Today we’d like to introduce you to Lila Rae.
Hi Lila , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Ever since high school, I’ve known I wanted to work for myself. I’ve always had that entrepreneurial spark, jumping into different industries until I eventually found my footing in screen printing. I partnered up in an existing screen-printing business, and that’s where I really started paying attention to the power of an online presence.
We were getting calls every day asking the same basic questions—pricing, hours, services—and I knew a refreshed, user-friendly website could eliminate the confusion and help us actually grow. But my business partners didn’t see it that way. They thought the old site was “good enough,” and that updating it wasn’t worth the time. That was my wake-up call that we weren’t aligned on the vision. So I stepped away from the printing world entirely.
I ended up working for a greenhouse in central Michigan, but that entrepreneurial itch didn’t go away. I kept leaning into website design, studying, practicing, and slowly taking on clients on the side. Then a hairstylist reached out and asked me to build her a website from scratch for her new services and retail offerings. That project changed everything.
We spent a month bringing her six-page site to life—something that not only matched her fun, girly personality but also streamlined her bookings, answered client questions, and helped her get discovered through local SEO. We became great friends through the process, and I realized how much I genuinely loved working with beauty professionals. They’re creative, passionate, intentional… and they deserve websites that actually reflect that.
That was the moment Rae’s Roots Design started taking shape in a new direction.
In 2026, I’m officially rebranding to serve beauty professionals exclusively—the beauty babes. The stylists, artists, estheticians, and wellness creators who want to elevate their online presence, get booked by dream clients, streamline their client journey, raise their rates with confidence, and look absolutely on-brand while doing it. My mission is simple: empower women-owned businesses and help them show up online like the pros they are.
It’s taken a lot of late nights, creative dumps, and plenty of coffee shop breakthroughs—but now I get to help beauty professionals across Michigan (and beyond!) build websites that feel aligned, strategic, and stunning.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not — but is solopreneurship ever a completely smooth road? For me, the biggest challenges have been mindset and time management. I was working a full-time job while building my business on the side, and figuring out where to put my time and energy was tough. Learning to focus on the tasks that actually move the needle didn’t come naturally at first.
Mindset-wise, imposter syndrome hit me hard during my first year. I knew I had the vision and the passion, but stepping into a new industry came with a lot of self-doubt. I didn’t make many real sales that first year; instead, I spent my time gaining experience, helping other women with their businesses, and sharpening my skills so I could deliver at the level I wanted to.
Now, I feel fully confident in my abilities. I know the value I bring, and I’ve built a process that truly supports my clients. The road hasn’t been smooth, but every bump has pushed me to grow into the business owner I am today.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Rae’s Roots Design is a branding and website design studio dedicated to serving beauty professionals—stylists, artists, estheticians, piercers, and wellness pros—who want to scale their businesses, raise their prices, book dream clients, and be truly seen in their communities. I help them build an online presence that feels aligned, strategic, and unmistakably them.
The moment that makes me the proudest is when I show a client their finished branding or website and I see their whole face light up. When they tell me, “This is exactly what I envisioned,” or “I finally feel like my business matches who I am,” that’s everything to me. Knowing I helped a woman step into the level she deserves—that’s the best part of my job, hands down.
I’m also really proud of myself for not giving up. There were seasons where I was working 6–7 days a week at the greenhouse and still coming home to work on my business… sometimes even squeezing in designs on my lunch break. My tenacity and willingness to push forward through tough times is truly what sets me apart. I don’t tell my clients “I can’t do that.” If it’s not something I handle directly, I’ll still always point them in the right direction with as much clarity and knowledge as possible.
That’s a big part of why my client relationships are so strong—my entire process is collaborative, personal, and centered on the client experience. I’ve always had an eye for design, and branding ended up being the perfect creative outlet for me. Building brands based on someone’s personality, goals, and the experience they want to create never gets old. Seeing a client’s “before” branding or website and helping them transform it into something elevated and intentional is genuinely fun for me.
As part of my 2026 rebrand, I’m launching a “one-page website in a day” offer specifically for beauty professionals who want something clean, effective, and standout—without the long timeline. It’s perfect for those ready to launch quickly and give their clients a seamless, beautiful online experience.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
There’s a lot of conversation online about website design and branding being “taken over” by AI in the next few years, and that our services will become obsolete. And yes—AI tools are becoming more accessible, and a lot of newer business owners are choosing quick, automated solutions to get something basic up and running.
But that’s not who I’m designing for.
I serve established beauty professionals who are ready to elevate, raise their rates, and attract clients who value their expertise. Those types of businesses don’t want a cookie-cutter brand or a generic AI-generated website. They want something intentional, strategic, and deeply aligned with who they are—something that tells their story and creates an emotional connection with the people they want to serve.
AI can make things easier, but it can’t replace the strategy, collaboration, personality, and nuance that go into a truly elevated brand experience. I don’t see our industry dying out at all. Instead, I think we’re going to see a bigger divide between basic DIY sites and the designers who create high-level, personal, conversion-driven work.
Beauty professionals who want to stand out as the best in their area will always need thoughtful branding and a website that reflects their expertise—and that’s something AI simply can’t replicate.
Pricing:
- Prices are shifting in 2026, visit my website for more information!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://raesrootsdesign.com
- Instagram: raesroots.webdesign
