Today we’d like to introduce you to Kylie Buss.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Ever since I was a little kid, I knew I wanted to create a career with my love for art. In high school, I started an Etsy shop where I sold custom hand-painted canvas shoes, backpacks, and whatever else I could get my hands on. The shop was booming for a while (it even helped me pay for my first trip to Europe!), but I knew it wasn’t sustainable.
As my high school years neared their end, I was accepted into the art school I dreamt of attending – the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio. Throughout college, I met some of my closest friends, participated in events, and pushed myself to be a better designer every day. I graduated in 2020 with a BFA in Advertising and Graphic Design and a minor in business (partially because I still held onto that dream of entrepreneurship.)
After college, I worked full-time as an in-house designer for a high-end furniture brand before realizing that my passions lay within working with other creatives and business owners in a more 1:1 setting. With that discovery, I worked hard at growing my social channels and my portfolio before making the leap into full-time entrepreneurship at 23 years old.
Since then, I’ve helped women and business owners all across the country fall in love with their businesses all over again by helping them to create and curate a brand and website that not only feels like them but attracts their ideal audience and works to convert them into customers.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think one of the biggest struggles was just knowing when was the right time to listen to my heart and just go for it – full-time entrepreneurship that is.
Having a consistent income was something that really concerned me, but with the right mindset, working to find the right opportunities, and trusting it would all work out, I’ve made it through the first year successfully.
I was dealing with a lot of imposter syndrome, and still do to this day, but I try to remind myself that as long as I’m happy and fulfilled doing what I love for a career, that’s the best thing I can do for myself.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in brand and website design for female entrepreneurs and feminine businesses. Essentially this means that I work 1:1 with business owners to help them create logo designs, a color palette, and all other visual elements that help create a brand.
I work primarily with other female entrepreneurs, especially those in creative or service industries. I find that those types of businesses are the ones that I connect with the most since I can relate to a lot of their backstories and have similar goals.
My design process is streamlined to help my clients get the most out of their time working with me while eliminating any hesitations they may have. I use brand strategy techniques in every step of my process to create brands and web experiences I know my clients (and their audiences) will love, and seeing my clients find themselves in their brand and fall in love with it makes what I do extremely special to me.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
When it comes to finding a mentor, I think the best thing to do is just ask.
Too often, I have held (and sometimes still do) hold myself back out of fear of the answer being “no” or failing at what I want to accomplish.
Many of my relationships with mentors and peers have formed through social media through a quick message reply to stories or comments on a post. The internet is a massive place with so many opportunities to grow your skills and make connections.
I’ve found that most people enjoy having a conversation, especially if it starts casually in the DMs. Some of mine have led to referrals, job opportunities, and friendships in real life. The worst that can happen is that someone says “no” after all.
Pricing:
- Design Intensives: $875(+)
- Brand Identities: $1,500(+)
- Brand and Web: $3,500(+)
- Visit website for most accurate pricing
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kyliebussdesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kyliebussdesign/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/kyliebussdesign/
Image Credits
Carly Lynne Visuals
