Process Pal: Amber Ladd
Introducing Process Pal:
Amber Ladd of Amber Ladd Studio
Tell us all about yourself and your business/what you do:
I'm Amber, and I'm a graphic designer from Australia! I've narrowed down my focus in recent years to specialise in brand identity and website design/development. I'm super passionate about coding and you can usually find me in my spare time staring off into space thinking about how to write a code for a specific design (true story). ;) I'm also a mum to a super cute little guy - he keeps my on my toes, for sure!
What was one of the very first processes you implemented in your business, that you would recommend others to try out:
I signed up for Dubsado when I first started out in my business, even though I wasn't using it to it's full potential at the time. The first process I implemented with it was the Proposal and Contract feature, as well as the Form feature. This allowed me to have a process for booking in clients, as well as gathering information for a brief through the questionnaire. I now use Dubsado a little more in-depth, with both the Workflow feature and the Invoices feature (connected to Quickbooks) being a lifesaver!
Dubsado is a firm favourite of ours too. Use the code JANUARYMADE or follow this link to get 20% off your first month or year!
What's your super power when it comes to running your business, c'mon, don't be shy!
I'm showing my true colours here, but I actually get really into bookkeeping! I don't keep on top of it super regularly but when I finally get around to that big old pile of transactions, I am a total numbers ninja hehe.
What do you think the secret is to running a successful, sustainable business?
I can say without a doubt that having a plan and good solid processes in place is the secret (for me, anyway!). As much as organisation has always been my jam, I will admit that I started my business out on a 'I'll just wing it' mentality. This can work for a while in some areas, but most of the time for things to go right you have to have a plan or a strategy in place... How do I figure out many clients I can book in a year? Create a studio schedule. How do I know what to post on Instagram or to my blog? Have a content strategy. Making time for regular check-ups to create processes and plans for our business is key to ensuring its long-term health! ;)
Tell us the goss, have you had a process/biz failure story and what did you learn from it?
A lot of issues I had early on in business came from the same thing - poor upfront communication on my part. I expected clients to know my process and be as committed as I was, but without communicating the importance of this upfront, there was no way for them to know. As a result of this, clients weren't fully aware of their responsibilities, or the timelines required. For example, I would explain at the time of booking that a project would take X amount of weeks to complete, thinking they would keep this in mind and have all of their website content over to me by then. However, not setting an actual launch date or even due dates week-by-week in the process meant that there was a lot of confusion happening! A lot of projects went WAY past the general timeline I'd outlined, and I ended up being super stressed and resentful towards the project (eek!).
“I expected clients to know my process and be as committed as I was, but without communicating the importance of this upfront, there was no way for them to know. I learned a lot from this repeated experience and now have an in-depth proposal and welcome guide with a timeline, and I link all my clients into Asana for their projects so they get due date reminders!”
What's your go-to tool or system(s) for keeping your creative process streamlined:
I recently jumped on the Asana train and it has been an absolute game-changer for keeping my clients and their projects on track. Every step of the process is written out as a task with a due date and person assigned (either me or the client). All communication during the process also takes place here, which eradicates the need for going back through emails. Oh, and they have a FREE plan, peeps!
Walk us through your morning routine and how this sets you up for a productive day. Alternatively if you are a night owl. let's here your evening routine!
I usually start my morning with a very strong coffee (thank you, sleepless nights!) and my husband and I will help get our baby ready for his day with breakfast and playtime. I like to wait until he's down for his first nap mid-morning before starting my work day as I feel more relaxed and focused knowing everyone in the household is taken care of! This means I might start my work day slightly later around 9:30 - 10am, which I really enjoy. Ideally I'd love to work nights but this might have to wait until the kiddo is a bit older and we're all getting a good night's sleep haha! ;)
Your top tips for balancing work and lifestyle so you don't end up a stressy mess:
Last year, I made the decision to turn off push notifications on both my computer and phone for all socials and email. I also don't work past a certain time each day, nor do I work on the weekends. All of these things have really contributed to helping me focus better during the work day and during my down time, and also with setting boundaries in my personal life. That downtime is so so needed when running a busy business - if I'm not taking the time to switch off and recharge, I honestly will just be a mess and want to run back to my work or inbox!
What's your fav thing to do in the weekend after a long work week?
I'm lucky to live in a seaside town, so I love taking the fam down to the beach... and maybe even treating myself to a bagel, haha! I've never been a big outdoors person, but after spending the week attached to the computer, its truly refreshing to get out and explore nature.
What is one major pain point you or your client has had in business and how did you overcome it?
I think the major pain point has always been getting clients to gather their content their websites or collateral (and on time!). It's usually the number one thing holding up a project from getting started or reaching launch status. I've grabbed both Nicole's Website Content Workbook and Website Project Planner resources in the past, and have been using parts of those to help communicate everything to my clients in a clear and easy-to-understand way. It's been going well so far!
Finally, do you have any resources you think would benefit other process-driven fiends?
Aside from my design studio, I also run code:shop - an online coding hub for Squarespace designers full of free and premium resources and plugins. This might be helpful for the Squarespace designer who is wanting to level up their web design process by adding in some custom code, or even learn something new that they hadn't considered possible for their Squarespace websites!
Last but not least, where can we find you online?
I'm on Instagram @amberladdstudio and (soon!) also over at www.amberladd.co
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