We were lucky to catch up with Emma McGoldrick recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Emma thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

I founded ESM Creative Studio in 2019 while in college as a need for a creative outlet. I am self-taught and a lover of learning, so I have always been continuously teaching myself new things and learning online. The first risk I took was going full-time right after graduating from college. I gave myself a six-month timeline to prove that I could do it, I gave my business every waking hour and was able to make it work.

Although I love running my business the past 3 years have been amazing, during the pandemic, I was starting to feel some burnout. I knew I needed another creative outlet. I thrive on the unique perspectives of my clients and translating those visions into living brand identities. Beyond connecting ideas, I also love the connection of people. Along with my partner, I started Golden Hour Guild Retreats. We host creatives for retreats around the country to help reinspire, reflect, and recharge. We hosted our first one in May of 2022. It was a huge risk and we could have lost a lot of money, but it went really well. We are hosting our next one in November.

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

Emma McGoldrick is a New York designer, creative director + illustrator. She is the founder of ESM Creative Studio, a full-service creative studio dedicated to cultivating brands and content for creators and businesses that are focused and intentional. She started her business while in school at the University of South Carolina and continued to work with amazing small business + creators after moving to New York. She is a farmers market fan girl who love a good book and exploring NYC with her mini-dachshund, Sadie.

DESIGNING BRANDS FOR CREATORS WITH PURPOSE AND INTENTION

ESM Creative Studio is a New York-based full-service creative studio dedicated to designing brands for creators with purpose and intention.

Here are our values:

**Communication:**

Reciprocity is key to good communication – a mutually beneficial exchange of ideas involving two parties. Whether it be a chat between friends or a branding planning session between designer and client, there has to be real talk … there has to be collaboration. This is the foundation of our approach.

**Creativity:**

Creativity shines brightest in the moments that demand solutions. Our aim is to meet all your creative needs through innovative problem solving rooted in our insatiable appetites to learn, develop, and invent. Yep, we’re hungry for whatever branding and design puzzles you can throw our way.

**Authentic:**

There’s really only one thing that truly makes a brand stand out: the authenticity that stands behind it. Our process begins and ends with drilling down into the elements of you and your brand that best represent the intention and purpose of your business – to find its authentic self.

How’d you meet your business partner?

My co-founder for Golden Hour Guild is also my web designer for ESM Creative Studio. I used to provide web services for clients, but in 2020 I realized web work did not bring me the joy that branding work did. That is when I hired my first part-time employee, Stephanie. I put a story up on Instagram asking for Squarespace web designers, and she happened to answer. After over a year of working together, weekly zoom calls, and lots of clients, we were both hitting burnout. That is when we started looking for a retreat to go on together. When we couldn’t find one that fit our goals and budget, that is when we decided to start Golden Hour Guild.

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

I believe that the best source of new clients is your current clients. About 80% of my current work comes from referrals from previous clients. With that being said, it is so important to foster good client relationships and communication. I would not have the business that I have today if I didn’t care for and nurture my clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.emmamcgoldrick.com
• Instagram: @esm.creative
• Other: TikTok: @esm.creative

Image Credits
Some Shelly Photography