Designing a lifestyle

Entering the design industry, Vanessa Schimizzi also started a side hustle with many late nights as she balanced the two jobs for a decade. In 2020, the pandemic saw a leap of faith and now the designer has found the perfect work-life balance directing Branded Graphics.

Tell us about your journey in business.

I quit my fulltime job in the heart of lockdowns. Some people told me not to do it as it was ‘too risky’, especially during this hard time, but I ignored the noise as I knew I was ready to take the leap. I finished up my fulltime work on a Friday and by the next Monday morning, Branded Graphics was launched.

In 2021, I was awarded the Canberra Women in Business Young Business Woman of the Year. This didn’t come easy; it took years of hard work building up the side business and then eventually having the courage to say, ‘I’m ready – I’ve got this’.

I had always dreamed of being able to work from anywhere in the world; the way I have set up Branded Graphics it’s all managed online. In 2022, I jet-set around Europe for six months just me and my laptop, working every day, attending conferences, networking with people from different cultures to gain new clients, whilst also being able to travel.

What tactics have you found most effective for networking?

Canberra is a great place for building a business and networking. The majority of my work is often through client referrals. My motto is ‘Do a good job, listen to what the client needs, do it quickly and make sure the client is happy’.

I don’t like to do one-off jobs; I prefer to build excellent relationships with my clients so they keep coming back.

What advice do you have for those looking to advance their careers in your industry?

Work hard, set yourself some goals. Don’t be afraid to jump from one company to another while you are getting into the industry. Everywhere you go you will meet different people and learn new skills.

Take a risk! If you want to start your own business – just do it, you never know what can happen.

Have you had any mentors who have been particularly influential?

I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of my first boss, Michael Wachniewsksi. He never threw me in the deep end, and took the time to teach me everything about design. I will always be thankful to him, and I hope to do the same for any junior designers I work with.

Also, Nadia Pessarossi, owner of her own consulting company Pulse8 Strategies. I have been working with Nadia from day dot – the queen of bringing people together in business and my go-to for any business advice.

How does your business contribute to your local community?

At Branded Graphics, our mission is to do purposeful work. We are inclusive, accessible to all, collaborative and we create for change. We do pro bono work for local charities; we recently worked alongside Catherine Rider-Aichholzer from Bosom Buddies to refresh and rebrand the local charity. We also partner with local Indigenous organisations in Canberra such as Ngnaya and Unearth Solutions; a lot of our work is in the indigenous space, particularly in designing Reconciliation Action Plans.

Anytime we need printing we go local. Shout out to Ink Printing for the great work you do for Canberra.

Visit brandedgraphics.design online or contact Vanessa Schimizzi via [email protected] or 0437 057 574 to find out more.