We recently connected with Shaedy Cardenas and have shared our conversation below.

Shaedy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.

Shaedy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.

When I first started working in design and creative marketing I was under another business owner, it was just he and I working together. He asked me be the creative designer while he managed the business and billing aspect, but ultimately it was his company. I recommended our first client which was a relative of mine, she rented a small boutique which consisted of two other businesses in the suite. The agreement from a business standpoint was that my relative hired us, so our work was centered on the boutique rather than the other two individual businesses.

A month or two had passed and we provided the services promised with little to no pay. I had learned that my relative pitched to the other two business owners that we would provide services to them as well, and so they were asked to pay for a fraction of the cost. They were to pay my relative directly who would then pay us.

Eventually there was negative talk from the other two businesses about the lack of follow through on our end. Meanwhile, I personally felt that we were providing enough services although we weren’t getting paid what we deserved.

However, because I was just hired to design it was technically not my right to bring these issues up. At the same time, I felt like I was being overworked and eventually my work (or lack thereof from the other businesses point of view), was being questioned and I couldn’t understand why.

I made the decision to send an email advising that we could only work as much as we were paid for and that’s when I was made aware that the two businesses were paying my relative on a monthly basis, and those payments were not being provided to us. This created a lot of tension between everyone especially my relative and I as she had claimed that I had a negative attitude and work ethic, but that didn’t excuse the payments that she kept. Oh boy!

Eventually she requested a secret meeting but the two business owners informed and asked me to present as they felt it was not my fault for what had happened. When it was all said and done I lost the relationship with my relative AND the person I was working with decided to end the business relationship with me. I felt like I had been turned against on all fronts until the two business owners from the suite encouraged me to begin providing services on my own. They even offered to help me pay to start an LLC if I wished. That’s how I gained my first client, BeautifulYOUSkin. I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to work for that client. I designed her business cards and managed her social accounts for some time. Five years later I am still in business with amazing clients and I owe that to the two women that believed in and uplifted me when I felt most betrayed.

Shaedy, 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 mainly provide graphic services such as brand design, logos, business cards, stationary and web design. I stopped providing marketing services back in 2018 when I personally made the decision to quit using Facebook and Twitter and just stick to Instagram. I still work full-time so marketing myself and others is not my priority, but I love to be creative and bring brands to life through my designs.

I would like to say the main problem I solve for my clients is brand identity crisis. Not only do I design for them but I make sure they understand their brands purpose and have a clear vision for their business. To me, that’s what is most important in making a brand work; the drive and identity of that brand will allow it to soar above and beyond. This is one of the main reasons I love to work on “rebrand” projects and help people level up instead of giving up on the dream they once had for their business.

I want my clients to know that I truly believe in them and I wish to be a friend and advocate if any way that I can.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is seeing my clients thrive. I am sometimes selective in the people I chose to work for because I have limited time to do so, being that I still work corporate to support myself. That said, I try to work with clients that I know have a clear vision and excellent passion for what they do. Not only does this help their business grow, but it makes me feel rewarded to know that I played a tiny part in their success, and it warms my heart to see my designs grow with them. In turn this creates long lasting business relationships for me and gives me the opportunity to continue working with those clients as they progress.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I knew more about licensing images and fonts when I first started. I only work in Adobe CC now and I make sure to license any images and fonts I use in my designs, especially since I make a commission off of them.

I also wish more people were aware that you can’t, or shouldn’t take any image from Google and claim it as your own. Or for that matter any other creatives designs; I wish more people would respect a creatives work whether it’s illustration, design or handmade.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shaedyc.co
• Instagram: @shaedyc.co