Lessons of a Young Design Entrepreneur
As Gen Z we tend to jump head first into the water, unknown of what's to come but always ready for a challenge. Wagner Designs was not a make or break business for me personally, more like a side hussle and experimentation. It was exciting to see where I could take my small business over a short period of time, a place for me to learn from my mistakes and grow as a designer, while still in university. Here are various steps I took to get where I am today with my small business.
Identify your niche: Determine what product or service you want to offer and how it will differentiate from competitors. Consider your own strengths and passions to help identify what you're good at and what you enjoy doing. Although I am not studying graphic design, it was definitely something I enjoyed and wanted to learn more about. I took the time learning and practising for various non-profit companies as well as being given the opportunity to be exposed to the corporate world through websites, brochures and many more. Although in the beginning I was not earning money, I was gaining the experience I needed.
Develop a business plan: A business plan will help you map out your goals, strategies, and financial projections. It's important to have a solid plan before launching your business, as it will guide your decision-making and help you stay focused. I had to understand that inorder for my business to be successful I needed to make my mission statement focus around what makes me a better option to clients then other graphic design businesses. I spent time carefully crafting my business goals and what I needed to do inorder to get there.
Build your brand: Develop a unique and memorable brand that reflects your business values and resonates with your target audience. I created my businesses logo, brochure, business cards and social media to promote my business.
Market your business: Develop a marketing strategy to reach potential customers and raise awareness of your business. This may include advertising, networking, and social media. As my business has grown, I've spent time at women's networking events as well as my previous clients' recommendations. My social media appearance is minimal and Wagner Designs does not have a website. However, just through word of mouth my business has grown tremendously over this past year, and continues to grow.
The advice I would give to a millennial starting this first business would be to keep pushing even when your goals seem unreachable. I never intended for Wagner Designs to grow as much as it has today, however through persistence and putting effort into growing my brand I have created a successful business. Although it is not a big business, its perfect more me at my stage in life, and has helped me grow as a person, designer and a business woman in today's world, given me the exposure into the corporate world as well as taught me many valuable lessons which i will remain grateful for through the rest of my career as a designer and animator. So when I finish university, I will be more than ready to enter the business world full time.
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