This is colourwheel creatives interview - online with What's Good To Do:
Colourwheel Creative, Manchester
Today we have Michelle from Colourwheel Creative. Michelle, can you tell us a little bit about your business please?
I will, my name is Michelle and Colourwheel Creative is a graphic design business which I run from home. I have had over 17 years, which sounds quite a lot, of design experience in different industries so advertising, packaging and marketing, and I decided about May last year to do it on my own. So I design corporate identities, branding, promotional material, anything you need really to promote your own business.
That sounds really useful for people and do you do anything to help people get started, like start-up packages?
Yeah, with all the different roles that I have actually had I can also help them with an idea of where they can market themselves so not only do I do a start up package where they will need the basics such as business cards, letterheads, and maybe even flyers, we do a special promotional package for that. I can also give advice on regional places that they can advertise, or national places that they can advertise for quite a low amount of money and sometimes often free. You have got different forums that people might not even know exist and they are just ways of looking at your business and promoting your business in a different way, that you might not have even thought of yourself.
That sounds like great added value to the businesses
Definitely, I mean hopefully if we can start something off and have a good relationship at the very beginning it can be built into a nice relationship between the designer and the brand, and because I have created your brand from scratch I will know how it should be promoted and where it can drive from there. It is all about building a good relationship and if I can help somebody on their way, all the better for them really.
Sure, well as you know, I know first hand the value of what you do because of the lovely brand that you have created for myself and my business. We have now actually got national companies on board with our scheme so I can highly commend Michelle.
Thank you so much.
So, anyway, I know that like myself you do have a small child, do you find hard to find that balance in your working/home life?
By running my own business it has become a lot easier to be honest. I did actually work for a company and even though I only worked 3 days a week, juggling having a child and commitments that I wanted to give to her, such as going to sports day and school parties, and even keeping on top of the notes that come through in her satchel, when are fancy dress days, and that kind of thing, I was loosing track of everything and I was finding it quite a difficult juggling act. Running my own business has allowed me to have a lot more involvement in the school, so I take her to school every morning which is great because I get the interaction with the mums which I never had before, and you know there is always the evenings, so if I don’t manage to fit it in during the day.
Yes, very similar to me. Now obviously you have a website for the type of business that you do have so can you let us know your website please?
Thank you. It wouldn’t be right to let you go without asking what you like do to relax and things you do to rewind.
I am a bit of a film addict to be honest and although I hate to admit it I do watch Eastenders. It is quite a depressing programme but I do seem to be addicted to it. I think a nice glass of wine, a takeaway and watching some TV would be a good way to relax and rewind. I love spending time with my little girl, that is the best thing about everything and I can spend time doing craft things with her and just going out to the park with her, that’s how I love to spend my time when I’m not designing.
Thank you so much for talking to us today. It has been great.
Thank you very much for your time.
