Rising Stars: Meet Kirstyn Capozzi of Apache Junction

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kirstyn Capozzi.

Hi Kirstyn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Well, it all started about 5 years ago. I bought a Cricut machine to make shirts and onesies… I thought if I could make back the money I invested in the machine and supplies, I would be happy. A year later, with the help and support of dear friends and family, I made well over my original investment. Then, over time, the shirt and onesie-making process became stressful as I was also working at a chiropractor’s office and going to school at the time. The supply and demand and money-for-time-trade felt off balance. Over time, I found that making the designs and personalizing them for each customer was actually my favorite part! I wanted to try and get away from physical products and try my hand more at digital products. I did what many creative online entrepreneurs tried during the COVID era… and tried my hand at selling digital downloads online… but that was NOT my strong suit. I had a few friends reach out for random digital art pieces, and I never turned anyone away… I learned as I went and added more tools to my tool belt. While working part-time time I started to build myself a real online business. I created logos, pet portraits, family portraits, shirt designs, and even car magnet stickers for their businesses, social media posts… You name it! If someone was willing to pay and give me a shot… I did everything I could to offer a quality product and increase my portfolio. Fast forward now, the Lord has been so good to me. I have had the honor and privilege to travel while still helping clients with logo design, branding kits, web design, and everything in between. With the freedom of working for myself, I have also had the time and creative liberty to illustrate and publish two children’s books, with my third on the way! It has been nothing short of a blessing to see where I have grown and where the support of my family, friends, and the Lord has brought me to. I continue to learn, grow, and invest in myself and my business as it has grown each year. What an honor it is to be able to support myself with a creative mind, my laptop, and wifi… and occasionally a caffeinated beverage here and there.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I would honestly say… both! I mean, when is “life” ever smooth sailing? We all go through seasons of growth, harvest, and pruning. I’ve most definitely had months of excess and have been overwhelmed with projects and clients… then I have had months where I was grateful for my monthly clients and a savings account. (Shout out to my financial advisor brother for keeping me smart with my money!) There have been some high highs of receiving checks with more money than it would have taken me 3-4 months to make at my part-time job. Or the excitement I get to hear from a client that the logo we created was perfect, and they finally have a face/visual to their long-time business dream! Or making an art piece for a family that lost their baby too soon, and I was honored to be able to make them a family portrait with the lost little one… with her brothers and sister and mom and dad. The power of artwork is incredible, and I love that I get to do this for my job! Though I think the biggest hurdle for most small business owners is in our minds. Battling fears and overcoming insecurities. Choosing to believe in myself, or still supplying quality art pieces to my clients when I am in a creative block. Running a business is the most bittersweet thing I have ever done with my life. The pride and overwhelming sense of accomplishment you feel is amazing when you make another sale, or get a good review, or get a referral because someone loved working with you so much! Though it can be lonely and hard work when you are a one-lady show. Not only am I the designer, but I am the communicator, invoice sender, problem solver… and every other job in between to keep things running. It’s fun work, but it’s hard work… though, I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My tag line is… building up brands and people. Anyone who knows me knows that I am an encourager. I love to compliment, root for, and make people feel seen and loved. I try my best to have that overflow into my work. I love creating the perfect logo, making a well-rounded branding kit to help businesses start out right, look visually pleasing and professional. I also have had a lot of fun creating clean, simple and user-friendly websites. My goal is to be a one-stop shop for small businesses to get started on their journey! Logos, the identifying icon of what you do and who you are. Branding is huge for consistency, authenticity, and creating a reputable brand that people can recognize and trust. Web design is also so important, especially in the day and age we live in, being so digital and online-minded. My goal is to offer quality services for a reasonable price, because good quality work should be available to all businesses, big or small. My next goal is to offer a quick turnaround time to get my clients to their goal in a timely manner so that their businesses can start making a positive impact in the world we all live in! Though working with clients and making pretty things all day is an absolute blast and I feel so blessed to do this for a living. I think my biggest accomplishments that I am most proud of are my children’s books. The first was supposed to just be a little project for my first niece, the one who made me a Zia (Aunt in Italian). I printed the images in a photo book and had it made for her, because it was about her. However, because of the persistent and kind encouragement from my family, I went through the process to publish it! This also gave me the drive to make another one that was loosely… based on my niece and nephew! Since then, I have found joy in creating stories that are worth telling. To add author and illustrator to my resume was both humbling and extremely exciting! Number 3 is in the making!

How do you think about happiness?
This could be a loaded question… but I will answer simply. What makes me happy is seeing my loved ones full of joy and fulfillment. I love to spend time with the people who make life worth living. Whether it’s belly laughing about something ridiculous and silly, or having deep conversations about God and His goodness. Or even sharing a new delicious drink from my favorite coffee shop or my friend’s mouth-watering breakfast burritos. I am simple, and I am happiest when I am with my loved ones. I am so aware of the blessing of the amazing community that God has blessed me with. Any person who has a good, kind, and supportive family, friends, and a church body is rich. In this area, I am incredibly wealthy and I do not take this lightly. Simple things bring me joy, but my niece and nephews running to hug me… lights my heart up! Healthy and honest encouragement from my parents… fills me up! A good night out or workout with my girls… fuels me! Cracking jokes with my brothers as we swim in our childhood backyard with our parents, who have been happily married for 30+ years, reminds me that life is short and to enjoy the little moments. I try and find joy and happiness in as many things as I can!

Pricing:

• Single Logos range from $125-$350+
• Branding Kits range from $425-$1000+
• Websites range from $500-$1200+
• Portraits range from $25-$150+
• Other Projects/Services reach out! 🙂

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kreatecreations.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kreatecreations/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kreatecreations

Image Credits:
Kirstyn Capozzi