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

Kelly, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?

One of the biggest challenges in the creative industry I think is having to justify your pricing and costs. There are a lot of businesses out there that don’t want to pay for creative because they don’t really think it has value. There are so many available apps, programs, and people out there telling business owners and clients that you don’t need a graphic designer, you can do this yourself. While technically, that is true, anyone can use an app and create something. But what I do personally through Kelly Eileen Designs, and what we do together through Kettle Powered Media is a learned and honed in skill. Something I/we have curated over many years of learning, failing, and persevering to keep trying to be creative and learn more. All we ever want to do is bring your vision to life, and make sure it is buttoned up tight and something to be proud of. Let us use our skills to tell your story.

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’ve always been a creative person, and a quote in the Wednesday magazine (a Kansas City neighborhood magazine) that was taken when I was 2.5 years old stands true today, “Kelly enjoys being busy and eating hamburgers at Winsteads.”

I’ve always enjoyed having my hands in different pots. Starting with my Graphic Design business, Kelly Eileen Designs. I have been a freelancer basically since college. I got to enjoy the first recession of my lifetime right at graduation where they were cutting all creative jobs everywhere. Not the best time to have a BFA in Graphic Design, but here I am today! I moved to Colorado right after college and started working at a restaurant where I ended up meeting many clients that gave me a chance and let me do some work for their business. I also ended up working for the business association in the neighborhood and other business in the area and everything just grew from there. That was going on 15 years ago now, and I’ll still active in a lot of those relationships and continue to create for my fellow small business owners in the Denver, Wheat Ridge, Edgewater areas and beyond!

My father owned a screen printing, embroidery, and DTG business for over 30+ years, and I was fortunate to help out his business in the way of creative and sales, and I am still Colorado salesperson for it’s new business owner RL of Seen Merchandise. If you’re a business who is selling merchandise, or wants to put your brand on something for people to wear and represent outside of your brick and mortar, I want to help and be part of that process to help find the right piece, the right price, and the right style so that you can tap into another source of income to help grow your business, as well as create merchandise that people actually want to buy.

Recently, my husband Kael, and our very good friend Robbie Conaway started a business called Kettle Powered Media. Robbie has been a film maker, and animator for over 20 years, and Kael took classes during the pandemic to learn more about videography and editing and we merged both those talents and passions into Kettle Powered Media. I am the client liaison, scheduler, and help with creative and storyboards. We specialize in video and photography to help capture your business and life on a real and professional level.

Lots of pots, keeping busy, and still eating lots of burgers!

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

Putting yourself out there. Never being too aggressive, but just not being afraid of the word no, or not getting the call back. Majority, and by majority I would say 95% of my business is based on referrals from previous clients. I’m willing to do the work, and I like to do it. If I go into a business I like, and I see a need for creative help I am not afraid to just let them know what I do and that if they every need anything, just reach out!

A cousin of mine just made me rethink a common phrase we all use, “It’s all about who you know”. He worked in the LA film world for a while, and he said well I know Steven Spielberg but he doesn’t know me. It’s all about “Who knows you.” If you don’t tell people what you do, and that you’re open to taking on new projects, new creative endeavors then people will never know to reach out.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I am really communicative, and I work fast. If I say yes to your project, I am ready to go. I like to keep the creative train moving, and I like to keep checking in to help both of us stay on track. It’s so easy to get distracted and lose focus, and I never want to be the person that a business is waiting to hear back from.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kellyeileendesigns.com/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KettlePoweredMedia
• Other: https://www.kettlepowered.com/