We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ariel Garcia a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ariel thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Would you say you are more focused on growing revenue or cutting costs? We’d love to hear how you think about these two critical drivers

Love this question – especially right now, when many businesses are experiencing a shift in the global financial climate. For me, both things are important, but I try to put far more emphasis on growing revenue. More revenue allows the company to grow, tap into new resources and, ultimately, have more financial freedom.

I try and keep a pulse on profit margins (which we are always trying to increase). But in my experience, financial investments in the business have almost always led to breakthrough growth. Even “failed” investments have taught me invaluable lessons that I wouldn’t trade back. An investment is intended to be just that – a way to increase revenue by doubling or tripling the value of those dollars.

Ariel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I never considered myself a “creative” person, let alone entertained the thought of having a creative career. I fumbled around a lot in my early 20’s, wondering what my purpose was. While living in LA, I started working as an administrative assistant at a small branding and design agency. Every now and then, my boss would throw a small design task at me and I’d teach myself how to create in programs like Illustrator or Photoshop. A few years later, I worked my way up to lead senior graphic designer at the company.

Shortly after I got married, my husband and I decided we wanted to quit our jobs and spend one year traveling around the world. I figured I could take on some freelance graphic design work along the way for some extra travel cash. By the end of that year, I had a consistent, full client load and ByAriel was born.

We’re now a small team that’s had the honor of building brands for companies all over the world. And I don’t know how I ever did anything else. This is what I was made for.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Two things – client experience & asking for opportunities.

I contribute our growth in clientele largely to investing in and refining our client experience. I’ve always made it a priority to make our process, on the client-side, as seamless, exciting and effortless as possible. One of my very first business coaches ever told me to always “underpromise and overdeliver”. And I’ve kept that mantra close. How can I anticipate a client’s need before they have it? How can I surprise them along the way? How can I go above and beyond to deliver the highest quality work faster than they expected? I want our clients to feel so taken care of – like we care about their business just as much as they do!

And secondly, I’ve grown our clientele by asking for opportunities. Trust and believe in yourself. If there’s even a tiny crack of an open door – stick your foot in. Don’t be afraid of a “no”. When you start to chase after opportunities, you realize that the world is a lot smaller than you thought it was.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love reading & learning! In fact, whenever I’m feeling stuck or uninspired, I try and learn something new. A couple resources that have significantly impacted my entrepreneurial thinking are…

The Pumpkin Plan by Mike Michalowicz – Michalowicz breaks down his practical philosophies for standing out & building an irresistible brand. This book taught me so much about market positioning and how to use your uniqueness as your greatest strength.

Sell From Stage by Colin Boyd – This was a course/coaching program I invested in a few years ago. I learned so much about the art of communication and how to authentically and effectively market & sell my offers.

Creativity & Leadership Masterclass with Anna Wintour – Anna Wintour is an absolute icon. She’s been a leader in her industry for so long. And in a world where marketing strategies change almost daily, Anna’s approach to connecting with the consumer is so refreshingly creative and inspiring.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://byariel.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/byarielco/
• Other: Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@byarielco

Image Credits
Non-mock-up images credited to Clarin J.