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How Chelsea Banwell nailed her ideal client and merged multiple passions into one strategic, feel-good brand

client stories

“I think I was surprised with how seamlessly it all came together because I didn’t really have a clear vision of how we were going to merge a crystal shop and photography and energy healing all into one space. It feels exciting now to put my brand out there. I can be proud of it and trust that the right people will come into my community as a result.”

—Chelsea Banwell, flower alchemist, photographer, and holistic wellness guide

Q. Chelsea, tell us a little bit about yourself and why you’re so passionate about your work.

I launched a wedding photography and makeup artistry business in 2010 and have been growing and evolving within it ever since. 

The last two years have been a lot of exploring, chasing my curiosities, and learning that I'm a very multi-passionate person. I was introduced to energy healing and breathwork at a wedding photography conference in 2018, and that single session gave me the clarity that it was time to evolve my business.

Now I like to call myself a flower alchemist and holistic wellness guide. I help women release overwhelm, uncertainty, and energetic blocks through the facilitation of spiritual experiences. My business weaves together energy healing, breathwork and botanicals, crystals, and photography sessions immersed in nature.

Q. When did you first realise that your brand and website needed a makeover?

I’ve always DIY’d my own websites, but with this new desire to blend multiple passions, I wasn’t really sure how to successfully share everything I was passionate about in a way that would connect with clients. I wasn’t confident that I would be able to nail an ideal client or find one core client that I could speak to for all these offerings. Plus, I was still exploring what my actual offerings were going to look like. 

Samara and I met on Instagram and she definitely checked all the boxes. I knew she had the expertise to bring my vision to life and support me throughout this process of rebirth. 

Knowing that there was space for me to gain clarity on those things and have them evolve as we went through the design process was super helpful, because I probably wouldn't have gone ahead with it if I felt like I needed to have it all figured out from day one.

Q. Tell us more about your experience with the mentorship & strategy phase of this project. How did Samara help you clarify your ideal clients and offerings?

The strategy stuff was really intimidating at first because she gives you this questionnaire that’s very, very, very detailed. And you’re having to really question yourself and think about a lot of things that you otherwise wouldn’t think about. But in hindsight, I can recognize how these came into play in the brand and design process and helped it along.

I remember saying to her, “I’ve done ideal client exercises in the past and I just don’t get it. I always feel like I’m describing myself.” I don’t know the types of people that would buy from me. I don’t know where they shop. And I just really didn’t understand what the point of it was. 

But her questionnaire broke it down in a way that made sense, and by the end of it, I had three paragraphs about an ideal client that I felt would really resonate with my services.

I think I was surprised with how seamlessly it all came together because I didn’t really have a clear vision of how we were going to merge a crystal shop and photography and energy healing all into one space. I’m really happy with the end product.

Q. How did you know that investing in additional 1:1 support with your copy was the right choice for you?

Samara’s Copy Audit wasn’t something I anticipated doing initially. But then I realised that in the past I was always asking random friends for their opinion and seeking external approval. I think you can lose your own voice in that and start second guessing. 

Having one person who knows your greater goal is really, really valuable. I knew that I could pour my heart out and get all the words out, and still have that support from Samara anytime I got stuck. She helped me finesse it and piece it together. 

My About Me page was something that I had a hard time writing, but in the end, it's actually one of my favourite pages. It's more wordy than I think they often are. Samara did such an amazing job of displaying it and designing it in a way that got everything that I wanted to say, and I feel it really, really captures me.

Q. How do you feel about your brand now?

When my brands were separate before, I wasn't really that open about it. My identity was wedding photography and I just kind of hid behind that. It gave me a reason to not really have to show up fully. Now, it's a more authentic path. 

I can proudly flaunt my brand and tell the world, “You know, things have changed. This is my new presence. This is what I'm about. This is what I'm here to offer. And I hope you love it.”

It feels exciting now to put my brand out there. I can be proud of it and trust that the right people will come into my community as a result.

Q. Anything else you'd like to add?

When I scroll through the website and all the brand documents that I got throughout the Strategic Brand Makeover, it just puts into perspective how much value there is in that investment.

If you get a $100 template off of Squarespace, you're not getting multiple logos and things that you can use for social media and things that help you have a consistent voice in the online world. You're not getting any of that additional support like I had from Samara.

I would definitely recommend her to anyone who’s needing a new brand—especially brands in the soul-led creative sector. She’s super sweet and holds your hand throughout the process to get you to your end goals.