Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Uber.
Hi Laura, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been most comfortable with a pen in hand. At an unusually young age, I drew rows and rows of precise lines and controlled loops across dozens of sheets of paper. I remember drawing and creating through much of my childhood. My relationship with design and lettering has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
I knew by the time I was a fifth grader that I wanted to be a graphic designer. I like to think my skills have improved a bit since then!
I was raised by amazing, loving parents in Overland Park, Kansas. Both are entrepreneurs and business owners, and I have always admired their passion for their work. Their entrepreneurial paths certainly required great responsibility, but also offered enticing flexibility. They worked incredibly hard to provide for our family and build successful businesses. I just knew entrepreneurship was something I wanted to experience, too.
I graduated from Kansas State University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and a minor in journalism and mass communications. A week after graduation, I started my career at a small design studio/marketing communications firm in downtown KC, where I worked for five years. Working for a small company gave me so many opportunities for growth, and I really refined my skills as a designer. It didn’t hurt that I worked with an awesome team, too.
In May 2021, I decided to take the leap and start my own business, Design on Purpose, offering graphic design and calligraphy. It’s been rewarding, challenging, and invigorating. I’ve prayed about the decision to start my own business for much of my life, and I truly feel that God has blessed it immensely already. It feels pretty surreal to actually be living the future I envisioned.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been surprisingly smooth so far! Leaving the security of my salaried job and taking a chance on my own business was an exciting and weird transition. The first couple of weeks felt surreal. It was hard to believe that this was my new reality. As confident as I felt, I still experienced doubts. And I still experience doubts as a new entrepreneur! However, that drives me to keep growing, learning, challenging myself, and pushing forward in my business.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a solopreneur! Through graphic design and calligraphy, I help small businesses clarify their visual brands and deliver consistent print and digital communications.
I like to describe my graphic design services in three buckets: branding, print design, and digital design. Branding is the foundational bucket. Whether I’m working with a new or established business, developing and understanding a brand supports any design that follows. More than that, it supports the strategy that follows. If I understand a client’s vision and values, I can more effectively recommend strategy and support current business goals.
My business name describes this approach. Simply put, I want to help businesses design on purpose. By getting to know business owners and their pain points, I can help create communications for them that are designed purposefully. I can also help them present their brands purposefully.
I recently received a call from someone wanting a new website. I quickly learned she didn’t have a brand in place. I could design and build a website for her, but without a clear brand, the end result would not necessarily have supported her business goals. Instead, we started with brand development so we can effectively and efficiently build the website. This is an example of how I help clients consider branding and strategy first. They should set the foundation for every design project that comes later.
Calligraphy is a unique aspect of my business. It often attracts a different audience than my graphic design offerings do. People getting married or planning a special event use my calligraphy to add a beautiful, personalized touch to envelopes, invitations, and signage. Others request calligraphy for personalized gifts, like on ornaments or marble blocks.
Copywriting and editing is another unique offering. I don’t often advertise it as a stand-alone service, but I do incorporate it into many projects. Drawing on my journalism minor, I’ll write new content or provide recommendations for existing copy.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Contact me! I love supporting other businesses by delivering brand clarity and making them shine. Those interested in my services can visit my website (www.designonpurposekc.com) to view some of my work and reach out via my contact form.
Even if you don’t have a design need, you may know someone who does! I love to connect with others to learn how I may be able to help.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.designonpurposekc.com
