In with the new.

I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions.  But my business fiscal year ends in December, so it is a great time to evaluate the past 12 months and see where I can make improvements in the new year.  There is also a dead zone for work in the December 15-January 1 timeframe, so I spent time updating my portfolio and website, and thinking about what “in with the new” means for me and my business.

But let’s start with “out with the old…”

My 2014 Accomplishments and Struggles:

• It was my first year of running the business full time, without any income from other jobs.  I was 100% Hitchcock Creative and it was GREAT!
• I said NO.  NO to clients who needed everything yesterday.  NO to projects that weren’t financially viable.  NO to self doubts.
• I said YES.  YES to projects out of my comfort zone.  YES to professional development.  YES to spending money on equipment upgrades.  YES to focusing on specific work hours so I could spend more time with the family.
• I struggled with the decision to end a relationship with a pro-bono client.  I loved working with them, but with a toddler at home, my other workload increasing, and some other personal matters, I felt I couldn’t give them the attention they deserved.  It was a tough decision, but a necessary one.
• I increased my business income by about 40%.  This was a huge leap, but also not an unexpected one since I did go from part-time to full-time (and spent 3 months of 2013 on maternity leave).

My Goals for 2015:

• To say NO to wasting time on the internet during work hours.  NO to constant breaks during the day to see my daughter downstairs.  NO to distractions.
• To say YES to being more productive, more creative, and more attentive.  YES to setting a specific work schedule (and sticking to it).  YES to getting my taxes done early.
• To increase my overall business income by 5-10% by cutting expenses, using my hours more wisely, and pricing my services more consistently (and raising prices a small amount for the first time in 5 years).
• To answer my emails more quickly.  I can’t explain why this is such a weakness for me, but it is.  I read a message, process it, and promptly forget to reply.  I think my phone is partly to blame – I like reading email on it, but hate responding with my thumbs.

So, we’ll see how I do.  Notice that I didn’t put “Blog more” or “Increase my social media presence” on the 2015 list.  I’ll talk more about this conscience choice in a future post.

2015 Desk Calendars are now available!

It’s likely that you’re now on the last page of your 2014 calendar (unless it’s been a really busy week and you’ve completely forgotten that it’s now December).  Anyway, it’s time for a new calendar!

Check out our 2015 Desktop Calendar!

They’re also great for co-workers, friends, parents, neighbors, or anyone who enjoys knowing what date it is.  AND, because you put up with my sporadic blogging and social media attempts, you can get 20% off any purchase in the shop over $15.  Just use coupon code PEPPERMINT at check out.

The Brand Market DC

This weekend I was privileged to experience The Brand Market’s workshop in Washington, DC.  On my goodness.  I met some amazing women entrepreneurs and learned a lot about what I’m doing right (and what I need to work on) for my small business.

We each received an amazing swag bag with gifts from Rifle Paper Co., Sapling Press, Design Dotted and more!

And learned tips on social media, branding, photo styling from Rebecca at A Daily Something.  (How amazing is the studio space at Sweet Root Village?!)

Inspiring words by coco and mingo.

Not-so-new logo and blog makeover

A few months back I updated my old logo with one that I feel better represents my personality and brand.  I created a shiny new website, and designed some fun new business cards.  Overall I’m really happy with it.  When you have a logo that works seamlessly with everything you need it to, you know it’s a winner.

P.S.  Lets just pretend I didn’t NOT blog for the last 8 months.  I won’t make excuses and we’ll just dive back into designy goodness.  Sound good? 

Introducing the 2014 Desk Calendar

If you follow me on Facebook, you know that I frequently don’t know what day of the week (or month) it is.  Blame it on working from home, having an infant or not eating enough of whatever it is I’m supposed to eat to help my memory (clearly I can’t remember that either).  So I came up with a solution, which  conveniently doubled as a great gift for my vendors and colleagues this year!

You can purchase them online at my Etsy shop as well.  And if you order by TOMORROW by 2:00pm (which IS Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013) you can get free Priority Shipping for US customers AND it should arrive by Tuesday.  Just in time for a last minute Christmas gift.  Click here to see the listing!  No codes necessary, just purchase the regular First Class shipping and I’ll upgrade you for free!

Anniversary GIVEAWAY #1

As I mentioned last week, I’ll be giving away little items every week during the month of November to celebrate my 5 year business anniversary.  Hooray!

You may have noticed that stores are already setting up for the winter holidays and we haven’t even finished our Halloween candy yet!  If you can’t beat them, join them I say.  To help you spread your holiday cheer early, I’m giving away a gift box of 12 “Bah Humbug” holiday cards.

CLICK HERE for your chance to win!

See this card and more (available in singles and box sets) in my Etsy Shop!  As an added bonus, use code FREESHIP for free shipping on ALL U.S. purchases through November 30, 2013!

Contest ends Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at Midnight EST.  I’ll announce the winner on Facebook, Twitter and on the blog the next day.  Winner will need to supply a mailing address via email or private message indicating where prize should be sent.

Throwback Thursday // 9/11 Ten Years Later

It’s hard to believe the 13th anniversary of 9/11 is next week.  I always equate this timing with my graduation from college and moving to Washington, DC.  I have lived in the DC area for 12 1/2 years now.  In another 2 years, I will have lived here longer than the small town I grew up in.  Like  many people, every year around this time I remember where I was and what I was doing and how much has happened in the world and in my own life since then.  So when I was given the opportunity to design for a 10th anniversary event, it gave me a lot to think about.

On September 8th, 2011 The New Republic and The Kennedy Center hosted an evening of remembrance and reflection.  I designed the branding for the event as well as the formal invitation and various digital pieces.  Whenever you’re asked to design for an event of this nature, there so many things to take into consideration.  We needed a logo that would be symbolic, patriotic and respectful, but also not too dark or sorrowful.

Photos by Sarah Hitchcock Burzio, Daniel Schwartz

We thought this would be the perfect time to utilize the traditional red and blue colors of our flag, and I used a soft grey background instead of a bright white or somber black.  I specifically designed it to have large amounts of grey space around the logo.  In the end, the logo took on a US flag shape and feel and the 10 horizontal lines represent the “ten years later.”

Prince William County logo controversy

As a graphic designer and a resident of Prince William County, Virginia, the articles surrounding the new logo controversy have been intriguing to me.

I first read about it in one of our local papers (unfortunately I can’t find an online version to link to).  I sort of chuckled.  I mean, I don’t like the design, but I also don’t care enough to get too worked up about it.  I then followed that up with this article in the Washington Post.  Then yesterday (after things must have started to hit the fan over at PWC headquarters…), this article came out.  Oops.  Guess they should have vetted that a bit more before purchasing new uniforms, letterhead and vehicle decals.

This is the point were I started to become a bit irritated.  As a designer, I take the “they got what they paid for” attitude about it.  But as a personal/business taxpayer, I’m annoyed that they cheaped out a project (to Michigan no less), then produced a bunch of materials with it that will now end up in the incinerator.  What a waste!

It’s also been interesting to see what people on both sides think about the fact that the county spent $750 on the design.  My design community friends are all screaming the same thing I am – “they got what they paid for.”  But my neighbors and residents of PWC – who admittedly have no experience in working with designers or in advertising/marketing – are crying, “how could the spend so much on JUST a logo?!”

What do you think?

Getting back to things…

As you may remember, I wrote a post a while ago on how many of us in the creative industry have other jobs to help pay the rent.  I think most of us dream of being able to design/photograph/create/plan full time, but running a full time business with no other source of income can be hard.  Having another job, either full time or part time, is nothing to be ashamed of in my opinion, especially when you’re first starting your business.

Since June, I’ve been freelancing as a designer and event planning after being temporarily laid off from my full time job while the space I worked in underwent a huge renovation.

Photos from Kennedy Center Facebook page

I was genuinely excited for this time off so that I could really look at growing my business and see if it was possible for me to design full time.  Or if I even really wanted to.  Well, as always, life has many plans for us.  I found out shortly after leaving that I was pregnant (hooray!).  And as the old saying goes, “having a baby changes everything.”  The pregnancy has been harder than I thought it would and I’ve had to take off more time to keep myself healthy.  So maybe this isn’t the right year to be expanding my business after all.  No problem.  Now I just have more time to plan for the direction of my business!

As of last week, I started working back at my “9 to 5” and I am really enjoying the work I’m doing there.  I’ll continue to juggle the two jobs, as I have for the last four years, until the baby comes in April.  From there?  Who knows. I plan to keep my options open and re-evaluate once I know how having a little one in my life will change things for my family.

Baby Items on Etsy – photo links:  1, 2, 3

A peek at the paper goods from the Mark Twain Prize!

Congrats to the everyone working on tonight’s 15th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor celebrating this years honoree, Ellen DeGeneres!  I had a blast working on the paper goods for this event over the last few months.  Tonight is the live performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.  The show will be televised on Tuesday, October 30 at 8:00pm on PBS.

Below is a peak at the invitation and some of the paper goods for the event.  Super fun time working on this.  I’m always a little sad when projects this awesome end.