We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michelle Lara a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Michelle, appreciate you joining us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

My business really started off from desperately needing to make a shift so my work and personal life could be more balanced. I never dreamed of being an entrepreneur, in fact growing up I didn’t personally know any. It wasn’t until I was married with two children and was working at a job that didn’t fulfill me creatively that I started to think outside of the box.

I was struggling to do it all and felt like I wasn’t doing much of anything right – constantly being pulled in various directions. I took a leap of faith and left my job so I can focus on my next steps. What I thought would be a side hustle winded up being my full-time career for the past 8 years.

I knew the efforts I put in from the beginning would be worthwhile because for the first time in my career I was investing in myself. The long hours and sleepless nights were completely worth it (and still are today). Owning my own time and being able to work on the projects I want to with the clients I choose has given me an immense sense of pride and happiness.

Investing in yourself and in your talents is always going to lead to success. It’s my belief that success isn’t only the amount of money you make – for me success has always been about how I feel. I go to sleep every night proud of the work I’m doing. The work I do helps small businesses get started – investing in the community in this way has been the greatest and most surprising part of this journey. My clients inspire me daily and it’s a blessing to be able to work with them and I’m grateful for having them trust me with their vision.

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

Luxe Lara Design offers branding and website design along with content creation. We can handle everything you need to launch (or re-brand) your business from that hard-to-write bio, amazing lifestyle photography, and even video that helps tell your story.

I think what sets us apart from others is our hands-on approach. We work with a handful of clients per month and make the process very personal. My goal for them is to evoke a feeling and a sense of curiosity when someone visits their website. I want their potential clients to know exactly how passionate they are about their craft. When it comes to small business it’s all about the story – every business has a story to share. I’m immensely proud of the fact that in a small way I get to be part of the story – the sense of community is very fulfilling for me.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

For me growing my clientele meant that I was going to become laser-focused on the type of clients I brought in. When I first started I was working with every single type of business and I quickly realized Luxe Lara would never stand out if that continued to be my strategy.

It’s scary at first but it really is liberating. I got honest with myself and quickly discovered that I felt the most joy when I worked with creative-led businesses. My work was better because I was more passionate about my clients.

My advice to someone strategizing their next steps: be honest about what brings you joy and the type of people/businesses you want to align yourself with. The riches are truly in the niches.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me is referrals. For me, that speaks to the personal approach I take with each project/client. If I was rushing through the process I don’t think they’d be comfortable referring me – it really is the greatest compliment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.luxelara.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luxelara/

Image Credits
Photos by Francesca Coviello