In the Spotlight: Candy Phelps, Bizzy Bizzy
By Heather Wentler
Bizzy Bizzy is a creative agency. Our signature services are the 1 Day Website and the 1 Day Branding, designed specifically for founders of fast-growing companies who want to accelerate their brands. Our team works in real time with them, using our innovative tools and collaborative process.
Bizzy Bizzy is a creative agency. Our signature services are the 1 Day Website and the 1 Day Branding, designed specifically for founders of fast-growing companies who want to accelerate their brands. Our team works in real time with them, using our innovative tools and collaborative process.
1. So, Bizzy Bizzy works with different companies to establish themselves with branding, website development, and marketing strategies. What types of companies do you work with? How do you get a feel for the company's "vibe" or "aesthetic" to where you feel comfortable creating content to fit their needs?
Our favorite clients are startups and small businesses who are doing big things, punching above their weight so to speak. We have a pretty deep discovery interview and several interactive exercises such as our Core Values app, Brand Archetype Quiz and Brand Voice exercise that help us get a better understanding so we can get the feel for their overall brand, customers and goals and visual aesthetic. Clients love these tools, and it really speeds up the discovery process.
Our favorite clients are startups and small businesses who are doing big things, punching above their weight so to speak. We have a pretty deep discovery interview and several interactive exercises such as our Core Values app, Brand Archetype Quiz and Brand Voice exercise that help us get a better understanding so we can get the feel for their overall brand, customers and goals and visual aesthetic. Clients love these tools, and it really speeds up the discovery process.
2. Were you always interested in marketing and brand development? Did you see yourself following this path during your school years or is it more something that has evolved over time?
I started my business as a freelancer in 2009, and it was mostly because of a lack of jobs during the recession. I actually have a journalism degree. But once I became an entrepreneur, it was so clear that this was who I am. I've always enjoyed branding and marketing, and it is pretty intuitive for me. Now, I am obsessed with helping other startups grow and accelerate their brands.
I started my business as a freelancer in 2009, and it was mostly because of a lack of jobs during the recession. I actually have a journalism degree. But once I became an entrepreneur, it was so clear that this was who I am. I've always enjoyed branding and marketing, and it is pretty intuitive for me. Now, I am obsessed with helping other startups grow and accelerate their brands.
3. I read that your company works in-person to create content which is interesting because most of your business is conducted online. How has this model changed in the past 1.5 years due to COVID, and what other changes did you find yourself making during that unusual time?
Because of COVID, we had to do all our services via Zoom, which in some ways was actually really helpful for us. We had done our 1 Day services virtually before, but it was difficult for our clients to share files and use video conference software. Now because of COVID, our customers' level of tech savviness around that has exponentially increased, and now Zooming is a lot easier than it was. We are starting to return to in person work, but we'll always have virtual sessions as an option. In addition, we had some physical tools like card decks for Core Values that we turned into free branding apps on our website, so that was also something we wouldn't have necessarily done if it weren't for the pandemic.
4. Can you talk a bit more about your concept of the "One Day Website" and "One Day Branding?"
Sure, these concepts came out of a realization after 7 years of "traditional" project management that the website and branding process was painful for clients. Projects could take months or even years because startup founders and small business owners are so busy, they didn't have time to respond to a hundred emails from our team. The collaborative work we do was largely inspired by my years working for newspapers. You start at the beginning of the day with an idea, and then you work with a bunch of experts to write, design, edit and publish a newspaper in a day. You can get so much work done if you have a really tight process, experienced team and tools that make the day more efficient and productive. Plus it's so much more fun and very satisfying to do so much in so little time! And we really abide by the lean startup methodology of launch and learn. We don't think it makes sense for a business not to launch their website for 6 or 9 months waiting for perfection. It's a huge opportunity cost that just isn't necessary.
