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

Hi Kate, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

Every aspiring freelancer/digital business owner has asked themselves the question, “can I really make a living doing this?”. It can be an intimidating thought, and to be honest, this could have been a lot tougher for me to do if I didn’t have a super supportive husband contributing to our family’s finances from day one. That said, I’ve been a this for 7+ years now, and I’ve learned A TON about business, and how to grow to be a profitable one, in that time.

I took the plunge into freelancing right out of college, which may not be possible for most people (and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with working a job for awhile until you can afford to go full-time!) but I knew if I didn’t do it right away, I’d never get around to pursuing digital entrepreneurship for myself.

In the beginning, I was hungry for EVERY project that came my way, and I hustled A LOT! Over time, I learned what I was good at, what I enjoyed doing, how to price myself, and how to work as efficiently as possible so that I could get the most out of what I was being paid for a project.

During the first 4-5 years there were MANY opportunities for pivoting, trial and error, and failing upward. One of the BIGGEST lessons I learned along the way, is how to set your digital business up in a way that enables it to run itself, instead of it running you!

As creatives, we tend to want to do our service or create our thing, instead of doing the “businessy things” that enable growth. However, I’ve learned that the more energy you can put into strategy, systems, automation, and residual income opportunities in the early years, the less time and energy you have to put into manually running your business in the long run. This is a lesson I’m still learning for my own business, but one I’ve been guiding my clients through for years!

There are a handful of simple, yet robust, actions you can take early on, that will set a firm foundation for creating a profitable digital empire that makes money for you, as you continue to thrive in the areas of your business that sets your soul on fire! And I’m having so much fun doing this for myself, and my clients!

Kate, 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?

Crescent Creatives is a modern marketing agency for digital entrepreneurs. Over the years I’ve worn many hats, and I’ve been many things for many people. My formal education is in Graphic Design, with a strong emphasis on Branding.

In the beginning, I primarily focused on strategic, cohesive brand design, which included logos and print collateral. I quickly added website design and other “digital presence” services (such as social media & listing account setups). Naturally, my services began to include more and more digital marketing services. I even became certified as a Digital Marketer so I could best serve my clients.

Over the years I’ve made some brilliant connections with other creative service providers whose services directly correlate with mine, and I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with a ton of incredible creatives on some really fun projects! This has enabled me to provide even more value to clients!

In more recent years, I’ve had a ton of conversations with business owners looking to brainstorm or ask questions about a specific problem they’re facing in their own businesses. And that’s where digital business coaching came into the picture, which is where I am today.

Digital entrepreneurship is so much more common and accepted nowadays, and I’m here for it! I have a wide range of expertise in a variety of aspects of business ownership, with a majority being specific to starting and growing digital businesses. I love empowering business owners and leaders who are growing and scaling their businesses or presence online. Seeing others design a life of freedom for themselves and their families is just so gratifying.

My Services are sort of 50/50 at the moment. I still offer branding and design services, but I’m also introducing more coaching clients, and helping them strategize and build their digital empire! I’m also working on a ton of really cool content/resources that I hope can help anyone looking to build and grow online. I’m super excited to share more of those in the coming months.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

This isn’t so much a resource as it is an important element of growing a successful creative or digital business. As I mentioned earlier, in the beginning, it’s easy to get so caught up in doing the work, or providing the service, that we forget to make time to set a foundation for a profitable business.

It took me years to realize that the way I was “doing business” at that time meant, if I wasn’t working, I wasn’t getting paid. That quickly lead to burnout, and many instances of questioning whether I even wanted to move forward with my business.

Once I put some serious thought into which of the tasks (or services I was offering) energized me, and which drained me, I started to see how I could create true freedom within my business.

I also put energy into strategizing my business growth, which gave me a tangible action plan for moving forward. Now I have an exact checklist, with deadlines, for when and how I’m going to work “on” my business, instead of only working “in” my business (ie: administrative and business development work versus client work).

The other important piece I should mention is creating a residual income opportunity within your business model. Even if you are your business, and the only offer you have is a service you provide yourself. How can you introduce something residual? A digital product? A course? Templates, prints, or designs? Dropship products? etc.

I’d say if you can figure out what product or service truly sets your heart on fire, ditch anything that doesn’t, outsource the admin tasks that drain you, create something you can sell infinitely, then you are on your way to creating a strong foundation for yourself.

And, shameless plug, if you need help working through any of those, I’m happy to help! :)

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

My answer for building your reputation as a business or brand is a little old school.

1. Network like crazy!

Intentional networking in the first 6 months of officially starting my business contributed to almost every 1:1 client I’ve had to this day. It requires getting out of your comfort zone, actually talking to people, and talking about yourself (or your business) in a way that, to you may feel over the top or annoying, but it’s totally not! And what’s cool is nowadays there are way more opportunities to network digitally. Go to a few in-person networking events, or use social media to truly be social. Or both!

Pro-Tip: GIVE, GIVE, GIVE. When you are networking, don’t think about what that person can do for you by using your product or service. Instead, try to figure out what you can do for them to solve their needs. The solution may not always be you or your business (although, gold star if it is!). But if you make it a point to be a part of their solution anyway, they WILL remember you.

2. Provide impeccable customer service.

It may sound obvious, but not enough people go the extra mile anymore. Take a look at your customer journey and see where you can make it a little more memorable. Consider offering a welcome gift. Keep in touch and provide thorough communication during their experience with you. Make the end of their time with you a celebration of sorts!

Pro-Tip: KEEP IN TOUCH AFTERWARD. The easiest customers are happy returning customers. How can you bring them back over and over again? Try implementing a system for periodical check-ins to see if they need you for anything else. It will keep you top of mind, and impress them by showing they were more than “just another dollar sign”.

And one more Pro-Tip: FOLLOW THROUGH. Actually deliver on what you say you’re going to do and watch how something so simple can blow your customer’s minds.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.crescentcreatives.com
• Instagram: @crescentcreatives
• Facebook: /crescentcreativegroup
• Linkedin: /crescentcreatives

Image Credits
Photos by SheAuthentic