We were lucky to catch up with Kelly Croop recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kelly, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
Risk taking and entrepreneurship go hand in hand. Now, that doesn’t mean I love taking risks and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. No no – it is scary – that’s why it’s called a risk. But the key to entrepreneurship is recognizing that a risk is just a choice and you can always pivot. Some choices hurt more than others (financially, emotionally, etc), but that doesn’t mean it’s the end. In my scenario I took a risk back in 2019, quit my full-time job, and started freelancing as I worked a part-time job in a field I was more passionate about. For me the risk was financial. I no longer had a steady income working 40 hours a week with healthcare benefits, but emotionally I was all in! I was ready for a change, to find the clients I had always dreamed of working with in the graphic and packaging design space, and to have more flexibility with my time. In order to “be good” at risk taking you need to weigh the pros and cons of course, but you also need to let your guard down and be open to failure or be willing to change your original idea. About a year into my business I had to let go of a client that just wasn’t a good fit, even though I desperately needed the income they provided. It was a huge risk since I didn’t have another client lined up, but I knew the time I was spending with the “wrong” client would be better served searching for new clients, updating my website portfolio, and making new connections. Looking back it was the best decision I made. I would have not seen the growth I have over the past 4 years if I hadn’t kindly parted ways with that client that was holding back my full potential. So to me, risk just means are you ready to be brave and pivot if needed.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Of course! I’m Kelly Croop – the founder, freelance graphic designer, outdoor enthusiast, and world traveling foodie behind 39C Design. I create branding & packaging designed to thrive in the wild and absolutely love what I do for a living. The saying “choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” feels so real to me today and it’s all because I decided to change the path I was on, be bold, and try something new. 39C Design exists to help brands that get explorers geared up for the outdoors or fueled with the best ingredients. I partner with clients to bring their ideas to life, put their brand on the map, and to make them stand out with eye-catching packaging design, fresh logos and branding, and indispensable marketing materials. I pride myself on crafting unique design elements that are bold, simple, and colorful and I am so grateful I have clients that appreciate my perspective and know I can customize my style to fit their needs.
I actually studied product design in college, but when I decided to venture off on my own with 39C Design (a handful of years after graduating) I knew I could make an impact in the graphic design space. As I worked with more and more clients, I began to fall in love with packaging design because it brought the best of both worlds together. The world of 2D graphics (logos, icons, renderings, etc) could all be wrapped around tangible 3D packaging dielines so that clients could make a real impact with potential customers in stores. It’s more than just designing a package to “look good” – there is so much strategy and data analysis that goes behind every layout. My design decisions are a constant balance between standard design principles, creatively disruptive ideas, and recognizing the elements that grab a customer’s attention in less than 10 seconds (color, typography, photography etc). It truly is my dream job to work on projects like this every day.
Some fun tidbits about me: Others refer to me as the Swiss Army Knife of Design or Graphic Design Wizard. I’ve been told my superpower is making chocolate disappear. I get my best ideas on a long hike. And problem-solving is my love language.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Self confidence, creativity, and relationships. Let me break those down a little.
Self confidence is key because if you are confident, then others often see it as passion as you share about your brand. It doesn’t just happen, but rather you have to work at it. One of my favorite quotes is “act it til you are it” because if you fake it til you make it, then once you “make it” you will just set a new goal and now you have a moving target. I think your confidence will also begin to grow as you set realistic goals for yourself that are based on who you are as a person, not how much money you make in a year.
Creativity is a hard thing to nurture, but it is so crucial to my design work and also how I make decisions in my business. Being creative means you stay curious, observant, and are willing to look outside the “box” for whatever situation you are facing. I probably don’t run my business exactly like someone else and it’s because I have been creative in developing a business that works for me.
Relationships are so crucial to keep moving forward. Maybe it is professional relationships through constant networking (and I mean constant), building relationships with other creatives in the field to build a support network, or maybe it’s making sure my personal relationships don’t suffer because I am consumed by my work. No matter the situation, people are the key to growing your business, holding you accountable, and cheering you on.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
One book that I keep coming back to is “In the Company of Women – Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs” by Grace Bonney. It’s one of those books you can pick up for 5 minutes or one hour and you will always come away with a mini “a-ha” moment. This book shares the raw stories of other creatives foraging their path and failing along the way and I would like to think it has helped me to avoid some crucial mistakes. Now don’t get me wrong, I fail often, but that’s part of the process and I am grateful they have all been learning moments, rather than the end of my business endeavor.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book include:
– “Success occurs when preparation meets opportunity.”
– “No one can rip off authenticity.”
– “It takes 10 years to achieve overnight success.”
– “There is always more to life than work.”
– “How to get out of a creative rut? Travel.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.39cdesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/39cdesign/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycroop/
Image Credits
OMS Photo
