We were lucky to catch up with Rheagen King recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rheagen, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

My mom often tells me that when I was a little girl—maybe 3 or 4 years old—I saw an ad for underwear on television. I wanted the underwear so badly that my mom told me she would get them for me if I stopped wetting my pants. I promised her I would. And to her surprise, I never used the bathroom in my pants again. She was amazed at how impressionable that ad was for a toddler, often noting I was the most straightforward child of 5 to potty-train. She jokingly credits a 90’s underwear ad for most of the work. Flash forward to today, where I create brand and book experiences through socially conscious design. While my work doesn’t explicitly “sell things” to people, there’s still an aspect of aspiration and storytelling in what I do that ads also achieve. I sometimes refer back to the underwear ad and think that I was born for this.

I saw this unfold during college, too, where my entrepreneurial spirit led me to compete in my school’s venture capital competition to design an alternative dating app for healthier relationships, sell illustrative pins that explore pleasure, and design programming ads for my college’s Career Development and Diversity offices. I loved creating inclusive work that explored a myriad of topics, from connection to sex to equity and revolution.

When I interned at an ad agency, I noticed a severe lack of representation in the industry, resulting in the exclusionary work they produced. I was the only Black woman on the team who included faces that looked like me in our marketing, which prompted me to consider designing independently. I began designing for friends in 2019 while pursuing my graphic design and book arts degree. Eventually, those friends recommended me to orgs that needed help during the pandemic, and what started as a side gig became a full-time business.

Today, I’ve served clients in Baltimore, D.C., Texas, Seattle, Miami, Detroit, New York, and South Africa. As an equity-centered design studio, I’m committed to access and diversity, which extends beyond design to include social inclusion and education. I center voices often marginalized by mainstream design agencies and work specifically with grassroots clients, ensuring quality design isn’t a privilege or a tool just to sell products but a resource available to tell stories, connect communities, and shift social perceptions. To make design universally accessible, I offer services at varied prices and provide educational resources, aligning with my 10-year plan to launch a storefront focusing on in-person design education and community programming.

Rheagen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Rheagen, founder of Denae Creative, a branding design and print studio in Baltimore, MD, creating magic for projects worldwide. Whether you’re an established brand or an emerging enterprise, we infuse every part of the design process with vision, creativity, and care. In 2019, I sought to create this studio that reflected a heart-centered design practice platforming people of color, socially aware brands, and art books self-initiated by diverse creatives.

Five years later, I established a design practice that pours into community ecosystems, helping over 25 clients across various industries. I graduated with a Graphic Design and Book Arts BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, learning from some of the industry’s best so I could create elevated work for everyday people.

I love to imbue mysticism into my processes which adds a magical touch to what I create for others. From tarot to astrology, we like to utilize these frameworks in our design processes, timelines, and offers. As an equity-centered design studio, I’m also committed to access and diversity, which extends beyond design to include social inclusion and education. I aim to bring fresh perspectives and experimental approaches to my design work, from archival book projects to afrofuture strategy consultants.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Right now, I’m navigating through a pivotal moment in my business journey. Since inception, my dream was to establish a storefront for my design studio—a welcoming space where the community could gather, engage in discussions, learn about design, and explore our collaborative projects, such as experimental art books. I envisioned this space as a sanctuary to invoke creativity, akin to a library or museum, but with less white walls… more intimate and accessible.

However, achieving this vision has become increasingly challenging, especially as I’ve observed a trend towards hybrid or fully remote business models. This challenge became personal in 2022 when I lost a major client, which led to a 40% reduction in my annual revenue. Consequently, I had to sell our office space to sustain the business. Despite this setback, I’m actively exploring strategies to grow and scale my business while staying true to my mission of fostering community connections through design in what I hope will become a ‘someday shrine.’

One strategy involves broadening my target market, particularly towards the restaurant and hospitality industry. With my extensive travel experience from my time working with my alma mater’s Admissions team, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for establishments that embody the local community’s essence. Notably, Baltimore’s restaurant industry has shown remarkable resilience and growth in 2023, with an influx of new openings and national accolades highlighting the city’s culinary excellence and innovation. This thriving sector represents a promising opportunity for me to contribute through branding and enhancing customer experiences, supporting my objectives of diversifying our client base and promoting community development.

At times, I’ve questioned my ideas, wondering if they’re too conventional to be deemed ‘innovative’ since they don’t tackle monumental challenges like world hunger. Yet, I firmly believe that these small visions can have a large impact, and profoundly influence our methods and perspectives in creating space, designing, and right now, how we experience travel and cuisine. The through-line for both of these endeavors is their underlying purpose: to unite people and foster new connections through our design services and experiences, regardless of how they may evolve in form.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One piece of advice I’d offer to any solopreneur or ambitious self-starter is to continuously seek out educational opportunities. Despite having graduated with a BFA, I pursued further education through five different 8-week courses, ranging from a Master’s Intensive in New York to a Feminist Business School in California.

I was fortunate to secure scholarships for almost all of these courses, and the journey reinforced my belief in the invaluable nature of knowledge. By tapping into a variety of learning sources, I’ve significantly enhanced the value I bring to my business and its processes.

Moreover, these educational experiences have been pivotal in expanding my network, which helps me find new clients! Prior to 2023, word-of-mouth referrals were the sole source of my clientele (free marketing!) Establishing meaningful connections, particularly within communities relevant to your audience, simplifies the process of finding collaborative partners, and makes it feel less daunting than traditional “networking.”

My engagement doesn’t stop with formal education; I actively immerse myself in the works of artists and thinkers who inspire me. I always appreciate nonlinear or alternative business perspectives, and recently took a business course that used astrology to help craft a business plan! 🤣 You can really find anything!

I also draw inspiration from legends like Toni Morrison, who often reminds me that if something doesn’t exist yet, I must create it.

Contact Info:

• Website: denae.co
• Instagram: instagram.com/denae.creative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denae-creative-co-38b47b28b/
• Other: denaeco.myflodesk.com/join

Image Credits
Morgan Dezurn