Daily Inspiration: Meet Bethany Bauman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Bauman.

Hi Bethany, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I didn’t grow up surrounded by design or even aware of it— and my path has been a meandering one. I studied fine art photography on a vocal performance scholarship…dropped out of school for a semester to backpack through Europe…interned at an AfterEffects studio in NYC for a summer…studied graphic design in a famous old historic hotel in St. Augustine, FL…then moved to Hanoi, Vietnam where after a year of volunteer teaching, and another year of branding a handful of fashion labels under an Australian businesswoman’s empire, I decided to embark on my own. Now thirteen (how?!) years later, I’m still providing professional brand strategy, visual direction and development for small businesses and properties across the globe. My days are never boring, which is exactly how they’ve been designed.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve not had a smooth road, but I consider every lesson I’ve learned to be the cheapest version of what it could have been— in other words, a ‘free’ MBA in what not to do in business. At the end of the day, my biggest struggles have been a result of a poorly written contract (by me!), a poorly held boundary (by me!) or me getting really really excited about a project without setting expectations for process or payment. We are all learning, and it’s easy to forget that when someone is hiring me to be the expert.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work in all things design-related. I tend to be a bit of a generalist, casting a wide net and holding onto curiosity with open palms. In the last decade, I’ve been fortunate to work with real estate developers who have creative ideas for adaptive reuse of historic buildings. (think: a massive industrial power plant that becomes trendy loft apartments!) I spend most of my days connecting with architects, interior designers, manufacturers and builders to ensure the next chapter of a building’s life is in cohesion with its’ story as well as what it’s being used for.

I continue to be so impressed by the magicians who approach these projects with not only clear vision but also the business savvy to execute at a massive scale, and I’m particularly inspired by ‘full trust’ projects: where I’m given a budget and keys and am allowed to oversee an install myself: from pencil to power tool to finishing paintbrush, I still sometimes can’t believe I get to do this for a living!

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
This is controversial, but I don’t actually believe in luck. If I did, I’d have bad luck and I absolutely refuse to believe that.

At this point, my business and my life are so intertwined I honestly can’t imagine one without the other. I can say that what we do with what we’re given plays a central role in my approach. I can look at a problem in front of me and know that whatever is ahead will recalibrate itself. In both life and business, I experience extremely high highs and extremely low lows. There’s never a dull moment, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

One more thing along the lines of ‘luck’ is that I have incredible people in my life. Anything that comes along that could be perceived as being unlucky always seems to shift into an opportunity for my people to show up. And they do.

Pricing:

• $150 1-hr video design consult
• $200/hr design investment
• Brand packages from $7k
• Full-scope property branding from $25k

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: bethanybauman.com
• Instagram: @bethanyjbauman

Image Credits
Images courtesy of Laura Schneider, Norah Melton, Daniel Ralsky, Erin Giannangelo, and Bethany Bauman.