Profile: Kelly Quashnie, Studio Cue
A design nerd with a plan
Kelly Quashnie, owner of Studio Cue, is a self-professed design nerd. She enjoys communicating stories visually in new ways. She loves helping her clients connect with their audiences. Following the adage, If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else, Kelly also has a plan: “I’ve had a plan since I discovered commercial art in seventh grade. It keeps me focused on my dream, it holds me accountable, and it enhances my bottom line.”
Kelly has studied and practiced the art of visual communication for most of her life. “I love taking someone’s story,” she said, “and communicating it visually in a way they never thought before.” Her plan has taken her from drawing classes in middle school, to commercial art classes in high school, to visual communication courses at Ferris State University, to working with high-end design firms around the country, all the way to her own business, Studio Cue.
Kelly started Studio Cue in 2005 after she moved to Portland. “Starting fresh was a perfect opportunity to give it a go,” she said. “So far so good!”
The rewards for success go beyond financial. According to Kelly, “a big part of my business is about relationships, making people feel how much on their team I am and rooting for them. I want my clients to succeed. If they’re not successful, I’m not successful.”
Kelly had a business plan from day one, which she backed with extensive research and the Small Business Administration business planning course. “Having a plan and constantly updating it as things change and my business grows has allowed me to stay on track and measure my progress.”
Almost five years into her business, a marketing plan seemed to Kelly like a missing piece. She engaged Semiosis Communications to help her fill the gap. “If you’re in marketing it’s easy to take your own marketing for granted. Having the plan will challenge me, hold me accountable and help me organically grow my business.”
Kelly’s future holds teaching design. Her reasoning for the move to education is simple: “I’ve had wonderful teachers and have worked with many brilliant designers, all of whom have taught me so much. Thanks to them and their strong influence, it’s brought me to where I am today. I believe it is important for everybody to give back, to share your gifts with others. Not to mention it’s always inspiring to me to see others grow and succeed.”
(July 2009)
