Get To Know Kelley Gibson, Director of Web Development & Co-owner of Inkling Design | Canadian Business Owner Spotlights by Kelsey Reidl, Marketing Consultant.
Meet Kelley Gibson!
Director of Web Development & Co-owner of Inkling Design,
Helping business owners with graphic design and website projects since 2004.
Welcome to our Canadian Business Owner Spotlight Series hosted by me… Kelsey Reidl (Business & Marketing Consultant).
In this series, I'll be catching up with the most talented, generous & inspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners in Canada & beyond.
Enjoy learning more about these wonderful humans, and give them a ‘follow’ or get in touch in order to collaborate with them + work with them.
-Kelsey
The TL;DR for Kelley Gibson of Inkling Design.
At Inkling Design, we help visionary founders and heart-centered business owners turn their inkling into impact through dynamic branding and unforgettable custom websites. We believe in excellence and creating results, but never at the expense of kindness and respect.
Okay, let’s get to know Kelley!
Name
Kelley Gibson
Profession / Title
Director of Web Development & Co-owner
Business Name
Inkling Design
Industry / Niche
Graphic Design and Website Design & Development
My Business Was Founded In
Inkling Design has been running in its current form since my business partner Andrea and I partnered up in 2018, but Andrea originally started Inkling Design in 2004 and we have been collaborating on projects since 2012.
Current Location
Collingwood, ON.
3 words you would use to describe yourself…
Kind.
Reliable.
Friendly.
Tell us more about your business
We work primarily with women-led, mission-driven service businesses and nonprofits (many in the health & wellness space) who need their website and brand to finally match how far they've come. Andrea leads brand strategy and design while I lead the technical build and development side.
A typical week is a mix of client strategy calls, sales calls, hands-on design and development work, and managing our small team of designers and developers. Most new clients come to us through referral, which we're genuinely grateful for and don't take lightly.
In one or two sentences, what specific problem does your business solve for your clients?
We provide high quality branding and web design and development work that helps our clients connect with their community, elevate their brand and position them as a leader in their industry. We deliver results that feel true to each client and their mission.
Recent milestone you've celebrated in your business
We celebrated 8 years in business together this past February!
What is a recent investment you’ve made in your business
Last year we worked with Kirsten Schmidtke to improve our sales process. It was important to us that the sales process did not feel pushy, but that we were doing a good job of speaking to our expertise and how we can assist clients. This was an area where we both felt we were lacking confidence and where having an ironed out process would help simplify things.
What changed after that investment? Why do you see it as an investment, not an expense?
We learned so much valuable information from Kirsten and now have a sales process that feels more intentional and better represents our business. We’ve ironed out our touch points and drafted out our common messaging, which has sped up our response time as well. This was truly an investment and not an expense because it has helped us save time and land more clients.
What would you tell a new entrepreneur who's considering investing in the same thing, but is hesitant?
If you're on the fence, ask yourself what confidence is actually costing you right now. For us, it wasn't just the leads we might be losing, it was the energy spent second-guessing ourselves on every discovery call. The investment paid for itself in time saved alone, but the bigger shift was no longer dreading the sales conversation.
Now for some fun stuff!
Always…
Always lead with kindness and empathy.
Never…
Never be afraid to ask for help or guidance from others when you need it (in business or in life!)
Advice for other entrepreneurs, who are slightly less far along…
Don't discount your value while you're building. It's tempting to lower your prices to attract clients, but your expertise and your time are worth what they're worth, and you have a business to run, not a hobby to subsidize. Charge accordingly. The right clients will pay for it.
What is a tool, resource, podcast, book or person you’ve invested in that’s added value to your entrepreneurial journey
We have been fortunate to be part of a number of great female entrepreneur communities, and the support we’ve received and friendships we’ve made with other members has been so valuable. The High Vibe Women events, Mamas & Co community, and Women Who Freelance Directory (just to name a few!) have allowed us to make some great connections. We have worked with a number of people we met through these groups to continue levelling up our business.
Favourite way to wind down after a long workweek
In the summer, heading out for ice cream with my kids. In the winter, you’ll find me on the ski slopes!
Before starting my workday, I make sure to…
Get in a good workout and take my dog for a walk to help clear my head and get my energy up.
Best part of my work is…
Helping people feel less intimidated and stressed about maintaining and working with their website.
Last vacation you took (and where did you go)
A week at a cottage on Georgian Bay in Tiny, ON with my extended family. Next up is a Disney Cruise with my kids!
