We are excited to get to know Kath Grimmitt of Grimm Designs. She is from Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, and has been in business for 12 years.
Kath, why don’t you start by telling us what your dream life looks like? Are you currently living in it?
It’s coming along nicely. I bought my dream home in December and although there is a lot to do, I’m so excited by the adventure that this brings.
I’ve been in business a long time and branding specifically for 5 years. I’m really getting into the flow of how I want to work and how I help my clients now. I love that business is a constant journey and things flow and change so I’m sure there will be twists and turns along the way, but where I am right now… I’m pretty happy with that!
Congrats on purchasing your dream home! That’s exciting! Tell us more about what you do and who you help.
I’m an Intuitive Branding Magician for heart lead entrepreneurs. Through a more holistic approach to branding, I guide my clients through connection and visualization to curate brands built on values, integrity and intuition.
I believe in creating a brand experience that goes beyond visuals to create genuine and authentic brands that connect with real humans to do good in this world.
I help entrepreneurs with service and kindness in their hearts to build meaningful brand foundations (visually and ethically) so that they can shine at what they do best by being themselves, with integrity, solid values and confidence to help others and do good in the world.
The mission and story that fuels me is that we are so often told what we “should” and “shouldn’t” be doing in business.
We’re told what success looks like and we often get lost in comparison paralysis or impostor syndrome in both and follow what others are telling us we should be doing rather than being clear, confident and taking mindful action forward in our businesses.
Too long have we been told to quiet that inner voice that is guiding us and what we should be doing is finding clarity and confidence from within and then using all those tools, resources, coaches, courses and outside information to build what we want from an empowered and clear place of what we’re working towards and THAT is what intuitive branding is all about.
I worked in the fashion industry for just over 12 years as a fashion designer for the UK high street AND running my own fashion business.
Staying true to my values, and intuition and knowing what is “right” for me moved me into helping others by doing what I do now.
I’ve navigated the intense world of the fashion industry, running my own fashion label to becoming an intuitive branding designer through trusting my own intuition and learning along the way.
It’s so easy to trust and follow others on what is right for us and what will build us success. But we also need to trust ourselves and help others in our own way to make the magic happen and do good in the world.
So you are the Intuitive Branding Magician. I love that! Can you explain the difference between visuals and a full branding experience?
Branding is SOOOOO much more than your visuals.
What a lot of people don’t think about is that your brand is both internal and external. If you think about an iceberg, above the water are the visual elements that everyone sees, marketing, logo, website, colors, customer interaction, sales, promotion, etc.
Underneath the water is all the stuff that people don’t see, values, vision, strategy, your client experiences, KPIs, funnels, programs, services and ALL of that is JUST as important to consider when building a brand aligned with your vision and values.
What does your customer experience look like? Make sure that it aligns with your values because if you like high touch but you’ve automated everything, it’s going to feel off for you.
Like your team to do things a certain way but don’t have any SOPs or direction in place? Let’s get that sorted out.
The more aligned your WHOLE business is to your values and vision the more EASE you have in your business. That doesn’t mean there’s no hard work, it just means that your business works in alignment with what you’re trying to achieve rather than making it more difficult!
I can tell that you are very passionate about your work. What inspired you to get started?
I have service in my heart. I always have and I know I always will.
Helping others LIGHTS ME UP! But more importantly, seeing the change and confidence that I can help others achieve by being themselves is just MAGIC, and what is more powerful than that?
While I had my first business, I started to feel that my contribution and the way that I was helping others just wasn’t enough for me… so I started working with other local makers that I was connected with on helping them to create a strong brand that they were connected to.
Because THAT, I knew how to do effortlessly and it was just the magic spark I’d been missing. With that experience and such great design experience, I then decided it was time to stop my fashion business and start my new branding path.
I worked for a business coach as their branding development and client support liaison for 2 years prior to starting my own branding agency.
I learned not just about the importance of the coaching work for coaching businesses but all the back end and invisible work and JUST how much of a difference connection to self, your values, and your vision IS REALLY the special sauce that makes you, you.
After two years I decided to go out on my own to help all different types of businesses connect with the power of themselves & I haven’t looked back.
You’ve been in business for over a decade. What is a challenge you’ve faced along your entrepreneurial journey?
Impostor syndrome and perfectionism for sure!
They’re both a work in progress but I’m focusing on taking messy action and taking small steps to get more visible and help more people this year.
It’s an ongoing thing but at every point, you can look back and see how far you’ve come and I think that’s pretty damn magical.
How has being an introvert affected your business?
I have bursts of energy when I need to be around people to help and connect. And I have times when I need to be under a blanket and hide away from the world.
I need both online interaction AND in-person interaction BUT I don’t necessarily need to be 1:1 with my clients in person (and can’t because they’re all over the world). I like to go to a co-working space or a coffee shop once a week.
I can put my headphones on and concentrate but don’t actually have to talk to anyone. Which gives me the connection and collective energy but without getting awkward, burnt out or having to “psych myself up” for human interaction. I can save that for my client calls and socializing.
Listening to what I need and having a flexible schedule allows me to do that. And it works for me.
How do you attract new clients?
I’m really enjoying doing virtual summits and podcasts right now. I can talk about intuitive branding all day long.
Talking to a small group or with someone 1:1 with a cup of tea in hand is easy and fun for me. I can then have rest and recovery time between these AND I show up on stories when I feel like I want to.
I don’t pressure myself into social media, because I hate the content creation hamster wheel. Instead, I show up when I have something to say and my 9 grid takes care of the rest.
The other things I use are a GREAT referral network and networking at a few events a month.
So it sounds like attending networking events is a part of your marketing strategy. How does that help you?
Yes absolutely! It helps me connect to the right people and I REALLY come alive when I talk about what I do, which doesn’t always come across when you’re reading a post or newsletter.
How do you define success for yourself and your business?
Freedom, flexibility, and consistent income.
Do you have any advice for other introverted women who are just starting their own businesses?
TRUST YOUR GUT!! Find a way that allows you to do what you want, HOW you want. Stop listening to what you “should” be doing and work out ways to do it YOUR WAY.
Thank you for taking the time to share your story, Kath. Where can our readers find more information about you?
www.instagram.com/grimmdesigns.ltd
Photo credits: Abigail Apollonio Photography
