Meet Marie Greenlee and Lauren Hull of Lost Pearl Creative

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marie Greenlee and Lauren Hull.

Marie and Lauren, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story is a series unplanned surprises that led to my passion of empowering businesses to make a positive impact, each in its own way.

I had no plans to run a business. While I was a graphic designer for a non-profit in Virginia, the opportunity to travel overseas for cheap arose and I requested permission to work from abroad. Determined to show my appreciation for the opportunity, I managed all my responsibilities diligently while I was out of the country. Upon arrival home, I was offered my first contract to work from home. This allowed me to relocate with my husband to Texas where I continued freelancing for design, started nannying for steady income, and became a caretaker for my disabled Veteran spouse. Browsing Craigslist, I ended up interviewing and landing a part time design position for Genghis Grill. Being from Virginia, I will admit I had never heard of this well-known locally-based company, but was excited for the opportunity nonetheless.

I had no plans to be an employer. As the workload grew and referral business came my way, the owners of Genghis Grill supported me in my new dream of having a freelance design business, but I soon realized that I could not do this alone. Making my first hire and forming my official LLC, Lauren Hull joined my endeavor. Again, I was unaware of the blessing that had fallen in my lap. When my spouse left and a rough divorce ensued, Lauren was the rock for our creative agency, Lost Pearl Creative. With a dedication to her work and a passion for providing quality design for clients, she led the way in elevating our work by bringing fresh and creative ideas.

I had no plans to fall in love with “work”. As I began to meet other business owners and network in the community, I discovered that most business owners have a unique story and reason for why they do what they do. Our goal at Lost Pearl Creative became to help those businesses define that passion and communicate it through their branding, marketing, website and design. I fell in love with empowering businesses through branding and design. There are so many companies with values similar to ours; they have a greater purpose beyond just their profits. This included offering services that positively impact their clients, bringing a high quality of customer service unseen in their industry, educating the community on subjects related to their field, building a culture that supports and grows their employees and volunteering to serve their local community.

Now with my team, we are able to work daily with passionate business owners to empower them to grow their companies, communicate their message, and ultimately make a greater impact. Lost Pearl Creative is honored to be a part of that.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Is running a business ever a smooth road?! As a small business, managing all the responsibilities of a functioning company is a challenge with only a small team. Everyone must learn to wear many hats and determine who has the best skills to handle certain tasks. This requires initiative and self-management, while at the same time dedicated teamwork.

Personally, my introverted designer self had to learn to sell our services. I started attending a networking event where I forced myself to write and memorize a different speech every week until I could talk about the business with ease and with anyone.

Although there are constantly struggles and hurtles in running a business, the thrill of personal achievement leaves me with a constant feeling of accomplishment. Seeing your hard work return rewards both financially and emotionally makes owning a company such a great adventure.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Lost Pearl Creative – what should we know?
Lost Pearl Creative defines and communicates brands through strategic marketing, clear and concise messaging, and creative execution including branding, print design, web design, email, social media, packaging & merchandise design, photography and other advertising services.

We had the opportunity to design some mockups for a pitch to Discovery Channel’s Fast N’ Loud star, Richard Rawlings. (being from VA, I had shamefully not heard of him either). After that, we were able to work with him and his team to launch his restaurant brand Richard Rawlings’ Garage in Harker Heights, TX. Starting with a logo concept, we assisted in developing the brand, including the menu, signage, website, print materials, email marketing, social platforms, photography, merchandise, and even interior décor. After starting from nothing, seeing all our work at the packed grand opening was an experience that made us so very proud.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Diligence. To everything and everyone. This is showing care to every project we undertake no matter how small. We are diligent in the way we interact with and treat our customers. As a team, we are dedicated to supporting and encouraging each other while we learn and grow our skills. People come to us with problems that they think that we can help with. We go over and above to find a solution even if that solution is not something that Lost Pearl Creative provides. Many times, I have personally found myself being more of a business consultant than a designer because clients know we truly believe in diligently serving them and they see us as a resource for their company.

Contact Info:

• Address: 18900 Dallas Pkwy.,
  Ste 125 Dallas, TX 75287
• Website: LostPearlCreative.com
• Phone: 972-996-4022
• Email: Marie@LostPearlCreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostpearlcreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lostpearlcreative/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/lostpearl_llc
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marie4good/

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.