We recently connected with Alyssa Wald-Williams and have shared our conversation below.
Alyssa, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear your thoughts about family businesses.
I am incredibly fortunate to be part of a family business! Working as a brother/sister team, we have found that the inherent sense of pride associated with owning and running a family business fosters a profound dedication to the success of the business. When we celebrate wins and successes as a company, we also proudly celebrate as a family. It also gives us the opportunity to offer a unique, personalized approach to client interactions, fostering long lasting client partnerships.
Drawing from my experience as a co-founder of Wald Creative alongside my brother, Adam, who I’ve collaborated with for over a decade, our success partially stems from complementary skill sets. While Adam leans towards the technical side, my strengths lie in the visual and creative aspects. Navigating the challenges of working with a sibling has required patience, understanding, and a commitment to our shared core values as a company and a family. Thankfully, conflicts have been minimal throughout our journey, which we attribute to our ability to work well together and being best friends outside of our business partnership.
Advice I would give to others either starting or working in a family business, is that aligning with family partners on goals and values is crucial. Establishing clear boundaries for partnership details and responsibilities within the business is instrumental in mitigating potential conflicts.
I think that another key to maintaining harmony in our family business is through the establishment of common work hours. Given our close family ties and shared personal activities, we’ve seamlessly aligned our workflow with our family and home time.
I believe that the journey of our company has been a testament to the ability to not only exist but to thrive as a family business!
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.
I am the co-owner, lead designer, and photographer at Wald Creative, a family-owned web design, branding and photography studio based in West Palm Beach. We are a boutique company that takes pride in offering a personal approach to client relationships, focusing on building partnerships, making intentional design decisions, and aspiring to elevate clients and their businesses.
Since 2008, alongside my brother, Adam, who specializes in website development, we have collaborated with diverse clients from entrepreneurs to established corporations across a spectrum of industries including professional athletes, event rental companies, jewelry designers, photographers, attorneys, national recording artists, international fitness companies, and more.
Whether we’re developing a website or creating a brand identity, our approach is strategic. All visual and technical decisions are backed by intention in order to accurately and effectively convey our clients’ brand goals to their target audience.We aim to produce timeless yet relevant designs using a modern and minimal approach.
My approach to photography is documentary style, candid, journalistic, and authentic. I take pride in making my subjects feel confident and comfortable, showcasing their unique personalities and brand stories through visual storytelling. My brand sessions as well as product photography are also rooted in strategy just like our other services, which ensures that every image we capture aligns with their brand story and creates a variety of content for their marketing.
My journey towards for the creative industry began with a passion for design and photography from the earliest days of social media (remember custom MySpace profiles?!) while growing up in New York, and was cultivated during my studies of art in college in Florida. A few years before, my brother, Adam, was studying website development and internet technologies in the same school. We realized that our career paths were perfectly aligned to create a seamless partnership where we could offer both technical and creative expertise to our clients.
Beyond my professional pursuits, I am deeply committed to community engagement. Alongside my family, I volunteer to photograph adoptable dogs, hoping to help them find their forever homes. We actively support local animal rescues by fundraising, and I am proud to serve on the board of FemCity, a women’s networking group dedicated to empowering female entrepreneurs.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
Absolutely! One thing that might not be immediately apparent to those outside of the industry is just how much time and effort goes into each creative project. It’s not just about creating something on the fly; it’s a thoughtful process of research, development, refinement, and perfecting until we’ve captured the essence of what our clients want to convey. I believe this can be said for all forms of creative professions from photography to design, social media marketing, art, and beyond.
What we bring to our clients has been founded on the years of learning and practice that have gone into developing our skills. Whether it’s through formal education or hands-on experience, mastering a creative craft takes time and dedication. But the journey is so rewarding, and it’s what allows us to bring our clients’ visions to life in unique and impactful ways!
Recently with the rise of DIY design programs like Canva and AI-driven tools, there’s a new twist in the creative landscape. While these tools offer convenience, they can’t quite capture the human touch and personalized approach that we, as professional designers, bring to the table. We believe that our expertise and ability to understand our clients’ needs on a deeper level will always set us apart.
Overall, while the creative journey may have its challenges, it’s also incredibly fulfilling. We’re here to share our insights, creativity, and expertise with our clients, and we’re always excited to bring their ideas to life in the most vibrant and engaging way possible!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
As a family business, maintaining a positive reputation is not only a professional goal but also a personal one. Our name is truly attached to our work!
In-person networking has been a pivotal part of growing our reputation and connections, creating bridges that extend beyond past clients. The power of referrals cannot be overstated. To keep in touch and reinforce brand loyalty, we actively seek client referrals, leveraging the strength of satisfied customers to expand our network.
Beyond the professional sphere, we often share glimpses into our personal lives with clients and learn about theirs, creating a more human connection. This personal touch resonates with clients, transforming our interactions into enduring partnerships.
In essence, our approach is rooted in genuine connections, continuous engagement, and a shared investment in our clients’ success. It’s not just about delivering a service; it’s about building lasting relationships that extend beyond business transactions!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://waldcreative.com
- Instagram: @waldcreative
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waldcreative
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssawald/
Image Credits
Lisa Daniel Photography