Next week on May 18, we welcome Arletta Gromek to our physical AND Zoom rooms, where she’ll be teaching the basics of branding for new entrepreneurs. *And yes, that means you can attend in person or virtually—it’s a HYBRID workshop!
Our Social Media Manager Bryan was able to get to know Arletta a little better and hear more about what’s in store at WTF is Branding. Read on and meet Arletta, and register for the event below.
Arletta: It definitely has a lot to it! I think one of the biggest challenges for businesses trying to figure out branding is that the definition has been changing so much over the past few years… before it was such a vague term, but now it encompasses so many important facets of your business.
For me? I really started to see my aptitude for it while I was starting up my business, Arletta Gromek Creative. I began freelancing doing anything and everything I could from graphic design to social media or websites… but I realized that I gave the most value from conversation with entrepreneurs and business owners who were trying to identify the big questions: Who they were, what they wanted to do…and how they wanted to be perceived in the market (and who that market was!) From those sessions I realized I could help provide them with a lot of clarity.. and with that, came building brand identities!
B: Tell me more about your journey toward starting your company. What were those steps?
A: In 2013, I worked on a collaboration between the Polish American Chamber of Commerce and Google Krakow. We brought over 5 tech startups to introduce into the American market. Up until that point, I’ve always had a knack for designing flyers and social media banners… but I always designed collateral in order to attract attention, I didn’t think about who was paying attention.
Working with Google and the other startups, I realized how different target audiences have different values For instance, investors are looking for something different than customers versus potential talent, etc. So I started learning how to attract different audiences by highlighting different values.
But when I started working at the Polish American Association, I needed to tie in the entire organization, to make sure all of our audiences were able to identify us even though we were promoting different events or programs to different demographics. That’s when I really started to touch on branding.
Then in 2019, I decided to start freelancing, and I moved to Indonesia, offering all my skills to the entrepreneurial hub there. I wanted to find out where I could be of best service. So I started offering website design… graphics… social media… but I found that I was the most passionate and engaged when I had conversations with entrepreneurs about their vision for their company. So I started doing some more research, found out more about brand strategy, about identifying target markets, finding authentic connections in order to engage audiences and convert them into loyal and repeat customers.
So many times… there is a general idea and long term goal… but by identifying (specifically) how you want to be perceived in the market, who you want to work with, what is the most important to you as a business, why you are doing it… (even now you can see me rambling on!) These conversations are what really started to get me excited, and I was able to provide clarity to so many business owners. So I decided to take the plunge, start my own company, expand into logo design and visual identity, and here we are today!
B: Wow, so you have really wide-ranging experience in branding–even geographically! What was it like in Indonesia?
A: Yes, I actually started my business there and was based in Bali for a year before the pandemic. It was really interesting to see how Bali is actually a huge digital nomad and entrepreneurial hub! I had the pleasure of meeting people from all over the world who came to not only flesh out their business plans, but make connections, collaborate, share their knowledge with others…
I met so many incredible people who were able to niche their services into something incredibly specific, and have their company thrive (like a marketing agent who focused on connecting Social media influencers with relevant companies…) It was definitely an unforgettable and extremely valuable experience for me.
B: What are you looking forward to most in our workshop?, or Is there a certain portion of learning in this workshop’s curriculum that excites you the most?
A: Honestly, it’s seeing those lightbulb moments in people’s eyes. There are so many fascinating things about branding, because it not only touches on business and marketing, but also on psychology, and introspection, design, and so much more. Seeing people make connections between what they’ve heard before, but finally understanding the bigger picture is a huge boost for me.
But one of my favorite parts of this workshop… a random fact, I guess, comes down to the connection between our bodies’ chemistry and our purchase decision! Basically, our brains naturally produce an array of chemicals… but some people are more susceptible to one more than another… and those chemicals elicit different emotions which directly affect what/how/when we purchase! When I learned about this… I absolutely geeked out (I can’t wait to tell you more about it at the workshop!)
B: Yeah, that really is fascinating. And that’s just one bit of the content you’ll be sharing at the workshop. While we wait until then, can you give us a little peek into your own brand? What goes into Arletta Gromek Creative in terms of branding?
A: For me, it’s all about the personal stuff. I work with companies who are genuinely passionate about what they do: It’s not just about making money: it’s about making a difference in someone’s life. One of my favorite things is seeing someone light up when they talk about something they’re interested in/ passionate about. I don’t need to understand it or even share the same interest… but seeing them excited excites me. And that excitement motivates me to help them turn their business intent into an incredible brand that will connect with its perfect audience.
B: Thanks for chatting, Arletta!
A: You’re welcome! See you at the workshop!
