We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Orly Zeewy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Orly below.
Orly, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. undefined
I would say I have reinvented myself several times. At my core, I’m an entrepreneur and that’s what entrepreneurs do. We are resilient and adaptive to change.
As my industry changed from print to digital, I found new opportunities. First as a graphic designer, then as a marketing communications specialist and most recently as an author, public speaker and brand strategist. Throughout, I’ve launched several companies and now run a brand consulting practice.
Not sure where AI will take my industry but I’m excited to see what comes next.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I come from a long line of educators (on my mother’s side) and entrepreneurs (on my father’s side). I had been doing both my entire career and realized that my end goal was to be an entrepreneur. I am also an academic and have been an adjunct professor for 30 years, so for me the two go hand in hand. Before I started my brand consulting practice, I had 20 years of experience in design and marketing communications. In 2000, I wrote myself a mission statement to determine what my next career would be. I opened a consulting practice focused on brand identity which was a holdover from running my design and marketing communications firm. My “Aha” moment came when I watched the YouTube video of Simon Sinek and the Golden Circle. I realized that this was what I wanted to do—to help companies find their why. In 2010, I stopped doing brand identity work and shifted my consulting practice into brand strategy. In 2015, I decided to focus on startups because the best time to clarify your company’s why is at the start of your business.
On a personal note, my dad was a big influence growing up. He is retired now but he was an inventor and entrepreneur for most of his career. He has 17 patents, including one for the first instrument to measure the temperature of molten steel. I grew up watching my dad use his creativity to solve very complex engineering problems. I also saw him struggle with building a viable business and that stayed with me. I spent several years developing a brand building process for startups because I wanted to help companies like my dad’s to thrive and flourish. The best compliment I received after my book Ready, Launch, Brand: The Lean Marketing Guide for Startups was published was from my dad. He told me that he wished he had my book when he was building his company.
I am an author, speaker, educator, and a facilitator of lightbulb moments. I have one superpower. I make fuzzy clear. I help entrepreneurs and business owners clarify and communicate their zone of genius, go from invisible to memorable in three weeks and turn their LinkedIn profile in a lead generator.
In addition to my consulting work, I am a public speaker and have been a guest on more than forty podcasts. Most recently, I was interviewed on 12minconvos, the Business Emergency Room Podcast and the Gildre Spotlight. I am also an educator and have lectured at Wharton and taught in The Close School of Entrepreneurship at Drexel University, Jefferson University, and the University of Pennsylvania.
I have been featured in Medium and my articles have been published in national publications such as The Marketing Journal, Smart Hustle and Lioness Magazine. My book: Ready, Launch, Brand: The Lean Marketing Guide for Startups was published in May 2021 and was endorsed by Seth Godin. It was the #1 new business book release on Amazon in April 2021. My second book, Why NOT Me? The Female Guide for Entrepreneurship will be published in late 2025.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I started out as a fine artist but quickly discovered that I preferred solving other people’s problems rather than my own creative ones. That led me to a degree in graphic design from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, one of the top design schools in the country.
I founded and led Zeewy Design, an award-winning design and marketing communications firm for 14 years. This was before the Internet, so our work was primarily in print. When everything shifted to digital, I decided to pivot to brand strategy instead of moving into web design.
I went back to school to earn an MBA when my oldest son started college, so I could help startups get clear on their business model in addition to developing their messaging and improving their user experience.
How’d you meet your business partner?
Before I founded Zeewy Design and Marketing Communications, I had a business partner. We met through friends and were both doing freelance design work at the time.
We decided to merge both of our practices and expand our reach. Neither of us had ever done sales before.
Here is what I learned:
1. If you’re going to go into business with someone, make sure they complement your skills.
We were both strong designers, but my partner didn’t like to cold call or do sales. She had brought in one client when we merged but to grow, we needed more work. That responsibility fell to me.
2. Make sure you have a contract that lays out responsibilities and division of labor and revenue and contingency plans based on potential changes.
I was doing all of the sales and bringing in large projects but because we didn’t have a contract, we were splitting revenue 50/50. Then, within 6 months of starting our partnership, my business partner, got married and had a baby. She stopped contributing to the running of the office and I was left to do all of the business development, client meetings, and art direction. I was running the company and my partner was there in name only. The partnership ended six months later.
3. Going into business with a friend is hard! The partnership ended and sadly, so did the friendship.
When I rebuilt the company I brought in strategic partners and hired junior designers to help me deliver the work. We were in business for 14 years and won numerous awards in national and international design publications.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zeewybrands.com/
- Facebook: For personal, not business
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orlyzeewy/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@orlyzeewy/videos
- Other: Amazon Book Reviews: https://amzn.to/3PfQDtf
Note: I’m just starting to build out my YouTube Channel.
Image Credits
Headshot: Lily Kravets, Photographer
Book Cover: Routledge Publishing