How to Create a Brand Board

March 14

If you’re reading this and you’re a business owner, you NEED a brand board.

You’ve probably heard of a brand board or maybe you’ve seen them on Pinterest.

What is a brand board?

A brand board is an excellent way of communicating your brand’s personality in a concise and easy to understand way. It’s also a great way to reference your branding at any time so you can make sure you’re staying consistent. A biz brand that is inconsistent = no bueno.

Why do you need a brand board?

Branding is a critical step in growing your business. A memorable brand translates to more clients and more sales (duh, who doesn’t want that?).

Meet WAHM Casey Smith (Me!) of Sugar Studios

March 3

I’m thrilled to finally be a part of this interview series featuring work at home mothers!

Tell us about your business.
I own Sugar Studios, a design studio that specializes in Branding and Custom WordPress site design for creative entrepreneurs. I started Sugar Studios before I had children, but it was always the intention that it would allow me to work from home while caring for our future kids.

Did you always plan to be a WAHM? If not, what made you decide to work from home?
It was always been my dream to have my own business while being able to be at home with our family. I love the flexibility of being able to jump on the computer at nap time while getting a start on dinner for that evening.

How long have you been a WAHM?
Almost one year!

Beyond Frosting Branding and Blog Design

February 5

I’m really excited to share this project for Beyond Frosting with you! Julianne is the creator of Beyond Frosting, a dessert blog featuring mostly no-bake recipes. She’s also the author of No-Bake Treats which was recently featured on QVC. After chatting about her brand and reading through her questionnaire, I pulled together a brand inspiration board. From there the color palate was defined and logo development was set to being.

Hangers Couture Branding Design

February 5

Sources: Lingerie, Closet, Dresses, Logo, Window

When Brittany from Hangers Couture contacted me about designing some custom prints for her luxury hanger line – the inner girly girl in me squealed with delight!

10 Great Resources for Mockup Photos

September 13

The Speckled Palate Branding and Blog Design

August 1

The Speckled Palate is a food blog created by the lovely Erin Parker. I was thrilled when Erin came to me looking for new branding along with a new design for her blog. After one look at her photography I was totally inspired.

My New Life (Post Pregnancy Update)

July 11

Wow my life has really changed since my last blog post. I’m now a mother to a beautiful baby boy, Ryan Henry Smith. He was born on St. Patrick’s day – one day after his due date. I won’t bore you with the gory details but my pregnancy and labor was actually amazing and I can not wait to do it again (I know I sound nuts, you can smack me).

One thing that hasn’t changed? My passion for entrepreneurship and design. Having a child has motivated me even more as a boss mom.

Third Trimester Survival Guide

April 30

The third and final trimester of my first pregnancy was relatively easy compared to the First Trimester where I was struck with morning (really day and night) sickness that I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I spent time preparing for he arrival of our new baby and labor and delivery for the first time (really, can you ever prepare for that?). There are several things I used in my last trimester and postpardum that really helped.

Second Trimester Survival Guide

December 21

Wow this pregnancy is going by fast! I’m doing everything I can to cherish every moment. Aside from a rough first trimester, my pregnancy has so far been pretty enjoyable. There are some things that have given me relief throughout my second trimester and helped me to start planning for when our baby is born.

Why Every Service-Based Entrepreneur Needs to Offer a Contract

December 2

In my first couple of years in business I worked without a contract, which was a huge risk. Fortunately I’ve never had a serious issue with a client, however I’ve probably extended myself more than I should have in order to keep every client happy. Recently a friend introduced me to Annette Stepanian, an attorney who works with creative entrepreneurs (like me!). I knew it was time to start taking my business seriously, especially since we were new homeowners and were starting a family. With Annette’s help I was now able to offer a contract for graphic design services. The process was so simple and my contract even included a PDF supplement that helped explain each section of the contract so that I fully understood what I was sending to clients.