10 Questions with Caitlin Harrison

Reve Insiders is an exclusive network of global leaders, businesses, brands, professionals and creatives. Our 10 Questions Series is all about exploring what makes them tick. We find out how they are making a difference in the world we live in, or how they are making changes in their own lives to impact the lives of others. This week, we met with the amazing Caitlin Harrison. Caitlin helps business owners attract their ideal clients, using her expertise in graphic and web design. She’s also the owner and lead designer at Caitlin Harrison Creative, where she offers a range of services, including logo and visual branding, website design development, ongoing design needs and even website support.

REVE INSIDERS: Welcome Caitlin, it’s so good to have you on this episode. So let’s start with what first sparked your passion for graphic and web design, and what inspired you to launch Caitlin Harrison Creative?

Caitlin Harrison: Thank you so much for having me. I’m so excited to be here. So I have always been an art kid. Starting back in elementary school all through middle school and high school. I was always taking art classes instead of sports and things like that. So I learned in high school about the career of graphic design. And so I followed that to college, and I got a degree in graphic communications, and I spent most of my quote unquote corporate career before I launched my business in local print magazine publications – two different ones, and that really helps you wear a lot of hats, lots of design challenges to kind of take a lot of content and make it look beautiful. Like a lot of people, the pandemic hit in 2020, and I was ready for a change of pace and so I left that position and started my business here, where I just really love being able to help entrepreneurs show up and kind of tackle showing up authentically online because of how digital our world is.

REVE INSIDERS: That’s amazing. So you’re definitely all about empowering your clients through your work. How does that play out in real life projects and why is it such a cool part of what you do?

Caitlin Harrison: I think that I love empowering my clients because the visuals and the tech can feel overwhelming, particularly if you’ve been in business for a few years, and you either Diy, or kind of just get it up and running. Then you’re like, well, now what? And I love to be the voice that comes in and helps you take a look at it from the strategy side, and then the design piece, just to kind of think through what they need and where they’re trying to go. I always say that a strong visual brand really represents who you are and gives that know, like and trust factor to people when they visit you on your socials, on your email list, on your website, you know, across the board. If it’s a cohesive vision you’ll feel more confident and I love being able to empower my clients to go out and change the world.

REVE INSIDERS: That is so important. We’re really interested to know, what is the most fulfilling moment in your career thus far? Also, could you tell us about a project that left a lasting impression on you?

Caitlin Harrison: I think one of the surprising things about becoming an entrepreneur has been the personal development and the never ending quest to learn the next thing for myself, and then how I can share that with others. I had heard a quote once that was like, “become an entrepreneur, and do the most self work you’ve ever done in your whole life,” because you have to show up every single day in this business. And so I think that one of the biggest impacts is just how much I’ve changed and grown and then being able to share that with those around me. So, one project I think of is someone who had all these various characters and complex puzzles, and it was a subscription service selling mailed items, and there was a lot to navigate between what she had and where she was going and existing, branding and building a tool that she could use every single day. So, helping her feel empowered and feel like she knows that I’m in her corner, even now after the build is done, and she’s in my care plan in that way that I build you a tool, and I make sure that you know how to use it. And if you still have questions, I’m always here. And so that is a piece that really helps give me that reward, and then gives them that lasting impression that I’m not just gonna vanish after I build something, and you don’t know how to use it.

REVE INSIDERS: That is beautiful. You describe your superpower as building intuitive visions for businesses. How do you begin the process of actually understanding a client’s vision, and then translating it into design?

Caitlin Harrison: It starts with a lot of conversations. There’s a lot to kind of talk through and just listen. Sometimes I ask questions that don’t feel like they pertain to the project, like what’s your favorite color? But it’s that listening phase to help dig into what they’re trying to do, who they’re trying to serve and the more I listen, I think that the more I can sort of visualize things for them. I’ve definitely had clients say that the design, or the logo, or the whatever, comes out better than they could have ever imagined, and I think that is just something that comes natural to me, which is amazing. And then I like to try and find the right ways to speak to them so that they understand I’m not getting weighed down in the jargon of the design or the tech pieces where it’s like we’re working on just making it instinctual for them.

REVE INSIDERS: So when it comes to your client relationships, what does peace of mind mean to you? And how do you ensure that they feel confident throughout your design process?

Caitlin Harrison: I think that, as I mentioned before, it can feel really overwhelming to be hiring out this piece of your business, because again, it is like that quote unquote physical representation of what your business is, and so I want them to trust the process. I want to make sure that I am clear in the steps of where we are, and I have a phased approach, you know, making sure that the project management piece is also there, so that they don’t feel stressed or stuck anywhere. I also want to always make sure that they know that I’m going to be with them through the whole thing. I did have a client where we really struggled to find that vision. It was not coming as naturally for me to hear what she wanted, but we worked together, and I made sure that, along the way, we kept digging in and kept having the conversations that needed to be had to get her to a brand and a vision that she was really excited about. And so just really being that teammate, I think, helps them feel that confidence, and that peace of mind with the investment of working with me.

REVE INSIDERS: That is so true. Having that support structure is so important when you’re invested in building the visual aspect of your business. So in terms of navigating and balancing the creative and technical aspects of your work, especially when it comes to building something like a sales funnel which can be complex. How do you navigate that?

Caitlin Harrison: I always sort of say it’s that strategy-first, it’s those conversations, then the design is next, and the tech kind of comes at the end. I’m always kind of saying that I’m a designer-first and that my brain works on figuring out the tech or finding the answers. I am such a problem solver. So we usually start at the top, like what are we selling? What is the main call to action of the website, the funnel, whatever piece, and then kind of talking through what it needs to be, so that it can all work seamlessly and make sure that we’ve kind of covered all the pieces before we get in there and spend a lot of time being like, oh, we didn’t really think about this. I try and do it all up front, it doesn’t always happen, but the goal is to leave it simple.

REVE INSIDERS: It’s really important that you emphasize conversations because, with conversations, it’s a journey. It’s a process, and you’ve got to trust it and really talk through it. So tell us more about visual branding. This can feel like a mystery to many business owners. So again, how do you guide your clients to discover a look and feel that they’re actually excited about, and one that truly connects with their audience and community?

Caitlin Harrison: I always wanted to make sure it feels like an extension of them, even when it’s potentially more of a corporate client where it’s not necessarily, you know, like a personal brand. I want it to be something that they’re happy to send the link to their website when they meet someone or hand their business card out. And so, you know, guiding them through it involves conversations, involves looking at competition, involves pinterest, like all those little things where it’s like, just go out into the world and see what you like. I always say look for websites that aren’t even in your niche or your competition. I’ve had people share their target website, or like that is just so far from what they do, or the apple website gets shared a lot for that clean, confident design. That just shows me which direction they’re going and those little pieces hint towards where that brand should go.

REVE INSIDERS: Love that. This next question is exciting. What is an example of a challenging technical issue that you resolved and how did it impact your clients’ project?

Caitlin Harrison: So I had a restaurant client where their site was kind of out of date. They had put it up a bunch of years ago so a lot of things had broken, links misinformation, or even, I think, a couple of old locations like addresses all those different things and the user experience was really kind of clunky. There was just like a poor experience from top to bottom and so again they had branding established that was beautiful so it was just kind of coming at it from what I would want, particularly as someone visiting a restaurant site, thinking through and really refining how I think people would navigate. And I always kind of say I want to make sure that you’re covering the bases for multiple types of users.

This is a little bit more in sales page design than just like restaurant website design but you’ve got to think through who wants the quick answer? Who wants to read everything word for word? And who’s going to just like scroll real fast and get the gist. So you kind of want to be answering the design for all three of those kinds of people. And so, with restaurants, it’s like they want the hours or the address right away, or they want the menu, and want to be able to find that really fast so that’s, you know, fixing broken links and adding photos and things like that. So that really helped boost their business and now the amount of traffic that they get is just so much higher today than it was before.

REVE INSIDERS: Incredible. So your design philosophy leans toward clean and simple aesthetics. Why do you believe simplicity works so well in branding and web design and how do you think it benefits clients in general?

Caitlin Harrison: I think that there’s sometimes a misconception that, like simple design, is either not intentional or not complete. And I think that there’s almost a power in leaving it clean, and not adding too many extra doodads or extra design elements, just to like fill the space, white space, and breathing as you’re reading through a page or a lead magnet, or anything like that is really key to getting your message across really fast with minimal colors, really strong, and simple typography. It just helps your brain calm down in a very noisy world. So it helps you have a clear hierarchy, and so I always think that sometimes it’s even harder than it looks to have a simple design and be like, Nope, it is good, it is good exactly as it is, with like one or two, you know, little footprints, and stamps of their personality, but keeping it clean, just really helps build that instant connection, and that trust and credibility.

REVE INSIDERS: Totally agree. Just a little bit more on that question, this is not part of our official questions. Do you think that, including a lot more design and pictures and text actually weigh heavy on the website? And in terms of loading processes? Does that affect it at all?

Caitlin Harrison: It does, but there are definitely ways to make sure that you’re streamlining it, and that you’re prepared. So again, that’s part of the prep work of making sure that the images are optimized and that the build itself is optimized. It always comes back to that question of why are we doing something? So are we making it long to overcompensate? Or do we have enough that we really want to explain thoroughly, and finding that balance. And you know, I’m a visual person, so I love having great photos on a website. I always want to find that balance that covers all those bases.

REVE INSIDERS: That’s great. So finally, what is your advice that you would give to someone looking to streamline their business’s online presence, especially if they feel overwhelmed by tech challenges?

Caitlin Harrison: Don’t jump into a piece of tech just because everyone tells you, “you need it.” Always kind of take a step back and don’t get overwhelmed or distracted by the industry buzzwords, you know, SEO, automation, digital marketing. All of those things sound great but you know, it’s like, SEO is a very complicated thing, and like it works great for certain businesses, and it doesn’t work great for others, so really make sure that you’re focusing on what your core goal is for your website and for your business. Start there and then the tool or toolset that you need will kind of come to the front when you’re not focusing on, “I want to rank number one on Google, because some guy told me I needed to.”

REVE INSIDERS: That’s such a great advice. Thank you so much for that Caitlin. If you are looking for someone that is into website design and development or if your website needs maintenance and support, definitely get in touch with Caitlin and her business. Having that personalized support is an amazing thing to have, so if you’re a business owner and you’re reading this, this is your sign to speak with Caitlin. Caitlin, where’s the best place for them to get in touch with you?

Caitlin Harrison: On my website, there is always a discovery call link to just book a no-obligation consultation where we can just get on and kind of meet each other. See what you need. I offer various services all the way from like some consulting hours all the way up to that full build and design and management.

REVE INSIDERS: Perfect, and by the way, Caitlin’s website is amazing. So that should already be enough for you to book a call. This is the purpose of the 10 question series. It’s to really connect with global leaders, businesses, brands, professionals and creatives that are making an impact and changing businesses and lives. So thank you so much again, Caitlin, for your time. It was so wonderful having you here and we wish you all the best for the New Year ahead.

Caitlin Harrison: Thank you very much.

The best first step to working with Caitlin is through the Website Strategy Blueprint.