Today we’d like to introduce you to Hanna Braud.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Hanna Braud (pronounced “bro”), and I am a Visual Brand Designer based out of Waco, TX.
I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and graduated from LSU in 2014. 2 weeks after graduation, my husband and I moved to Waco, TX for his new job and fell in love with the city. When I arrived in Waco, there weren’t many opportunities for graphic designers in the area outside of older, more established design firms or through Baylor University, or just within like the local church scene. I didn’t really find a “fit” for me, so I just decided to do my own thing.
At the beginning, I didn’t really declare a specialty and just started promoting my general graphic design services locally while crossing my fingers for any kind of work. I started to gain a little traction on social media and began to pick up jobs here and there. The gigs I was receiving early on ranged anywhere from custom wedding invitation design to real estate marketing. These jobs were typically pretty small, but after a year or so, they did become consistent!
Through word of mouth, I started to receive even bigger opportunities, like a designing logo or creating an identity for a company. I originally liked these types of jobs because I could charge a little more for them, but in time I really fell head over heels for the thoughtful process of custom visual brand design. I just appreciated how much peace my clients felt having their brand done well and being something that they were truly proud of.
In the last few years, I have worked hard to really hone in on the specialty of brand design. My work has continued to mature, and the opportunities have become greater than I could have ever imagined when I first started out. And after 6 years of freelancing just under my name, I actually took the time to professionally brand my own company, Studio Braud, which I just launched this summer of 2022.
Studio Braud focuses on collaborating with small business owners to create unique, one-of-a-kind visual brand identities for their company. We believe that successful brands are those that are strategically developed to reflect the heart behind the business owners’ work & draw in their ideal clients.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Haha, not a smooth road! Some obstacles I’ve faced have been…
– Starting a business in a town I didn’t grow up in. Waco is a small community where most everyone knows each other and makes sure to support those they know. So, getting my foot in the door wasn’t easy. It’s hard to make connections in a new place.
– Starting a business fresh out of college. While I think it’s easier for anyone to start a business whenever they want these days, I think at the time, having some type of portfolio or experience under your belt was still highly valued. So going in without those things caused people not to trust or value me immediately. I had to work extra hard or take jobs for little to no pay just to get my name out there and build up a reputation.
– Only working in my business, not ON IT. It is so important to invest in your own business, but only YOU can make that a priority. And this took me a long time to learn. Sometimes it’s easy to get lost and overwhelmed in the client work without taking the time to pour back into your business or yourself. But just like self-care is important for people, so is self-care for your business. Understanding the value of slowing down and making the time get your own things in order is the key to a happy healthy business & business owner.
– Becoming a mom! Whether you work within a traditional job setting or not, becoming a parent is truly life-changing, and it’s a major transition – especially for me. As someone who lived life so “unstructured,” sleeping, working, and playing on my own terms, it was a rude awakening to transition into catering to someone else’s schedule/needs. I really had to sit down and evaluate how I was going to balance work & home life in this new season. While it’s a constant game of adapting and pivoting, having kiddos has brought so much structure to my life. It’s forced me to grow up and create a routine, stick to good healthy habits and just be on top of my shit each day.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
At Studio Braud, we focus on connecting closely with our clients and collaborating with them to create unique, one-of-a-kind brands that reflect the heart behind their work and attract their ideal clients.
We specialize in Visual Brand Design which includes anything from helping a client generate a business name to developing their logo and brand identity artwork for their company. We also work with them to establish their essential Brand Touchpoints. Touchpoints are all the ways a customer might engage with a brand and can range anywhere from custom business card to a custom branded website or even executing their brand within a space or storefront.
I think what I am most proud of & what sets me apart from others are just breaking the stereotype of the industry we are in. I feel like reaching out to a brand designer can be super intimidating, but I work really hard to break down any scary walls for my clients. I want them to feel totally comfortable to come as they are and know that they will receive the respect and quality service they deserve.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I think I have 2…
1. YOU CAN NOT CONTROL EVERYTHING. We are all learning and stumbling through this life, and we’ve got to recognize that sometimes, things aren’t going to be perfect, no matter how hard you tried to make it perfect for your client. Communication is key. As long as we are checking in and communicating with our clients, keeping them updated on the job status, and making sure they know where things stand, that is all you can do!
2. Not everyone is the right client for you, and that’s ok! Oof, that’s a big one. I spent too much time molding myself to be “everyone’s designer” and it was exhausting. I’ve experienced burn-out too many times because I wasn’t mindful of how working to please everyone was hurting me and my business. It is important that as business owners figure out what WE need to be able to serve others well. This will allow us to also better understand and market to our ideal client.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.studiobraud.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/studio.braud
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studiobraudbranding
Image Credits
Emily G Visuals
Hannah Henke Photography
