Welcome to Connect with my Clients– an exciting new series of blog posts to learn more about Why my clients hire an artist to visually express how their business feels.
My clients are also the very people who inspire me with their talents and commitment to provide a personal, remarkable way to express their business.
Meet the lovely Jac McNeil, a certified coach and luminary for self-leadership. Her work helps women unearth their own powerful business truths so they can do more of the work they love and feel called to do. She created the transformational business-building program In Your Element and the digital program The Solopreneur Sojourn– A Digital Retreat Kit for your Business.
I was first introduced to Jac McNeil through Corrina Gordon Barnes from You Inspire Me when I was seeking a mentor for my new business.
I studied Jac’s website, listened to her webinars and really connected with her wisdom and the depth she explores a clients journey through her coaching and mentoring process. I was so impressed that I signed up for her Summer Element group mentoring program during the Summer of 2013 and have never looked back!
So, when Jac enquired about hiring me for her wonderful Solopreneur Digital Retreat kit, I was honoured and absolutely delighted. I knew she was my ideal type of client and also a discerning business woman.
Jac hired me for 15 digital retreat kit illustrations, a website service button and Facebook Page banner and we then started a beautiful and fun journey together creating a high quality resource for the very people that I love (women entrepreneurs).
1) What was your desire when you were looking for someone like me?
What I most wanted was the visual aesthetic of the kit to match the depth and power of the exercises so that it would be an “experience of the senses” for my readers. I wanted the art to create an ambiance that words and fonts alone cannot do.
2) What were your specific reasons for hiring an artist above other services, or ways of adding images to your brand?
I wanted personalized art because pictures do speak a thousand words (tweetable). A graphic artist is amazing at fonts and layouts but they don’t tend to create one of a kind art.
3) What 4 words would you write to describe yourself as a female entrepreneur?
Feminine, Powerful, Layered, Discerning
4) How does your business feel?
Integrity-based, Transformational, Compassionate
5) I invite you to comment on my process for creating custom-crafted artwork.
What I loved about working with Lisa is that she asked the right questions. She researched my Pinterest board and then combined her intuition with her attention to detail to create beautiful, resonant images that reflected the look and feel of my work. She took the time to understand me and what is important to me and that came out clearly in the images.
6) What can custom crafted images do for your brand and services?
I know I sold more of my retreat kits because I chose to put a lot of attention into the visual detail. I believe custom crafted images enhance my work and express my values of excellence, beauty and high-quality that might otherwise be missed in stock photography or fonts alone.
7) Where do you think unique artwork can be used in a female business?
Everywhere! Brand cohesiveness is so important: website, social media pages, logos, new program banners, PDF’s, e-books, custom worksheets, the list is extensive.
8) What advice would you give someone who is considering hiring an artist or illustrator?
Know what you need first. Ask yourself: “if an artist could enhance this idea/project/website, what exactly would I want them to do for me?” The clearer you are about your own needs the better the fit will be.
Once you know what you need then interview at least 2 potential artists, ask lots of questions, see lots of examples of their work, ask about their process, timelines, ask for estimates and then go with your intuition on who feels like the best fit for you
Thank you Jac McNeil for answering my questions, in order to help prospective clients feel more informed about Lisa McLoughlin Art. Very much appreciated…
Also, look out for future blog posts about my own reflections on the process of projects I work on in: Reflections from Lisa McLoughlin Art, or, Demo Case Studies to show the diverse applications and process of creating illustrations for a brief..
If you would like to see how I can visually help you with your business needs, then do connect with me here >> .
Oh, and also:
If you like what you have read then do share with your social media preference. Thank you for your support.
This is a great idea, Lisa. I look forward to reading more in this series. Hearing from other people who have the same questions that we have is such a powerful tool. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Danielle, I have thought long and hard on what would add value to peoples experience of reading a blogpost connected with art. I feel showing what I do and why is a great place to start 😉
Great start to what I’m sure will be a really interesting series Lisa. The questions are great for showcasing both what you and your clients do.
I value your input x thanks for positive comments.
Such a wonderful series, Lisa. I look forward to more of these. I was admiring the art in Jac’s retreat kit and thinking how lovely it was that she could do them … and then I realized that it was your art! Custom art – yipee. It’s one of my favourite parts of books and websites.
That is lovely yo read that you have made the connection between admiring something and then discovering who the artist is… Thanks
Love the new format Lisa, and great idea to highlight the benefits of your work for women business owners by having your clients explain their thinking and what they got out of the whole process with you. That’s really interesting and I look forward to reading the next one!
Thank you so much. I think it helps people see what is possible and why. 😉
Hi Lisa
I had no idea you had done the artwork for Jac’s Solopreneur Retreat Kit (I took a peek at her video for the retreat after Corrina’s interview with her last year).
Like the others commenting, I think it’s a great idea to interview your clients – the best testimonial is from happy people who have worked with you, and your format really helps us understand the working process from both sides.
Kate
Thank you… I think it is valuable for people to see the ‘ who’ ‘ what’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ and most of all to see the connections within a fabulous YIM community 😉
This is a wonderful idea, Lisa. It showcases both your clients’ businesses and your own and makes really interesting reading for anyone considering commissioning work from you.
Looking forward to reading more!
Thank you so much. I guess I am coming from a place of how I would like to sample a service before commiting. Hearing others stories can be so helpful 😉