We were lucky to catch up with Laura Viola Maccarone recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Laura thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
Being a graphic designer has been my dream since I was eleven years old. Starting a design studio was fueled by my passion for creativity and a desire to help brands visually express their identities. The journey, however, was anything but straightforward. It was defined by taking significant risks, the first of which happened when I approached the owner of a boutique aromatherapy company, BC Essentials. I made the bold move of asking the owner who did their labels and had they ever considered a rebrand.
Their brand didn’t quite capture the essence of their high-quality ingredients. The outside did not showcase or match what was on the inside. One day, I found myself in BC Essentials perusing all their products, in that moment is when I took a leap, a risk and approached the woman behind the counter. That woman happened to be the owner, Beverly Buccheri, and in that moment, I pitched the idea of rebranding their entire line of aromatherapy products, all 360 of them. It was a bold move, especially considering I was still establishing my business, but I believed in my vision and the potential impact of a refreshed brand identity.
To my delight, BC Essentials saw the potential too. They entrusted me with the massive task of overhauling their branding. This project was a turning point for my business and Bevery’s, too. It not only showcased my capabilities but also significantly boosted my confidence. The success of the BC Essentials rebranding project led to more opportunities and established my reputation as a system builder for cpg products.
The second significant risk I took was signing up for a high-level mastermind. While I had participated in masterminds before, this one was on a different scale entirely. The investment was substantial, and I had to carefully consider the potential returns. Despite the financial risk, I knew that joining this mastermind could propel my business to new heights by providing access to invaluable knowledge, networking opportunities, and mentorship from fellow entreprenuers.
The mastermind experience exceeded my expectations. It pushed me out of my comfort zones, challenged my thinking, and provided new strategies for business growth. The connections I made and the insights I gained were instrumental in taking my graphic design studio to the next level. The investment paid off in ways I couldn’t have anticipated, opening doors to collaborations and projects that further solidified my position in the market.
Taking these risks wasn’t easy, but they were necessary steps in building a successful graphic design studio. Each risk brought with it growth, learning, and opportunities that I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. My journey is a testament to the power of believing in oneself, seizing opportunities, and being willing to take bold steps toward achieving your dreams.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My passion for graphic design began at age 11 with me obsessing over the layout choices of Sassy Magazine and admiring my father’s collection of branded hockey pucks, wondering how I might craft a more compelling page or design a flashier logo.
Growing up in a family of restaurant chain entrepreneurs introduced me to menu design and the physical fabrication of signage and letterforms. I attended branding meetings with corporate executives and found myself absolutely fascinated by the material processing of sign products. Before I even knew what graphic design was, I knew I loved it.
My excitement about design was broadened during a high school Graphic Design class and in college, after which I decided to pursue a career in Manhattan crafting magazine layouts for multiple publications.
Since then, I built my career around professional and educational experiences that introduced me to new aesthetics, fresh ways of thinking, innovative tools, and amazing people. Working cross-functionally to direct and manage digital and print creative teams, I gained on-the-job expertise within nearly every design silo—from photography and signage to website layouts, graphics, album and book cover art, and product packaging.
In 2016, I opened Rizbee Studio, bringing over a decade of freelance experience to bear on her consumer brand clients.
Today, my clients trust me to elevate their aesthetic while surpassing their business development goals with an eye on brand continuity, material quality, and ongoing communication. I leverage my community connections and partnerships to bolster local entrepreneurs and connect clients to resources.
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Rizbee Studio has been offering custom design, branding, and packaging services for consumer companies since 2016. In addition to delivering bespoke print and digital content fit to the specific timelines and specifications of our clients, we differentiate by partnering directly with founders to build a shared design system, crafting and cataloging individual components that comprise a visual brand. We ensure that all typography, color treatments, illustrations, and graphics are used consistently and appropriately across entire product lines. Our mission is to generate beautiful and truly effective assets, using a process that marries pure creative enthusiasm with strategic decisions informed by growth goals. We won’t rest until our clients’ products pop off the screen or fly off the shelf.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I had to unlearn was that money is limited and always a worrisome problem. It’s a lesson that I had to shift my subconscience on. I didn’t realize that by avoiding the topic of money or avoiding being in my money, was what was causing my adversion to money overall. Like most of our human stories, things like this are heavily rooted in our childhood. For me, this is the case. I didn’t grow hungry and on the outside, I had all the materialistic items needed; however, it came at a cost. Over stretching. Spending when we didn’t have the means to spend. Believing the money would somehow appear instead of being really cautious and smart about money. This lead to me being in serious debt in my early twnties and had to claw my way out of it. Slowly over the years, my bad behaviors have shifted into a healthy relationship with money, but it doesn’t mean that the roots still aren’t buried in me. It’s something I have to keep in the forefront of my mind which is being smart with my dollar.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In 2016, I made a cold call to a design studio inquiring about a freelance position. At this point in my career, we had just moved back to the East Coast from San Francisco and all I wanted to do was design. At the time, I was home with two young boys and all I wanted was to earn a little money and design. Design for fun under someone else’s creative direction.
After waiting 45 minutes in the waiting room for the appointment, the owner of the studio brought me in to talk. At this point in my career, I had a design education and thirteen years of professional experience. My impression and understanding was we were going to talk about potential freelance work. That’s not how this meeting went. The owner proceeded with a portfolio review I did not request. They were not skilled in their delivery of constructive criticism, It was all criticism, Unwarented criticism. This interaction was the turning point for my career because when the meeting was over, I started my design studio on that day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rizbeestudio.com
- Instagram: @rizbeestudio
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-viola-maccarone/
- Other: Google: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cv692AXmecL3VTAAA
Image Credits
Headshot: Mariah Gale Creative
Impact Botanicals: BrassTacks Branding Photography
BC Essentials: Freebird Photography