Time to Level Up - LoLa Design Co.

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in branding and marketing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lauren Eskin, Founder of LoLa Design Co., located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I’m Lauren Eskin, the owner of LoLa Design Co., a brand design studio based in Philadelphia, PA. We help passionate businesses tell their stories through impactful design and support our clients with branding, packaging, and website development.

We work with businesses in many industries, from e-commerce to digital courses to brick-and-mortar retail stores. Our clients are looking to elevate their businesses with professional branding or out-of-the-box website experiences. We create unique solutions for them, like a fully customized hair extension builder that lets customers design a unique wig and add it to their cart or a membership program that gives subscribers credits every month to unlock new content. We’re designers, but we’re really in the business of dreaming up and executing better ways for our clients to do business.

Tell us about yourself

I’m a complete left-brain / right-brain mix. I studied finance and economics and worked briefly in a corporate finance job, but I always had a creative itch. When I realized my tendency to color code a beautiful spreadsheet could actually translate to a full-time business, I found what I loved to do! After running my branding business on the side since 2016, I took things full-time in 2020 and haven’t looked back.

I describe LoLa Design Co. as “the studio where strategy meets design” because we really enjoy helping business owners find practical ways to grow their businesses and execute ideas through design. So much more goes into branding than just designing logos or choosing color palettes. It’s a powerful tool that lets entrepreneurs tell their stories, relate to their customers, and reach new levels. When our clients reach out to let me know they’ve broken sales records, been featured in huge publications, opened new store locations, or taken their side hustles full-time, that’s what makes it all worth it.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

People are often surprised when they realize how young I am - turning 25 in a few weeks! My biggest accomplishment is the list of leaps I’ve taken to get LoLa Design Co. where it is today. I work for myself full-time, designed a beautiful office space that I get to spend my days in, and have a small team of incredibly talented women supporting my studio. I encourage my clients every day to build the businesses they want, and I feel like I really went for it and did that myself with LoLa. I have a long way to go and an ever-growing business bucket list, but looking around and seeing what I’ve built is a big accomplishment.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The best and worst thing about being a business owner is freedom. The freedom to do whatever you want with your business and your day is a huge blessing and can be an even bigger challenge. There’s no playbook for running a successful business. As a business owner, there’s always a decision to be made, an idea you have to know when to scrap, an opportunity you can decide to seize, and endless paths you can take. It can feel overwhelming and lonely to make choices on your own. Keeping people, you trust around to bounce ideas off of, consult with, and hold you accountable makes it easier!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Understand the value that you bring to the table. Attempting to recreate someone else’s success will only get you so far. Find what makes your products or services unique, and don’t be afraid to run with it.
2. Surround yourself with the right people. My business wouldn’t be what it is today without my wonderful clients, incredible business coach, and talented members of my team.
3. Believe in what you’re capable of building.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://loladesignco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loladesignco/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loladesignco/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lola-design-co/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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