Chandler, Author at K.HAGGÅRD DESIGN

Finding Your Business Niche

Standing out from the crowd is essential for success in business. One of the key factors that can set your business apart is finding the right niche. A niche refers to a specific segment of the market that your business focuses on. By choosing your niche wisely, you can position yourself as a specialist in that particular area, catering to the unique needs of a specific group of customers. Below we will explore what a niche is, and what it requires to discover and define your niche.

What is your niche?

It’s the specific market you choose to target, offering products or services tailored to meet the needs of your ideal group of customers. Your niche can be anything from focusing on type of service to including certain groups of people: fathers, women in tech, etc. It can also be a world view, like progressive or adventure nature focused like Patagonia. By focusing on a specific niche, you can differentiate yourself from larger, more generic competitors and attract customers who are passionate about those specific products or services. It gives you the ability to be one of a few fish in a smaller pond rather than swimming against multiple fish in the ocean. And with that you are given the opportunity to be an expert within the field.

How do I find my business niche?

Discovering your business niche can require careful research, analysis, and understanding of the market and your target audience. Sometimes it is also right in front of you. If it is a personal brand you are starting, take a look in the mirror more than anything. Here are some steps to guide you in the process:

Identify your passions, interests, values: Start by reflecting on your own passions, interests, values and expertise. What areas of business or specific industries fascinate you? Finding a niche that aligns with your curiosities can provide you with the motivation and enthusiasm needed to thrive in that particular market.

Solve a problem: Stay up to date with current market moves and identify emerging opportunities. Look for gaps or unmet needs in the market that you could potentially address. Conduct thorough market research to understand the demand, competition, and potential profitability of different niches. Research competitors within various niches, how can you differentiate yourself from them?

Analyze your target audience: Understanding your target audience is crucial for finding the right niche. Who are your potential customers? What are their preferences, desires, pain points, and buying behaviors? How will what you are offering help them?

What finding a niche requires.

Finding a niche and successfully establishing your business within it requires a combination of strategic thinking, adaptability, and dedication. Here are some key elements that contribute to the process:

Deep understanding of your niche: To effectively serve your niche, you must have a thorough understanding of the specific industry, market, and customer needs. Stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and developments related to your niche. This knowledge will enable you to provide valuable products or services and position your business as an authority in the field.

Tailored marketing and branding: Once you have defined your niche, your marketing efforts should be focused on reaching and resonating with your ideal audience. Craft a compelling brand message that communicates your unique values and addresses the specific pain points or desires of your customer. Choose a marketing channel that your ideal clients will be on.

Continuous adaptation and innovation: Markets evolve, and customer preferences change over time. To remain successful within your niche, it’s crucial to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances. Keep a close eye on emerging trends, customer feedback, and competitor activities. Be open to changing your offerings and staying up-to-date with your ideal customers needs/desires.

Building a community: Nurturing a community around your niche can be invaluable for the growth and sustainability of your business. Engage with your customers, listen to their feedback, and foster a sense of belonging. Create a community within your work and you’ll find part of the marketing done for you.

To put a bow on it, finding your business niche is a strategic process that involves researching market trends, analyzing your target audience, and evaluating your competition. By choosing your niche wisely and positioning yourself as an expert in that specific area, you can differentiate your business and attract customers who are passionate about your offerings. They’ll be just as excited to tell people about you and your work as you were to work with them. Remember, finding your niche is not a one-time task but an ongoing effort to stay relevant and competitive.

Stand out from the crowd.

Hiring a Graphic Designer

We’re all feeling the pressure of today’s content driven and competitive business landscape. A skilled graphic designer for your team is imperative for the creation of compelling visual content that captures attention and enhances your brand. Whether you’re looking to hire a graphic designer for a specific project or to join your creative team permanently, finding the right candidate requires careful consideration. As a designer who has been on both sides of the hiring process, I will guide you through the process of finding a graphic designer by highlighting key aspects to consider, along with a set of essential questions to ask during the hiring process.

Hiring a Graphic Designer:

Define Your Needs:

Before starting your search for a graphic designer, it’s important to clearly define your requirements. Clarify the scope of the project, the specific tasks the designer will handle, and the skills and expertise needed to accomplish your goals. While some talented individuals are combination brand designers/web designers, not everyone specializes in creating visual identities and branding materials (brand designer), versus focusing on designing user-friendly and visually appealing websites (web designer). This is important for you to keep in mind.

Seek Recommendations:

Start your search for a graphic designer by reaching out to your professional network, mentors, or industry groups for recommendations. Referrals often lead you to talented people. Our team often uses this method of finding clients. Word-of-Mouth marketing at its best! Often, it is helpful to hire a temporary designer whether you are on vacation or for a trial run. It will give you a good idea of how they work with your team.

Online Tools:

Explore online platforms such as Upwork, and LinkedIn to discover a wide range of graphic designers. These platforms allow you to browse through portfolios, read reviews, and assess the designer’s style and capabilities. Look for candidates whose work aligns with your brand aesthetic and requirements.

Review Their Portfolio:

A graphic designer’s portfolio serves as their visual resume. Viewing this is a great opportunity to evaluate their skill level, creativity, and versatility. Look for consistency in the quality of their designs and assess their ability to adapt to different styles and project requirements. Make sure you are looking for connections within their work with what your end goal is.

Questions to Ask a Graphic Designer:

Why did you become a graphic designer, and how has your journey shaped your skill set?

This question helps you gauge the designer’s passion for their craft and gain insight into their creative process. Passion is everything in design. I myself never get over my love for art and the visual mediums.

Tell me about your previous design projects that are similar to what we’re looking for?

Discussing relevant past projects, gives you the chance to review the designer’s ability to handle tasks similar to yours. Hopefully they discuss projects that require a combination of technical skill, creativity, and attention to detail.

How do you stay up-to-date with current design trends and industry best practices?

Professionals should always be learning. A good graphic designer is no different. They should be aware of current design trends and have knowledge of the latest industry tools and techniques.

What software and design tools are you proficient in?

You want to be sure the designer is well-versed in the necessary software and design tools required for your project. Proficiency in industry-standard software such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) is essential for effective graphic design.

How do you handle feedback and revisions?

Team work makes the dream work! Receiving feedback and making revisions based on client input is necessary in the design world. Be sure your candidates demonstrate a willingness to work closely with clients and are receptive to constructive criticism.

What is your process for understanding a brand’s identity before designing?

Capturing a brand’s values and translating it into visual elements is one of the more difficult measures of a design job. If the designer has a well-defined process for understanding your brand, target audience, and unique selling points, then that shows they have experience and are prepared to go to work.

What makes you smile?

Diving into a person’s interests and things that bring them joy in life, tell you a lot about them. Figuring out someone’s personality is especially important because it allows you to be sure that it jives with the rest of the team and company culture. I ask my team members this question for all interviews because it showcases what they add beyond skills to the brand.

Finding a graphic designer who aligns with your brand’s vision and possesses the necessary skills is vital for success. You want someone who can visualize your brand simply from hearing about it from you. Chances are if you are hiring a designer for a project, you are looking at that project being long-term, so it is a worthwhile investment. Whether you use all these questions or just a couple, I hope this helps you on expanding your team! Taking the time to thoroughly review candidates, and interview them, shows them you are serious but also gives your brand or website the visual identity you want to show off for years to come.

Here's to surrounding yourself with beauty!

When to Celebrate Your Wins…

Ever wonder when it’s appropriate to celebrate your wins?

I say, as often as you can.

Often, we tend to just keep our heads down and work. Sometimes not even noticing that we are making progress because of it. That’s not fun, nor a positive endorsement to all that you do.

However, to know that you are making progress you first need to track it.

Make a plan of where you want to go or who you want to be. This includes figuring out the steps you need to take to get there (a great way to do that is to look at someone who is in the same/similar field as you but maybe 10 years or so ahead and watch them or better yet ask them) and then make those steps tangible and trackable.

The clearer you are on details, the better.

Then, celebrate each and every win along the way, big or small.

To make it even better, make sure to be intentional with your celebrations and set out specific times or things you want to do to celebrate, it solidifies the win even more and creates positive reinforcement to be fueled for the next step.

Here are some ways to celebrate:

Dance.

Ha, yes, it can be as silly and simple as turning on your favorite tune on loud and letting loose with your best (or not so great) dance moves. It’s great for not only a win but for movement and energy as well.

Be with loved ones.

Set aside specific time to be with friends, family and maybe even announce your win. They likely want to know and celebrate you too!

Item on your wishlist.

Perhaps, there is a certain item you would like to have, but don’t feel like it’s something you necessarily need, that could be a great item to splurge on! Plus, what a great reminder for the future!

Self-reflect.

Take some time to sit and reflect over the accomplishment. What did you do to accomplish it? How did it feel? Is there space for improvement? Are you ready for the next step?

How often do you set aside time to celebrate and what do you do?

Cheers to wins – big and small!

Simplify, Organize and Beautify Your Business

As a lover of organization, I’m looking for ways to optimize, e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e.

Yeah… honestly it might be a bit of an obsession.

Just me?

Who else is plotting out the road and the stops that need to be done, to make sure they are completed in an order that saves the most time?

Who always has a donation box available, to remove anything extra they don’t need?

Who is looking for pieces (or clothes) that have multiple purposes and is also visually pleasing? When that something is found, do you also feel like you are winning?

Today, my friend, I’m going to give you a dose of my obsession to optimize your business. You might not need to reinvent the wheel, but we all want to run our business smoother, that I am sure of. Besides, oil keeps the tires from squeaking.

More time, less money spent – Yes, please!

I have 10 slightly random things coming your way that will follow my mantra of Simplify. Organize. Beautify.

Email templates – I can almost promise you, you write the same notes multiple times, in a week or maybe in a day. If you do, turn them into templates and organize them in a safe place for when you need them. However, always read through them and customize your note for each person you are sending them to. That creates a personalized experience.

Tools – We all have a lot of these, I’m fairly sure, but I just had to share my favorite one: Asana. I live in that application. It’s a project management tool that has all you could ever need to satisfy your organizational desires. Where you can drag and drop projects, assign due dates and task owners, see a timeline, prioritize your tasks, communicate with your team or client on each separate task to… keep organized 😉 If you have not used a tool like this, I say stop reading and check it out. You can start for free! Oh and this is not an ad, I don’t have any affiliate links or anything, it’s’ just genuinely my ride or die.

Stay up to date on security. Not as sexy, but whoa it simplifies life. Tremendously. It’s the whole thing of being proactive vs reactive. That means making sure your site is up to date, protected and backed-up before something ever happens. That means having a tool like LastPass that will keep your password secure and also help you utilize optimized passwords and (big) bonus it also simplifies (and organizes!) life at a different level. If your site or account gets hacked, you wish you had just done the basics on this one, because the alternative is not close to being fun and can get really expensive fast. Pro tip 😉 put your domain and hosting on auto pay.

Your offering. When was the last time you took a closer look at your offerings? Is everything running smoothly in your process, onboarding, during and after your projects or if it’s ongoing?We have a habit on our team to always look for opportunities to optimize. If something is taking too long with no great value – we look for ways to optimize it and use our time in a better way.

Hire a person or persons to help you. As soon as you can, hire help. I know you are skilled, but I bet you there are things in your every day that you really don’t enjoy. There are people out there who do. Hire them. More importantly hire the right people who align with company vision and values, who are working to improve their work environment and make the business run better, enjoyable and more profitable. The best employees are looking for exciting challenges, room for growth and a pleasant work environment.

Clear rules and expectations. At one point in my business life, I thought going with the flow was really nice… and it might sound nice but when you take a step back, it’s really not. It creates confusion and misunderstandings, which we don’t need anywhere and absolutely not in business. I am constantly working on defining rules and setting proper expectations which simplifies things and makes the business run much more beautifully.

Legal stuff. Certainly not fun dealing with legal stuff, if you are not prepared for it. If you have run a business long enough it’s not if, but when. Having your ducks in a row can feel like a pain in the rear but when done, just like a good workout, it feels so dang good.

Let go of clients. This may sound a bit arrogant, but it’s your business, you can let go of clients who don’t serve you well. The ones who when you see their name in the inbox, you cringe. It will either cost you money, or time. You pick which one is most valuable to you.Work is a lot of your day, I vote for enjoying it as much as possible.

Ditch tools you are not using. Are you the type of person, who signs up for the latest tool or programs….and then just lets it sit there doing no good and basically just costing you money? Cancel your subscriptions, purge unnecessary tools. Find a great multitool that can cover different tasks, and simplify.

Last but not least. Clean up your work environment. Both on the desk and the desktop! File papers properly, or better yet opt out of papers. Keep your desk in order and clean, it’s so much nicer to come to work when it’s all set up and ready for you. Same with electronic files, create a system of folders so you don’t have a desktop that is just filled with a million icons. I’m sure there are folks out there thinking it doesn’t matter…but subconsciously it does, there will be less things “pinging” at you stealing your attention and again, coming to a clean workspace is much more enticing.

Here's to simplification, organization and beautification.

Because organized and simple solutions also need to look good.

Are You Thinking About Giving Up On Your Dream?

Entrepreneurship can be such a rollercoaster.

Last week was hard, really hard…like collapse on the floor kind of hard.

It had me wondering, “Why the heck did I make this choice of running a service-based business? Was I totally bananas or just straight up crazy to think that was a good idea?”

I had not signed up for incredibly-difficult-clients-who-no-matter-what-you-suggest-think-you-are out-to-get-them… I’m still slightly in shock. I like to think of myself as kind, fair, straight-forward, collaborative and extremely patient… or am I not?!

Am I losing my mind?  

Maybe my way of asking for feedback is totally wack-a-doodle?

Do I really know how to communicate clearly?

Do I know how to design stuff?

The doubts came raining in like a tropical rainstorm.

You know the feeling, I bet.

Negative bias. Is. No. Joke.

“The negative bias is our tendency not only to register negative stimuli more readily but also to dwell on these events. Also known as positive-negative asymmetry, this negativity bias means that we feel the sting of a rebuke more powerfully than we feel the joy of praise”

This can be hard to handle on your own. Having a community of entrepreneurial friends is essential. Luckily, I have a group of them.

A logical mind, that is objective, can do absolutely wonders to help you get out of that state.

The best thing with these not-so-fun situations, is that if you look at it from the perspective of learning and opportunity, and taking an honest look at how you handle it, the better you will be at handling it next time. Growth opportunity. I’ll take two, please!

There are a whole lot of different situations that can get to us. I don’t know what it is for you… but for me, I struggle with people not seeing me for who I am, not being able to communicate how things work….I mean the stuff I do for a living, day in and day out…the stuff I get paid the big bucks for.

Well, such is life. Onward upward.

My takeaways:

Stronger boundaries – keep an eye out for orange flags, and don’t let them turn red.
Sharpen the process, always.
Some days I design, some I do research, some I guide clients, some days I deal with lawyers. It all is just part of running a business.

And Negative Bias, is just that… and I get to choose every day, on my own, what to focus on.

So today, I’ll read the sweet, appreciative messages a couple of extra times.

Always be better,

Choosing Your Brand Color Palette Based Off Visual Science

Somebody told me the other day; “I’m very visual, can you show me how it will look and then I can make a choice.” Well, it’s not only some people who are visual, we all are. In fact, 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. That’s a whole lot of percentage to ignore.

Being visual does not mean you know how to combine things to go well together, it simply means that is how you will take it in or interpret the information. For example–Ever had somebody read something for you, and you asked them to send it to you so you can read it yourself?

Another example is the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon or Frequency Illusion. It is seeing more of a certain item, when on a quest to buy it. Or deciding you are purchasing a white sweatshirt and now all you see are white sweaters. There isn’t more than before you decided to purchase it but now that you have determined it is important, your brain is cataloging all the times it shows up.

We are exposed to so much stimulation daily that our minds actually weed through a lot of it.

Visual information is absorbed and synthesized faster than any other stimuli, which makes visual content an incredibly effective and powerful medium. Another reason why marketing, art and design are so important.

This is why I think visual perception is extremely fascinating. It is how we take in, interpret, act and make sense of the world around us. In other words, there is much more to the reason why you like a certain color or why you see things more frequently when you are looking to buy a certain item.

In the late 1600’s, the English scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when pure white light passes through a prism, it separates into all of the visible colors, like the rainbow, when the sun shows up after a rainy day. Newton also found that each color is made up of a single wavelength and cannot be separated into other colors. However, it can be combined to form other colors, like red and yellow will turn orange.

Unfortunately, there has not been that much research in the color world, which is fairly peculiar since the presence of color is quite prevalent in our daily lives. But, there have been discoveries on how color affects mood, feelings and behaviors which is powerful information.

Although it can be subjective and cultural, there are some universal meanings like:

Warm colors (orange, red, yellow) evoke emotions ranging from warm and comfy to anger and hostility

Cool colors (blue, purple, green) are associated with calm, trustworthiness but can also be described as sad and indifferent.

Here is an idea of what colors typically mean if you are living in Europe or North America:

White: A fresh and clean color, often associated with purity and innocence, light and goodness

Black: It’s associated as powerful, elegant, formal, luxurious, sexy and mysterious

Red: Describes bold, attention-getting, confidence, action, passion, desire and love

Blue: The dependable, trustworthy, wise, loyal and faithful color

Yellow: Happy, energetic, joyful, intellectual color

Gray/Neutral: These colors are more balanced, neutral, calm and peaceful

There are of course, many variables to consider when you pick colors, but this can serve as a great foundation and then you can play around with how they are combined to create your own favorite palette, for marketing, styling your home or finding your next perfect car.

Hopefully this gives you a new perspective on what you are taking in all day, every day.

Visually yours,

Business Highlight: Kaylin Dillon Financial

Growing up we are often taught that it is taboo to discuss money with anyone.

We shouldn’t discuss how much we make, how much another has etc. The whole situation makes it a bit difficult to move through life, from simple things on how much you should be making in your job position to discussions around money roles in relationships.

Things get even more restrained when the thoughts start to revolve around death, divorce and other legal hypotheticals.

My client Kaylin Dillon saw this plain and clear when her own life hit this door. She realized how difficult it was to navigate the legal money waters when someone doesn’t have a mentor or authority figure there to tell you what to do or how to do it. More so, she saw with extreme clarity the desperate need couples have for prenuptial agreements.

Many people hear the term prenup and instantly think ‘unfair’, or that ‘one person in the relationship may be better off.’ Kaylin Dillon Financial is on the move to make sure this is changed, she wants young couples to know that prenups are the simplest way to protect yourself and your money (whatever that may be) from differing cases from new state legislation, to messy divorces.

I am highlighting Kaylin Dillon Financial this month because of the difference she is making in the world. In fact, simply looking at one of her financial passions (money planning in marriages) already causes her to stand out. 36.1% of divorces are attributed to financial difficulties.

And Forbes considers different money styles a detrimental reason for marriage ruin. I have to believe that Kaylin is making a major influence on being sure you and your partner are on the same page with finances is one of the neatest things she’s doing. Quite frankly, if you have the power to eliminate that pesky 36.1% chance you and your true love don’t make it, why wouldn’t you do it?

Since money talk often feels taboo, I have to say, I love that Kaylin is opening the table to open and non-judgemental conversations.

I, myself am very passionate about perspectives and truly believe that it is not what you say but how you say it.

I suggest giving Kaylin Dillon Financial Planning a follow on any of the social platforms (or all) for some great tips on money management. And if you are ready you can even schedule a consultation!

If that is still a leap for you, or you like to gather your info in a different way, she has been on podcasts, and is writing a book!

Can anyone say, “Couple’s Book Club?!”

The Key to Managing a Work/Life Balance

Lately, I have had a lot of conversations around work life balance. Is it even such a thing? I’m not sure…

As an entrepreneur, life is business. If you choose wisely, it overlaps with life and you might not even know if you are working or just life-ing.

That is something you get to do, it’s a glorious place to be.

Yet, I truly believe fully disconnecting from bill-paying-things, is essential to be able to come back with fresh energy, perspective and creativity.

When I first started my business, I remember my mom (who is one of my biggest supporters) always reminded me to take time off. I worked a lot. However, in the beginning of entrepreneurship, it might be the only way to get off the ground and find your way. I genuinely love business, figuring it all out and getting to support my clients…so it can be a lot of work later too.

But she is right, there needs to be breaks even if you are passionate and love what you do.

I started to schedule a Creative/Active Day every week, where I am only able to work with my hands (not on a computer) and do physical activities (which is my other love in life). Having it on the schedule helped me be sure to take the day off from work.

Now, I blend it into my everyday life, so I don’t have to work but get to work. I take a break to do something else if I want to. It is a much more peaceful place to be, it’s enjoying business life in a different way.

That might sound a little fluffy, but I still have a fairly structured schedule, because I do believe freedom comes with structure.

Now, I have taken on my mothers role, to remind others that life is not about things you have to do. I would say the only reason to fill the day with get-stuff-done’s, is if you are working towards something specific and hopefully towards changing that.

Life is beyond precious.

I believe work should be enjoyable and fun and it should not be everything, because then you miss out on life, so choose wisely what fills your life and how you blend it all together.

Trust me. you won't regret figuring that out now.

Using the Present to Boost Productivity

This morning I woke up and just laid and looked out the window at the clouds moving by.

Sometimes life feels like you blink, and it just happened.

I hope you find time somewhere in there to just watch the world go by and listen to your thoughts.

This mind-space is such a delightful place to be able to just slow down, with no distractions or notifications.

Today, I’m grateful for the slow down. There are so many have-to’s, so much stress and anxiety filling our days… a consistent competition wherever you go, to make more, to save more, to look this way or that way, to be in places and really all we have is here and now.

Heck, let’s you and I take just one minute or so to breathe together. And after I’ll meet you back here.

Grab your phone, I know it’s right next to you. Set a timer for 1 to 3 minutes.

Turn off all notifications, start your timer and close your eyes.

Still reading?… Come on, try it… just take a deep breath and feel whatever you are feeling, wiggle your fingers, your toes, feel how your belly goes in and out with each breath…let the thoughts come and go and just be in it.

How did it feel?

Were you able to not think of your to do list? I know it can be hard to turn that hustler off sometimes, but when you are able to, it is such a peaceful place.

I love to think about what I want to do with my business, life or what I’m working on physically. This technique takes me to a place to fantasize about my dreams and when the same things continue to come up it becomes clear what I want to materialize.

Make space for being still, it’s transformative.

Have a beautiful day!

A Summer Filled With Remote Work in Europe

I have been talking about blending work and life lately.

This summer I truly did that.

My man works from Europe a bit, so since my team and I are virtual, I get to work from Europe too! We spent time in my home country Sweden and in his home country France.

For me, that works really well. I do my hours in the morning, while the USA is sleeping and then we head out to play during the day and then back to connect in the evening when the USA is in full swing, before I close out the day.

I scheduled my meetings as normal (well, later in the day / evening) and didn’t think anything of it until one of my clients told me he had told his colleague how inspired he was by how I work. It is the life you see on TikTok, and dreamily desire, and the crazy thing is it’s my reality! I realized after this chat with that client that I had a true opportunity to help people move their work-life into the remote realm, especially since all my experience predates lockdowns.

I have always worked remotely with my company. I believe this was one of the exciting things that came out of Covid, that people & companies realized you are way more mobile than perhaps you thought and some work you can do from anywhere and meeting “in person” works quite well on Zoom. (Or maybe the Zoom marketing team really wanted to see a jump and orchestrated this whole thing…😉 kidding!) It is exciting because we are seeing more and more people who are able to work where they are most comfortable while also living their best lives!

So my question to you:

Are you working how you want to?
Are you dreaming of or setting up your life to blend life and work?

Running your own business allows for just that. Chances are you have the skills and talent to run your own. You just need a little push…so consider this that nudge. You can do it. If you are confused I recommend you check out my course Website K.0, where you can work directly with me to get your business branded and online while having access to me for any questions!