Who or what inspired you to start your business?

I have been running a photography business for several years which made me learn a lot about marketing. I also found out that I really loved to design my website and other digital items that I was using for my business. Along the way, my fascination about what you can achieve online today just grew.

However, I never really found a great fit for it for my photography business so when Covid-19 came and gave me a lot of extra time I didn’t hesitate a second to start Design by Josephine.

What was your biggest struggle when starting out?

When I started my photography business I didn’t know anything except how to take photos. This time I started on another level since I had so much knowledge with me and that has been shown in the results from the start.

But as the plan from the beginning only was to have this design business as a passive income thing, it came as a bit of a surprise that it quite fast went to something much bigger.

So the biggest struggle has been to create space in order to manage it along with my photography business and figure out in what direction I should take this new business of mine.

What’s the #1 thing you attribute to growing your business?

I have always said that I never should have my own business as long as my kids are young. I have grown up close to my aunt who is an entrepreneur and later on also my own mum joined the same journey. I wish I could say that it has been a huge inspirational source for me to see two strong determined females working hard but it has been the complete opposite.

To have seen how much they always have been working and also how much they have sacrificed along the way and that was nothing I wanted for myself.

But here I am, starting my second business while my children were 9 and 5 years old. I can’t say I’m not working hard or that my business does not take time away from my family but I do it with a more healthier mindset.

Instead of maximizing the profit every month I invest in tools and resources that make my everyday business life easier which results in a happier me.

Yes, the result is that I grow more slowly. But that is more than ok as long as I still can do what I love the most and at the same time keep the balance.

What podcasts are you listening to or business books are you reading right now?

Jasmine Star’s podcast is always amazing and another one I often listen to is Socialette by Steph Taylor.

When it comes to business books I once heard someone say that we should take business decisions after reading Winne the Pooh! And that is actually not a bad advice at all, as we have a tendency to overthink so much nowadays.

What mindset shifts have you made to set your business up for success?

Definitely to “spend a little to gain a little”.

Business life is so much easier when you don’t have to do everything yourself. Investing in services or products will gain in the long run, both mentally and on paper.

It removes the struggle, allows you to focus on the parts that you enjoy and that makes everything so much more fun.

What’s your fav music to listen to when you’re creating graphics?

I actually prefer to listen to audiobooks when I create. But it has to be some easy going novel so that I don’t really need to put any bigger effort into listening to it. For example, my whole website I associate with The Bridgerton family as I was listening to some of the books while I was creating it.

How do you decide on what images to use for your brand?

Just log in to the Haute Stock library and pick the first image that comes up! 😂

It actually feels like Haute Stock is my brand. All images are so soft and elegant with colors that speak directly to me.

And one thing that I appreciate the most is that no matter what image that you pick and no matter what collection it comes from, they always give a cohesive look. Not necessarily in colors but in the feeling and vibe they give.

I have access to other stock photos services via my clients and not one of them are even close in having that streamlined and high quality library of images, that Haute Stock has.

What’s your favorite Haute Stock collection?

My favourite has always been the Fall Mood collection. But Staycation was my “go-to” collection until you just released the Pink Cloud, that directly went into my heart.

Haute Stock Member Josephine of Design by Josephine shares how her Haute Stock membership has helped her tremendously in her business. — How has Haute Stock helped you in your business?

As I’m a photographer myself I know how much work that’s spent behind every collection. This knowledge makes me *appreciate* my subscription even more.
As images are a big part of how to set yourself apart in the online world, *having access to a library full of high quality images that looks like they are coming from any luxury magazine is a real shortcut to success.*
It gives my business a vibe of quality that is priceless.

What has been your biggest business lesson learned?

That must be dare to spend some money. I know that it’s not easy when starting out or if you are on a budget as I was in the beginning but it does help a lot.

You don’t need to do everything yourself, and even if you can there is someone out there that does it better than you, let them do that so you can focus on things that fulfill you and that are good for you.

Having your own business doesn’t mean that you are close to a burn out everyday, it should be enjoyable and fun.