We were lucky to catch up with Madi Balman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Madi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
Perseverance and the willingness to keep going, despite the hard times, is the #1 thing you need as a business owner. Everyone has been through hard times, sometimes even unspeakable things, but learning to make these things motivation instead is a catalyst for success. We must remember that bad times are only temporary & that you will get through it with the right mindset.
You cannot have a success story without failures, mountains to climb, and growing pains.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Madi Balman, owner of Mae Creative. I am a graphic designer & digital marketing specialist helping Creatives & small independent business owners with their branding assets like logo design, web design, and custom marketing strategies. I am currently the Art Director for Carolina Spark Magazine and North Carolina Bridal Magazine, as well as the Marketing Board member for Focus Up Charleston, a nonprofit organization in Charleston, SC that helps young adults learn soft skills & learn how to “adult” properly. As of October of this year, I am also a Graphic Design teacher at AI Prince Technical HighSchool, where I teach the young adults how to be a graphic designer from a young age.
A Creative can be defined as someone who is in a creative industry or does a craft that is unique to big companies. These individuals can be handmade businesses, content creators, writers, freelancers, designers, and more! Creatives and independent business owners are single-handedly the most underserved business owners due to their limited funds & their need to “wear all the hats” – I know this because I am one! I got into this business by being led to serve those who need it the most & to help those who are incredibly passionate about their craft.
Because of this mindset, I have succeeded in helping over 75 brands in the last 5 years learn more about who they are and what it takes to step-up their business. I also created a new challenge on social media called #AZLogoChallenge to help young designers practice their skill & develop their portfolio (with real-life examples!)
All in all, what I do all boils down to one thing: I want to help people grow.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
I absolutely hate the mindset of big business: get work done and that’s it. Big businesses don’t make relationships with others and focus on competition over community. This would be a detrimental mindset to small business owners and Creatives. Instead of asking the client to get started right off the bat, ask them how their day is. Stay in the know, be supportive, and be kind: it will get you very far.
Being authentic is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your business: it attracts those you want in your circle and keeps those you don’t out. If it’s one thing I wish I knew when I was younger, it’s that I will get what I put out – you will gain authentic friends and supporters if you are authentic and supportive.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I think it’s hard for most non-creatives to understand the life we choose to live. It wasn’t any surprise that I grew up to be a designer, but people questioned my choices… a lot. People said things like: “You can’t make a living from being an artist,” “You should be a nurse or something practical” to me. Not only that, but I’m constantly faced with people with the mindset that a woman, let alone a woman in her early twenties, cannot be a good business owner. You can’t please anyone nowadays.
I can go on about how visual branding, logos, and web design is the backbone of a company or how literally everything you can see has been designed by someone, but people still won’t understand.
Honestly, screw them. Nobody *needs* to understand why we do what we do – people are allowed to pursue their passions. I know in my heart that this is the best path for me, and I think my fellow Creatives do too. Be kind to those who don’t understand, and try to help them see your vision, but don’t let their doubt put out your fire.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maecreative.graphics
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maecreative.graphics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maecreative.graphics
- Other: AZ Logo Challenge: https://www.instagram.com/azlogochallenge/ Carolina Spark Magazine: https://carolinasparkmagazine.com/ North Carolina Bridal Magazine: https://www.northcarolinabridalmagazine.com/ Focus Up Charleston: https://focusupcharleston.com/
Image Credits
Mae Creative Carrie Roseman Photography Victoria Grace Photography Brooke Parker Photography