MADILU Designs {Meet the Vendors with Molly}
We at Delight are excited to bring you “Vendors We Love”! There are so many phenomenal women and businesses that have supported us (and given some fab gifts for the retreat coming up!), and we want to celebrate each of them!
To start off, we are thrilled to tell you about Kimberly Drury with Madilu Designs. This wonderful lady designed the whole Delight blog, and we love it! (Don’t you?!) Here’s a short little interview we did with Kim to share with you today!
Hi Kim! Tell us a little about your business, and how you got started:
I’ve been designing for over 17 years: everything from logos, to billboards, to magazines, to direct mail, and for a variety of industries. I took a photography workshop in 2008. I love to take pictures of my children, but only for fun. At that time, I enjoyed what I could do after the pictures…the design part, the templates, albums and such. I was also working with a photographer doing retouch work on wedding and senior sessions. Designing for marketing pieces, photographers seemed like the next natural step, and I’ve been doing it full-time ever since. I’ve been self-employed for seven years….wow…time has flown! ☺
What’s the best thing about owning Madilu Designs?
The best thing about my business is that I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many incredible people all over the world. Some have stayed in my life longer than others and I’ve been able to develop friendships with many. I love helping them with their business, but it’s even more rewarding to learn more about them as a person. It’s also a flexible position, in that I can sneak out for a little bit to volunteer or attend activities at my children’s school.
On the other hand, what’s the hardest thing about running your own business?
Finding balance! When you have an office in your home, it’s really easy to get sucked back into work…a quick change here, upload files there….it never really ends. Sometimes that takes more away from my family than I’d like. I’m working really hard to set boundaries and make sure when work is over, I’m truly present for my family. It can be difficult to wear all of the hats when you’re the sole person involved in the business. I’ve realized that it’s not just me. I’ve got God on my side and He’s helping me every day.
Do you have a favorite product or service to provide?
I love helping a client start from scratch and develop a look that exclusively belongs to them. It’s awesome to watch them begin a new journey or to help someone who has already started their career, but just needs a fresh look. My favorite piece to design is the ‘Thank You’ card. They are usually a simple piece, but have so much meaning.
What advice would you give to teenage girls in the creative arts?
Being in the creative industry can be a little challenging at times. You have to be able to hear the words, “I don’t like that” and not take it personally. It can also be very competitive at times. You just have to be “you” and you’ll find there are clients who you’ll click with…and some that won’t. I really don’t get caught up in what others are doing. I just find that every day is a fresh start and roll from there.
Finally, a fun question! What’s your favorite type of indulgence?
I love hot yoga and hot chocolate! I also love to get our for a nice, long run to clear my head. Diet soda is an indulgence, but I’m working really hard to let that one go. Water is my new friend! ☺
We are so glad to know Kim and appreciate all of her hard work! To see more of what she does, please check her out on her blog, Facebook, and Twitter. Be looking for the next Vendor We Love, coming to you next week!
