“Don’t get tired of doing good, for at just the right time your hard work will pay off.” –Galatians 6:9
Brittany Melton of xoBritDear uses this Bible verse in her signature line and it couldn’t be closer to the truth in terms of her work ethic. It is a perfectly empowering quote for a struggling creative entrepreneur/artist to keep them pushing toward their dreams. Britt is a talented creative director and designer who takes us into her life of “creative design” and why she chose to be an advocate for working with creatives over top brands, helping them to get their design needs up to par.
What inspired you to help new creatives with their design needs instead of working with big brand corporations?
I used to work with big brands; my first was BMW, but honestly, I’m not the sit-behind-a-desk-for-eight-hours type of girl. I love the freedom and creativity that comes with working with creatives.
How important is it to have a logo when you’re a blogger and/or writer?
A logo is important long term to create brand recognition. We all recognize Vogue or Essence by their logo, but we tend to assign value to that logo based on the brand they’ve created through their content. That being said, when you’re just starting out, the last thing to worry about is a logo or brand. That’s something you build after trying (and failing) at a few things.
Being a creative, I can definitely say that design is the biggest component of your brand, but it’s also very costly. Do you offer any DIY consultations or affordable services for the start-up entrepreneur?
Yes. I offer WordPress themes for a small fraction of the cost of custom design services. You can find those here: shop.xobritdear.com. I also have a guide on simple (free) design improvements you can make to your blog: http://xobritdear.com/wordpress-design/. And then there’s #DesignSaturday, which is my weekly newsletter aimed at teaching DIYers design one tip at a time: xobritdear.com/join.
What’s your biggest challenge in being a creativepreneur and how do you handle it?
The biggest challenge is managing your work when you’re extremely tired, or just don’t feel creative. The best way to handle it is to commit to a smaller to-do list on those days. Usually my list consists of five tasks, but if I’m struggling to be productive I reduce my list to essentials, which is no more than two tasks per day.
How do you empower womenpreneurs?
I switched my blog from being purely business and tech focused to being centered on the mental struggles most freelancers and business owners face when starting a new business. Thanks to social media, it’s easy for beginners to compare their work and their visual branding to that of people who appear to have it all together. I noticed not many were talking about the frustrations, setbacks, or failures that you WILL encounter when you start your own business. I intend to normalize that struggle so that more people are willing to share the truth behind what they experience and encourage others to hang in there and not quit.
For the new blogger starting out, what website platform would you recommend using? WordPress.com. Most experienced bloggers are on self-hosted WordPress. It’s easier to transition from a hosted blog to your own site if you’re already familiar with WordPress as a platform.
In what ways do you utilize social media for your brand?
I love the power of Twitter, and now Instagram, for finding clients and establishing peer relationships. I use Twitter to market my writing and design availability, and Instagram to give people a behind-the-scenes look at what I do every day. Using Twitter and IG has also allowed me to gain necessary feedback for improving my designs and writing. A majority of my theme requests come from Twitter.
Please tell us more about #DesignSaturday?
#DesignSaturday is my way of giving non-designers design tips and tricks in an easy-to-digest format. Each week you receive one tip aimed at improving your website, images, or marketing materials. Every tip can be done without Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.
Outside of being xoBritDear, what do you find yourself doing?
I’m a gamer and a painter. I love gaming and have always wanted to be a part of the industry, but from an art standpoint. The character designs, landscapes, and item designs fascinate me. I could stare at a gaming art book for hours. I’m slowly but surely finding my footing in that combined world and am writing about my journey in a traditional blog format at hellopikabrit.com.
Which female artist would you say is your alter ego?
Harajuku Nicki Minaj
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the VIRGO GIRL FIVE THINGS TO ASK
What would you tell your 21-year-old self?
Break up with him.
I start my day with . . .
worship.
If you could invite any woman to dinner, who would it be?
Tbh, my mom
Best advice you have received?
Do it afraid.
Life motto you live by?
Everything I need is already manifesting.