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Lyss Aviles is a designer, photographer, social media strategist *and* printmaker — but she hasn’t always tapped into all of her talents at once to earn a living.
When the multi-talented entrepreneur first started freelancing, she says her lack of business acumen meant she soon gave up and returned to working full-time at a design firm. A couple of years (and a lot of research) later, Lyss was finally ready to go ahead with launching her company once again.
We chatted with her about how she uses Facebook to bring in new customers and why she believes that understanding the value of what you do is key to pricing effectively.
Read on to hear her inspiring story!
Name: Lyss Aviles
Business: The Lovely Lyss
Started: 2012
How did you create your awesome job?
I decided to start my business right out of design school. I wanted to have the freedom of working from home and having my own clients. I did some research on how to launch a company, got my paperwork done then jumped right into freelancing!
However, I went in with zero business knowledge. When my bank account balance started dropping, I sucked up my pride and applied to a few full-time design positions.
I spent two years working for other people, but at the end of the day I just wasn't happy. I spent many sleepless nights learning about how to run a business and many early mornings reading business books, and I prepared myself to venture back into freelancing.
In March, I quit my full-time job and I'm now working from home for myself. Most millionaires have multiple streams of income, and I operate with the same mindset. Outside of design and photography, I do social media management for a few companies, sell stock photography to churches and design nerdy typographic prints for Etsy.
Who was your very first customer?
My first customer was a friend of mine from the coffee shop I worked at.
Back in 2012, he asked if I wanted to shoot his wedding. I didn't know the typical wedding rates back then, so let's just say he got a great deal! I posted his images on Facebook and his friends began to reach out to me for more photography work.
When did you know your business was going to work?
I knew I'd landed on something that was working when I saw more of a demand for my services.
After announcing I would be back in business, my inbox began flooding with requests for design and photography work. I still have days where I wonder what I've done and if it will work, but I don't think there is anything wrong with feeling that way. I know my business will be a success as long as I put in the effort. Nothing comes easily!
What is your most effective means of getting new customers?
Facebook has been the best source of new customers for me. Whenever I design or photograph something, I post it on my Facebook fan page, Instagram and Twitter with permission from the client.
The best advice I ever heard about marketing was to not to be afraid to be myself. At one point I got so overwhelmed with everyone telling me I should create email lists, listen to webinars and curate my feeds to look perfect that it actually began to hurt my business. The minute I decided to do my own thing, it really started to show in my work. I can tell that my audience reacts better to that.
What has been the biggest surprise so far after starting your own business?
Understanding that not everyone will value or get what I do — and that's A-OK!
I used to get really frustrated when people would ask when I was going to get a "real" job. Sometimes it takes educating the client, and even then some may not value my work. But if I brand myself well enough and make my company desirable, I’ll attract people who appreciate what I do.
How do you price your products and services?
For my Etsy art prints, I price in a range that’s common for the same products offered elsewhere on the site.
For my photography and design services, it's very different. In today's age, where people will design logos on Fiverr for $5 and I charge $499, it can be disheartening when I'm not getting clients.
I price my services based on my level of experience and how I value myself. When I first started my business I lowered my fees, but now I stand firm and I don’t get upset if I miss out on a client because they don’t value who I am or what I offer.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I wake up, eat and get dressed for the day before heading into my home office. I open up my laptop — where I do all my design and marketing work, as well as communication — and turn on my desktop computer, where I have the social media accounts I manage up and running with notifications.
My husband and I share a car, so if I have it that day I'll go work at a coffee shop from 10am to 1pm. I eat lunch there, then I work at home from 3pm to 6pm. If I don't have the car, I usually work at home from 11am to 6pm. I try to take breaks every 20 minutes and go outside with the dog for a quick walk.
In the evenings, I play video games, read business articles, spend time with my husband and end the night with one or two smaller gigs like business card design. If I have a web client, there are times where I work on their website at night from 9pm to midnight — but if that happens, I’ll take the daytime off.
How do you juggle other responsibilities and interests outside of your business?
One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was taking on too many projects at a super low rate. I was always cancelling plans with family and friends to work, and it wasn't worth it.
Now, I try my best to be wise with my schedule and get as much as I can done on certain days so I can have a break on other days. I've learned that having work-life balance is extremely important to me.
If you could go back in time, what’s the one thing you would do differently when you were just starting your business?
I wish I had gone to school for business or read a ton of business books and hired a business coach before I started doing what I'm doing.
What would you like to learn today from a community of other small business owners and self-employed professionals?
I would love to learn how others are pricing their services and hear about how they're working smarter, not harder!
Now, it's *your* turn!
Do you have tips for Lyss that will help her take her pricing strategies to the next level? How do your price your services, and what have you learned about balancing the value of what you offer with what your customers can afford to pay?
Share your tips, tricks and new ideas for working smarter in the comments below. :-)
Can't wait to hear *your* stories!
