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Ep. 132 - Stay True to yourself to get ahead - Malisa Durongphant from Creativeamme
116 Plays1 year ago
Happy Woo Wednesdays!
I have my friend Malisa Durongphant from Creativeamme in the Get a HECK YES house. She is the leader in the industry with Event Branded Signage (custom laser cut / vinyl / Engaged pieces for a cause
A husband and wife duo who left their careers to pursue their dreams. Named their business after their daughter Emma. Malisa reminds us to focus on you and know that there are people watching you, you never know who you're inspiring. She says work hard - build your own brand that represents you - let your work speak for itself.
Hot topic: Stay True to yourself
Never give up
Focus on you and YOUR art
Draw inspiration but don't steal art from others
Take the copy cats as flattery
Connect with Malissa
Use carissa20 for 20% off your entire order
Instagram.com/Creativeamme
Connect with Carissa Woo
Use code HECKYES to get 50% off 17hats.com
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Transcript
Introduction to Carissa's Services
00:00:00
Speaker
Wedding professionals, if you need new brand messaging, a new homepage of your website, new marketing materials to get on the preferred venue vendor list, a holy grail list, nonstop leads, and a sales presentation with strategized pricing to get your clients to a heck yes, I am your girl. Go on my IG and DM me the word DEMO. I will send you a 20-minute training.
00:00:22
Speaker
So today my friend Malisa with creative aim is in the house. She is the best of the best in the event branded signage category. Please go check out her Instagram right now and you won't stop scrolling. Today we talk about how to stay true to yourself. Enjoy this episode.
Carissa's Background as a Wedding Photographer
00:00:44
Speaker
Welcome to Get a Heck Yes with Carissa Wu. I'm your host, Carissa, and I've been a Los Angeles wedding photographer for over a decade. I've traveled the world, built my team, and seen it all. I now coach wedding photographers hit 10K a month and build a thriving business. In this podcast, we are going to deep dive into how top wedding creatives get that heck yes from their dream clients. We are not holding back on the struggles of the business and how to push through the noise. Some healthy hustle, mindset shifts, up-leveling your money story,
00:01:13
Speaker
Time-packed because I'm a mom of two, a little bit of woo-woo, and most importantly, self-love and confidence are just a few of the many things we will talk about. I want to give you a genuine thank you for following along my journey. I hope to inspire you every Woo Wednesday so that you say heck yes to listening to this podcast. See you guys soon!
00:01:35
Speaker
Hey everyone, welcome back to Get a Heck Yes with me your girl, Carissa Woo. I haven't podcast for a long time, so I'm feeling super fresh and super excited to talk to my friend, Melissa Derongfat.
Melissa's Background and Creative AIM's Mission
00:01:45
Speaker
She's from Creative AIM, and she does custom leaves are cut vinyls and gray pieces for a cause. Every purchase goes to meals for kids, and she is a husband and wife duel who've left their careers to pursue their dreams, and they name their business after their daughter,
00:02:05
Speaker
Emma. Welcome, Alyssa. Hi, thanks for having me. Yay. Oh my gosh. So is this your first podcast? It is my first podcast. So that's why I'm like, oh, nervous. Hopefully I answered the questions right.
00:02:20
Speaker
No, I'm so excited for you to have you. I've been asking you to come on for about a year. We know each other just through working together, but you've kind of been the it girl of these custom laser vinyl creating these beautiful lavish, amazing creative parties. So yeah, I'm sure a lot of people have been following you for many years, but
00:02:43
Speaker
First question, I guess, we just tell us a little bit about yourself. You could even talk about like way back in the day, like young Alisa. So we're starting back to when I was born, right? Back in the time. Well, I was born to
00:03:02
Speaker
My mom didn't have time to take care of me because she was studying for the RN boards, nursing boards. So I had a nanny, Hispanic nanny who was a husband and wife, but they actually took care of me since I was three months. I called him mom and dad and Spanish was my first language.
00:03:21
Speaker
Um, wow. Yeah, Spanish was my first language, um, then Thai and then English. So I actually took ESL for quite a long time and, um,
00:03:33
Speaker
So that's why a lot of people have to check my spelling when I mock up their stuff. That's like one of my things is the spelling, but I can make your designs great with the spelling. Beautiful. I'm Taipo Queen, so I get you and I'm from here. Wait, were you born here? I was born here. Yeah. Okay. What city? I was born in Huntington Park.
00:03:58
Speaker
and lived in Linwood for a few years. And then we moved to Cerritos when they wanted me to start, um, you know, kindergarten and elementary school. So we moved to Cerritos and then, yeah, been there all my life until I married Tan and we moved to La Palma, which is like basically the next city. And then now Brea. Nice. Nice. Okay. What did your, tell me what, what did your parents do again? And then what was it like, like being raised by a nanny?
00:04:27
Speaker
My mom was a registered nurse. So she didn't really have that much time taking care of us because she was just busy nursing. And my dad kind of like had his own business kind of thing.
00:04:43
Speaker
And yeah, it was amazing growing up with my Mexican mom and dad because they treated me like their own. So I was like the little chanita that they would tell everybody like, oh, that's our daughter. And yeah, they were really amazing. I truly called them my mom and dad. I still talk to them to this day. They live in Mexico and Guadalajara now, but I still talk to my mom and dad.
00:05:09
Speaker
It was great. I grew up learning about the Mexican culture, going to church, even though I'm not Catholic. I don't practice the Catholicism or anything, but I went to church with them. I went to Mexico in kindergarten. I think it was kindergarten. I was five years old.
00:05:29
Speaker
my mom had to sign like a paper to say that like it was okay for me to go with them like who in the same age to do that like it's like their child will never come back but um yeah my mom totally let them take me with them to Mexico and um they took me to Ensenada I met my like
00:05:50
Speaker
my grandpa, my Mexican grandpa there. Yeah. And it was amazing. Of course I had like motion sickness cause it was like all driving. So I threw up the whole time, the whole way. Yeah, that's, it was great. It was like learning the culture and I feel like I'm more Mexican than Thai for sure. Interesting. I never heard such an intimate nanny story. How long were they there with you? Like nannying you to what age?
00:06:19
Speaker
till probably 11. My mom would take me there all the time till I was about 11. And even so, I would still stay with them and visit them during high school and whatnot too. Aw, I love that. What is the biggest lesson that you learned from your nanny parents and your real parents and how do they compare and contrast? Oh my gosh, I don't even know.
00:06:49
Speaker
With my nanny and parents, for sure, family is everything. Whoever is your parents, you just need to love them no matter what, even if they didn't take care of you personally. Yeah, that's the one thing that I learned the most from my Mexican mom. Even though she wasn't wanting to care of me, I still needed to love and respect my mom.
00:07:16
Speaker
Um, biological mom, my mom lives with me now. Oh, awesome. Yeah. And then, um, from my mom, um, honestly, I feel like I, um, learned how to be independent and like fight for myself and survive. Um, yeah, from my purse, my biological mom, she, I mean, she wasn't here very often, you know, like she was mostly like working like triple jobs.
00:07:45
Speaker
at a time. And yeah, just like being able to like survive without her and learning how to fend for myself and take care of myself, I think is what I learned from my mom my time. Oh, that's so beautiful. I, my mom was always working to in sales. So we were raised by more like my grandparents. So I think that's what it is, right? Like the generation, our parent generation, they worked so much. And then now we are trying to, like,
00:08:15
Speaker
break that generational habit by being there for our kids. Yeah, seriously. And then talking to me and you, we're both working on it.
Career Transition and Start of Creative AIM
00:08:25
Speaker
Tell me about like college and I know you're a nurse and what got you into that probably like inspiration from your biological mom, but walk me through that a little bit. Well, I actually went to Kelsey Fullerton and I thought I wanted to go into psychology.
00:08:42
Speaker
Um, so I graduated with an undergrad in psychology and, um, I took a little bit longer than most people because I didn't know what I wanted to do the first two years. And, um, I graduated with psychology. Then I went straight to nursing because I like needed a job right away. So I got into nursing and did that for like two, three years. And then the, you know, the prerequisites and then, um, nursing was two years and then.
00:09:10
Speaker
After that, I went to go work at Harbor UCLA by your house for like a year and a half, a year and a half, like almost two years in the pediatric ER. And during that time, I was also taking my master's. I was getting my master's in nursing and education. And then I moved to
00:09:35
Speaker
general hospital in LA and worked in the adult ER there too, which I hated because I was a pediatric ER nurse, you know, a kid's nurse. I was like, how am I going to deal with these adults? They're so different from kids. So it was a little hard. It was a hard transition for me.
00:09:58
Speaker
but they put me in the pediatric ER after I told them, okay, I'm going to go back because this is not working out for me. So they're like, no stay. So then they just put me in the pediatric ER. And then after I had Emma, um, that's when I was like, I got to get out of here. Cause it was just so hard working with kids and seeing how, um, you know, there were kids dying. There were kids like just sick and stuff. So it was like taking a toll on me. So then I went to, um, case management and,
00:10:27
Speaker
work there for three years. And this is when I started Creative AIM. So in 2017, I started Creative AIM while working in case management at the same time. And then, yeah, then the rest was history. Creative AIM became, you know, like really was, you know, like it grew, it grew. So like, I didn't,
00:10:53
Speaker
really need the nursing aspect anymore. I mean, I still have it as my backup, my plan B, because I still have my license. I just renewed it. And so I just, I still have it no matter what. So it's just in case like, you know, anything happens, but yeah. Okay, let's get into it. Okay. So I'll try to paint the picture for the listeners.
00:11:17
Speaker
I could be wrong, but I feel like you started when it was like the boom of the amazing crazy birthday parties. Yeah, I feel like they didn't have that before. But I'm sure everyone knows they have Pinterest have Instagram, but these extremely like
00:11:33
Speaker
lavish birthday parties with like the laser cut vinyls like you do and like the balloons and the crazy setups and the crazy themes and all the vendors like 10 vendors on board and you know getting it published that was like the start of it walk me through like that process and maybe like your how it came about like what was like your Inspiration or how how did you like take the leap to like just start your own? honestly, like
00:12:02
Speaker
It was like by chance because we didn't start Creative Aim because we wanted to like
00:12:10
Speaker
do all that. It was because Tan said I needed a hobby because I was like nagging at him the whole time. That's right. Yeah. I was like nagging at him, nagging at him like, when are you going to find a job or something? You know, cause he just got out of the military. So, um, he said, you need a hobby. And so I told him, okay, then let's try this, this, and this. Like I had to go through like four different hobbies to like actually figure out like which one was good for me. So I actually, he bought me calligraphy stuff to learn calligraphy. Um,
00:12:40
Speaker
I think like sewing kit to learn sewing and all that stuff. And then, but we landed on laser cutting because like I did the design and he cuts and little did he know he was the one that had to like to start this company too. So, um, and then it's, yeah, like you said, it started booming. Like people were doing the dolls, you know, like the lavish first birthdays. And then, um, I, you know, we started doing like the names for the backdrops and
00:13:05
Speaker
Yeah, we just got into it and Instagram was what helped us. I networked with so many people and spoke to so many people on Instagram and connected with so many people. So that's how we were able to just, you know,
00:13:20
Speaker
get like got big somehow. That's kind of cute how your husband Tan was like, you need a hobby. I was like, I can't hang out with you that much husband. I like just got a baby and I was still a nurse and then I was like, I need a hobby.
00:13:37
Speaker
That's so funny. I love how he like push you to do something big. Okay. Yeah, just thinking about me and use our relationship. I shot like your kid's birthday. But I was very impressed by your networking skills because I actually started way before you and I actually didn't know how to network for the longest time. Like I didn't know about collaboration or community over collaboration or competition. But then
00:14:04
Speaker
When you started, you started networking with like venues and vendors, and then you guys started like, doing everything together, referring each other. I was so behind on that, like I didn't even know that was a thing. But walk me through how you kind of started collabing, reaching out to people because I know it's not easy in the beginning. So what was like your mindset behind that?
00:14:27
Speaker
I don't know. I just saw so many people doing beautiful things. I was like, I want to be part of that. I want to be part of those beautiful setups. I met so many people like Stay Golden, Michelle Rogers, One Social Design. They did so many amazing setups and beautiful setups that I actually loved. I was like,
00:14:50
Speaker
Can I do this with you? Can it be part of it? Because I also needed content. I'm the worst photographer ever. Even with my iPhone, I'm the worst. I needed photos, so I was like, can I do this with you?
00:15:09
Speaker
So I was piggybacking on everybody, like, can I do this? Is it about with you? Can you use me? So yeah, they used me, and we did collaborations. They knew other people. Because it's usually the planners. The planners are the real MVPs. They're the ones that know everybody, because they have to put everything together. So they know the florists. They know people who cater. They know the signage people. They know the balloon people.
00:15:37
Speaker
because of the, yeah, those are the people that I networked with was like the planners. And then they introduced me to all these other people, the different people in the industry. And that's just how we rolled. Wow. Yeah. That's a great...
00:15:55
Speaker
story. I guess this is kind of a dumb question. But walk me through a little bit about like custom laser cut vinyl, like is the learning process? Is it our big learning curve? Or is it just kind of like you just go with it? And did you have to get like new machinery along the way? And it's I'm sure it's a big investment as well.
00:16:16
Speaker
Pardon this short interruption, but guess what? I have a new program. It's for all wedding professionals. It's called The Triple Threat. We redo your brand messaging, the homepage of your website. Part two is we do all your marketing.
00:16:33
Speaker
create a beautiful brochure so you could start getting on Prefer venue vendor list and we do all your sales. So we actually make you a sales presentation leading your client to the heck yes, so you get paid. I have a free 20 minute demo training. It's only 20 minutes. Go to my Instagram at Carissa Woo.
00:16:56
Speaker
and DM me the word DEMO. I will send it right over. It's how to get 10 to 15 quality leads in your inbox per month. Enjoy, guys. Krista Wu is a LA-based wedding photographer who's actually turning business coach. She helped me grow and change, and I'm so proud to call you coach.
00:17:19
Speaker
Tell us how you're feeling. Like, I want to just know a little bit more about your thoughts. It's beautiful and you're awesome. It's beautiful. I'm speechless. I just like the fact that it feels like myself. I feel myself when I see this. Oh, man. Well, you got me pumped and excited for this. Carissa, thank you. Oh, yeah, we definitely had to.
00:17:43
Speaker
The more we grew, the more we had to get new machines, definitely. And learning curve? No. I mean, as long as you love crafting and making designs and cutting and doing everything yourself, then yeah, you can totally do it. I think anybody can do
Design Journey with Adobe Illustrator
00:18:00
Speaker
it. It's just a matter of your craft.
00:18:04
Speaker
learning how to shine on your own. I think nowadays it's booming. How do you say that? There's so many people in the laser cut industry now that you can just go to anybody for a cheaper price, but it's like you have to learn your own craft. You need to know your own style, your own design,
00:18:32
Speaker
own thing instead of like copying other people or taking other people's like ideas and designs. So yeah, it's like the learning curve is not that bad. It's just like a matter of like putting the time and effort in it and also learning how to make it your own.
00:18:48
Speaker
Yeah, I'm so clueless, honestly. What is it? Is it Photoshop? Or how do you learn how to design it? I did not know how to use it. It's actually Adobe. I think a lot of designers use Adobe. I know a lot of people nowadays use Canva, but I'm not trying to downplay people who use Canva or anything.
00:19:15
Speaker
Yeah, like Canva, you could just like pick a template and then you have your design on Adobe's like from scratch. So you do everything from scratch. Adobe Illustrator, yeah.
00:19:29
Speaker
Yeah. It's, I actually started off on Microsoft word. Yeah. I use Microsoft words for all my designs efforts. And it's really difficult to use Microsoft word. We were trying to design things because it's just like a word document thing. So yeah, it wasn't until maybe like a year or two after we were in creative that I started focusing more on Adobe illustrator.
00:19:55
Speaker
But yeah, I just kind of taught myself on YouTube, through YouTube, self taught. So it was all through YouTube, IG, a lot of IG, like, you know, how they always teach on IG. So it was mostly like all the self taught stuff. Wow. Yeah, I'm so clueless. I know if you're anything like me, you're going to want to
00:20:17
Speaker
If you're not, if you're driving, if you're stopped, go on your Instagram right now. Creative AIM, so A-M-M-E, go check out her work. It's freaking crazy. That's why I've been dying for you to come to this podcast. But how would you describe your style?
Creative AIM's Growth and Style
00:20:32
Speaker
Uh, probably whimsy, whimsy, whimsy, pretty, sparkly, um, glittery. That's like pink. That's, that's like my whole vibe is like, I love pink. I love glitter. I love iridescent. That's just, that's who I am. Um, yes. And whimsy, ethereal. Um,
00:20:55
Speaker
Yeah, that's, that's my style. Oh, and watercolor, watercolor. I love everything watercolor. So if I can add watercolor to any of my designs, I would, that's, that's what I do like 24 seven. If I could, it would let me do watercolor everything. I would do that. I love watercolor. How would you describe like the parties that you do, the events that you do? And I guess what does your business look like today?
00:21:26
Speaker
Oh my gosh, we've grown so much from doing little parties to big extravagant parties to like corporate company parties now that we work a lot with like name brands now, like custom Migos, Stoney Clover, Tarte. So yeah, like we get to be part of their amazing events. But I do miss like doing, you know, like the little parties too, because then
00:21:56
Speaker
you kind of start off from scratch. Like you don't know what you're going to do, you know, like versus like the brands, they, they have their logos, they have their set artwork already versus like the parties. Like you, is it going to be, you don't know, is it going to be a blue theme or is it going to be like a, what is it? Luca, a Luca theme. Yeah. Or like, um, what was it or LOL doll theme? Like, yeah, like,
00:22:23
Speaker
you don't know what kind of party you're going to get and then you just start from scratch. So I think that's like the fun part that I miss is that like I can like design from scratch and put colors together and kind of make it like my style. Cause you know, if nobody loves an LOL theme, like the basic polka dot and pink. Yeah, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, lovers, but.
00:22:51
Speaker
I had a client this past weekend that wanted an LOL theme and I could not for the life of me make it like you know the polka dot black and hot pink and I was like I can't do it so I made it with like the pastels and like watercolor I was like can we do it this way and then like luckily the client loved it so we're rolling with that.
00:23:12
Speaker
Oh, I love that. Oh my god. Okay, one more question before hot topic. But what is like your best heck yes technique or anything heck yes related. I think that like the heck yes from our clients is because like the design the design work we are original like we don't copy other people's work. We start from scratch and take
00:23:37
Speaker
the client's words of what they want and build from there. And I think that's kind of what's important. Listening to your client to see what they want, but also putting a part of myself and my craft into it to give them the heck yes. And I think that's what clients love, or are clientele anyway.
00:23:57
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like when people just copy everyone else like the boho studio or the dark and moody and everyone's just starting to look the same, it's actually harder to put clients. Overall, I think you have to kind of stand true to who you are and I could I told you and I told the audience today like
00:24:17
Speaker
I feel like you're in a league of your own. You're telling me that it's competitors, but I have no idea because I see your work and it really shines and it really stands out. So no one else would be like in my viewpoint, my window. So whatever you said, that was spot on, but let's get into it. What is your hot topic today and why is it so near and dear to your heart? Oh, the hot topic, the hot topic for me is to stay true to yourself.
00:24:44
Speaker
Stay true to yourself and don't copy other people. Just stay true to yourself and own your own work and figure out what is it that makes it you. Yeah, let's dive a little bit deep into that. So I guess the first question would be who maybe described
00:25:13
Speaker
who you are versus other people. I know the design is different. It's unique. What are other differentiators to your business? I don't know. I think it's also because I'm not scared to use different materials. I love to think outside the box. How can I make this different from everybody else?
00:25:42
Speaker
those listeners, if you guys ever, if you guys go onto my Instagram, um, I think the first post that I have on there is pinned and it was like a, a Barbie invitation where I actually had it filled with water. So each person, um, had an invitation with water and when they got it, they were like, Oh my God, this is so cool because it's a pole and there's water in there with like 3d, um, stairs on there. So I think, um,
00:26:09
Speaker
Yeah, I love to think outside the box and see how I can be innovative and different from other people. Oh, so interesting. And I feel like probably as your business evolves, and you have more years under your belt, you just get like more creative and more creative and start thinking of different things to keep, you know, yourself motivated as well. Okay, since the topic is how to stay true to yourself. I know it's a little bit hard in the beginning to actually know who you are,
00:26:38
Speaker
Do you have any tips and tricks to find out who you really are in the beginning? Oh, that's hard. I mean, because it was hard for me in the beginning as well, you know, like I wasn't sure I didn't have a style. I just kind of like did what everybody else did. Also, you know, so but I think it was it was a it was a stop comparing myself to everybody else that made me kind of stay in my own lane and figure out what I wanted to do and what
00:27:08
Speaker
what represented me. So yeah, I definitely stopped scrolling and comparing myself and the inspiration that I drew from was mostly like just like ethereal pictures, like a lot of ethereal pictures and photos. I look at a lot of architecture.
00:27:29
Speaker
Yeah, mostly a lot of other designers, but designers that are in like different industries, like the architectural industries. Like I know there was like hot pink pineapples. She's actually, I don't actually, she's an artist. Yeah, you could say that she's an artist, but she does mostly like home DIYs and stuff like that. And in the beginning, I definitely drew from her, like I drew inspiration from her and she would do things like to,
00:27:57
Speaker
she would make like things for her house. And I was like, I could do that into a sign, you know? And yeah, so I drew a lot of things from architects. So architectural designers and stuff like that. And just stuck with that. And the rest has been history because when you start like comparing yourself to other people, it's like, you get stuck in this hole and it's like, it gets really hard for you to like get out of it. So that's why I tried to like,
00:28:25
Speaker
not even scroll through Instagram like that anymore. Crazy. Yeah, I would I feel the same way. I would start scrolling and I would actually get confused. I'm like, Oh, shoot, like it's mine not good enough. It's better to just kind of like have your vision, stick with it and then get creative on your own terms. Let's talk about taking the plunge to
00:28:48
Speaker
go full time and even bringing your hubby along, which is a really cool story. But I think when me and you went to, was it Curate? What was the workshop that we went to together?
00:29:01
Speaker
Oh, create, cultivate. Yeah, create, cultivate. I think you were still working then. I think so. Yeah. So yeah, what made you take the plunge to just go full time because that's pretty risky to leave a really good job and then bringing your heavy along. Oh, yeah.
00:29:19
Speaker
Well, Ted has always been there from the get go. He was, because I didn't know how to manage the laser machine because he does all the production. I just do the designs and the social media and talking to the clients. But yeah, it was hard. It actually took me two years to
00:29:38
Speaker
finally take the plunge and take creative aim full-time because I worked for the county and there's nothing that beats their insurance, their pension, none of that. I had to think about those things for my family as well because I was like, what are we going to do with insurance? What are we going to do with this and that? It was like a constant paycheck.
00:30:07
Speaker
It was really hard for me. So, yeah, like I said, it took two years. I think I took like medical leave from there because I was still getting paid, you know, but I was on medical leave so I could focus on creative aim. And I was like, okay, I gotta go back to work because it was like, I think it was like seven months or something. I was like after Emory was born or something. And then I went back to work and I was like, oh no, I can't do this.
00:30:35
Speaker
I'm going to quit. So I was like, but I couldn't quit. So then I was like, I took another medical leave after I was working for like a whole month or month or three months or something. And then I went back a medical leave and then, um,
00:30:47
Speaker
And then the industry is always up and down. So then when I was down, that's when I was like, oh, I got to go back to work again. And then the last straw was when they were asking way too much of me. You know how those things where the good ones always do the most and the lazy ones, they don't do anything? Exactly.
00:31:11
Speaker
And the good ones take their work. So that was me. I would take other people's work too. So I was like, okay, I had enough. I'm just going to focus on creative aim and I quit. I was like, no. I think if it was treated better than maybe I would have still stayed. But I think it's because of the respect and the way we were just like a number in the nursing career that I was just kind of like, you know what? My life
00:31:41
Speaker
And quality of life is more important than how they treated me. So I was like, I'm getting out of here. Yeah. Did you feel like your business really exploded more after you quit and put all your effort into your
Focusing Solely on Creative AIM
00:31:58
Speaker
business? Walk me through that.
00:32:01
Speaker
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Speaker
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00:32:56
Speaker
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00:33:21
Speaker
Yes. Oh, my gosh. So actually, initially, we were working out of our garage for, I think, three or four years. And then we finally decided to get a warehouse, I think, like two years ago. It's actually been not very long, like two, three years ago. But only because I've had so many friends who do the same thing and their house burned down.
00:33:46
Speaker
Or like their little shed that they were working in burned down. And then like, you know, insurance doesn't cover that. So that totally freaked me out. I was like, we got to get a space. I don't care if we're trying to get into it. We got to get a space or whatever, you know? So then, yeah, as soon as we got the space, like I felt like, yeah, creative aim blew up like instantly.
00:34:12
Speaker
And then to answer your question, as soon as I quit nursing, yeah, we've been the busiest, the busiest that we've ever been. It's true. When you let go of one thing,
00:34:27
Speaker
something else is going to like carry you. And yeah, it was probably the best thing that happened to us. That's amazing. Let's talk about sales a little bit. I know you said tan your hubby he does like he actually makes it and you're like the designer. Tell me walk me through like your sales hat. Like are you is it only networking any relationships or do you actually like reach out to people or
00:34:54
Speaker
how did you get your foot in to these corporations and big larger events? I'm very curious. Yeah, I think it was just like network and just through Instagram.
00:35:09
Speaker
I know that with Stoney Clover, that was kind of like through networking of some sort because they had just opened their store in Newport and we did a menu for Pacific Organic Pops. That's one of our girlfriend's stores and I made a sign for them and then I DM them because they tagged, they re-tagged us and I was like, oh my gosh, I would love to like do like all the acrylic signs for you.
00:35:31
Speaker
And they were like, yes, we loved it so much. And then, yeah, they started reaching out to us and then asked for our partnership and we're like, heck yes. Wow. And that's how it all started. It was through Stoney Clover and the rest was history. We just got more and more branded clients. I don't know necessarily if it was from Stoney Clover, but I know that
00:35:53
Speaker
for Cosomegos, they somehow found us through Instagram. I think after I did Kim Kardashian's Chicago's party was when Cosomegos, that's how Cosomegos found us. Yeah, a lot of the parties is through word of mouth, sorry, not parties, clients are through word of mouth and stuff.
00:36:14
Speaker
Wow. So do you, do you even like blog or like pin it's all through Instagram? Yeah. Which is upsetting right now because my Instagram isn't working. Yeah. Like I can do it through the website, but I still can't like repost anybody's posts or stories. So I don't know. I think it happened ever since the, there was a meta shut down or the, when the meta wasn't working like three weeks ago and hasn't been working ever since then. So.
00:36:45
Speaker
Oh, crazy. Yeah. Mine's super glitchy too, so I can't follow anyone. Oh yeah. See, it's so strange. I know. I feel bad. I'm like, I swear, like I want to follow you, but I can't. Yeah. Yeah. I can't. I can't repost anyone's stories.
00:37:00
Speaker
I can just like and comment and add people, but that's about it. I can't repost any, anything actually. Um, unless I like save it to my, my phone and then upload it. Oh my God. It's so annoying. Okay. Before you, before you, that Instagram was working. Um, what's like your mindset with Instagram? Is it like reels based? You having any tips and tricks for the listeners or is it just posting pretty pictures and tagging everyone?
00:37:28
Speaker
Yeah, I would just say posting pretty pictures, definitely the carousels, doing the multiple pictures and tagging everyone, hopefully hoping that the other people will repost your stuff. And Reels, yeah, I heard that Reels, especially if you're going to be teaching, Reels is the best thing.
00:37:51
Speaker
to do and grow your your Instagram because Everybody wants to learn and I that's what I've noticed the realized to down there We're talking about it is because like a lot of my reels have not been doing great but the best one that that did so amazingly well was the one that I was actually teaching some
00:38:13
Speaker
teaching people how to make the fringe fast.
Teaching and Brand Growth through Reels
00:38:17
Speaker
I think it's like the teaching that everybody wants. I mean, that's why people love TikTok because they could go on there to learn stuff too. I think it's the learning from the girls that will make your brand grow.
00:38:31
Speaker
Oh, interesting. Okay. So any final questions or final tips and tricks about staying true to yourself before we go into rapid fire questions? Um, just yeah, just stay true to yourself. Um, own your, your work and don't let the outside noise, like, um, mess with you. Just focus on your, your own stuff. Focus, stay in your lane, focus on your own stuff and build that creativity.
00:39:00
Speaker
I love it. Okay. Graphified questions. Favorite tip and trick for working with your spouse? Oh my God, there's none. There is none. I mean, you're always going to fight. You're going to be you're together 24 seven. So you're always going to fight. Just just don't take it personal.
00:39:21
Speaker
Oh, that's a good one. That's it. That's a good mantra for life. Don't take things personal. I think it was like one of the four agreements of business. What is your favorite your mom of two your favorite boss mom packer time hack?
00:39:36
Speaker
Time hack do everything before the kids come to come back from school So I try to do all my work from like eight to One and then again back in the day. I would do everything at night. So I would stay up to like midnight just My work at the time Emma was my memory was so little so I would do it when you would go to sleep or they're napping and
00:40:00
Speaker
Yeah. So just do it when they're not here or else you're not going to do it. Yeah. You got to be present. Um, and let's see if you, coach the question, if you had a magic wand, where would you see your business in three months, 90 days? Oh my gosh. If I had a magic wand, I would be like, um, opening like another location that like in the South Bay or something, actually the South Bay is where I wanted to like make another office, but.
00:40:27
Speaker
That would be like my wish. Oh, yeah, closer to me. Awesome. Okay, and then I guess last question. Speak to anybody in professionals that feel like they're struggling to just get leads or to make their business happen. Like speak to their hearts. What would you tell them to inspire them today just to get off their butts and make their business pop in and be the go to vendor?
00:40:52
Speaker
I would just tell you to don't give up. I didn't give up. There's so many people that will give up after like five times of not getting clients. But honestly, there's so many people in this world like don't give up. Do it 10 times. Do it 20 times. You're going to get it. You're going to get whatever client you want, your dream client. Just do it. Or else you're going to regret it if you don't do it. So just do it. That's basically it.
00:41:20
Speaker
Yes, I failed a thousand thousand thousand million times in the coaching business. So, um, but I always tell people I'll never ever give up. So well said, Melissa. It was great having you on. Where can everyone find you? And you have a little, um, generous offer for our heck yes listeners. Yeah, I definitely do. So, you know, if you want to get something from us, um,
00:41:44
Speaker
through our website, you can definitely use Carissa's code. Carissa, what did I put on there? Carissa 20? Carissa 15. Oh, okay. Let's just show you to 20. Yeah. 20. Yeah, to our website if you want anything.
00:42:05
Speaker
gift cards or even to order like stir sticks or cake toppers or whatever you want. Or just if you have a personal order, just send us an email. Yay. This is great. And then Instagram handle. Creative AIM. A-M-M-E. Yay. Thank you, Melissa. This is great. You did a great job. Thank you. Thank you for having me. This is like my first podcast. I'm like, ah. You did great.
00:42:34
Speaker
Thanks for joining me this week on Get a Heck Yes with Carissa Wu. Make sure to follow, subscribe, leave a review, or tell a friend about the show. Take a screenshot and post to IG. Tag me. Also, don't forget to download my free guide on how to become a lead generating machine. See you next time, wedding pros!