Occupation: Graphic Designers
Website: Boss Lady
Biography: Emira and Lauren are friends and business partners who are eerily alike in personality type, although they’ve managed to individuate themselves to some degree by participating in different hobbies. Between the two of them, they run a website design business, Raised Eyebrow Web Studio, as well as their blog, Boss Lady.

What do you do and how did you start?
We’re website designers, and we got into the business by different paths. Lauren had a best friend and roommate who was a web designer, and he generously taught her how to use Photoshop and how to code HTML and JavaScript, and got her her first paying client. Eventually he hired her to work for him and she continued to refine her skills on the job. This was in the early days of the web, when it was much easier to get a job without any training!

Emira was working for a high-tech company where she held the position of Marketing Director, but was in fact required to do everything from making coffee to putting together booths for trade shows; another job that got plopped in her lap was updating the company website, so she read through a couple of online tutorials and dove in. With that experience under her belt, she moved to an office manager position with a web development company, where she was again asked to do HTML work as part of her job.

This was the company where Lauren & Emira met, and after spending a few months working together, they started talking about how they would do things if they were in charge, and eventually they realized they could actually be in charge if they struck out on their own. A month later they were filing registration forms and opening a business account.

How old were you when you realised you wanted to do what you’re currently doing and how old were you when you actually began?
Emira was 24 and Lauren was 27. We didn’t delay; we made up our minds and just jumped in!

What steps did you take to create your own business?
We spent a few evenings together poring over spreadsheets and thinking through marketing strategies. We spent time on our own reading “how to start a business” books and websites. Because we were worried about money, but not so much about how to do the day-to-day business stuff (after all, we had already been in the business for a couple of years), we spent most of our planning time crunching numbers — calculating what our hourly rate should be, the costs of different kinds of projects, how our billing system was going to work, that sort of thing.

We also planned out a five-year plan around what we wanted our salaries to be, what other types of expenses we anticipated, and made sales goals accordingly. Of course, the first year was a tough one financially, but having all those goals made it very easy for us to measure our success.

What kind of formal education, training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?
We’ve been asked this question a lot, and the answer is basically that we learned nearly everything on the job. That said, there are a lot of non-technical skills that are needed in our business — people skills, for example, and money management — that can be learned in any number of environments, and which in our view are equally important to the caliber of your design work and coding. Clients won’t recommend you to their colleagues if you communicated badly, no matter how much they like the way your site looks.

How did you first begin to sell/market your work?
We were fortunate to leave our former employers with one client in tow — this was a client that Lauren had wooed through her personal connections and they were very dear to her: The Vancouver Recital Society. We put together a portfolio of sites we’d worked on, being careful to point out what our roles had been so that it was clear that some of the sites had been developed under the auspices of our former employers. And we sent emails around to everyone we knew, to let them know that we were setting out on our own. Our marketing materials were pretty basic: business cards, a website, and word of mouth. We had developed good reputations as project managers at our last company, and so we already had some degree of recognition around the city as good people to work with — and it just kind of grew from there.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do?
The best part of what we do is our clients. They invite us into their organizations, let us play around with ideas of who they are, and pay us to do it. And the variety of people we work with is amazing — in the morning we might be at a meeting with an environmental nonprofit group, and in the afternoon we’ll head off to work on a photographer’s portfolio. For a couple of inquisitive people, there’s no better job, because it’s like having a new job every other day.

The most frustrating?
Sometimes a client will have difficulty prioritizing their marketing work in the same way as their paid work, and will let their website project languish for months, or in some cases a year or more. After a point, it becomes terribly difficult to get the project back on track, because it’s been hanging around like an albatross for so long. It’s frustrating, but understandable.

Do you have any fears about what you do, and if so, how do you deal with them?
I think our biggest fears have been on the level of paranoia — they’re almost laughable, like thinking “What if no one ever hires us again?” One of the best things about having a business partner is that it gives you someone to lean on when you’re stressed out, and who will completely understand how important this stuff is to you. We’ve been fortunate in that so far, we’ve taken turns having dark nights of the soul — we haven’t had to go through being freaked out at the same time, so one of us is always capable of patting the other on the head and saying, “There, there. It’s all gonna be okay.”

What kind of work environment do you have?
Until recently, we both worked out of home offices, one of which (Lauren’s) has two computers — so it’s the “head office” and we work together there at least a couple of days a week. 2002 saw us getting a “real” office space downtown, although Lauren has continued to work from home, and Emira shares the new office space part-time with a graphic designer. It was important for the first year or so that we spent a lot of time sharing the same physical space, but over time we’ve been comfortable working apart more, which means that neither of us has too much of a commute. (We live on different sides of town.)

Have you encountered any financial obstacles, and if so, how did you overcome them?
Our business, because it’s service-oriented and not goods-based, didn’t require much of a financial investment; we bought a computer (Lauren already owned one) and we were on our way! Eventually we bought new desks and chairs, and new computers, but we waited until we could afford to pay cash for them rather than racking up debt before we got started.

One of the positive things we were able to pick up from working at other companies was to see our bosses making mistakes in the financial department — forgetting to set their tax money aside, for example, or getting into debt by getting into a long lease agreement. So we learned a lot about how not to do it, and planned accordingly. We feel it was important that we didn’t start out by doing a bunch of underpaid work for the sake of building up our portfolio; instead, we stuck by our guns and charged full price, confident that our low overhead (yay, home offices!) would make the difference in bringing our proposals in at lower prices than the competition. So although we had a slow first year while we built up our business, the projects we were doing had decent budgets, which helped keep our morale up. We knew that we would be successful so long as we could get more projects at the same price the following year.

Who or what are your inspirations?
Our inspirations are many, and they are being documented on Soapboxgirls. We created Soapboxgirls to celebrate the amazing women we have encountered in our lives, and their personal journeys — from friends of ours, to writers and artists who have touched us, to business associates. Every month we work with a theme (e.g. Food, Giving, Sex, Fear, Family, etc.) and through interviews, articles from contributors, and reviews, we discuss the varied ways in which people pursue change and fulfillment in their lives.

If you want a list of our favorite work-related books and websites, though, check out our resources

Words of advice for those pursuing their creative goals.
The thing we find ourselves telling people a lot is: Don’t undersell yourself. We’ve found that a lot of people — women especially — who are starting their own businesses don’t create business plans that will pay them enough to live well. It’s true that you may spend a few months, or even a couple of years, building up the business and scraping by (and racking up your credit cards), but you’ll burn out pretty quickly if you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Plan to pay yourself what you’re worth; build in a health plan budget; try not to touch your tax money; and basically treat yourself like a valued employee. Also, be realistic about how many hours a week you can work, and stick to your guns. We work 40 hours a week, and that’s it — no weekends or evenings, unless absolutely necessary. And we take two to three weeks of vacation time every year. If you can separate yourself from the business a bit, you’ll be able to have some semblance of a life on the side, and that will keep you from being fried at the end of a couple of years.

This may sound like we’re money-obsessed, but we’ve found that when the basics are taken care of, and you’re not worrying about making next month’s rent, it’s a lot easier to feel free to be creative and engaged in the process of doing great work.

Also, treat your clients very, very well. All of our clients have been referrals — every last one — so we know the value of doing well by a client, because eventually, they will tell someone how great you were, and you’ll get another job because of it.

Occupation: Illustrator & Graphic Designer
Website: amanda woodward & woodward design
Biography: In the beginning, there was nothing. And then Amanda Woodward spoke up and said “I’m all for white space, but this is ridiculous.” Millennia later, the universe is a much more colorful place and Amanda continues to do her part by designing and illustrating into the wee hours of the morning. Her design boutique, Woodward Design, is ultimately a work of heart and owes its continuing success to Amanda’s passions for art, people, life, and the occasionally covert sniffing of a grapefruit.

What do you do and how did you start?
I am a freelance illustrator / graphic designer, I run Woodward Design from my home in Edmonton, Alberta. My husband, Dana, is a part-time helper (also a designer), and my cat Isis is a wonderful outlet for serious critique sessions. I began doodling when I was very young and was always encouraged by my family to do art & craft projects. It all just grew from that.

How old were you when you realised you wanted to do and how old were you when you actually began?
I have wanted to be an artist my entire life. I didn’t really understand the world of design & illustration until I was in college though. I was delighted to find out in my cynical teenage years that I could actually get a “job” doing arty things, so I enrolled in a post secondary design & illustration program to learn the ropes. I had no idea what I was getting into.

What steps did you take to create your own business?
I worked for a couple of large corporations doing in-house design the first few years. To be honest, it was a negative time in my career. I learned a lot and produced many branding, web, and print projects for these companies, but I was completely unsatisfied with the type of work I was doing and the lack of variety. So, I built up a few freelance clients, a little bit of money, planned a two month trip to Europe, and quit my job in time for Christmas. I worked for awhile building the company, travelled, and have continued to build Woodward Design to what it is today.

What kind of formal education, training or experience do you have that applies to what you do?
I took a Visual Communications program at Macewan, majoring in illustration. Other training & experience includes learning from life. Yoga, painting & drawing, taking walks, reading, fostering relationships, working with crafts (knitting, sewing, collage) are many things that I do to teach me more about design. Everything in life is knowledge that can be applied to design and art.

How did you first begin to sell/market your work?
I started with a website for my design studio and told everyone I knew that I had a company and services to offer. After that I earned a good local reputation through word of mouth. Right now I am focusing more on illustration, so I have slowly built up a mailing list and send out print promotions. Occasionally, I sit down with my husband and we discuss the clients and things that we would like to be doing. Then I go away, and figure out ways to get those types of clients (calling, mailers, make business and personal connections, etc.) All of this has taken time and patience, but it was worth the hard work, and I have a long way to go.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do? The most frustrating?
The most rewarding thing about being self-employed is knowing that I have total control of my career. I can make any sort of choices I want and grow into any direction that suits me. This of course is a bit of a double-edged sword, because being self-employed means dealing with every obstacle, challenge or problem. For me though, this trade off is worth it! Other rewards include building relationships with my clients (I love it when my clients have full trust), a flexible work schedule, and of course, making a living at doing artistic things. A frustrating aspect would be the continuous challenge of keeping a balance of career and life. It’s hard to shut it off when you live in the house you work in.

Do you have any fears about what you do, and if so, how do you deal with them?
I fear being judged, just like any artist. When you put your work out there, some people will like it and some people will hate it. It’s inevitable. I am emotionally connected to the work I do, so when I get rejected it hurts sometimes. I am getting better at it though, and just try to realize that the business side of art & design exists. I am fortunate to have a circle of illustrators and peers that support and encourage me on a daily basis.

How do you deal with creative blocks?
I take a break. Go outdoors, take a bath, socialize, or spend time absorbing the world. Sometimes doing the laundry or reading a book keeping gives me a break from having to be an idea person.

What has been your biggest struggle(s)/challenge(s) with your creative career?
Realizing that the corporate environment was not a good fit for me was difficult, for a long time I felt like I had failed somehow. I have come to realize over time that it is ok not to always fit, and that I should listen to my instincts more often.

Keeping a balance is another big struggle. Learning to keep control and manage time when things get extremely busy. Art and business can sometimes feel like polar opposites, but in order to be successful you have to be a business person. I get shy sometimes and have a difficult time with the ‘schmoozing’ aspect of business, but you learn it with practice. I really feel that we all wear our confidence on our sleeves, it always shows through body language and personality. What we put out to the world is what we get back. Keeping the shoulders straight (I slouch) and a confident smile even when things seem hard is very important.

What kind of work environment do you have?
Our house is in a very old arty district of the city. I have a little office in the second bedroom, facing the backyard, so I can see birds and plants (or snow) out my window. I just painted my office a favorite tone of orange a few months ago and I love it. I have a desk, Mac, easel, old couch, book shelf and file cabinet along with some other tools. Usually bits of paper are everywhere. It’s decorated with things that I am personally connected to and find inspiring – I am an avid thrift/vintage shopper. My grandpa is a welder and made me a little “w” metal sign that hangs on the front porch.

Have you encountered any financial obstacles, and if so, how did you overcome them?
It gets a little stressful sometimes when clients delay to pay. Or when tax time looms. We try to live simply though, and I try to keep my expenses low. It is easy to get stressed when things get slow, or you don’t know what will come in to pay the bills. I just put my head down, keep working and just let it come in. I think the biggest struggle is finding ways to make enough cash to support my travel aspirations!

What is your definition of success?
Having the determination to chase your passion and make it a reality.

Who or what are your inspirations?
My husband Dana is the biggest inspiration to me. He helps me every single day. I value his creative and business related opinions more than anyone else in my life. I find inspiration in my fellow local freelancers, because they are all strong females making a go of it. I am inspired by my illustration support group – four other creative women that live in various places across North America, we support each other via the web.

My style/work is influenced by many people, places and life experiences. A list of completely random things that I love & admire currently: Vintage children’s books, old textile designs, German Expressionism (the Brucke Movement), Cubism, yoga, Indian culture, old buildings anywhere, travel, Volvos, my five-speed bike, the forest, yarn, felting, natural textures, 1950′s (film posters, furniture, lifestyle), bird cages, Charlie Brown, Nick Bantock, Tim Burton, Toulouse-Lautrec, Bernhard, graphic novels, olive green, pink, independent films, my house, silk-screening, cellos, harmonicas, outdoor music, cooking interesting food, trips to the farmer’s market, colouring books, business cards, teapots, junk yards, lanterns, elaborate jewelry, toys, and all things handmade.

Words of advice for those pursuing their creative goals.
Lots of people talk about how they would like to pursue a creative dream, but they don’t do anything about it. Is it scary and risky to be self-employed? Do I have up and down days? Of course I do. But, lots of people around the globe barely have food to eat, or shelter to sleep in. If you are blessed enough to live a comfortable life, then you owe it to yourself and to the world to chase your passion. We have such opportunity, it is a shame not to take full advantage of it. You don’t have to quit your job today, but you can take steps towards a goal, every tiny accomplishment counts. Don’t give up, obstacles and challenges exist and patience is a virtue.

Do you know any helpful/inspirational books, websites, organisations etc.?
So many of the things that I have found inspiration in other Another Girl at Play Gals have already mentioned. The only additional thing I can recommend is make your palette of experience and knowledge wide. Take a class or join an organization that is completely unrelated to what you do professionally. Those experiences will affect how you grow as a creative person.