We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Larsyn (Nikki) Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nikki below.
Alright, Nikki thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?
I’ve been a creative spirit for as long as I can remember. Even as a young girl, I was immersed in various artistic pursuits, from painting to drawing. My creative journey took a significant turn in middle school when I discovered my love for photography. However, as I entered adulthood and embarked on a career path, I realized that photography wasn’t my true calling.
In my mid-twenties, while working as a nanny during a summer job, I stumbled into the world of social media management for a company, which eventually led to a graphic design position. It was here that my passion for design flourished. This newfound love prompted me to pursue a formal education, and I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Belmont University.
After graduating, I spent around eight years working in various design roles for different companies. However, I began to feel a sense of emptiness in my work because it lacked the freedom to create what truly ignited my passion. I had dabbled in branding but decided to take a leap of faith and rebrand myself overnight, setting up an online branding business.
Through this transformation, I attracted dream clients and, for the first time, experienced the freedom to create the way I had always desired. Today, I’m living my dream, working with amazing women, and extending a helping hand to them in achieving their dreams through strategic and visually stunning brand design.
My journey has come full circle, allowing me to empower other entrepreneurs to realize their dreams through the power of branding. I’ve found my purpose, and it’s a joy to help others do the same.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am Larsyn (Nikki) Brown, the founder and creative mind behind Honest Stories Co, an innovative online brand and web design company with a passion for empowering female entrepreneurs. At Honest Stories Co, we specialize in providing comprehensive brand strategy, design, and web development services. Our core ethos revolves around the power of authenticity and storytelling in the world of business.
In my personal journey, I’ve discovered that sharing our genuine stories fosters the most profound connections. With this belief at the heart of my business, I aim to help each client tell their own honest story. Before diving into any design work, my approach involves listening intently to each business owner’s narrative and values. This way I ensure that the essence of each business remains at the forefront. My mission is clear: to help my clients elevate their brands, align them with their vision and purpose, and forge meaningful connections with their ideal customers through their own heartfelt story.
Typography is my passion, and it’s where I truly excel as a designer. I immerse myself in the world of fonts, carefully considering how they evoke emotions, interact with other typography elements, and refine the tiniest details. Each font I choose for logos undergoes a thorough editing process, ensuring that it becomes an exclusive and integral part of each brand. This meticulous attention to typography imparts a timeless, clean, and editorial quality to my work, setting it apart.
Throughout my career, I’ve followed my heart, embracing both challenges and successes. I’ve found solace in knowing that, no matter the obstacles, I’ve always remained true to my passion. This unwavering commitment to authenticity has shaped my journey, and I have no regrets about where it has led me.
Beyond the world of design, I call Columbia, Tennessee, home, where I reside with my husband of nearly nine years and our one-year-old son, Skyler. When I’m not immersed in the creative realm of branding and design, you can find me channeling my creativity into updating our 1930s home or expressing myself through abstract painting. Being a mother, a wife, and an artist is akin to living life as a canvas, and I relish every opportunity to pour my creativity onto it.
Have you ever had to pivot?
The most profound transformation in my life and career came with the role of motherhood. Welcoming my first child, Skyler, into the world was an unforgettable milestone, reshaping not only me but also the entire landscape of what I held dear. It’s essential to note that my work didn’t become less significant; rather, it evolved into something even more meaningful in a different light. In many ways, it became my anchor, a source of salvation.
Becoming a parent isn’t about needing rescue, but it’s a journey of self-discovery—a process of shedding old versions of oneself to uncover new dimensions of identity. The swiftness with which everything changed caught me by surprise. Within my professional realm, the most significant pivot I’ve encountered involved recalibrating my expectations.
Navigating the roles of a stay-at-home mom and a business owner presented a unique set of challenges and revelations. Above all, motherhood has reinforced the importance of pursuing my passions and fostering creativity. Despite the occasional hurdles, this journey feels more rewarding because it’s infused with purpose, not only as a creative but also as a mother, wife, and friend.
The arrival of children necessitates a heightened sense of intentionality. It becomes imperative to preserve and nurture your own identity, or life begins to slip through your fingers.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most gratifying facet of being a creative is the profound realization that I am embracing the very essence of who God created me to be. It’s a powerful sense of fulfillment and purpose that washes over me when I transform a fragment of my heart and mind into a tangible, shareable creation. My creative endeavors don’t just serve as self-expression but as a means to touch the lives of others, extending a helping hand to make a positive impact. This journey is a beautiful dance, where not only do I help others, but I also craft work and art that I deeply love. It’s a harmonious balance between creating and savoring the fruits of that creation. It feels as though instead of creating the life I want to live I am constantly stepping into the life that was predestined for me. It’s a call from within that I am constantly answering and there is nothing more rewarding than that.
Contact Info:
- Website: honeststories.co
- Instagram: @honeststoriesco @larsynnicolle_art
Image Credits
Rachel Wakefield