Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Wittman.
Hi Kelly, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My husband and I started a home renovation blog, North Country Nest, in 2016. At the time, I was working for a local nonprofit (supporting with marketing, fundraising, event management, and design) and planned to build the blog into a full-time income. However, I landed on a few digital marketing opportunities for other bloggers and mid-2017, Witt and Company was officially a business. In the beginning, our core offering was digital marketing support, specifically for bloggers. In early 2018, a friend asked me to brand and market her husband’s salsa company. I fell in love with the process, and WCO pivoted into branding. We’ve been doing brand strategy, messaging, and design ever since.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha, is there such a thing as a smooth road in business ownership? I feel like that would be way too boring. No, it hasn’t been smooth. I’ve had countless BIAD (burn-it-all-down) moments. Whenever we’ve pivoted, and things didn’t happen on the timeline I expected, I would think about packing it all in and getting a ‘real’ job. Thankfully, I have an amazing support system. My husband, family, and business friends offer great feedback, advice, and support.
From a more tactical level – changing ideal clients, adding new offers, being a self-taught branding professional, raising prices, and having a baby; these were all ‘BIAD’ moments where I questioned whether or not I was doing the right thing.
All that being said, what has been smooth is my love for the work. Being able to support business owners with something as important as their brand is an absolute dream. I mean, I get paid to strategize and be creative – how cool is that?!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
High level: Witt and Company, a strategy-first brand studio, helps service-based businesses and non-profit organizations with big ideas really step into their expertise and thought leadership so they can maximize their impact. The collaborative branding process walks clients through our Brand Authority Method and they walk away with a plan for consistent communication, a message for marketable language, and visuals for a cohesive aesthetic.
We’re known for helping business owners define and develop their brand’s internal and external experience so that the entire team can easily communicate and show up for the business/organization. Because we dig deep into a brand’s strategy, everything else we create (i.e., the logo, the color palette, the brand voice, the graphics, the website) is done strategically and with intention.
Part of that strategy is supporting the business’s overarching goal and their version of success. By doing that, we’re able to create and design in a way that aligns with their next level as a business and organization. Yes, of course it’s important to look ‘pretty’ but our priority is making sure it’s functional, strategic and supporting the big picture.
I am proud that we’re a people-first business, operating from a place of ease, fun, and enjoyment. We’re not about ‘shoulds’ but rather, what makes sense if you take a life-first and life-giving approach.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I mentioned this earlier, but there’s a whole host of people that have offered (and given) support. My husband has been the biggest cheerleader, advocate, and supporter. Especially after having a baby, there is no way I could do this without him. Along those lines, family and friends are great for support, listening, and feedback. Finding a group of women business owners equally invested in their success is equally wonderful. Both unpaid and paid masterminds have been game-changers; we lift each other, offer support and feedback, and be there for each other. I’m a huge fan of learning, so podcasts and books are a constant. I’ve learned so much from both of these mediums. All that being said, I’m not afraid to hire help and outsource. The WCO team is amazing. We have two designers and a project/communications manager. Without them, the vision and dream for WCO would be vastly different.
Pricing:
- Strategic brand design: starting at $5,000
- Strategic brand and website design: starting at $10,000
- Graphic Design Intensive (Design Day): $1,500 per day
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wittandcompany.com
Image Credits
All brand photos: The Divine Group
