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Today we’d like to introduce you to Sirena Carpenter.

Sirena, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started Muse Creative in 2021 when I saw a common theme among so many small to medium-sized businesses around me who were struggling in the pandemic: a lack of understanding of the value and importance of investing in branding. I knew that my decade of experience working on large brands from concept through production was incredibly valuable and would have a major impact on smaller businesses’ success. I talked with many small business owners about their own understanding of branding as well as where and how they’ve accounted for branding and marketing in their budgets. I asked what their greatest challenges were when it came to sales and growing their business. It all came back to the same issue: branding. Thus, Muse Creative was born.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It’s certainly not been a smooth road. Branding is a difficult “sell” for small businesses- it’s this intangible thing that means everything and nothing at all, depending on who you ask. Too often, business owners view it as an expense and not an investment, and this becomes clear when you look closely at the various touchpoints of a business. Are they consistent? Are they cohesive? Are they telling a unified story? Unfortunately, a lot of the time, the answer is “no”. This is the result of a business trying to cut costs, and branding/marketing is the first place they do that. Instead, we see DIY solutions that aren’t very effective or “budget-friendly” designers who don’t have experience branding a business holistically and with strategy at the forefront.

A big part of my mission is to educate business owners, regardless of whether they become clients, on what branding is, why it’s so important, and what they should be looking for AND avoiding when it comes to sourcing branding support.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I wear a lot of hats, not only as a business owner but also as a designer.

I’d say my specialty is helping businesses at every touchpoint ensure that they are leaving the impression they want on their customers, telling a unified story that resonates with their audience and doing that as authentically as possible. So that means everything from creating the visual identity (logos, fonts, color palette, graphics, patterns), implementing that visual identity (interior/exterior spaces and signage, brochures, flyers, business cards, menus, websites, etc.), establishing a brand voice (the way that the business will “speak” to its customers over the phone, in person, and in digital correspondence such as email and social media) and everything else that helps give the “right” impression for that business, I’m there to help.

I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve built with my clients- that they trust me with their business, their life’s work is an honor. It can be a scary thing for them to give up a level of “control” and I don’t take it lightly. When clients return for additional work from me, it’s truly the highest praise. I think that’s also what sets me apart from others- the niche I’ve found and the holistic approach to branding a business, resulting in a long-term relationship with my clients, is different from most other branding solutions I’ve seen.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I would say for anyone just starting out to always remember your “why”. Why are you doing what you do? What’s the mission? There are going to be a lot of times when people tell you “no”, or things seem to fall apart. In those moments, it’s important to remember what it’s all for – your North Star, if you will. For me, I know that my mission is to help small businesses. It started as an idea, and after a year into the business, I have the data – and plenty of happy clients!- to confirm that what I’m doing is beneficial and profitable for businesses. My clients now stand out amongst the competition, are easily understood and remembered by their customers, and are more profitable because they invested in their branding. When I’m facing a lot of obstacles, I remember that what I’m doing matters and is important. This helps me persevere and ultimately succeed.

Along that same line of thinking, I’d say for people starting out to also know: There’s always a solution to a problem. No matter what, there IS a solution. I wish when I was starting my creative career I would have trusted that. Maybe it only comes from having a certain level of experience, but I promise you. In life, in work, in everything, there is a solution. It requires hard work, strategy, and oftentimes a bit of creativity, but if you can trust that there’s an answer to the problem you’re facing, it will save you a lot of heartaches. For any creatives starting out, you’re more than welcome to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Contact Info:

• Website: MuseCreativeCo.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/MuseCreativeCo
• Facebook: Facebook.com/MuseCreativeCo
• Twitter: twitter.com/Muse_CreativeCo