We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie Steward and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I spent about a decade working in the advertising industry and while I like the work, I didn’t like the agency experience or the process and chaos that came with doing the work. On top of that, I found myself working on brands that I didn’t believe in. For me, starting my own business was about finding a new way to do things. It was about creating organized processes and developing work we could be proud of with partners whose brands we believe in.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Shion Studio is an award-winning creative studio that specializes in branding, web design, and ad campaigns. Our team is made up of highly experienced professionals, but we work in smaller teams to give each client the attention of senior creative staff. On top of that, we take an organized approach to our work so there are clear expectations, and a stress-free process for everyone.

I started the business four and a half years ago, and at the time it was really just me, and a part time project manager. Building a business from scratch, without existing clients is definitely not an easy task. It has taken a lot of hard work, learnings, and growth to get where we are today.

One of the best pieces of advice I could give is something that I saw on a poster years ago, it simply said “Work hard and be nice to people”. When running a business there will be ups and downs, and a lot of unexpected challenges that you couldn’t ever imagine when you start. All you can really do is try to deliver good work, and try to work with good people.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my husband and creative partner, Zak. He encouraged me to start my own business when it seemed like a scary and difficult task. Then, as we got busier, he joined me as a partner, helping me grow the company and manage new work and new clients.

Website: https://shionstudio.com/

Instagram: @shionstudio

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shionstudio/

Image Credits
Photos by: Victoria Boustani Kendall Mills Sara Remington

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