Rising Stars: Meet Olivia Helten of Leavenworth

Today we’d like to introduce you to Olivia Helten

Hi Olivia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I come from a small town in Kansas, where most of the people I knew had their own business or worked for very small local companies. There’s a beauty in entrepreneurs chasing their dreams with so much passion and dedication, spending all their free time fixing problems as they arise. My heart always goes out to a person when they are forced to give up on their business and turn to a corporation to make a living, giving up on the dream that they worked so hard for. My dream is to do what I love to help others do what they love.

I work with small businesses to put the power of design and marketing back into their hands. I know how difficult these can be, and I know that most small businesses want to build their own site or manage their own marketing so they can keep it authentic and personal. This causes burnout, because you didn’t pursue your dream just to end up on social media all day, or try to communicate with your website hosting company for 3 weeks, to no avail.

I named my business SMPL Design Co., because I want to make web design simple for small businesses. I build websites and help with marketing with the intent to let my clients go. If I can send a client on their way and they feel confident about their website and their abilities to market themselves, then I’ve succeeded in my job as a designer. As a small business owner, I don’t want to have to rely on other people to set my brand image or talk to my customers. You shouldn’t have to either. My dream is to give the self-reliance and confidence back to other small businesses to help them grow, so they can chase their dreams for the rest of their lives.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
An obstacle for me has been making time for my own projects, like my personal and business social media accounts. As effortlessly as social media comes to me for my clients, it can be different for my own accounts. Plus, it’s time-consuming! I love making content that small business owners can use in their website, marketing, or branding, but it’s not always easy to carve out the time to do this. But consistency is key in social media, and I work hard to make sure I post on a fairly regular schedule.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m primarily a website designer, but I also do social media marketing and some email marketing. Some clients prefer my templates for web design, social media marketing, or email marketing. This is for anyone who needs a nudge in the right direction but can take a layout and make it their own. What sets me apart is that I love working with almost any business; I’ve worked with a city’s parks and recreation department, a restaurant, a health and fitness coach, an entrepreneurial firefighter, and more. I love working with different people from different industries because they all bring a unique perspective that shapes me as a designer.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My biggest mentor was my college professor, Kate Horvat. She has since moved from education to a career in UI/UX design, which was hugely inspiring to me. Kate had no experience in the field besides what she knew from education, decided she loved it, and started taking classes and challenging herself to learn more while being the head of the Art Department. I look to her as inspiration because she managed everything so well and remained curious and thoughtful. It was because of her desire to learn more UI/UX design that I learned it as well, which is the only reason I am doing what I do today.

For networking in general, I just get out there on social media. Join any groups that align with your industry and interests and make posts, ask questions, comment on others, and react in general. This is a great way to lead you to both like-minded and unlike-minded people who can help you learn and grow from your mistakes and successes.

Pricing:

• My pricing is dependent on the business or individual, but a website averages around $2,500-3,000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.smpl-design.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smpl_design_co/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565629326330&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SMPLDesignCo
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@smpl_design_co?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc