IAM1076- CEO Designs Brands That Evolve With You

Kate is the CEO, Founder, & Creative Director behind Tiger Bones Studio. A Washington DC area, brand, and web design studio for service-based entrepreneurs and product-based lifestyle and wellness businesses. Tiger Bones Studio designs brands that evolve with you so that you can focus on your impact.

• CEO Hack: (i) Book- You Are a Badass at Making Money (ii) Ellevest
• CEO Nugget: Pay attention to your role and life situation
• CEO Defined: Making an impact on the world

Website: https://www.tigerbonesstudio.com/

Instagram: @tigerbonesstudio

Full Interview:

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Transcription

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00:20 – Intro

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

00:47 – Gresham Harkless

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast, and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Kate Hennenkamp of Tiger Bones Studios. Kate, it's great to have you on the show.

00:58 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Hi. It's great to be here. Thanks so much for having me.

01:01 – Gresham Harkless

Definitely super excited to have you on. And before we jump into the interview, I want to read a little bit more about Kate so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. Kate is the CEO, founder, and creative director behind Tigerbone Studio, a Washington DC area brand, and web design studio for service-based entrepreneurs and product-based lifestyle and wellness businesses. Tigerbone Studio designs brands that evolve with you so that you can focus on your impact. Kate, great to have you on the show. Are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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01:32 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yes. I am. I'm excited.

01:34 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Well, let's do it then. So to kinda kick everything off, I wanted to rewind the clock a little bit and hear a little bit more about how you got started, what I call your CEO story.

01:42 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. So I would say, like, growing up, I was always kinda making things. My mom says I was always really good at entertaining myself, drawing, and playing with things. And then I would say fast forward to like when you're applying to colleges, I had no idea what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go. I think I literally applied to like twelve to fifteen different schools. And, ultimately, I ended up going to JMU, James Madison University, for a BFA in graphic design. And that was something that my mom was like, I think you'd be really awesome at this, and she actually went to JMU. So that was a nice little bonus, and we can share it together.

But, while I was there, I interned at, a smaller studio in Fairfax, Virginia called Touch Three, and I loved it there. And I learned a lot, and I got a taste of, like, what the small studio life looks like. And then eventually when I graduated, I kinda went in the opposite direction. And I worked for a few larger, like, government contracting firms or just, like, other businesses in DC. And I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything because I definitely learned a lot, and met a lot of great people, mentors, friends, and everything. It taught me a lot about myself, both personally and professionally, but it was not what I wanted. It wasn't really feeding my creative energy.

I felt like I was kinda hitting a wall with, like, where I could go, what I wanted to do. Really didn't feel like I was making an impact because the company was so big. I couldn't see, like, what my work was actually evolving into. And so I learned so much, and then got me to start thinking, like, is this for me? Like, where do I wanna go? And I was like, I loved working at Touch Three, the smaller studio with fewer people. And, like, I can actually see the impact of what my work is doing, working with the clients and stuff. So I started freelancing on the side for about, a year and a half or so, and then I went full-time earlier this year with Tigerbone Studio.

So it's been awesome, and it's been great being able to, like, collaborate directly with my clients, see the impact of my work, really help them grow into their businesses and achieve their goals and stuff. So it's been awesome. Like, how like, while I get to achieve my dreams, helping other people achieve their dreams.

03:48 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. That's definitely a beautiful place to be where you create, like, so many win-win, you know, scenarios and opportunities. You get that chance to succeed and win, and then you also get to help your clients succeed and win as well. And I love that you kinda talked about how, you know, the journey to where you got to, you know, to where you're doing and all the awesome things that you're doing and the beautiful work that you, creating. And I think so many times we think that it's just kind of like a flip of a switch in our life where we go from one place to another, but I love hearing about the journey. I love hearing how that seed sound like it sounds like it was planted. And even though you went other ways, you kinda had that drawback to what you always felt was. It sounds like you're calling.

04:26 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.

04:28 – Gresham Harkless

Nice. And so I wanted to, drill down a little bit more, Hilaire, a little bit more on how you work with clients and how you create impact. Could you take us through, like, how you serve your clients?

04:36 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. Absolutely. So like you said in our intro, we serve service-based entrepreneurs, which is sometimes like social media managers, coaches, really any service that one individual entrepreneur is providing to their audience, and then product-based lifestyle wellness brands. So, like boutiques or just products that people serve. And so we focus on those because I feel like those, kinds of businesses align with our values of, like I was saying, making an impact, kind of bettering the world and all this stuff that they're trying to achieve, whether it's, with, like, eco-friendly, sustainable products or just, like, mindset work or kinda like some people touch on, like, the will of the stuff with their coaching.

So it's just like a whole kinda side of the world that is completely different than what I worked in before, and I'm loving it, and being able to connect and make an impact in that way. And so we specialize in brand and web design for those businesses and partner with so many different entrepreneurs at different bases of their business. So even though that's what we specialize in, it's not always just branding and web design. We really can support people with, like, all their different design needs to help their business grow and show up more confidently.

And so some of my favorite stuff to do is, like, package design and being able to, like, take whatever branding that we've established together strategically and really implement it throughout so many different ways to have every single touch point that a customer has with this their business this business to be super intentional and strategic and, like, give them that overall feel that the business wants.

06:08 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. I appreciate it more. Yeah. I appreciate you sharing that because I think so many times that, you know, it can be thought of that the brand is just the logo. Mhmm. But I love how you said, each of those different touchpoints. Because I think if you start to really, be very strategic with your brand and how you're communicating that, it does kinda communicate in all different aspects, whether it's packaging, your website, your logo, your business cards. It just manifests itself in so many ways.

06:34 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. And, yeah, as you said, that's such a common misconception that, oh, like, I get a lot of inquiries that are, like, I just need a logo. And, like, yeah, that's awesome. We're happy to help you with that. But, like, tell us a little bit more. And, eventually, once we sit down and talk to people and we talk about, like, the strategy behind their business, it turns into so much more, which is awesome and unfolds into this beautiful project in partnership with the business owner and brand. Because, like you said, it's not just your logo.

It's literally, like, the feeling that someone gets when they come in contact with your business. It's someone walking down the street and they hear the name that resonates in their head. It's your Instagram feed. It's like a radio commercial. It could be a billboard. It's literally like you were saying, every single touch point. And it all needs to be intentional and founded in the same thing.

07:21 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. That's why I love that you do that, and that creates that basis. But I think so many times, you know, professionals, as you as, you know, I said when I read your bio that, a lot of times, really good at what they do, and they really wanna make that impact, but sometimes may not be as good at communicating that or getting that out through their brand. So I love that you're able to kind of, for lack of a better term, translate that so that it can manifest itself in so many different ways so that they can focus more on their zone of genius and do the great work they were hoping to do.

07:47 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. Exactly. And just like I don't have a zone of genius in other areas, you always have to outsource, and the best work comes from collaboration and partnership. So that's that's how you get things done.

07:58 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Teamwork makes the dream work. And I and I love how you said, you know, that partnership, you know, with your clients, because I think that's what you ultimately hope to do when you're you're working with somebody is that you have an extension of yourself and what it is that you do. So that's awesome that you do that. Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call your secret sauce, and this could be for yourself personally the business, or a combination of both. But what do you feel kinda sets you apart and makes you unique?

08:23 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. So, something that I kinda based off of everything that we were just talking about that really drives me, like, what I love about, Tigerbone Studio and what I've created for myself is I don't act as only the designer. I really try to position myself as the creative director for my clients. And so having all of that, strategy within a brand and then helping them apply it strategically and intentionally throughout every single touch point. So not just like a pixel pusher designer, but, like, really helping them think through all of the decisions and how that they can utilize what we've created together to reach their target audience, reach their goals.

And like I was saying, have a collaborative experience because I truly do believe, like, the best word comes out of collaboration and partnership. It's like that saying that's like, what is it? If you wanna go fast, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together. So that's really how we try to position ourselves and work with clients is having them be really involved with the experience and get that, feel for, like, what the creative branding experience and web design experience can be like, so they feel connected to what we ultimately produce at the end.

09:31 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Absolutely. And I feel like when you have that, collaboration, as you said, you have that opportunity to feel not just like something's being, you know, delegated down, and then you don't see it. You don't have any idea of what it's gonna look like. You have that back-and-forth collaboration. It makes you feel like you're a part of it, and and I love that strategy because I feel like, and definitely, I'm sure you know this better than anybody that a lot of people don't realize the psychology behind, I feel like that's probably why you want to have those conversations really drill down and understand because then you can translate it to what it is that you do.

10:08 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. Exactly. And I know I've thrown around strategy a lot in this, but, like and it's such a buzzword, I feel like, especially in my industry, like, strategic branding, brand strategy. And it really is just it's so important to have that foundational strategy in order to succeed. It's just like you can't have your brand strategy without your marketing strategy. They go hand in hand, and they both need to be really thought through and have a good foundation in order to succeed.

10:33 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. It's huge. And I almost feel like it's kinda like, you know, being blindfolded and spinning yourself around and trying to throw a dart. If you don't have that strategy, you might hit something. You might you more than likely probably won't hit something. And, it's so important to make sure that you are kinda focused so that you can hit the target that you're ultimately hoping to do as a business.

10:51 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. Exactly.

10:53 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit, and I want to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be, like, an app, a book, or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

11:05 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Well, that's a tough question. So I would say for me, and I guess anyone, people tend to, like, you know, shy away the things that they feel resistance towards or they don't know about or it feels a little scary. And one of the biggest areas of my business at first was, like, around finances and money. That's not something you're really taught in school, at least I wasn't. Like, I have an art degree, which I love, and it's helped me so much. But, the businesses and finances were something that definitely was I I had to really invest in myself to learn about.

And so for me, I think, Ellevest is an awesome company and invest like, they have so many educational resources, and so they've helped me a lot with all of that. And then I love Jen Sincerio's book, you're a badass at making money. So I think tying those two together with how Jensen Cereal brings in, like, the mindset and everything, and it is really helpful tactful advice. And then Ellevest just actually helping me with everything has really been a game changer for me in terms of feeling confident in my business and the biggest hurdles of money and all of that stuff.

12:13 – Gresham Harkless

Definitely. Definitely. Definitely. And so I want to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget. So this could be a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. It might be something around branding or or or or strategy, but it's something you might tell a client or hop into a time machine might tell your younger business self.

12:27 – Kate Hinnenkamp

I feel like I have so many ideas for this, but the one that resonates most with me is just kinda a life lesson that I actually learned from my dad and I continue to use in both my personal life and my business. And, honestly, at first, when he first started saying to me, I was like, I don't really understand what you're saying, but, like, okay, dad. But, like, he always says, like, pay attention to your role in life situations. Like, are you being cast correctly or miscast? And so just figuring out when you're in, like whether it's a job that you don't like or just any situation in a relationship. Like, are you being cast correctly? Do you feel like yourself?

Do you feel like you're doing what you wanna be doing? And so that was really helpful for me when I was transitioning from working or working for somebody else to working for myself. It's like, we don't live in a world anymore where you have to have a certain job or, like, you have to work somewhere for twenty years because it's all about loyalty. Like, you can do whatever you want. So just really paying attention are you being cast correctly in this situation? And if not, figure out how to get yourself out of that into somewhere where you are being cast correctly and what you wanna do.

13:33 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Absolutely. And so, I wanted to ask you now my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. We're hoping to have different quotes, and unquote CEOs on the show. So, Kate, what does being a CEO mean to you?

13:45 – Kate Hinnenkamp

So I feel like my answer is kind of cliche. But, honestly, it's given me just, like, a path to the life that I wanna build for myself, to be cast correctly, if you will, and so to the ability to help others to do the exact same thing. So just really making an impact in the world where I see that as necessary.

14:07 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. That's huge. And I love it because resonates to me, like, with the word I thought was coming up for me is the word translate and how you're able to translate, you know, what people do into, you know, the really, you know, phenomenal graphic work that you do, the brand work, the strategy, all of that. Because I think so many times people want to be able to make that impact. They wanna be cast how they want to be cast. Right. And it's so important that that manifests itself. And if it doesn't, then you make sure you get the right people around you to make sure that happens.

14:34 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Exactly. Yeah. You can always excuse me. Yeah. You need help sometimes. You can't always do it yourself to get where you wanna go. And so find those people who will champion you and be your cheerleader and help you get there.

14:46 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. Absolutely. Well, Kate, truly appreciate that definition, and I appreciate your time even more. What I want to do is just pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional that you can let our readers and listeners know and, of course, how best they can get a hold of you and find about all the awesome things you're working on.

15:01 – Kate Hinnenkamp

Yeah. Well, I wanna say thank you so much for having me on here. It's been such a pleasure talking to you. And you can find me on Instagram at Tiger Bone Studio dot com, and then our website is the same. I would love to hear from any and everyone if they have any questions or like something that we talked about today if it resonated with them. Just wanna connect with everybody.

15:23 – Gresham Harkless

Absolutely. A connection is definitely the name of the game. And to make it even easier, we'll have the links and information in the show notes as well too, so that everybody can click through and follow up with you. But thank you so much, you know, for taking some time out. I love the work that you do especially helping people to be in their zone of genius so that they can flourish in the best way. So thank you so much for your time, and the work that you do, and I hope you

15:44 -Outro

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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