We believe in the power of imagery and in the beauty of a story well told. It is both our honor and our mission to tell the stories of amazing women who are bringing delight, design, and beauty to their communities through their work. In that light, we are THRILLED to introduce you to our friend, client, and graphic designer, Riley Moody.
Riley is the owner of and artist behind Good Mood Design Co. She is a Charlotte-based graphic designer and artist with a deep love for color, pattern, and great art. After six years of working as a designer in the nonprofit world, she launched Good Mood Design Co. in 2021. She now creates artistic, custom branding and marketing for women-owned businesses. She’s worked with clients in industries spanning from interior design and fine art to real estate and consulting.
We initially got to know her when we reached out to her to create our own logo/branding last fall. When we approached her we knew we wanted to create a thoughtful photography business that served the women of our community. But at that point in time, that is about all we knew. Our conversations with Riley as she walked us through her process really helped us solidify our mission and put words to the heart behind what is now Harmonie House Images. Riley then took those words, our story, and inspirational images we collected and created our perfect color palette and suite of logos and branding graphics you see all over this website and our social media. She also provided us with guidance on how to use the assets she created. We know first hand what a gifted designer she is and we could not wait to return the favor by creating updated brand imagery for her.
So, clearly, we love Riley. But we want to give you a chance to love her as well. We asked Riley a series of questions to help you get to know her better and, if you are a small business owner, learn from some of her wisdom too.
What does your company do? What makes your service unique and notable? “I create branding that makes your business feel like you’ve leveled-up! My moments of feeling the greatest work success are when a small business owner gains confidence and credibility in their industry due to a beautiful, cohesive brand. Sometimes it is taking a side-hustle or hobby and making it look and feel like a legitimate business. And sometimes it is breathing new life into a business that has been established for years, but is ready to make their branding match the high level of work they produce.
I also love creating things with my hands — painting, drawing, arranging. I deeply enjoy incorporating handmade elements into branding projects when the brand calls for it. This makes a branding project cross over the line of a business transaction and really into a creation of artwork. It also means no one else will ever have a logo or brand that looks like yours!”
Here at Harmonie House Images, we can 100% attest this is true. When Riley delivered our branding assets in January, we didn’t have an Instagram feed yet, we hadn’t fully outlined our packages and pricing, we didn’t have a website, and we hadn’t officially registered our business with the state, but suddenly we felt like a legitimate business.
What inspired you to create your business? “I love design and I love people. In particular, I love seeing small business owners chase dreams and make them a reality. And I believe branding can be a major element in making a dream look and feel like a business. It helps your brand be taken seriously and trusted, and is often the very first impression an audience may get of your business. The chance to be a part of that process is pure joy to me.”
Are there any books you’d recommend to people in your niche or books that you just generally love? “The War of Art is one of my favorite books for creatives. It’s so easy to view creativity as an extension of yourself — but when it becomes your work and your livelihood, you have to learn how to remove the personal aspect juuuust a bit. To view your work objectively and to not be crushed when things flop or when the creativity just doesn’t come some days. To just show up every day and keep working to create the magic.”
Are there any resources or assets (software, apps, courses, etc) that have really helped you uplevel your business? “I use an app called Found for my business banking. It’s designed for small business owners and helps me sort and categorize each expense and source of income so that I’m completely organized when tax time comes. You can even pay your quarterly estimated payments through a few easy clicks in the app!”
What would you say is the main thing that has helped you grow in your business? This could be a personality trait, a mindset, an event, etc. “Really investing in relationships has had the greatest (unintentional) impact on my business. Friends and acquaintances and connections from years and years past have turned into customers, clients, and major cheerleaders for Good Mood. And that has truly been a driving force of its success. These are not connections I made through networking events or business meet-ups, but genuine relationships I invested in long before I dreamed of having a business. People love to support small businesses, especially when they have a personal connection to the brand. Take the time to genuinely connect with the people around you — when done in an authentic way with no agenda, the return can be greater than ever imagined.”
If you started your business today, what would you focus on first to help you grow? “I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I didn’t do a very thorough brand strategy plan for my own brand before I launched a branding business. I moved quickly and really said “yes” to every opportunity rather than strategically targeting a certain audience and only taking on projects that supported my bigger goals. Now that I’ve had a taste of quite a few different types of work and clientele, I’m creating some white space to slow down, think about what I’ve enjoyed, and thoughtfully plan on how to market Good Mood to attract more of that.”
What is the best business advice you’ve ever been given? “Go all in. If you keep one foot in and one out because you’re scared to take the full plunge, you’re never going to push a business to true success.”
What was your absolute biggest challenge prior to doing a personal branding photo shoot? “Confidence and comfort in front of the camera! I wanted these images to give a really genuine look at who I am and how I work, and I was worried that my fear of being on camera would make things look stiff and corporate.”
How did that challenge make you feel? “Miranda and Lori Ellen made me feel comfortable and confident in the process, which allowed me to relax and actually feel like myself. This clearly showed through the images and videos I received, and now are my best marketing tool to show off my real personality through my website and social media channels.”
What changed after getting your brand images and/or videos? “I feel a great pressure to show off my personality in my marketing, as I think a personal connection is often what sets you apart from competition and makes a client choose one option over another. However, I just don’t feel comfortable sharing my face and voice in the way most marketing gurus teach you to do today. My brand images and videos have become the perfect resource to show off genuine glimpses into who I am without having to do things that feel inauthentic to me. They help me feel like I’m not having to start from a blank canvas every time I want to post something on social media. And they truly help my business feel more professional, trustworthy, and beautiful!”
What specific results can you share? “We all know video content is hugely important in social media marketing these days. The images and videos I received from my brand shoot have allowed me to quickly make beautiful, professional-looking video content that brings new exposure and interaction to my brand.”
Thanks, Riley! You have truly been a DREAM to work with – both as a graphic designer and a client!
To see more of Riley’s amazing work, give her a follow on Instagram at @goodmooddesignco and check out her website goodmooddesignco.com
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