Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Caerus Kourt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Caerus, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright, let’s jump into one of the most exciting parts of starting a new venture – how did you get your first client who was not a friend or family?

I got my first client because I was already a member of a group of people who could be my clients.

I’d just been laid off from my regular job and needed to replace that income within a month. I decided the quickest and most assured way to do so was to start offering a service where 1. I knew it was in demand, and 2. I knew there were gaps in services offered. I happened to be part of publishing communities and I discerned that book design (at that point with a focus on book interiors) was where I was the most qualified, eager to improve my skills, and willing to sit and do the work for six to eight hours a day.

After a month of building skills in preparation, I presented my story of losing my job and my new offerings as a business. I received 4 clients within the hour (at that time with a severely discounted rate). They were great people to work with and helped build the foundation I work from 10 years later.

Caerus, 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?

My name is Caerus and I own a book design agency called Bookery.

We specialize in market-ready book and brand designs for publishers, with a heavy focus on researching and understanding the book market; what’s selling, what readers are buying, and how do those things inform the design for their current book.

Books are a strange industry because to a point, its hard to predict what books will do well and what won’t. It’s not an industry where ‘marketability’ has a definition more than it does a vague set of expectations. Bookery looks to use a mix of hard and soft data to provide publishers not just with good looking design, which is important, but an effective ones.

I’m proud of Bookery’s dedication to good design, dedication to results, and design that looks to benefit readers, authors, and publishers equally.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My business has been a series of pivots beginning early on. Pivoting on branding, on messaging, on audience, sometimes on all three, I don’t think there’s been a time where I haven’t.

My biggest pivot has been my most recent move toward a subscription payment model. Publishers get quality design of a design department without the legal, health, and financial paperwork company onboarding requires, and Bookery has consistent clientele with no need to sacrifice quality.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My work is based on a few skills and creative tasks I already enjoyed doing. I love doing creative work. I love designing my own business. I love getting people results from designs they love, too. Putting all of these things together in my business has been an ultimate merging of my powers, and that’s what drives me.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.bookery.design
• Other: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bookerydesign.bsky.social

Image Credits

All covers designed by Bookery