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

Lisa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later?

I am a firm believer that timing is everything, and the timeline of my career has happened exactly how it was supposed to. I applaud those who start successful businesses right out of college. However, personally, I think the value of working in a corporate setting for 5 years after college, before branching off to start my business, was the best path for me.

I think in any career it is good to have a range of experience with different types of clients and people before settling into your niche, or going off on your own to start your business. Learning what systems and processes work (or don’t work) and translating those into your own business can really amplify your skillset.

My big career shift happened in the spring of 2020 – to which I’m sure many people can relate. My transition from full-time corporate designer to full-time freelance designer was more of a shove than a shift, as I got laid off because of the pandemic. However, I am grateful it happened. I had been freelancing on the side of my full-time job for years, but never at the magnitude I am currently. Once I was able to focus all my time and energy into freelance design, my business started to steadily and rapidly grow.

I took knowledge and experience from my five years as a graphic designer in the corporate marketing industry for a vast range of clientele, and have been applying it to my own business, which is something I believe sets me apart from other freelance designers. Also, prior to starting my own business, I had been working remotely for three years in my full-time design position, so I had already been perfecting the skills necessary to communicate professionally with clients in today’s virtual-first world.

In conclusion, I think everything happens for a reason and my career path so far has helped set me up for success. I am eager and excited for the future of Rockfish Design Studio as I continue to learn and grow as a business owner and designer, using my past experiences to guide me.

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?

My business, Rockfish Design Studio, is a San Diego-based freelance graphic design studio specializing in amplifying brands’ personalities through bold logo design and cohesive branded marketing materials. My style tends to be timeless and vibrant, with some aspect of hidden meaning or interpretation, especially within logo designs. Creating a logo that is not only memorable, but also functional for each specific client is critical to successful branding.

I’m a glass half full type of person, and designing is what makes my glass overflow. There is nothing I love more than creating something out of nothing – that’s the magic of branding. I also enjoy getting to know my clients thoroughly, and put my full effort and energy into every project.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy I’ve found for growing my business is a simple one – authenticity. Although I now live in San Diego, I was born and raised in Iowa so I know first hand that “Midwest nice” is a real thing. I like to provide that genuine demeanor instilled in my roots to all my client relationships. I treat my clients how I would treat a friend – with care, patience and genuine excitement. This leads to referrals and return clients because of not only quality of work, but the quality of designer-client relationship.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I enjoy getting to know my clients. Understanding not only the basics of what their business sells or does, but also getting to know them as people, and WHY they started their business can add so much value and insight to their branding. Throughout the last 7+ years, I have worked with a range of clients in many different industries, but the overarching commonality is that my clients are good people who believe in quality over quantity. I think being able to play a small role to help a genuine person start or amplify their dream business by developing their branding or marketing materials is an incredibly rewarding part of being a designer.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rockfishdesignstudio.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/rockfishdesignstudio
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/lisalynndavis