We were lucky to catch up with Kelly Croop recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kelly thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

In the end, there is never a “right time” to take the leap into entrepreneurship – sometimes you just have to find a “good time.” With that said, I am grateful I started my business when I did.

Prior to making my side hustle my real hustle in 2019, I spent 6 years gaining experience across a variety of industries. There wasn’t much I was unwilling to explore: internships with Gillette and Oral-B, bakery customer service, development coordinator at an arts non-profit, prototyping specialist at a design agency, and production pottery artist. Somehow design and craftsmanship were always the thread between the roles I took (although it was less apparent in some), but I truly believe that the wide range of experiences I had equipped me to run my business from the practical and creative side of things. I don’t have a time machine to test out another path, but I feel very confident that I would not have the client list I have today if I started 39C Design fresh out of college, instead of at the age of 26. Those 6 years under my belt truly gave me the grit I needed to know how companies, big and small, operated and I was able to see where design could fit into their workflow and solve some of their problems.

Speaking of problems, I always tell aspiring entrepreneurs to not be fooled by the sunshine and rainbows of “taking the leap.” Now yes, there are a lot of benefits to being your own boss, BUT as an entrepreneur you have to be the designer, the marketer, the finance person, and the janitor, You also have to make sure you can keep a roof over your head and stay insured (which is not a walk in the park), so I always recommend that you operate your business lean. Even as you continue to grow, don’t let spending creep catch up to you because you can make $100k and spend $99k if you don’t have a handle on the business as a whole. Being an entrepreneur is more than just the “creative parts,” but that’s also why it is so rewarding when you see that your hard work has paid off.

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’m Kelly Croop – the founder, freelance graphic designer, outdoor enthusiast, world traveling foodie behind 39C Design and I create branding & packaging designed to thrive in the wild.

I work with the brands that get explorers geared up for the outdoors or fueled with the best ingredients and I love that I use design to solve problems for the brands I would support myself. There’s no better feeling than that. My goal is to put their brand on the map (and make them look good doing it) with eye-catching packaging design, fresh logos and branding, and indispensable marketing materials. I strive to craft work that is specific to each of the unique brands I work with, while keeping a colorful simplicity to every design and focusing on the details.

I am often referred to as the “creative one” in any group setting. When I was younger, I would make little paper models of my house because I was convinced I would merge my love of art and math to become an architect – turns out it was a recipe for entrepreneurship as well. The pivotal moment for me was hearing a lecture in college where a professor explained how much thought went into the design of a Post-It note (size, amount of sticky, etc). Silly as it may sound, that was when I discovered the world of product design and I was hooked. Over time, I began to see the world where 2D graphics met 3D packaging and there was no going back. It was the perfect way for me to blend my right-brain and left-brain self because I got to design the bold colorful graphics that would then need to be placed on very technical product packaging dielines so they could ultimately end up on store shelves. It makes design a little nerdy and I love it.

Some fun tidbits about me: Others refer to me as the Swiss Army Knife of Design or Graphic Design Wizard. I’ve been told my superpower is making chocolate disappear. I get my best ideas on a long hike. Problem-solving is my love language. 39C Design stands for 39 degrees North (the latitude of Cincinnati – where it all began) and C stands for the curious creative collaborator, Kelly Croop.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

To start, I am not a marketing person at all, but I do know this – use your people – because they are the best advocates for your business. The goal is that the people that are closest to you know what you do and can (hopefully) spread that info to others in a quick sentence. You want to be the “creative person” they think of for any design-related opportunity because referrals and word of mouth are gold. That’s why it’s so important to treat every client with respect because you never know what amazing opportunity is just around the corner because of a new business connection. I don’t know what the exact percentage is, but you are far more likely to choose a business or service if someone close to you has recommended them to you. So, your goal is to let your passion shine through, share it constantly, and then seeds start to get planted in the background (thanks to your people) as you continue to grow your business.

Which brings me to another point. The brands you want to work for don’t know you exist – so get in front of them! Your personal bubble will only take you so far, so be bold, reach out to businesses, and tell them how you can help as an extension of their team. Years ago, another designer in the industry made a self-promotional newspaper as a way to reach out to clients. I put a little spin on that idea and created a gate-fold card with a handwritten message on the inside (yes – the art of letters is not dead) and sent them to hundreds of businesses. Did I land hundreds of gigs? Nope. BUT I landed a handful that have become long-term clients and that was totally worth the postage and time to craft a personal marketing mail piece for each of them. Because in the end, networking is who you know and marketing is who knows you.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One book that I keep coming back to is “In the Company of Women – Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs” by Grace Bonney. It’s one of those books you can pick up for 5 minutes or one hour and you will always come away with a mini “a-ha” moment. I learn by doing, but I also know I can’t do it all. This book shares the raw stories of other creatives foraging their path and failing along the way and I would like to think it has helped me to avoid some crucial mistakes. Now don’t get me wrong, I fail often, but that’s part of the process and I am grateful they have all been learning moments, rather than the end of my business endeavor.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book include:
– “Success occurs when preparation meets opportunity.”
– “No one can rip off authenticity.”
– “It takes 10 years to achieve overnight success.”
– “There is always more to life than work.”
– “How to get out of a creative rut? Travel.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.39cdesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/39cdesign/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycroop/

Image Credits
Ashley Conrad Photography