We were lucky to catch up with Kristen Solis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kristen, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

The name Polished & Refined came from the very heart of what I love to do—take something that already has potential and elevate it to its fullest expression. I’ve worked with so many small businesses that have strong foundations, but their branding and design feel unfinished or inconsistent. My goal is to bring clarity, cohesion, and confidence to their visual identity—essentially polishing and refining what’s already there. The name felt like a natural fit for both my process and the transformation I want my clients to experience.

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 Kristen Solis, the founder of Polished & Refined – a graphic design company for growing businesses. I’ve been a creative at heart for as long as I can remember, but my professional journey started in corporate marketing and branding. For over a decade, I worked behind the scenes creating marketing campaigns, designing visuals, and building brand strategies for well-known companies. Then, for the past 16+ years, I’ve successfully run my own wedding and portrait photography business—another space where storytelling and visual consistency are everything.

Along the way, I noticed a common thread among many of the small business owners I met: they had incredible talent, passion, and offerings—but their visual branding didn’t reflect the level of professionalism or polish they actually delivered. Their brands felt scattered or outdated, and I could tell they were frustrated trying to keep things cohesive without a clear strategy or consistent design system.

That’s where Polished & Refined came in.

I created this business to help growing businesses elevate their brands through thoughtful, strategic, and consistent design. If you have an existing brand, I don’t believe in burning it all down and starting over—most of the time, there’s a solid foundation there, it just needs to be… well, polished and refined. I offer flat-rate monthly billing (something that is an innovative and different approach in graphic design), so my clients always have a go-to creative partner on hand—whether it’s refreshing their website, designing print or social media assets, or creating new marketing materials that actually feel aligned with their brand.

What sets me apart is my combination of marketing expertise, design skills, and real-world small business experience. I’ve walked in my clients’ shoes. I understand how important it is to have visuals that not only look beautiful but also work—that drive engagement, reflect your values, and support your business goals. I collaborate closely with each client, helping them feel confident and clear in how they show up across every platform.

What I’m most proud of is seeing the transformation—not just visually, but emotionally. When a client tells me they finally feel like their brand looks as professional as the services they provide, that’s everything to me.

If you’re a business owner who’s outgrown your DIY branding, tired of juggling inconsistent designs, or just ready to elevate how your brand is perceived, I’d love to help. Polished & Refined exists to make you feel proud of how your business looks—and to take the design piece off your plate, so you can focus on what you do best.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

For years, photography was my creative home. I built a thriving business capturing weddings, portraits, and life’s most beautiful moments. I loved the connections, the artistry, and the impact—but as my own life evolved, something shifted.

I remember one day in particular: I had just come home from a long wedding weekend, completely drained. My feet hurt, my memory cards were full, and my heart was heavy because I had barely seen my kids awake for two days straight. My daughter greeted me at the door with a huge hug, excited to tell me about what I’d missed. And in that moment, I realized I didn’t want to keep missing those everyday moments. Not just the big milestones—the little ones.

I’ve always had a deep love for design—it’s what I practiced before photography became my main focus. Over the years, I quietly helped other businesses with their branding and marketing materials. I found so much joy in taking what they had built and turning it into something that felt elevated and cohesive. That creative work energized me in a different way—and I could do it from home, on my schedule, without missing bedtime stories or impromptu living room dance parties.

So I made the leap.

I launched Polished & Refined not just to pivot creatively, but to reshape the life I wanted as a working mom. It’s a business rooted in purpose, flexibility, and intention. Now, I help other small business owners bring clarity and consistency to their branding and design—while also reclaiming more time for what matters most in their lives.

While I will forever photograph life and love stories, this shift in owning two businesses has been about freedom. And I’m proud that my businesses now reflect the values I hold dearest—both in the work I create and the life I’m living.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

Clear, consistent communication is a cornerstone of how I work with clients at Polished & Refined. I primarily use a combination of a project management software called Trello, email, and occasional phone calls or Zoom chats, depending on the client’s preference. Trello is especially helpful because it creates a shared space where clients can see project progress, timelines, drafts, and updates all in one organized place—it really helps reduce back-and-forth and keeps everything transparent.

I take pride in going above and beyond with every project, not just in design quality but in the client experience. That means paying attention to the small details, asking the right questions up front, and providing clarity at every step. I want my clients to feel confident, not confused—so I explain my design choices, give context behind branding decisions, and often answer questions before they even have to ask them.

Loyalty comes from feeling seen, understood, and cared for—and that’s exactly what I aim to deliver. Whether it’s a quick layout tweak I notice could make something stronger, or making sure every brand element ties back to a bigger strategy, my goal is always to make my clients feel supported and proud of the work we’re doing together.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about design—it’s about building a relationship where they know I truly care about their business as much as they do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.polishedrefineddesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polishedrefineddesign
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565614192102
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenmariesolis/

Image Credits

the photo of me holding the newspaper: Kristen Joy Photography

the main photo – headshot of me on the white wall: Studio N Photography

(all others are my own work)