We were lucky to catch up with Franziska Contreras recently and have shared our conversation below.

Franziska, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

I try to! As a serial entrepreneur it’s hard to not work all the time. But I do my best to take even the smallest vacation regularly to help give my mind a break and allow myself to find new inspiration for my creative process. On top of giving me inspiration, vacations help me have a better work/life balance. When you are your own boss it’s easy to overwork yourself so taking regular vacations is key.

Franziska, 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 Franziska Contreras and I’m a Brand and Web Designer catering to female founders.

In 2018 I moved from Germany to San Diego to start my first business, a travel agency for international students. Without knowing it at the time this laid the groundwork for my career in branding and web design since I had to create it all from scratch. Right as my new business started to gain steam, Covid hit. Like all other travel related businesses, mine came to a screeching halt.

Even though this was a scary time it allowed me to focus on my love for art & design which led to creating my second business Ae.sthetic.us – a digital wall art shop on Etsy. While running my Etsy shop I started helping friends and family with their branding & web design. This led me to realize not only do I have a passion for branding and web design, but it’s something I’ve been doing for myself through all my previous endeavors.

What sets me apart from other brand & web designers is the fact that I come from an entrepreneurial background with a passion for creativity and design. I’ve created 3 brands for myself and know the struggles of finding your niche, creating your brand voice, and reaching your target audience.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

 

Instagram and word of mouth are my go to resources for new clients. I know my niche and only share work on social media that resonates with my target audience. My social media accounts are all optimized so they pop up when someone is looking for a brand/web designer in San Diego and Southern California. By creating clear expectations for all of my clients and working hand in hand with them to create the brand and website of their dreams, I’ve been lucky enough to have past clients turn into current promoters of my work.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Covid and 2020 in general were times of resilience and pivoting for me. Unlike the lucky companies and industries that could just pivot to remote work I had to stop all operations completely with no light at the end of the tunnel. What at first seemed to be the unluckiest turn of events seeing that I had a business catering to international travelers during a worldwide pandemic, turned out to be the best chance for me to pivot and realize what my true passions are. I’m constantly inspired and excited to share the lessons I’ve learned with other female entrepreneurs who are looking to create amazing brands.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.valescaa.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/valescaa.studio
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/valescaa.studio

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