Growing in Greeley, Part One
Author: Erica McCary, owner of Goodlight Creative
I am someone who tends to over-communicate, and it's probably what makes me good at my job. I want everyone to be aware of the process, what they will receive, how long it will take, and I keep them updated throughout. This is how I make sure that everyone is taken care of, and I'm very transparent about it.
In that same spirit of over-communicating, I have had many people ask me about my goals with Goodlight Creative. So, let's start with what I do. My name is Erica and I am the owner of Goodlight Creative.
My background is in graphic design, and I went to design school when digital work was not yet being taught (I swear I am not that old!). After graduation, I immediately landed a job as a publication designer in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and later moved to Colorado, where I worked in design agencies as a graphic designer.
Despite experiencing burnout, I kept going and eventually received interest from clients who wanted me to freelance. In 2021, I decided to leap, and Goodlight Creative was officially registered as an LLC. Over the years, I have had a steady stream of client work which varies greatly as I haven't niched down in a specific category or clientele.
In the summer of 2023, there was a shift in the world of UX, an industry that I had become integrated into. 90% of my day-to-day work involved leading user research, creating user flows and wireframes, prototyping, and collaborating with customer experience teams to develop digital products. However, I noticed the shift when many of my colleagues were laid off, leading to a very competitive job market. It was at this time that I realized I needed to start thinking about my future and apply my focus on an area that I had not previously explored.
Greeley, Colorado.
Why Greeley? I’ve lived in Greeley for 10 years and it’s home. It’s not a big city, and I like that it doesn’t take long to get from one place to another. There are incredibly nice people here who have become like family. And I want to support the big and small businesses, the entrepreneurs, the dreamers, and doers in northern Colorado.
So what have I been doing to grow my design agency in Greeley? I'd like to share my experience with you in hopes that it can help others. In part two of this blog series, I’ll explain what efforts I am taking to grow in Greeley.