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

Emily, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I have been more or less on that hustle/grind from a young age and remember selling paintings I created while in high school to acquaintances of my parents, but it wasn’t until starting my business creating illustrations, that I felt the most excited about my first client. Long story short, I left a graphic design job I had just gotten 4 months prior to pursue the idea of creating illustration work and starting a business. I took a year away from working full-time to work out of my parents house with nothing but a desk, a sketchbook, and a calling to do something different. I really had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I wanted my work to be associated with a positive connection to the outdoors. I sent postcards to every place I could think of… coffee shops, design studios, brands, friends – I wasn’t exactly sure what work I even wanted to get, but I knew putting myself out there would help. I also sent cold emails to brands I admired and wanted to work with. I sent dozens and dozens of postcards and emails. The thing is, my first client didn’t come from any of those people I reached out to – I got an email from a brand that somehow came across my work (I can only assume via Instagram) and wanted to work together on a bandana design. I was thrilled. I remember that week coming to the realization for the first time “wow, people want to pay me for my illustration work” and feeling like I somehow stumbled into something magical. If I could just hold on to this momentum, it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. To this day I don’t think I am very good at giving advice on how to get clients. Almost all of my projects and clients have come from opening my laptop to a new email, an Instagram DM or a referral from a former client or a friend of a friend. That said, I think that putting your energy out into the universe (sort of when I sent out postcards and emails) helps put things in motion. Even if nothing directly comes from those exact efforts, something will appear and it’s because you put energy towards it happening and put yourself and your work out there.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am first and foremost a graphic designer – I went to college at Tyler School of Art and graduated with a BFA degree in graphic & interactive design. Throughout my time in college I didn’t touch illustration unless I absolutely had to for class. I actually got a C in illustration and the teacher was a New York Times Op Ed illustrator – basically illustration wasn’t beaming from the heavens saying “this is your calling.” It wasn’t until after I graduated and started working for an agency that I was surrounded by super talented designers and illustrators who motivated me to find my own voice in the world of illustration. The illustration and art field 10 years ago was very different from today – there wasn’t access to a wide range of artists and ideas of what illustration could be. I feel grateful for starting during that time in a way, because of how saturated the field is today, and it allowed me to create a style that felt unique. 8 years later I have a business that consists mostly of art and illustration work, both for my online shop (selling prints and goods) and working with freelance clients. Most of my work involves nature and therefore most of my clients are more or less in the outdoor industry, or art field. I also became self-taught in the craft of block printing and have guided workshops with folks who are interested in slowing down and working with their hands. As someone who comes from a graphic design background, I’ve worked on massive brand redesigns for many well-known brands, companies and universities, so at my core, I know how to solve problems for clients in a visual solution. I care about concepts and strategies. I think having that background sets me apart from other artists in my field because I have both a capacity to think about big ideas while creating an image-based solution. I think the biggest takeaway to know about me is that I went into this with no plan, I felt a calling to take the road less traveled and while it has had it’s moments of not being easy, I am so glad I stuck with this business and have seen it through all of life’s ebbs and flows.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

This is an easy one. I had to unlearn the narratives I was telling myself, the most prominent one was the idea that I was terrible at drawing animals. I think a lot of us have these narratives placed in our heads by our own doing out of fear of the very thing we might enjoy the most. The thing is, I remember being a child and my mom buying me “how to draw animals” books and really enjoying it. I am also very hard on myself, and thought that unless I could draw an animal from memory that I really couldn’t draw it at all. It wasn’t until years later that I learned of how common it is to reference photos of animals as part of the image making process. If you or anyone you know has attempted to draw an animal from memory you will know just how difficult it can be, so this felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders, and now animals are one of the more common things I will draw in my work.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The first book I read before starting my business was “Let My People Go Surfing” by Yvon Chouinard. The book tells the story of the path he took to starting and growing Patagonia. I found it incredibly inspiring that he began one of the most well-known brands in the world out of his car selling climbing gear. Yvon puts the adventure of creating and the happiness of the people around him at the forefront of his decision making and that really inspired me and opened up the door to just have the best time starting my business. I even say now to people who tell me they are starting something new that I am jealous because creating something from the ground up is the most fun of the whole thing. Its the best part! Enjoy the process of starting a new venture, and make sure you have a concrete “why” behind it. You don’t have to have all the answers, but a passion for seeing what it could become is so important. If you are choosing to go down a less traveled path, such as working for yourself, you might as well have fun while doing it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.landandshe.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/landandshestudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/landandshestudio
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/emilykelley1