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

Alright, Charna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

In September of 2016 I got a call from a regional officer of one of my organizations telling me she needed a flier for an upcoming conference and wanted to know how much I would charge her to do it. I was a little flustered and unsure of myself because for all the work I’d been doing, no one had ever offered to pay me before. I came up with a silly, no real thought, low ball number and proceeded to create the flier for her. She loved it, paid me, and not long after that I began to see the graphic circulating on social media. It was in that moment I knew that I needed to take myself more seriously and to honor my gift with organization, commitment, and income. I designed the first version of my logo, created an email address, and some prices and on October 1, 2016 SB Wil Designs was born as a graphic design business.

Over the next 2 years I developed an online order form and focused on building a portfolio. In 2019 I rebranded, created social media platforms and a website and decided that I was going to really get serious because I didn’t want to work for others anymore. I liked the idea of working for myself and being my own boss and that meant legitimizing. So in January of 2020 I applied for my LLC and by March we were sheltering in place. God makes no mistakes. I took that opportunity to further my education. I got a certification in Social Media Strategy followed by a certificate in Graphic Design. By the end of that year I was enrolled in Cornell University’s Women’s Entrepreneurship certification program (which I finished in January of 2021) and then I got my most recent certificate in Brand Development a few months after that. That growth in my education shifted me into a 5 year anniversary rebrand where I expanded my design services beyond simply graphic design and focused it into Brand Development and Design, Graphic Design and Social Media Strategy services.

Saying all that to say, the stumble into business I took almost 6 years ago could have broken me if I hadn’t decided to invest in myself and my passion with education, commitment and worth. I had to realize I was worthy of that first payment and every payment since because I did what was necessary to be.

Charna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

So you know how they say your gifts will make room for you? That’s exactly what happened with me. I’ve been dabbling in graphic design for over 15 years, making silly memory images for fun and then fliers, programs and pamphlets for on campus organizations at my undergraduate alma mater, Virginia State University. I was always trying new things and teaching myself new programs to make those tries easier rather than harder. Why was that important to me? Because I knew I had a skill that everyone didn’t, and I didn’t think it was fair that people with quality products didn’t have access to quality designs to help showcase their talents.

That’s what SB Wil Designs is all about: Offering high quality design services at quality rates. Branding yourself, your event, or your business is about developing the emotional connection between you and your target audience. I offer an expertise filled experience to evoke just that. When you work with SB Wil Designs you’re not just getting a designer, you’re getting a temporary business partner who is just as invested in your brand as you are. Every decision is made with you with your goals and vision in mind and when our partnership ends, you leave with just as good or better than you came with.

If I had to describe who I am in business I’d say I’m a millennial with a mind for design and an eye for detail, I have the skills and experience to help my clients thrive. I bring my clients’ visions to reality, helping those who know exactly what they want and guiding those who need a little creative flare. Since 2016 I’ve provided customers with extensive design services that set them apart from the competition. Those design services include Brand Development and Design, Graphic Design and Social Media Strategy. I provide personalized attention and guidance throughout the whole process, from the initial concept to the final result, and make sure my clients are true partners in the experience. I believe creatives bring color to the black, white and gray of the business world and color is what I specialize in.

What am I most proud about? Empowering the client to increase their confidence in their brand and to do things for themselves. My clientele mostly consists of new entrepreneurs and I enjoy celebrating the decision to take this leap and to love who and what they plan to be. And while I love a repeat customer, I’m not interested in being anyone’s full time on staff designer, so I give them the tools necessary to create some designs on their own as they’re starting out in business. I think that’s what makes me different from my competition.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

So I’m a social media strategist, right? Of course I can answer this question! The first step in building my audience was creating a page and consistent content. A page that never has anything on it seems scammy and uninteresting to potential clients. The next step was finding and using appropriate hashtags so I would attract the attention of potential clients, not just family and friends. And finally, I started following pages that had products I thought I could support. As a designer it’s important that I’m where my potential clients are and that I let them know I see them and want them to see me.

My biggest piece of advice to a starter is knowing that consistency doesn’t have to mean every day. I’ve seen so many people stray away from platforms because they can’t post every day or every few hours. Find the pace that works for you and stick to it so the algorithms can recognize you. Bonus: take advantage of scheduling platforms so you don’t have to be glued to the platform and can work on your product as well!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source has been client referral. Because I provide a service based product that many others provide, what sets me apart is the relationship I build with my clients while we work on a project, and I use that to my advantage. I love getting a new client and finding out after we’re done that they were referred by a previous client. It means that not only is my product quality, but my customer service is as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sbwildesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sbwildesigns
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sbwildesigns

Image Credits
Monika DesignLife Wilson