding packages, and have also made pricing more transparent. I’ve also introduced the Two Week Brand - an immersive experience to get your brand and website off the ground in just two weeks (!).
More of a focus on nonprofit development work. I’ve always passionately worked with nonprofits, and have continually enjoyed creating designs for them - and not just marketing materials. Earlier this summer, I learned that a nonprofit I designed a foundation grant proposal for was awarded the top prize of a $2 million grant (!!), an idea popped into my head that I’d somehow never thought of before. What if I focused on proposals, individual and corporate giving donor packets, and other reports for nonprofits? It’s a niche I haven’t found many others with experience in, and I’m ready to help nonprofits communicate with their audience on a direct level.
Resources for small and growing businesses. It’s a goal of mine to equip those organizations who may not be ready for an investment in a full-fledged brand with resources to start out with a DIY.
More focus on the importance of audience and process. I’m all about transparency, and I was to fold more of me and my experience into the narrative. I want to share more about what works and doesn’t work in my business, and hopefully teach others along that along the way.
If you have any feedback, questions, or want to get in touch, don’t hesitate to contact me! I’d love to hear from you :)