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Ella, founder of graphic design business Ella Grieves Designs, spoke to us about life after university in the corporate world, why 2021 was the year to start her new business, and her love for typography in this interview. The team at GoInspire adored Ella's work from the first look - including her typography on our cover and having the fantastic opportunity to speak to her about the beginnings of her business.
GI: What made you break from the corporate world? What wasn’t working for you that is working for you now? How has it changed/improved your life?
EG: It’s safe to say it was something I’d known I needed to do for a while. I joined a graduate level job after University because it seemed to be the right thing to do, looking back I didn’t really know any different. It wasn’t all bad and I genuinely did enjoy it for a little while, but once the reality of ‘this is it’ set in, it was hard to escape that mindset. I was feeling totally unfulfilled both mentally and creatively, which made me really unhappy. I felt trapped in this vicious cycle of working all week, wishing my days away, counting down the seconds until the weekend, being hungover when that time came, and then doing it all over again. The ‘Sunday Scaries’ became an obligatory norm where I’d spend most of the day feeling this awful dread in the pit of my stomach. Not to mention the impact it was having on my physical health too. I was drinking & smoking pretty much every day plus eating awfully. My skin suffered terribly because of these habits which further added to my unhappiness. Overall, as someone who thrives in creative space, being stuck at a desk doing the same thing over and over every day was mind-numbing and it was time to do something about it. It took me almost a year of contemplation to pluck up the courage and make the jump, but when I finally did, it was honestly the most liberating feeling I’ve ever experienced! I remember how I felt coming off of that phone call so vividly- pure relief! I moved back in with my parents, spent 6 months studying like I never have before, and launched my business in June 2021.
Fast forward a year, and the difference to my life and headspace is monumental. I now live back in London with my partner and puppy and run my business from home. Since starting Ella Grieves Designs I’ve been featured and stocked in Stylist Magazine, had my work appear in a gallery in Amsterdam, advertised my business across the London Underground and most recently signed with my first in-store retailer! It really is amazing what can happen in a short amount of time and I do have to pinch myself when I think about how far I’ve come. I love my business and am proud of what I do. It’s given me the freedom, confidence, skills and knowledge to work when I want and on my terms. There’s also no stress over hierarchy, micromanagement, career progression, promotions- the options for me are endless and I’m it’s exciting to think about where I could be in 5/10 years from now.
GI: Is there a message that you want to convey in your designs?
EG: Although all of my designs are quite different from one another, I like to aim for positive, bold and uplifting themes throughout. If I had to choose an overall message, I’d say ‘Be yourself and have courage’ – these are the two important ingredients that go into Ella Grieves Designs. It took me a while to gain these aspects for myself- thinking about it now, perhaps portraying them through my work helped me get there!
GI: What made you want to break away from traditional signwriting?
EG: It was more to do with timing than anything. I finished University and immediately felt that pressure to go to London and get a job like most of my peers seemed to be doing. This was also something I fully wanted to do at the time. I’d always wanted to experience living and working in London as it’s my favourite place and I’ll never regret doing so. I was 22, didn’t want to settle back in the countryside with my family and so just took the first job that came along. I still live and work in London- it just so happens I’m doing something completely different to what I’d ever imagined doing- which turns out to be way more up my street!
Furthermore, as much as I loved the traditional side of signwriting, I’d always had more of an interest in the graphics side of typography and feel like that’s where my more natural talent lies. Learning the Adobe Suite broadened my opportunities massively. I’ve still got a lot to learn but most of it comes as second nature to me now.
GI: Do you try to keep elements of traditional signwriting in your work or do you prefer a clean break away from your past career?
EG: I think it’s fair to say that if it wasn’t for my time in signwriting I probably wouldn’t be doing what I am today. The job was where I first discovered my love for lettering & typography- it’s quite niche and it’s likely I might not have come across it again. I also know that my style now is very different to what it was back then. Most Artists’ style will grow and adapt with time anyway, it’s all about getting to a point where you’ve realised what you’re best at and what you love doing the most!
GI: What was it like setting up your own design business? Did you have a support network professionally or personally to help you through it?
EG: To put it bluntly, setting up your own business has to be one of the most challenging things you’ll ever do. For those who have done it themselves, know that it isn’t just sitting down to make pretty pictures and upload them to your Instagram all day (oh how I wish!). That’s genuinely about 2% of what’s involved. Without exaggeration, in those early days of setting up before the launch, there weren’t many days that I didn’t think about throwing in the towel. It’s amazing how many things can go wrong. For example, my laptop completely died on me 2 weeks before the launch. Everything was backed up luckily, however it meant sending it in for repair for a week which was a huge setback. I remember my Mum reassuring me that this was all just a test and that’ll I’ll be better off in the long run by dealing with these issues now rather than later. She was so right! After a while I learnt that every problem has a solution, there was no point stressing, and to just take a step back and address the problem in a calm way. Furthermore, I am so lucky to have an amazing support network around me. My family and partner backed me 100% from day 1 and I wouldn’t be where I am now without their support.
GI: Talk us through the process of getting the business off the ground, how did you take graphic design from bedroom to studio?
EG: When I say I started from scratch, I really mean it. I literally didn’t even own a desk- I used a bar stool and the top of my dressing table to rest my laptop on! I remember opening Adobe Illustrator for the first time and feeling completely overwhelmed. How on earth was I going to teach myself the Adobe Suite when I barely knew how to work Photoshop? In situations like these, you’ve got to start somewhere. I think I bought a starter course on Skillshare (or something similar) for about £15, and learnt all of the basics over the next couple of weeks. I picked it up pretty easily and began to love the program soon after. Once I was relatively comfortable with the fundamentals, I realised the best way to learn was by just going for it- so I started designing. I’d already sketched out around 25 designs in my pad and set myself a challenge of getting them all into graphics within the next two months. At the start this was gruelling. It involved living in my dressing gown, 14 hour days and a tonne of mistakes, but eventually I got to know the program really well and that’s when designing became fun. To be honest at the start my designs were a bit rubbish, but with practice I got quite good and that’s when I came up with the idea for the Rainbow Postcode. After releasing that, I noticed momentum really pick up and that’s when Stylist Magazine got in touch to stock my prints. I’d bought a desk by this point and had moved into the study, I remember the carpet was always covered in prints, paper and packaging- but I made it work and it was brilliant!
GI: Do you think it’s important to support other women in business?
EG: Yes, yes and yes! At the beginning of my business journey, I used to spend a lot of time comparing myself to the other incredible women artists & business owners on my feed. It wasn’t a healthy attitude to have and it took me a little while to realise that. With time my perspective completely changed and I now know how important it is to do nothing but praise & uplift one another! So much so, I even created a limited edition print that focuses on this exact concept. Another obvious benefit is friendship! I’ve met some amazing women & fellow business owners on this journey and it’s so lovely to know you’ve got someone who completely understands how difficult small business life can be!
GI: What are your main goals for Ella Grieves Designs? Where do you see yourself and the team in the next five years?
EG: Where do I begin?! I think over the next year I’m going to focus on the more passive income side of things by gaining the smaller high street stockists- I’d love to have another 5 or 6 by this time next year. I have actually been selected to attend a big trade show that I’m thinking about going for in 2023, which could be a great opportunity to expose myself to buyers from an array of stores. 5 years down the line, the absolute GOAL would be to work with retailers such as John Lewis and Oliver Bonas. This is something that’s a little hard to comprehend at the moment, but then I also thought that about advertising on the London Underground, and that happened! You just honestly never ever know.
Moreover, it would be amazing to eventually be able to expand the team and employ someone to help me with the admin side of things. This way, I can spend more time creating! Who knows how far off these things are for my business, but with time and hard work, I don’t see why they couldn’t someday.
GI: What would you say to a young woman starting out in the graphic design industry trying to forge their own path? Is there anything you’d want to tell your younger self?
EG: Firstly, it is definitely okay and normal to be absolutely terrified. It’s a tricky and competitive field to get into and you will naturally spend a lot of time comparing yourself to other designers. One quote that helped me get away from this is ‘comparison in the thief of joy’ by Theodore Roosevelt. This sums it up perfectly. Comparing ourselves completely takes away any approval of our own achievements- but why should we liken our stage one to somebody else’s stage 5? It’s easier said than done, but just try not to, spend that energy on building your own strengths, rather than focusing on others.
Lastly, if I could tell my younger self one thing, it would be to stop worrying about absolutely everything. I used to stress and get myself worked up about the most insignificant uncertainties that in the grand scheme of things, did not matter even slightly. If only we all knew then what we know now!
Thank you so much for making our amazing cover Ella! It was fantastic to speak with you!
See Ella's work here: https://www.ellagrievesdesigns.co.uk/
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