Meet Claire Coleman | Owner, CC Creative | Digital Marketing & Design

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

Hi Claire, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
As every entrepreneur is aware, owning your own business is by no means the easy route and I think most would admit to considering giving up at one point or another.

For me it’s been times where either I was struggling to get clients and those doubts come creeping in – maybe I’m not cut out for this and should just quit. Or at the other end of the spectrum, when I have too much work and I’m stressed and feeling overworked and overwhelmed with trying to wear all the hats in my business – the marketing, the bookkeeping, the admin tasks in addition to client work. It can make you question – why am I doing this, maybe working a 9-5 would be easier, I can just do the work and then clock off and not have to think any more about it!

In those times of doubt, aside from whether you are making a profit, I think it comes down to 2 main factors ;

#1 Does your business make you happy? Fundamentally your business should be your passion and bring you joy. Think Marie Kondo. If it’s not, then ask yourself – are there particular areas that could be outsourced to free up time for you to concentrate on the parts you do enjoy? What would that mean for you?

For example, I don’t particularly enjoy marketing myself – I do it for others but I don’t really enjoy it for myself! So I have hired someone to help me with social media!

One of the benefits to owning your own business is that there are always opportunities to pivot and explore other areas that might be more enjoyable to you. I believe that your business should be flexible and adaptable to change. My business has organically evolved as time has gone by and I have gained experience in different areas and discovered the type of work that really lights me up and I enjoy serving clients in these areas. This has kept me from feeling bored, despondent or wanting to jack it all in.

#2 Think about your “why” – why did you start this business in the first place? Do those reasons still stand and what is the alternative if you do quit? My “Why” is that as a mom to 2 little ones, I wanted a flexible job that I could set my own schedule and be present for them. My business has slowly grown as they have grown and I have been able to dedicate more time to it. It was also important to me that I could work remotely from anywhere. I am British living in the US, and all my family live in the UK so I wanted the opportunity to travel back whenever I want and for however long I want, each year. The standard 2 weeks vacation from a US employer was not going to cut it for me! These are the main reasons why I’ll never give up!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I offer digital marketing and design services to wedding professionals. My primary services include Pinterest marketing, Blogging and Showit website design. In addition, I also offer behind-the-scenes business support services such as graphic design, CRM management, scheduling and organizational/admin services.

I first started out as a virtual assistant offering admin services to event professionals and it has slowly evolved into a digital marketing and design business for creatives and wedding professionals. It’s an absolute dream to serve this niche! I get to look at stunning wedding photos all day! How lucky am I?!

I came from a travel and events background so I think the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that you can do anything if you put your mind to it! I didn’t know anything about Pinterest marketing, website design or blogging before, however, through this journey I have developed skills in all these areas, proving that if you are willing to put in the effort, the sky is the limit!

One of my very first clients requested help with Pinterest marketing and I didn’t know a thing about it, but I was willing to learn so I took a course and divulged as much training and info as I could about it. Now Pinterest Management it is one of my most requested services!

Blogging goes hand in hand with Pinterest so that is another popular service of mine and something I learned more about as time has gone on.

Through Pinterest marketing I also had to learn a lot about graphic design and that has become another passion of mine. Having recently designed my own website on the Showit platform I discovered that website design was something I really enjoyed doing. Now I offer Showit template customizations as a service and I am working on building up this side of the business.

I believe that what sets me apart as is that when you become a client of mine, I am deeply invested in your business. Your success becomes my success and I am your biggest cheerleader. My strong work ethic and mission to serve clients with excellence is reflected in The 4 C’s of CC Creative;

Compassion
We will treat your business with the utmost care and attention that it deserves and as if it were our own. We are dedicated as your assistant and will be your biggest cheerleader. We celebrate your successes as much as you!

Communication
Effective communication is key to a successful working relationship, and that applies to both parties. We believe in open lines of communication and are not afraid to ask for clarification at any point to ensure we are delivering exactly what the client requires.

Consistency
Put simply – we will never drop the ball. With our super organizational skills and strong work ethic, you can trust us to show up, deliver value, and continue to wow our clients, time and time again.

Continuous Education
We believe in continuous education to find ways to best be able to serve our clients and improve our skillset. We vow to never stop learning!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I currently live in Longmont, Colorado. I moved here just about a year ago from Los Angeles, CA. I love living here, seeing the mountains every day makes me happy and there’s always lots of fun activities going on throughout the year, tons of breweries, live music and good eats.
We live close to McIntosh lake which is a must-see and great for biking around or getting out on the water, paddle boarding, kayaking etc.
The town’s proximity to larger cities like Boulder and Denver means you have access to more lively scenes, bars, restaurants, museums, shopping etc. Then if you have had enough of the city life you can head for the Rocky Mountains!
A trip to this area also wouldn’t be complete without seeing a live concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheater.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
One of my very first clients who is still with me today has been a massive supporter of my business and provided me with many referrals. I absolutely adore working with her and watching her business grow.

She has a hugely successful wedding planning business, www.chanceycharmweddings.com with 13 locations across the US. She also offers training, mentoring and hosts an incredibly supportive community for wedding planners. I love her “we over me” mentality.
She also recently launched an interior design business, https://costierodesignanddecor.com/ all whilst raising a family! She is the most sweetest, authentic person and truly such an inspiration!

Website: https://ccmarketinganddesign.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cccreative_marketing_design/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-coleman-05307547/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccmarketinganddesign

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIBEISsdIWnN6XbkwFG4K_A