She Makes Chicago’s seventh podcast episode features Chelsie Tamms of Lettering Works. Chelsie shares her experience in starting her own design studio. She discusses the art of turning passion projects into client relationships and how she prioritizes purpose in developing a clear vision for her business. Learn more about Chelsie's intentional perspective in both business and design by listening to the podcast or reading the She Makes Chicago blog post.

5 Business Tips:

1. Do the math
   It is important to understand the numbers around your business. Be sure to consider all costs - labor, supplies, overhead, profit - including future costs to ensure you can build a sustainable business.

2. Know your worth
   Assess your experience, cost of resources, and expenses you need to cover and reflect these factors in your pricing. Be confident in knowing what you need to charge and setting a precedent not to accept less.

3. Be intentional about saying “no”
   Say no to projects that don’t align with your vision and goals. Seek to accept work that resonates with your brand and drives its purpose forward. Saying no to something that isn’t a good fit opens up an opportunity for a better fit.

4. Find a passion project to fuel your work
   Invest in yourself and your ideas. Developing a thoughtful passion project can keep you creatively fulfilled and attracting the right clients. Passion projects are meant to be exciting and fun and can drive your business forward when incorporated intentionally.

5. Develop a strategy
   Approach your business with intention and thoughtfulness. If you aren’t sure where to start, try looking back at what has worked well and been most rewarding. Aim to replicate that success by developing a system and process that builds upon what you’ve already done well.

LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH CHELSIE TAMMS ON THE SHE MAKES CHICAGO PODCAST, AVAILABLE ON APPLE PODCASTS, GOOGLE PLAY, AND SPOTIFY. 

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Chelsie Tamms is an award-winning lettering artist and designer based out of Chicago. She is the owner of Lettering Works, a branding studio that connects businesses to their audience through creativity and strategy. With over 10 years of practice of lettering and design, Chelsie is passionate about craft and intention. When she’s not designing, she can be found eating ice cream, traveling internationally, or starting a new passion project.