Brittany Lawson
Brittany Lawson
Designer
Chattanooga, TN
www.flourish-wildly.com
instagram @flourishwildly
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WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I design brands, packaging, and websites with a fine-arts, hand-crafted approach.”
I run Flourish Wildly – an ethical design studio for businesses ready to bloom – that works with the wildly passionate and the dreamers to create meaningful, strategic brands and websites for their eco-friendly businesses. Essentially, I help people create the wild life they’ve been longing for by helping their business work better for them.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I started my career at a start-up marketing and design agency that specializes in “human-centered” healthcare marketing, editorial, and brand design. While I gained experience in design, I also learned a lot about design thinking and meaningful storytelling. Eventually, I realized I wanted to make my own way in life and start my own business. I’m a big believer in following your dreams; even if it takes a lifetime, I believe that almost anything is possible.
Since then, it’s been a wild ride of learning everything I possibly can about running a business. I knew I wanted to serve businesses that are making a difference in their communities and for our planet, and help them have a better chance at success, so I started Flourish Wildly, a design studio for eco-friendly businesses.
Today, I’m just trying my best to keep following my dreams, learn a lot, have fun, and serve others.
How do you stand out in your field?
I emphasize strategy and design thinking when approaching a new business or project, thanks to my background working with a leader in design thinking and at an agency that focused on being human-centered. While I stay authentic to my own hand-crafted design style, I make sure to reflect my client’s values and target their dream audience.
Also, in my heart of hearts, I’ve always been drawn to nature – the pop of colors in a field of flowers, the positive, warm feelings of sunlight, or the quiet moments when it’s raining.
When I combine nature, fine-art, and my client’s needs and what their business stands for, it gives me a unique perspective to create from.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
For a dreamer like me, this is a tough question. I could give you ten different answers of what I’m mentally working on. But, in reality, I’m primarily working on improving my business marketing, or rather lack thereof, and refining my illustration style. I’d eventually like to break into the commercial illustration industry.
I’m also very seriously toying with the idea of starting a shop of art prints and sustainably-made t-shirts surrounding the topic of kindness for others and our planet. Or something like that…
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
Because I take a fine-arts to design, a lot of what I create feels very hand-crafted and organic; thoughtful, yet approachable; somewhat colorful, yet soft. I’ve also always been drawn to nature, I believe there’s something beautiful about it that draws humans in, calming and inspiring us. Nature and art is the foundation for my designs.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
Probably commercial illustration. I love designing, and my background is in design. I incorporate a lot of illustrative elements into my design work, but l would also love to create illustrations for magazines and the sole purpose of visually telling a story. There’s just something freeing and calming about creating an illustration. I would also like to get better at painting as the medium for my illustration work. I’m a very amateur, aspiring painter.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
Climate change. Social injustice. People who are selfish and unkind. And social media. Sometimes I just don’t know what to say, and some days I’m overwhelmed with not knowing what to do to make the world a little better. When I don’t know what to say or do, at least I can rely on helping other people launch their dream business, and serving business owners that are also passionate about making a difference and making this world a little kinder and a little better.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
Oooh, probably manage my inbox, paperwork, and help with my social media channels. That way I could spend more time on the design work that I really love, and focus on being a better designer and brand strategist, as well as spend more time on growing my business.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
I would tell my college self to say yes to more opportunities. To try new things whenever I can, experiment with everything, take classes that pique my interest even if they aren’t required, study abroad, take more trips with friends, become friends with people different and older than me, create more for fun and less for class, and spend less time worrying.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I would love to learn how to have a more environmentally friendly design studio, and also talk to someone who has grown their business to 6-figures while shifting to working 20-30 hours per week. My goal is to build a slow business that works better for my family.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I’d love to work more with businesses in the sustainability, health, and wellness industries as well as passionate service-based businesses such as coaches and nutritionists. I’d also love to start doing more packaging design and artwork and mural projects.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
My ideal client would be an eco-friendly business with a social or environmental responsibility. I want to help these businesses that are making positive and lasting changes for our communities to better stand out and attract more people.
My dream project would be either a brand/packaging design project or a series of outdoor murals around the world. Travelling, being outside, designing murals and hands-on creating, it’s a win-win-win.
Good communication, trust, and mutual respect go a long way in a collaboration. I enjoy working with passionate people because they are invested in the project, and it makes for a more enjoyable and successful creative process when we can both get excited about bringing the project to life, and where we can both bring ideas to the table and easily chat about the best direction for their project.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
The best option is filling out the contact form on my website, but you can email me at hello@flourish-wildly.com with an outline of the project brief and general ideas! A budget and timeline is also tremendously helpful, but not necessary. If you’re in Chattanooga, I’d love to buy you coffee and chat in person :)
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Studying art, talking with people, being curious, surrounding myself with nature, and running.
This member profile was originally published in August 2020.