We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristina Horan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kristina , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I am someone who has always loved making a positive impact in peoples lives, which is the reason behind why I started my Creative Design Agency, KHWD. I recognized how my Brand Identity, Pitch Deck and Website Design services changed the lives of female and creative business owners – giving them the tools they needed to grow and scale their business in order to become the go-to brands within their niche – and being able to witness the positive impact I have made on a business owners life is priceless. Seeing them achieve their dreams and knowing I had a huge part in making that happen is what motivates me every day as a business owner.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
KHWD is a creative agency specializing in brand identity, web and pitch deck design. Our creative approach is: don’t fear leaning into the avant-garde. Our mission is to build brands ready to make an impact – come with a business concept, leave with a brand strategically designed to attract your ideal client, ensured to set you apart in your niche and showcase you as the crème de la crème. Next, let us carry your brand over to the digital marketing arena and expand your brand recognition through a custom designed Website and/or Pitch Deck that will increase inquiries, engagement and conversions.
Since establishing KHWD in 2020, we have been crafting digital presences for brands, businesses, startups and individuals. In our work we strive to to balance market research, intuition, creativity and technology to build impactful and life-long brands, websites and pitch decks. Because of our founders shared passion in the Entertainment Industry (Actor and Film Producer,) we also specialize in EPK and entertainment industry specific Pitch Decks, which have a proven 93% success rate of landing distribution and financial backing.
Our 8+ years of design experience has taught us not to be afraid to be daring and lean into the avant-garde approach with design – and we love the clients who have that same lust for innovative design. Although we are based in NYC we work globally.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three most important qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in my journey was: 1.) Recognizing the importance of delegating/outsourcing certain tasks that would give me the freedom to focus on the areas I enjoyed most in my business, 2.) Coming to terms with that fact that you can’t be something for everyone. In the early stages of business, I tried to create a product suite that had something for everyone, when at the end of the day it only held me back from working with the people who I really wanted to work with. Niching down is a blessing, and as soon as you do and recognize that you can’t serve everyone, you begin attracting your dream clientele, and 3.) Never stop learning! I am always open to learning news tools, skillsets, etc. that can make me a better designer and better serve my clientele.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
One of my goals of 2024 is to continue to build up a strong community of referral partnerships. I am looking for likeminded individuals that can serve as a main referral source for me to send my clients to for help with SEO, social media, email marketing, etc. after we launch their website and in return am looking for marketing agencies who are looking to partner with me as their main referral for their clients Website, Brand and Pitch Deck design needs.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kristinahoranwebsitedesigns.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinahoranwebdesigns/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-horan/
- Other: We were recently listed on WIX Studio’s 2024 Inspiration page! – –https://www.wix.com/studio/inspiration/website/khwd
Image Credits
main image of me with glasses – Photographer is Eli Flores
