We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marcus Styles. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marcus below.

Hi Marcus, thanks for joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

The idea for my business, Heyven, started back in 2020 when we were all stuck at home. Like everyone else, Minnesota’s small business owners were hit hard by the situation. We were all experiencing feelings of uncertainty about the future, and while our business community has always been a bit insulated from one another, the sense of disconnection was magnified. Many of us were quitting our 9-5 jobs to focus on what had previously been more of a “side hustle”, and due to this disconnect we were struggling to grow.

Heyven was born from this struggle. We felt Minnesota needed a one-stop directory that champions community over competition, an accessible place that provides a new way to connect with amazing local creatives and businesses from the communities we most love to support.

Once we had this breakthrough, we took a few years to develop the idea (we also launched our branding agency, VZNCY, during this time) and figure out all the specifics that would go into the business. When we were finally ready to bring Heyven to life, we built it all in-house in just six months.

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 been self-employed as a brand creator for over 8 years. I began my career as a social media manager, honing my graphic design skills and cultivating a general love for the small businesses in my community. I soon struck out on my own, offering logos, web design, and other branding services to local small businesses and nonprofits. From there, I collaborated with my frequent business partner to launch our branding agency, VZNCY, in 2020. I’ve since provided branding services to over 75 clients, and counting.

I’m immensely grateful for the many opportunities I’ve had to collaborate with my clients and bring their unique visions to life. Some of my favorite collaborations have been with Modern Day Me, Fashion Week Minnesota, The American Craft Council, The Cowles Center, The Ordway, and Love Home MN.

My approach to design has always been about making big ideas work on a small scale. I love studying how big corporations present themselves and bringing that level of quality to small businesses. I believe that as a small business owner, you shouldn’t need to sacrifice your vision for your brand even though you may not have thousands of dollars to pour into it. As a minimalist, I tend to be very intentional with my designs. I strive to bring elegance and elevation to my work, while still being fun and approachable.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

On a dreary winter evening in December 2022, I received terrible news that one of my favorite clients of several years had unexpectedly passed away. My partner and I had been successfully running our branding agency for a few years by that point, and this client was not only a close friend, but one of our main sources of income.

With her passing, along with the emotional struggles that come with suddenly losing a good friend, we also had to work through a sudden financial upheaval that left us scrambling to find work in a traditionally slow season. We were struggling to break into new circles and find opportunities and realized we had to be the people to bring the solution to the community, we couldn’t just wait for someone else to do it.

By this point, we had been working on the idea for Heyven on-and-off for a couple of years, and we felt this was the time to finally bring it to life. We kept our heads down and worked for six months to learn how to build the directory and all of the systems and processes that come along with it. This was an intense time for us, and I had to work through my uncertainty and dive deeply into uncharted waters. I came through it a much stronger person, and with many new skills I wouldn’t have otherwise learned.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I’ve learned that while small businesses do not operate on the same scale as corporations, we still need to think and dream big. When I first started working 8 years ago, I operated from a subconscious “hobby” mindset. I was always professional in my demeanor, but I was focused entirely on the services I offered. At the time, nothing else seemed important. You sell your services, you get paid, and that’s the end of it, right?

Wrong! As I leveled up my business, I started to realize that being a business owner means much more than that. Things I had been neglecting—like establishing sales goals, creating a marketing budget, running the administrative end—these were all just as important to my long-term success as my services. You can’t run away from these things. You have to dive in and learn how to do them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.heyven.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyvenmn
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyvenmn
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/heyvenmn
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/heyvenmn
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heyvenmn
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@heyvenmn https://www.pinterest.com/heyvenmn

Image Credits
Clarke Sanders (photos)