Whew! It’s been awhile, and I really missed being here. This week I am thrilled to feature Kathleen Duggan Molnar, the empress, as she calls herself, as well as the graphic designer who is famously known as KD of Duggan Designs. KD provides graphic design services to both individuals as well as businesses. She creates holiday cards, invitations, wine labels and brochures, just to name a few.
After completing her degree in journalism, KD worked for a magazine company, where she held various roles where she prepared, published and sold the final product. Leadership and multi-tasking is natural for her, so you would never find KD just sitting behind the computer designing, but also interacting and building relationships with other vendors and clients. After eight years at the magazine company, she credits this job in providing her with the necessary experience to start her own graphic design business.
KD started Duggan Design seven years ago when after she had her first child and decided she wanted to be home with her daughter. The flexibility of being self-employed allowed her to create her own schedule and be more present in her family’s life. Her husband, Tibi, who is an engineer, supported her graphic design passion and encouraged her to follow her dreams.
Whether or not you are creative, a graphic designer is an amazing resource for creating a cohesive look for your brand. People will judge you by the first look. That is why it is so critical in your business to have a professional presence that helps you reach your ideal client. It seems your passion and charm should provide enough evidence to potential clients that you’re what they’re looking for, but to find the right client who values what you offer and wants to pay for it requires visual appeal.
When you meet KD, you will see she is perfect with public relations. She is social, kind, considerate and truly loves getting to know people. Her genuine desire to help others succeed means she goes above and beyond to help create the perfect design you envisioned.
KD credits her success to her clients who often return or refer her, and that is her biggest joy to see the affirmation she is doing a great job. In addition to referrals, KD sells invitations and greeting cards on Etsy where she can reach clients nationally. Her first sale on Esty was to a birthday invitation to a New York resident. The idea that she made a sale to someone cross-country while she slept was an amazing concept!
Being a mompreneur means having favorite tools and resources that will help you get inspired with platforms like Pinterest, or stay organized such as Evernote. KD’s personal and business life is very much intertwined, so having a system in place is essential. You can often find KD with her kids on Facebook and Instagram because she enjoys sharing her world with her followers and community members. Her favorite resource is other moms. KD values the relationships she has built with her local moms and both their friendship and support has helped her become a more successful mompreneur.
When KD is not working, she loves spending time with her children in the backyard. There is a lot of energy that get expended with an acre of property, and the best part is that the kids, for the most part are independent and play by themselves. KD really cherishes the memories of her kids running around, using their imagination.
Like most mompreneurs, a work life balance is a continuous endeavor. Managing three kids means she flies by the seat of her pants and working in partnership with her husband. She does enjoy meeting clients in person because it gives her uninterrupted adult time. However, when she is not meeting with clients, her most productive time is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. when she gets work done, and then she continues on when the kids go to bed from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Like most mompreneurs, KD struggles with self-care, where she takes time to decompress and rejuvenate. She says her mom never prioritized herself, so that was her role model. So as long her children need something, her needs were instantly neglected. She said she almost wouldn’t know what to do with that time and doesn’t feel the need to just go spend money. She would rather have a play date with friends sharing a glass of wine while the children run wild. KD also mentions that sometimes she needs others to give her permission to take care of herself, like going to bed at 1 a.m. not past it.
When asked what words of wisdom KD can offer to other mompreneurs, she said,” You can’t do it all!” It is ok to ask for help and outsource your least favorite task, which for KD is invoicing and that can deprive her of time from doing what she really loves. KD wants to encourage you to give yourself permission to maximize your resources and support that are available to help you. It is common to wear many hats as a business owner, but it important focus on what you love most because it will allow you to be happier and the best version of yourself. KD enjoys connecting with clients and creating logos and printable products, which is what she would prefer to focus her energy as a graphic designer.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/DugganDesigns
https://www.facebook.com/DugganDesigns-284442698249355/
https://www.instagram.com/duggandesigns/
Thanks Sakhon! you nailed it…and the pictures. your a Momprenuer rockstar!
Thank you KD for the kind words and for sharing your awesomeness!