You know when you see a creation, whether it’s art, music, you name it… and you need to know who was behind it? That’s how we felt when we saw the work by Alisha Brunton. She’s an illustrator and designer from New Zealand and the founder of Love Indigo Creative. Love Indigo is a, ‘Petite illustration and design studio for inspirational brands, change-making entrepreneurs and colour lovers.’
She’s extremely intuitive and just gets it. She’s worked with brands like Lululemon, Vienda Maria, Meg O’Sullivan’s Adventuring Home, and more. When developing our event #RadLivin, we knew that we wanted everything to feel like the message – created by rad people who are doing what they love now. Alisha is the mastermind behind the #RadLivin logo that you may see floating around the web; hand illustrated with love and raddness.
Meet Alisha…
Where are you in the world?
Auckland, New Zealand
How do you follow your bliss?
I’m a seeker at heart, eternally curious and always creating. Bliss for me is exploring new places, connecting with other passionate people, bringing creative dreams to life, getting sweaty on my yoga mat and constantly learning. Sometimes all in one day!
Can you explain how you went about taking your love for illustration and design and creating a business around that? What did you need to do in order to make this happen?
I briefly worked for another company when I first graduated, but I wasn’t excited about the work I was doing. I wanted to work with clients who were passionate about their projects and who shared my values. I always had projects on the side, but travelling for most of this year gave me this space to really think about what kind of business I wanted to build, and to start putting things into place for when I got back to NZ. After a few months, I realised I had the creative stuff sorted, but I was seriously lacking business knowledge. I’ve just finished the Owner’s Collective business mastermind, which has been a game changer for me!
Why do you love what you do?
I get to bring my clients’ creative dreams to life, which is the coolest thing ever. I’ve met so many wonderful people through my work, and many of them have become friends. I initially chose a creative career because it allows me to roam free and I love that I can work from anywhere.
If fear ever shows up in your life, how do you move past it?
I’ve realised that if something feels slightly out of my comfort zone, it’s usually worth doing. Those are the experiences that help me to grow both personally and professionally. A lot of fear came up in the first few months, but it’s becoming (a little) less frequent as time passes. Yoga, journalling and talking with my closest friends are key to figuring out whether something is right for me or not.
What’s one of the biggest risks you’ve taken and how did it feel to go for it?
I came back to Auckland in June, having decided that I was going to throw myself fully into this business. I was completely broke and had no idea how things would work out. But I knew that if I didn’t devote myself entirely to my dream, it wouldn’t happen. It was terrifying and a huge learning experience. It’s been more difficult and more rewarding than I could ever have anticipated.
How did you get your first set of clients and what advice could you give to other young online businesses?
Most of my first clients were people I knew through the yoga community and then the blogging community. That’s still where most of my clients find me. Get to know people and share your passions with those around you!
What would your biggest dream for your artistry be?
Oh that’s such a hard question! I really want to move to Berlin, so that’s the next big goal for me. I fell in love with the city when I visited earlier this year. I’d also love to collaborate with a yoga brand to create patterns and illustrations for clothing. My two biggest loves combined in one project – doesn’t get much better than that!
What advice could you give to someone who knows what they would love to do, but haven’t gone for it?
I think figuring out what you want to do is the hardest part! If you already know what your passion is, you’re a step ahead of most other people. Don’t take it for granted, because so many others would kill to be in your position. You don’t have to have everything figured out to take the first step: your business will definitely evolve as you grow and learn.
What are you most looking forward to at #RadLivin?
I’ve actually never been to Sydney, so I’m super excited! I can’t wait to connect with lots of like-minded people and hear all the speakers share their journeys.
Follow Alisha’s Journey at Love Indigo Creative and on Instagram x
