Name: Dana Severson
Company: IDesignYourLogo.com
Location: We’re all over the place, but if you must pin us down, it’s Minneapolis, Chicago and Jacksonville.
Founded: Launched on March 1st, 2010
1. What is I design Your Logo?
We are a social-driven logo design firm that designs one logo a day for one company a day. We start each day with a blog post, then spend the rest of the day talking about the logo and company on Facebook and Twitter. Not only are we helping businesses create new identities, we’re also helping them build social equity. What’s really unique is our pricing model. We started on March 1st by only charging $2, increasing each day by only $2 more. On March 1st, 2011, it will start all over again at $2.
Using the pricing model that we have, we’ve allowed small businesses to receive a professionally designed logo for a very reasonable price. Most of these companies would have never been able to afford the services we’re offering under a standard design firms’ business model. The pricing structure is such that, the companies that purchase the days in the latter part of the year, subsidize the cost of the cheaper days. That said, even our most expensive day ($730) is a good deal.
2. Why did you decide to start your own company instead of working for someone else?
Well, technically we all still work for someone else. The goal is to be working the business full time, but that takes time. IDesignYourLogo.com has three partners, all of which have entrepreneurial backgrounds. Our experience has taught us not to be too quick to jump the steady ship, even if calm waters are in the forecast.
3. What do you like about having your own business? What do you dislike?
We have a really fun business. It’s really not work, we’re having a blast doing it. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. But, as entrepreneurs, it’s always nice to be able to make your own decisions as well. There’s nothing worse for an entrepreneur, than to be micro-managed.
What do we dislike? Well, we could use some more sleep.
4. How do you use the internet and social media to promote your business?
Our entire business is built around the internet and social media. We are built around having meaningful conversations with our clients and those who enjoy what we’re doing. I mean, first and foremost we’re providing a service. But, after that, it’s about entertaining and engaging with an audience. We’re taking a service-oriented business model and making it into a media company. Using social media, we’re creating an entertainment company of sorts, where our audience participates in the action. It’s branded content at it’s finest.
I’ll also mention that, if businesses aren’t using social media to create conversations, they shouldn’t be using it at all. Twitter and Facebook, for example, shouldn’t be looked at as an alternative to direct mail, they’re vehicles for getting closer to your customers.
5. What advice can you give to other young entrepreneurs?
As Nike puts it best, “Just do it”. Most people don’t realize their dreams, because they never act on them. Half the battle is actually doing something with your idea. You don’t ever want to wonder what would have happened if you gave your idea a shot.
Links: www.idesignyourlogo.com, twitter, facebook
Love the creativity. This is very original!