Kristyn Blackard 49K+ IG Fans
ABOUT: Kristyn’s love of design is nothing new, in fact, while attending Cornell University she would often dream of creating her own catering company someday. This dream would eventually be realized, but not until after she graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta.
Fast forward to 2019 - Kristyn is married to her high school sweetheart, is a mom to 3 kids + hairless cats, and has her own business… although not what you’d think! Her successful career as a lifestyle influencer led her to start her own vintage rug company.
She has spent the past two years showcasing her eye for design through her Instagram account, Blackard Modern Farmhouse, which is filled with swoon-worthy pictures of her custom home she designed and built. If you look closely, you’ll also see her beautiful vintage rugs sprinkled thought-out her home.
While working on projects with my Clients, I end up getting to know them on a more personal level. That’s important for many reasons but two in particular;
It helps me design better, understanding the person and the project makes focusing on ideas that reflect them more structured.
The “Client” becomes more like a friend as we end up sharing stories, things about each other and find that we tend to share lot of similarities. And being comfortable with someone makes the deign process much easier when receiving constructive criticism.
“I wish I could give you all a hug in real person and to say thank you so much. You all read my mind for exactly what I wanted. I couldn’t appreciate you more.”
DETAILS: Project: Complete Branding for Business and Influencer Profile. - Project Length: 56 days Category: Lifestyle Influencer + Vintage Rug Business
What Does it Take to Become an Influencer?
It’s not everyday that we get to chat with Insta-Famous Lifestyle Influencers who have amassed tens-of-thousands of fans. So, we figured we should ask them how they do it. Here’s what we found out along the way and other silly questions.
Q. What is your Name? A. Kristyn Blackard
Q. Do you prefer Stories or Posts? A. Either
Q. Do you actively use any other social media outlets? A. No, just Instagram
Q. What scheduling tools, do you use if any, to schedule posts? A. Nope
Q. Where do you find or get most of your content? A. My home projects and rugs.
Q. How many hours do you spend working on your account in a week? A. Probably 40+ with the combined accounts
Q. How long did it take you to hit “influencer” status? A. To be honest I’m not sure because I never intended to become one. It just kind of happened and I jumped on board LOL.
Q. When did you realize you were considered an “influencer”? A. I’m not quite sure. I still have trouble considering myself an influencer ha ha. I just like to share things I love.
Q. What is the coolest project you’ve worked on as an “influencer”? A. II love working with any small business. Being a small business owner myself, I know just how important the connections on social media can be. My favorite company I have worked with is Juniper print shop. I just love her concept and choices.
Q. Any advice for someone wanting to get started in the “influencer space? A. Just stay authentic to yourself. Choose products you would buy yourself because that will come across as real. Just go for it!
Q. Any tips you’d wish you knew before you got started? A. Be prepared for how much time it will take up. Set boundaries and treat it like a work schedule.
Q. Are you able to do this full-time or is it still a side hustle? A. Mine is kind of a unique situation, because I combine my rug business with influencing. So I would say it is definitely full-time.
Q. What do you do in your free time? A. I love to hip hop dance, play piano, cook and thrift.
Q. Favorite song to sing to in your car (alone of course)? A. Anything Aerosmith!
Q. What’s your favorite coffee or tea beverage? A. Caramel Machiatto
Q. What’s one show you can watch on repeat for the rest of your life? A. King of Queens
Q. What's your favorite holiday? A. Halloween
Project Design: Images, Icons, Color & Brand Personality, Logo, Media kit for business and influencer.
When we design for a client, we like to start at the beginning and that means identifying their brand or the concept they have for a brand. From there we create a color story that represents their brand and the feeling they are looking for. After we’ve established colors to help set the tone, the design begins. Delivering assets to our clients that they can use on their website, social media outlets and prinatable materials is the most rewarding aspect of the process. We love seeing everything come together and the reaction we get once we unveil the project to the client. Enjoy clicking through the images below
