At the age of around eight, Lisa’s father challenged her to create a logo for a business idea, her Creative Entrepreneurial spark had been lit and a decade-and-a-bit later the flame still burns brightly. A talent turned side hustle while she continues her studies, Lisa is gaining momentum as a young Creative Entrepreneur in the Illustration space. The task remains unchanged: to take your clients thoughts and transform them into something visually meaningful and receptive to them, their business and their audience.
“Often business people find it difficult to express their thoughts and ideas in an artistic, creative and visually exciting way.”
Lisa takes pride in her ability to do just that. In a time where creativity has been commoditized, we see how Lisa’s clients are recognising the value in custom-made creativity. The creative problem solving involved in taking a business idea and translating it through pictures that are unique, encapsulates the true to form characteristic of Creative Entrepreneurs: problem solvers. Imagery is more accessible than ever before but to stand out it takes true human (not machine) talent to bring uniqueness and custom design to be seen and heard in a sea of competition.
A good listener, dedicated, adaptable, and a true calming and free spirit, if only we could all reignite this aptitude to how we work, it certainly has a positive effect on those who work with Lisa. Being a true creative, Lisa struggles with the idea of not having the autonomy to create if working under directives as an employee. Creativity has no limits and doesn't play by the traditional rules, Lisa’s greatest work happens in the most unpredictable times and places. She reminds us to be open to receiving creative solutions whenever they may come to us, rather than limit what's possible in the convenient 9-5 workday. While many of us work so hard to create structures to work within, Lisa works purposefully to un-structure her work in order to continue in a creative flow. She manages this with a strong work ethic in terms of time management, self-belief and advocacy in the work she produces, and putting her client's needs before her own artistic expression.
Like many Creative Entrepreneurs, Lisa speaks to the ongoing challenge of how entrepreneurship and business is not taught in school, leaving one to figure it out alone. From pricing, invoicing and accounting, to how to communicate, present and market ourselves, there is a lot to learn about entrepreneurship. We realise even the younger generations of today second guess the value of Creative Entrepreneurship, it remains something that is not quite instilled into our schooling or societal mindset. Despite a strong influence from her entrepreneurial father, she still surprised herself (and others) that there is value to be had in commercially mixing business with creativity.
Lisa’s story reminds us that as Creative Entrepreneurs, we ALL have a big role to play in educating future generations on how to tackle entrepreneurship. This early on in Lisa’s career, the mindset of teaching others, is already embedded with aspirations to pass on the lessons.
“Being an entrepreneur in the creative space, I have realised it is actually easier than what I initially thought. It IS possible and it's been so worth it. There was no need to put so much pressure on myself and to take in all the doubt. The decision is always ours to make on whether we make it work or not. Take your time to pursue your journey at your own pace.”
Lisa’s success shows us how opportunities will simply pass by if we wait for that perfect moment, or for decades of experience, and a sea of knowledge before we take the jump. Sometimes the learning is IN the doing. Thank you Lisa for leading a whole new generation of Creative Entrepreneurs through your inspiring story - and it is just the beginning! The lesson: seize the moment, there is no better time to start than NOW.
“Solving niche challenges Founders face”.
Illustrator: Lisa Williams (Instagram: @artist_llw)