Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Stempien & Carly Schroeder.
Hi Carly & Michelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We started out as solopreneurs back in 2018, with a mission to break free from the corporate world and build online businesses that gave us the freedom to enjoy life while supporting people with heart-led missions. After years of going it alone, we realized we no longer wanted to do it by ourselves. The weight of running a business felt lighter, and a lot more fun, with a true partner by our side.
After connecting on Instagram and supporting each other behind the scenes, we decided to join forces and launch House of Creatives– our boutique branding agency for seasoned solopreneurs ready to refine their brand, messaging, and online presence. It felt like a no-brainer. Carly brings the creative vision and design expertise, while Michelle leads with strategy and systems. Together, we’re stronger, more aligned, and able to deliver the kind of partnership we always wished we had.
Ironically, we knew we wanted to serve this exact group of people because we had been them. We knew firsthand the value of having a team or partner: a sounding board to brainstorm with, someone to offer a new perspective and encouragement, fresh eyes to bring clarity to a problem when you’re second guessing yourself. That emotional connection and co-creator energy was something we were missing, and we saw solopreneurs missing it too. So we built our business to become that exact support system.
As a branding agency, we offer so much more than a pretty logo or website. What we truly offer is partnership – the kind that makes your ideas feel less overwhelming and more exciting. Through strategy and design, we’ve become the go-to team our clients call when they’re cooking up something new or stepping into a bigger version of themselves and want a brand that reflects that growth.
Because of our own journey, we knew it was time to redefine what branding really means. To make it deeper than just surface level visuals or trendy fonts. We built an experience for our clients that’s collaborative, transformational, and deeply intentional.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all, but that’s also the nature of being an entrepreneur. Every obstacle has shaped us into the brand we are today, and we wouldn’t change a thing. That said, we’ve definitely had our fair share of struggles along the way. One of the biggest challenges we faced was releasing the need to fit in and do things a certain way.
If you’re a business owner, especially in the online space, you know how noisy it can be around what you should and shouldn’t do to be “successful.” There are also strategies and tactics business owners pick up and try to use in their business simply because they’re familiar or widely used. Sometimes they work for you, and sometimes they don’t. We had to let go of the idea that just because something is working for someone else, it doesn’t mean we need to follow the same path if it doesn’t feel good for us.
We spent a lot of time shifting and refining our process and how we worked in order to find an approach that felt aligned, was profitable and actually delivered results. It took a lot of trial and error, but surrendering to that process was key to our growth.
Some of the biggest shifts we made included shortening our project timelines, this not only helped keep the momentum going for our clients but also kept us inspired and excited to work on projects. Our project timelines went from months to days and are just as impactful if not more than before. We ditched the free proposal process that most agencies do. We found that it only left us drained, underpaid and truthfully ghosted most of the time. We focused on building in intentional space for other passions outside of the agency which left us feeling more fulfilled and energetic when it came to running the business. We also stepped away from trying to be on every social platform, all the time. Instead, we focused on strategies like in person networking, blogging and email marketing to connect us with the dream clients we are meant to serve.
Letting go of the pressure to fit in and instead fully trust ourselves has been the biggest game changer. It’s what led us to build our own “true-to-you” brand and it’s exactly the kind of brand we now build for our clients.
We’ve been impressed with House Of Creatives, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
House of Creatives is a branding agency for seasoned coaches, consultants and creatives who are ready to grow, refine, or reposition their business. We help our clients clarify their message, elevate their visual identity, and create a brand experience that supports long-term growth and visibility.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Integrity. It’s our core value at House of Creatives. Without it, it’s easy to get caught up in the noise, second-guess yourself, and make decisions from a place of insecurity. Integrity doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes, it means you’re making choices that feel true in the moment, giving yourself space to experiment, and leaving room for failure, because that’s often where the real clarity (and growth!) lives.
When it comes to branding and marketing, it’s rarely black and white or right and wrong. It’s about finding what feels good for you and operating from a place of integrity. That’s what makes our Brand Blueprint experience so unique. We help our clients identify what feels out of alignment in their business, optimize what’s already working, and create from a place of confidence and clarity.
Because we lead with integrity in our own business, our clients feel it too, especially when they’re dreaming up their next big offer or stepping into a new version of their brand. We give them permission to tune out the noise, lean into what’s right for them and ultimately lead them to experience unshakeable confidence and a brand that commands leadership.
Pricing:
- Brand Blueprints are $350 and are required steps for each of our packages. This is the foundation for all of our project work.
- Our signature packages range from $5,500 to $15,000+ USD, depending on the level of support and scope.
- All Blueprint costs are applied to your final package if you move forward with us.
- We customize each package based on your business needs, goals, and growth stage. Exact deliverables are outlined after the Blueprint process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.house-of-creatives.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houseofcreatives__
