Too often in our society, people picture men in their heads when they hear words like, “boss”, “entrepreneur”, or “CEO”. Being a small business owner has put me in touch with so many successful female business owners and entrepreneurs that when I hear these words, I often picture a woman or I just don’t assume anything at all. Women are obviously just as capable as men when it comes to the business world and it is high time that women business owners and entrepreneurs are more visible in the media in our society. This is where the idea for Women in Business was born. Women in Business is a monthly feature that highlights female entrepreneurs and business owners. Not only is it a fantastic opportunity to learn more about small businesses in various fields, but it is a great shopping guide for supporting small businesses.
An Interview with Angel from Sevenality
Tell us a little bit about your business. When did you officially start your business? What exactly do you do and how long have you been doing it?
I co-own a branding and creative strategy firm called Sevenality with my husband. We actually started it in 2009. I am a graphic designer and front-end web developer. I’ve been designing and developing since 2005.
What are three things that help you run your business efficiently on a daily basis?
Organizational tools (planners, job folders, etc.), Toggl, and Google Drive/Dropbox.
What are some of the challenges you experience from working at home?
Not many challenges! I guess it’s not very difficult to me to work from home because when I worked out of home, most times, I worked alone or sat in an office by myself. I only worked on a team once and most of my assignments were separate and didn’t require much assistance from others. I also was home-schooled so it’s easier for me to set my own hours and pacing. I’m the oddest extrovert homebody.
Do you have a favorite project you have worked on so far?
So many! If I had to choose, it was branding my best friend’s holistic health coaching and yoga business. It was fun to give her an identity for something she put in so much time into and seeing it flourish has been so wonderful for me.
How would you describe your personal design style?
I’m very modern. I have tried many styles but my work tends to be very modern and versatile.
What/who inspires you and your work?
I draw my inspiration from my experiences. I really feel inspired by my relationships and traveling.
What was the best piece of advice you were given pertaining to your business?
Just to keep my relationship a priority. My husband is my business partner which can be messy but our relationship always comes first. We have to agree on everything 100% before making decisions.
What is your favorite thing about owning your own business?
I love the freedom to be able to create at my own pace. I can get up early and I’m most productive in the morning. By mid-afternoon, I’m ready to just do anything else but work so having my own schedule helps me a lot. I also like organizing my business and restructuring our procedures, etc.
How do you define success as a business owner?
Success for me comes when we’ve completed a project and everyone is happy with the result. Success is always changing and we have to keep growing to achieve it.
What advice would you give to someone who is looking to start a small business?
I say take your time and really research what you want to do. A lot of my friends are small business owners and it really helped me being in that company. I’ve learned a lot about relationships and building your contact list which has been vital for our business in a service-based industry.
