A simple piece of advice launched my career into what it is today:

“Be confident enough in your skills that you’d offer to work for free- most likely won’t work for free but you’ll have a great chance of sparking that client’s interest and working with them.”

This advice, although questionable at the time, felt incredibly on-brand for me.

In my last semester of undergrad, I won a logo design contest for a local Chocolatier, Joann Hofer of XCHOCOL’ART. She was starting a small business and after understanding her vision, I connected with the brand she was looking to build. Approaching her after class, I used the advice to land her as my first client. She was delighted to continue working together and offered to pay me for my services- in real dollars. She also paid me in chocolate, numerous referrals, and a one-of-a-kind friendship. To this day, we still love sharing our lives over a cup of tea while indulging in her latest truffle creation.

A simple leap of faith opened up a world of opportunity for me. I received multiple client referrals from Joann over the years and built a lucrative freelance business while working a full time job.

Winning that contest not only boosted my confidence, but showed me the potential I had and gave me value. Eager to take on the world, I jumped right in and never looked back.

Fast forward to today- my experience spans from rebranding a national restaurant chain to creating brand strategies for small businesses, non-profits, and solo entrepreneurs. My roles in corporate branding and marketing combined with my freelance work led to the launch of Valentine+Rose in 2019.

I’m not advising you go out into the world willing to work for free, I whole-heartedly believe in valuing yourself and what you bring to the table (which I will touch on soon). Rather, keep an open mind when you feel connected to a brand.

“You’ll never know if you can land if you don’t attempt to fly.” -Me

If you’d like to receive branding tips and advice, subscribe to my mailing list.

XO.