Brittney Fells’ passion is to encourage new and established women entrepreneurs, equipping them with the right visual branding to rise above the competition.
She’s a believer in the fact that your brand is a visual representation of what you want people to feel and say about you, and every woman in business deserves a brand image that represents their personality and overall awesomeness! Her goal is to provide insight and resources to help women get both the knowledge and look they need to create a beautiful and memorable brand.
For Creative Girls: Branding is an interesting and engaging part of a business and individual. What issues/experiences did you see or encounter that spurred you on to create Bee Fells Creative?
Brittney Fells: My original reason for creating Bee Fells Creative was because I loved designing beautiful things for other people, but a commonality that I noticed was that a lot of the women that I worked with weren’t knowledgeable about why defining a brand identity is so important. I realised that I could provide that support and education to help them design sustainable brand images.
Why did you choose to focus on women? Is there a peculiarity to women-led businesses that informed your path?
I chose to focus on women because I saw a need for community among women in business, especially black women entrepreneurs. We often focus so much on getting ahead and making a name for ourselves that we forget that there are people going through our same experiences. With Bee Fells Creative I can relate to their struggles, and I also have the experience to help them reach their goals for their brands.
What are the first few things to note when embarking on an entrepreneurial journey, from a branding perspective?
Really narrow down your target audience. The more specific you are the better you are able to cater to their needs.
Don’t do what everyone else is doing. One of my biggest mistakes starting out was choosing specific colours for my branding based on what I had seen other people doing. In the end, I HATED the look of my brand and had to start all over. (what a waste of time!)
Tell your story. There are other women who either aspire to or are already running a business that needs to hear your testimony. You never know how many people you can touch through solidarity and shared experiences.
Stick to what you know. As women, we have the tendency to DIY, but your business should never be a Pinterest project! Do what you know, and get professional help with the things that you don’t.
Getting clients can be tough, especially when you are just starting out. How did you get your first clientele?
Referrals are bae! lol. I was diligent about getting the word out about my business venture, and once I got a website and real logo together people took me seriously. They began recommending me to their family and friends. To be honest, a lot of my clients today are referrals from past clients and really good friends.
We are very curious about the routines of creative women. How do you map out your day? Do you have a daily routine?
Honestly, I am still trying to get a “perfect” daily routine together. But, I try to stick to doing certain activities on certain days, and that has really been helpful. For example, I only do design work on Mondays and Wednesdays, blog posts on Tuesdays, and any catch-up work on Thursdays and Fridays. I have also found that limiting the amount of work that I allow myself to do on those days is helpful because it gives me more realistic expectations so that I don’t get burned out.
How do you see creativity? What’s your definition of creativity?
I don’t believe that you have to have an artistic ability to be creative. My definition of creativity is using your passion or talents to bring purpose to the lives of others. So, for me, that involves creating beautiful designs as well as strategies for other awesome women in business.
Can you give us a case study of a business, the problems they had and how branding solved those problems?
I had a client that originally bought an inexpensive logo design from a third party, which resulted in an awful experience. The design did not convey who she was as an entrepreneur and was all misleading about what services she really offered.
I worked closely with her to ensure that whatever design we came up with was a reflection of her upbeat personality, as well as a clear explanation of what her business offered. We didn’t want people to second guess what she was all about. In the end not only was her new logo professional, but attention grabbing with flare just like her. She also walked away with confidence in her new look, which is what every customer looks for in someone to do business with.
In your opinion, can branding help funding and raising investment for businesses?
I believe that branding serves as a complimentary factor when searching for funding or investments. A consistent brand look shows that you’ve already invested time into your brand and that you should be taken seriously. I love when I see a business that is not only great at what they do, but also has a great look to seal the deal.
How can women who need your branding expertise get in touch with you?
I can be reached through my website: beefellscreative.com, or contacted directly at info@beefellscreative.com. They can also follow me on Instagram.
