I first met Laura From Parry Creative when I popped in to say hello to fellow photographers, the very talented Chris & Angela from Cactus Images. Yes! it’s possible that businesses in the same industry are friends, in fact it’s important creatively. We met again recently when we worked with her on projects for Honest Communications. So I asked Laura to give us some ideas on her business, Parry Creative and why she started out on her own.
I’m a freelance brand manager. I offer creative support and services including branding, design, creative consultancy and project management. I work with companies all of sizes to help give their existing brand a facelift or build brands from the ground up.
Q: What’s your back story? What skills did you develop in previous roles that have helped you to run your own business?
A: I’ve been in the creative industries for just over 15 years. From the very beginning I have been in a front facing role where speaking and listening to business owners and directors has been a key part in delivering successful creative work. Having worked with businesses from many sectors all with different goals and ambitions has given me a wealth of commercial understanding that I bring to each of my projects. Earlier this year, I decided to make the transition to start my own business so Parry Creative was born – I haven’t looked back since!
Q: You became a business owner but why did you choose to work for yourself?
A: I thrive off a sense of achievement and success through my work and so what better way to get that direct connection than to put your name tag on it!
Q: What is the best thing about running your own business?
A: A few things spring to mind! One of the main drivers for me in choosing to set up Parry Creative was about having a good work/life balance around my 3 year old girl and being able to set my own goals, my own initiatives and values.
Q: What gives you the biggest sense of achievement?
A: Happy clients! 🙂
Q: What two things have you learnt whilst running your own business that you would like to tell people that are either running or thinking of setting up a business of their own.
A: It’s often hard to find the time to work on your own business growth and development, so try and create a staged roadmap early doors. Also, try to keep in mind the overall reason for why you have chosen to set up your own business. This helps to keep a clear head and direction on any decisions or challenges.
Q: What is the next thing you are changing/developing about your business?
A: I’m currently putting together a brand workshop to help business through the process of finding their core purpose, values and proposition. This will be a valuable addition to my brand and design services.
Q: How do you switch off?
A: I find switching off pretty difficult these days! My mind is quite active anyway and so taking the business hat off isn’t always easy. My 3 year old can be fairly persuasive that watching Frozen 2 is a better use of my time! With the nature of what I do, I’m always in front of a screen, so I try to make some downtime away from this. Doing a different task such as walking, cooking or even cleaning helps my mind to breathe and often that’s when I can process and develop creative ideas. Win win!
