Our Design Process: Part One - Lattes & Laughter
Welcome to Think Creative Collective. A place where life, business and marketing collide. Think Creative Collective is a Midwest based one-stop Branding & Marketing shop co-founded by Abagail Pumphrey and Emylee Williams. It is a place built to propel the success and growth of small business owners.
Here you’ll find all the necessary tools to help grow your business along with services tailored to help get your small business off the ground or to help get you to the next level. Considering a new logo or web design? We have custom packages perfect for you and your business. Need some strategy behind your social media tactics? We’ve got you covered. Want to take your print or online marketing to the next level with branded photography? We will build a proposal from scratch that fits your needs. Really interested in some guidance so you can DIY? We can help you learn how to use awesome tools like MailChimp, Squarespace, Adobe Photoshop, Indesign & Illustrator.
Regardless of your needs, wants or hair brain ideas we are here to support you. Our happy place is seeing the a-ha moments of small business owners, just like you, ding. At Think Creative Collective, we offer small businesses, entrepreneurs and other creatives design, branding, photography and marketing services because:
We believe you have dreams that are worth achieving.
We believe you should wake up every day empowered to do and be your best.
We believe your branding and marketing should attract your ideal client or customer in every way.
We believe you are 100% capable.
We want you to go after a business and life that you will love. One that fuels you and your pocketbook.
Our Background
Abagail’s background is in graphic design, marketing and public relations. After receiving her Fine Art degree and minor in Business Administration from Kansas State University she went on to work for a small ad agency. Since then she has also worked for a non-profit and in several corporate in-house marketing roles. Working with business of all shapes and sizes, from the one man shop down the street to major names like Coca-Cola, Northern Tool & Nike. Through out that time she worked on a variety of project types including:
Branding & Print Collateral
Brochure & Catalogue Design
Email Marketing
Product Launch Strategy
Front-end Web Design & Development
Print & Online Advertising
Packaging & Product Design
Outdoor & Streetscape
Museum Exhibitions & Displays
Tradeshow Booths
Television Set Design & Build
Recruitment & Legislative Materials
She have also worked in and with a variety of industries including: aviation, agriculture, banking and finance, education, engineering, food, film, health care, law, manufacturing, music, photography, retail, science, theater and television.
Emylee’s background is in photography and psychology. It seems like opposite worlds, but they go hand in hand when writing for clients or creating images to visualize their brand. After receiving a Fine Art degree and minor in Multicultural Studies from the University of Missouri she started her own Family Portrait photography business. Towards the end of 2014 Emylee saw a shift in her business as she started mentoring more and more creatives on how to grow their businesses. Since the transition from Portrait photography she has:
Taught hundreds of small business owners the psychology of buying and selling
Created e-courses to assist small business owners in social media
Photographed workshops and small events
Styled sessions for Tuesday Morning
Helped creative business owners see results from their hustle by pricing for profit
Once Abagail and Emylee merged their individual businesses last year they've been able to reach even more creatives and small business owners. Since then we've opened up Backstage a free resource library of tools alongside our members only program, the Biz Chic Co-op. Biz Chic is the place for small business owners who are ready to set themselves apart, up-level, learn, and organize.
What Sets Think Creative Collective Apart
You won’t find a cookie cutter approach to design, marketing or branding here. We understand that every business (and person) is unique and thus needs different care and attention. Our custom services are tailored to you and your business. Our strong attention to detail leaves no leaf uncovered. We will guide you through every step of the process and give you hands on experience you won’t find anywhere else. Whether you are at the beginning stages and are trying to wrap your head around goals or we are celebrating launch day together we are here to support you and your business. Let’s grow together and make ideas happen!
How to Get Started
But how does this all work exactly? Well, it is easier to get started than you think:
1. Look
Investigate our branding and website design packages, check out our branded photography options, explore our monthly packages or browse our a la carte options.
2. Inquire
Do you like what you see? Then, fill out the handy dandy contact form or drop us an email. We are super excited to hear about your interests!! Don’t be shy, the more detail the better.
3. Meet
After you send in your inquiry you will hear from us within 1 business day. We will reach out to you to set up a brief 15-minute phone call. This is really just to go over your inquiry and answer any high level questions you may have. At that time, we will also schedule a more in depth client consultation. Don’t worry, this is always included for free when you book a service.
Latte. Coke. Italian soda. Blue Moon. The drink itself is irrelevant. We love to start every project with a meeting. Located in Kansas City? We might end up at the Roasterie Downtown or Main Street Coffee House on the Independence Square. Located in Tulsa? We might end up at Chimera Downtown or Queenie’s at Utica Square. Anywhere else? Phone, Skype, Google Hangout… it really is up to you.
During this first meeting we will really get to know each other. Of course we will cover the project you are interested in completing, but we will also talk about you and your business. To do your brand justice we feel it is very important to get to know you on a personal level. What got you started in your business? Why are you passionate about it? What are your goals in life and in business?
At this time we will also go over our FREE Brand Assessment with you. We find it an extremely useful tool to really begin analyzing the core of your business. It breaks down barriers. Sure we want you to look fabulous, but we want there to be meaning and reason behind every design decision that is made.
You will also have the opportunity to quiz us about any of your questions or hesitations. No question is a bad question.
Before the meeting is over our hope is that you are comfortable enough to call us a friend. And if we haven’t made you laugh, then we haven’t done my job. And if the meeting went over the top well, you probably have had the pleasure of hearing Abagail snort or see Emylee break out in a random dance party.
4. Book
Shortly after our meeting a proposal will arrive in your inbox based on the project(s) we discussed. Once you sign the contract and return a 50% non-refundable deposit we can get the project started! There are a variety of payment options or if you need more info, just ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t know what I need or where I should start. No problem, we always offer FREE 15-minute strategy calls. Need more in depth analysis? We offer full service business and marketing consulting. Contact us for more details.
Why should I pick you over another designer? Because you want to! There are many other designers and marketing specialists on the market. We are different because we get to know you and your business first. Sure you will come out looking like a million bucks, but we want to create real solutions that solve real problems. Our reason driven design is tactful and calculated. Throughout the process we will give you hands on opportunities to get involved and learn the “why” behind the design.
I am not from Kansas City or Tulsa, can we still work together? Absolutely! We have clients near and far. Whether you are 2-hours west or halfway across the globe we will find a process that works for all of us.
What is your design style? Tailor fit and totally custom. We like to create designs that are a perfect for your audience or ideal client. Whether that is soft and feminine or clean and modern we can modify our style to work for you.
