Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business consulting and services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Graceann Bennett, Founder and CEO of PLAYBOOK STUDIO, located in Chicago, IL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We work with CEOs and CMOs of growth-oriented companies across any sector to increase the value of their brand by helping them define and express their most powerful and authentic self. We uplevel the way brands show up visually and verbally by delivering strategically sharp, beautifully executed Playbooks that keep client teams aligned, efficient and effective when expressing their brand across all of their touch points. We bring in high-caliber global design, copywriting, and art direction talent to deliver a high-quality experience and exceptional deliverables with more efficiency and value than bigger consultancies and studios.
Our Playbooks are built on a governing brand idea that supports not only marketing efforts but also drives company culture and business decisions.
We apply our deep experience across diverse sectors to make B2B brands more fashionable and Fashion and Beauty Brands more meaningful.
Tell us about yourself
Growing up in image and brand-obsessed Southern California, I was always interested in the meaning behind brand choices -- from what you wore to the car you drove to the clubs you belonged to. At 12 years old, after visiting NYC for the first time, I declared I wanted to be a global marketing executive living in NYC. So, after graduating from college, I headed to NY to work at Brand Consultancy with my first assignment to develop a globally aligned brand strategy for Pepsi-Cola. I then shifted to working on global brands at various advertising agencies and worked my way up to head up strategy at four major ad agencies, including Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, and M&C Saatchi, working on famous global campaigns for Coca-Cola, Guinness, UPS, Dove, Volkswagen, McDonald's and the Mormon Church.
About 8 years ago, I decided to build my own brand consultancy, Playbook Studio, to deliver value on my terms with more freedom, play, and purpose. I built a small core team and brought in senior talent that likes to work outside the corporate system. It's fun to play at a super high level with seasoned creative professionals. I liken it to a great jazz ensemble.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is getting through the messy, scary, and disorienting phase of setting up my own business to building the structure, tools, team, and case studies of a sustainable business. My goal was never to update my resume or work for anyone else ever again, and so far, so good.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Dealing with the anxiety of keeping your pipeline going and not always knowing where your next project is coming from. However, the feeling of vulnerability of your career and livelihood being decided by powers out of your control is much worse.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find an entrepreneurial mentor or coach that can help guide you on your journey. It is good to learn from someone like you who has been there before.
- Get your structures and processes in place. The sooner you get a template for your proposals, workshops, and deliverables, the better. Also, find a good accountant and lawyer to ensure your business is set up correctly.
- Spend time working on your business, not just in your business. It is easy to focus all your time on current clients and deprioritize pipeline efforts, website presence, case studies, new product development, etc. Make sure you balance your efforts, so you can keep your business going.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://playbook.studio/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playbook_studio/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/graceann
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graceannbennett/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.