We were lucky to catch up with Carla Medina-Milson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carla, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Having a strong and affirmed “why” is an important foundational component to any business, but especially so, as a small business owner. Since founding Iris Designs back in May of 2020 (the infamous and tumultuous pandemic year) having a “why” was just as important as generating leads and converting clients.

When I started this business, I was working full-time for an agency in Austin, Texas where my main goals were marketing management and customer relationships. A dual-faceted role with incredible benefits as the clients the company served were those that participated in or supported events like SXSW, ACL, events hosted at the University of Texas Austin, Huston-Tillotson, and the Frank Irwin Center.

I learned many things working for them. However, I built my foundational knowledge working in health and wellness and healthcare marketing. I gained valuable skills in strategic marketing, design, content curation, relationship building, community impact, SEO, and of course web design.

When starting my business my mission was siloed and focused on just bringing in clientele and supporting small business owners. As such, my mission initially was to support small business owners in developing their brands.

However, over the past 3.5 almost 4 years, I’ve truly grown to understand who my market is based on the clientele that naturally gravitated toward my brand.

I truly believe in being your authentic self and I bring that mindset into my business practice by educating others on the importance of establishing a brand and a target audience to allow the perfect buyer and the right audience to gravitate toward them.

Wonderfully enough, this method works perfectly with most businesses but I’ve truly seen the impacts of it by my perfect clients who have trusted and have felt safe with my brand and me as their project professional.

WIth that in mind, our mission is now rooted in serving as a valuable asset to the professional community; with a particular focus on supporting women in Health & Wellness, Coaching, Consulting, Service Providing, and Non-Profit spaces. We also hold a special place for businesses led by BIPOC and LGBTQ women and allies and are happy to support [you] with establishing your unique brand and digital campaigns.

Iris Designs is a brand for the people but with a specific focus on women-led businesses.

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.

Before starting Iris Designs, I built a career in marketing and project management. Though I originally started my marketing career working in a rehabilitation clinic, I cultivated a career in project management and supporting nonprofits in growth campaigns. During the pandemic, I had worked for an agency dedicated to serving event hosts, facilitators, and owners with event staffing, temporary staffing, and security. My main priorities were the management of all marketing materials, data, website design and management, and customer success for clients that may have participated in events like SXSW and other events hosted at venues like the Frank Irwin Center, University of Texas Austin, etc.

When the pandemic shut the world down, however, my position, much like many others, was cut. It was a scary and tumultuous time for so many of us and for me, I felt like the world had flipped upside down with me in it. Being forced to be at home, in front of tech all day long, and having friends who had existing small businesses that needed to transition from brick and mortar to digital — I realized fast that there was a need. There were people in my community who were trying to make lemonade out of lemons. Women and men who were transitioning their on-site companies to virtual and, individuals who were starting small eCommerce businesses and nonprofits to create sustainability and better solutions. Many of them, were seeking support in social media marketing and management, web design, and SEO. And many of them needed a professional they could trust. A human they could connect with.

Fast forward and now almost 4 years later, Iris Designs has grown and evolved and continues to support small business owners and nonprofits, but now it’s more focused on being a valuable asset to the professional community; with a particular focus on supporting women in Health & Wellness, Coaching, Consulting, Service Providing, and Non-Profit spaces. We also hold a special place for businesses led by BIPOC and LGBTQ women and allies.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I have been a practicing WIX and GoDaddy partner for going on 4 years, so the majority of our clients due tend to funnel from there. I also generate clients from strategic partnerships and networking events, as well as, social media marketing and outreach.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes! Becoming a small business owner shouldn’t be an isolated experience. I strongly believe that we are only as strong as our tribe is, so building or having an existing network of professionals and/or friends to support you, helps the journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.irisdesigns.biz
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/iamirisdesigns
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/iamirisdesigns
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/irisdesigns
• Other: https://manage.wix.com/marketplace/wix-partner/carla-medina