Here’s what you missed if you didn’t join us live for the LinkedIn special of the Informi Talking Small Business lunchtime webinar, where Sophie Cross and Will Blower talked to award-winning brand and marketing graphic designer, Angela Lyons.
Introducing Angela Lyons…
With over 20 years of experience in the design industry, for the past 13 years, Ange has been running her own studio, Lyons Creative, where she specialises in brand marketing design across both print and digital media.
Ange is passionate about connecting with people and supporting newer business owners by sharing her design expertise. Her love for colour and typography is at the heart of everything she creates, and she channels that passion into her monthly newsletter, Font Love Friday and Other Designery Things. Most recently, she launched Creatives Like Us, a podcast and growing community celebrating creatives of colour.
Webinar overview
In this Talking Small Business webinar, Angela Lyons shares insights from her 13 years running Lyons Creative. She discusses how she built her business through referrals and networking, emphasising authentic connection over hard selling. Angela reveals her journey into podcasting with "Creatives Like Us" and event hosting, offering practical advice on time management, collaborating with others, and maintaining consistency in branding. She highlights the importance of defining business values before investing in a website and other business costs, provides tips for public speaking, and advocates for simple, consistent visual branding. Her overall message: "Just start - if you don't, it will never happen"
What we covered…
- How to start something
- Staying sane while self-employed
- Basic graphic design tips for business
- How to start a newsletter
- How to start a podcast
- How to launch an event
- The importance of community
27 key takeaways from Angela Lyons…
- When starting a business, consider whether a limited company or sole trader status is best for you.
- Build a support network of fellow business owners - find local groups or co-working spaces to combat isolation when working alone.
- Check with your local council for business enterprise groups and support resources in your area.
- Create a trusted network of freelancers who can handle overflow work when you're busy - have NDAs and agreements ready.
- For client acquisition, focus on building a strong referral network - most of Angela's business comes from referrals.
- Approach networking as relationship-building rather than immediate sales opportunities - valuable connections often lead to work months later.
- When networking, focus on being helpful rather than selling - offer advice freely and build genuine connections.
- Public speaking (podcasts, webinars, panels) can be an effective marketing channel that builds your authority and brings in clients.
- Start small with public speaking - join panels or conversations before doing solo presentations to build confidence.
- Angela listened to the podcast Speaker S.O.S! to help with her confidence levels.
- When using LinkedIn and Instagram, consistency is more important than posting frequency - regular, quality content builds your audience better than sporadic posts.
- Repurpose content across different platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok) to maximise efficiency - Angela posts similar content across LinkedIn and Instagram, even though the general advice might be not to do this - do what works for you.
- Before launching a podcast, prepare 5-10 episodes in advance to ensure consistent publishing, which maintains audience engagement.
- When naming a business offering (like a podcast or event), thoroughly research existing names and secure relevant domains and social media handles.
- Consider trademarking your business name or key offerings if they're central to your growth strategy.
- Use scheduling tools like Moxie CRM to manage client bookings and meetings efficiently.
- Time blocking is essential - Angela uses Google Calendar to block time for projects and prevents meeting bookings during focused work periods.
- Print hourly schedules and map out project timeframes to ensure you allocate adequate time for each task.
- When starting something new, keep costs low - Angela recommends using affordable tools (like a £30 microphone for podcasting) rather than expensive equipment.
- Create systems that make business activities easier - Angela has a Google Drive system for podcast guests with graphics and promotion materials.
- The main tip for graphic design is that consistency is critical - use the same colours and fonts across all materials rather than trying different templates.
- New businesses should define their values, tone of voice, and mission before investing in websites or extensive marketing materials.
- Avoid rushing to build a website without clear content - many new business owners waste money on sites without knowing what to include.
- Be willing to adjust your business offerings based on feedback - Angela changed her event format after learning attendees wanted more networking time.
- Seek partnerships for business initiatives - Angela co-founded her “Creatives Like Us” event with partner Ayo Abbas, whose skills complemented her own.
- When expanding offerings, consider where the gaps are and how they serve your community. Angela's podcast and event filled a need for Black creatives.
- Most importantly: "Just start, don't hold yourself back, just do it because if you don't start it will never happen."
Watch the whole webinar back…
Connect with us…
Connect with Angela on LinkedIn
Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn
Connect with Will on LinkedIn
Informi on LinkedIn
Don’t miss the next Talking Small Business webinar…
On Thursday 12 June, 1pm-2pm (UK GMT), we'll be joined by Anita Ellis, a punchy copywriter and the director of Lexicomm, will be joining us to chat about…
- Tips for building brilliant relationships
- How to network without the nerves
- Seeing yourself as a business
- How to make invaluable connections, contacts and get clients
- Using LinkedIn to build relationships
- How to build better marketing habits