Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Angela Ryan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Angela, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
My experience in the branding, marketing and advertising industries has shown that creative work tends to be viewed as either a simple transactional service designed to meet client demands or an indispensable tool capable of changing entire businesses or communities. I have felt that there is no in-between; however, it seems that we’re approaching a major transformation period for the industry. Creative thinking and human-centric design must be at the forefront.
My personal approach to creative problem solving centers on asking “why” and “how” — like, “Why do you want to target this group of people? Why do you want to run a social media campaign? Why do customers feel that way? How can we target this audience in a nontraditional way? How do we integrate into customer’s lives instead of marketing to them? How can we make this work instead of writing it off entirely?” — to discover concepts and ideas for every situation while disregarding limitations.
As the founder of my branding and design studio, Exotic Species, I deviate from conventional agency models. Before I found design and advertising, I was set on pursuing psychology and neuroscience as a career. I’m still very passionate about those subjects and I’m fascinated by the human mind. This plays a significant role in how I approach my creative work — my “secret sauce,” if you will. Structurally, I don’t have a traditional team of employees, either. I work with other freelancers and contract professionals who are subject matter experts in their respective fields as collaborators on projects. This method has proved to be a mutually beneficial and respectful partnership that ultimately leads to better creative work.
I also believe in supporting my clients by providing them with essential tools and knowledge for their success. There are a lot of agencies, consultants and key players in the industry that provide guidance and creative services yet often leave their clients without the necessary instructions to implement and sustain those strategies independently. I’ve always said that “I know I’m doing my job correctly if I’m working myself out of the job.” I find it essential to teach my clients how to utilize the tools I’ve recommended and make sure they possess the skills to continue their work independently.
Alongside Exotic Species, I founded a consultancy, Angela & Co., to help freelancers and creative agencies improve their operations and grow efficiently. Over the last 3 years, I’ve developed a program and curriculum, called the Freelance Business Blueprint℠, that provides freelancers with knowledge, various tools, templates, and resources they need to independently build their businesses based on my personal challenges. I had to figure a lot of the business and operations side of freelancing out on my own when I first started, so I wanted to create a one-stop, done-for-you resource hub so they can continue to focus on their creative work.
I believe my professional experience stands out because it also merges operating my day-to-day businesses with teaching Design & Visual Communication at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I feel there’s a major disconnect between academia and the working world — academia isn’t immersed in the same day-to-day operations and challenges that agencies and businesses are. On the flip side, creative professionals prioritize their business operations which prevents them from interacting with the next generation of designers. My professional distinction comes from maintaining dual roles as both a business leader and a design educator. I integrate practical work experience with theoretical instruction to deliver real-world applications in my classroom. My students learn how design works in business settings covering practical skills such as developing client rapport while managing projects, budgets and strategizing effectively. I love to take an active role in their education by giving them nontraditional assignments like attending professional networking events with me to practice pitching and utilizing their LinkedIn accounts. This methodology has, I hope, given my students a wider perspective and less of a learning curve to enter the workforce.
Lastly, I co-founded a nonprofit, called DesignMil Co., that solves a unique challenge: Nonprofits can’t afford design and branding work that they so desperately need to support their work, and creatives feel overburdened by the demand. As someone who spent 6+ years serving on nonprofit boards and continues to work with and support nonprofit organizations, I wanted to provide a way to solve both of those challenges. DesignMil Co. hosts a bi-annual 1-day design sprint event fostering collaboration between creatives and nonprofits to produce pro bono creative work for nonprofits who need help sharing their mission. Nonprofits leave with brand collateral to continue their efforts, and creatives only have to commit to a day of pro bono work.
In all of my work — Exotic Species, Angela & Co., teaching at UWM or give back through my nonprofit, DesignMil Co.— I’m committed to focusing on relationships, empowering others, and providing solutions that challenge industry norms.
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.
Angela is a creative visionary and strategic thinker, skillfully blending design, branding, and entrepreneurship with her deep fascination for psychology and neuroscience.
Her story is one of continuous evolution, empowerment, and commitment to making a difference in the creative industry. Since 2016, she has been a curious explorer of creativity, strategy, and psychology. Angela’s career encompasses diverse roles, each contributing to her unique perspective and multifaceted approach to branding and business. Angela’s career commenced as an award-winning art director and graphic designer within the agency realms of marketing and advertising. Her innate talent for visual storytelling and her ability to breathe life into concepts earned her accolades and respect within the industry.
Following her career within agencies, Angela ventured into the world of entrepreneurship. Angela is the visionary behind Exotic Species, a branding & design studio renowned for its boundary-pushing branding work. Exotic Species blends design with psychology and strategy to craft compelling visual narratives that captivate audiences and elevate brands. The studio invites a deeper exploration into the world of brands, understanding them as living entities, each with its own place in the vast ecosystem of the market. Simultaneously, she founded Angela & Co. where she provides consulting and educational opportunities for designers, freelancers and creative agencies — including her extensive curriculum under her Freelance Business Blueprint℠ program.
Her educational background began with a deep-rooted love for psychology and psychiatry, a passion she pursued in her earlier academic years. Armed with her profound curiosity of the human mind, she embarked on a journey that would ultimately lead her to a different but equally intriguing path: Design. Angela’s foundation in Design and Visual Communication (DVC) is rooted in a BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). The experience at UWM uniquely melds technical and conceptual design fundamentals while engaging in peer collaboration with the Lubar School of Business and the School of Architecture & Urban Planning. Since 2022, Angela serves as a Professor of Practice for the UWM DVC Program and continues to foster collaboration between academia and the industry.
Lastly, starting as a passion-turned-annual event, Angela has formally co-founded DesignMil Co., a nonprofit aimed to make design and branding work more accessible to nonprofits. DesignMil Co. hosts a bi-annual 1-day design sprint fostering collaboration between creatives and nonprofits to produce pro bono creative work for nonprofits who need help sharing their mission.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy to increase my client base involves developing collaborative relationships together with educational support. Clients are looking for an expert AND a partner who can understand their specific vision and goals while helping to overcome their unique challenges, instead of simply providing an outsourced-service.
Clients who participate in the creative process have shown higher loyalty to working with me and recommend me to their networks. Continuing education for clients remains my most important approach to expand my client base because they value the confidence and preparedness it gives them to develop their role or business beyond project completion. By teaching clients how to update their website or simply create and order new business cards for a new employee, I have established an incredible amount of “know, like and trust” in our relationships.
Word of mouth has played a significant role as an asset in my professional growth. Through my dedication to developing strong client connections and producing top-quality work I have achieved organic business growth thanks to satisfied clients who recommend me to their contacts.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
My reputation has been built on a few key elements: authenticity, expertise, and a unique approach to branding and design. Early on, I chose to establish Exotic Species as a creative studio that stands out from conventional agencies. My passion for psychology and neuroscience has provided me with a unique perspective to my work — beyond the standard approach to creative work. I wanted to focus on work that merges creativity with psychological insights to build memorable brand relationships beyond a company’s visual branding. Clients trust that my work will align and go beyond their expectations because I strategically align their brand with core values and the physical, mental and emotional needs of their audience.
My dedication to teaching and empowering others has also strengthened my professional reputation. Through my Freelance Business Blueprint℠ program and my teaching role in Design & Visual Communications at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. My dedication to supporting the design community has established me as someone who values the success of others while empowering current clients and nurturing upcoming designers. My status within the market has been greatly shaped by my reputation as a trusted advisor and thought leader.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://angelaand.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angelaand.co/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamryan/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@angelaandco
- Other: https://exoticspecies.com
https://freelancebusinessblueprint.com
Image Credits
Hannah Schweiss
Emily Adkins