The Discovery Phase: A Game-Changer for Project Success - Khaiersta English - S2 Ep 15

In this episode, we are joined by, Khaiersta English, the Founder & Product Design Lead at Flower Press Creative Studio, LLC. With 25 years of expertise in digital product design and engineering, she has crafted apps, websites, and experiences for an impressive clientele, including industry giants like Visa, Adobe, and Nike. From Creative Director to UI/UX Designer and Content Strategist, she is a versatile powerhouse, skilled in early research, prototyping, team management, and client relations. In this conversation, she highlights the value of the "discovery" process in product design and effective upselling strategies for long-term client relationships. 

 

Discussion Points - 

 

• What sort of bogus strategy or misconception do you want to set the record straight on? 2:27
• How do you effectively communicate the value of the "discovery" process to potential clients? 4:00
• How do you decide the price for your services? 7:16
• Could you please elaborate on your agency's approach to marketing, particularly in attracting clients by focusing on people rather than companies? 11:28
• How do you upsell to existing customers and maintain strong long-term relationships? What strategies and tools do you use to maintain communication with your extensive client base? 14:25
• How would you define the difference between a partner and a vendor in the context of business relationships? 17:52
• As a partner in client projects, how do you handle differences of opinion while maintaining a productive relationship? Any tips or insights based on your experience? 20:25
• As a female founder and advocate for female founders, what tips do you have for women and individuals in underrepresented groups navigating the entrepreneurial landscape? 25:01
• As a leader and business owner, where do you spend your time connecting with peers and other business owners? 28:26
• What's exciting you about the future? 31:22

Show notes - 

 

• We go through a process called discovery. Discovery is a planning phase, where you undertake stakeholder interviews, map out the assistant design, assemble a prototype, and test it with end users to see if the product direction is valid. That is a paid phase of work. 3:11
• You'd be surprised how many people tell me that when they go to an agency, the agency just gives them a price based on the specifications they describe. It is refreshing to hear someone willing to help them validate those specifications. 6:58
• We work hourly because hourly acknowledges the reality of software, which is that things change and it's impossible to know all the requirements upfront. 7:53
• People are sold on the process once they get involved in it, because it's very exciting to hear real feedback, based on a prototype, to see it in action, to interact with it. 8:50
• The main thing is building a network, staying in touch, and continuing to reach out to let people know you're around. Launching projects and showcasing successful project launches are good ways to ensure repeat business. 13:31
• I find that upselling work is the easiest way to get new work. When you identify needs and offer solutions to those needs, such as identifying and fixing problems, it becomes one of the best ways to ensure a steady stream of ongoing work. 14:04
• Partner is someone who's personally invested in the success of the brand and the project to the point where you operate as if you're a business owner, you operate and make decisions and give advice as if it's your company to run. 18:12
• The biggest thing to keep in mind is focusing on the work and the outcomes, putting in the time and effort, and not worrying too much about whether you are male or female. It just comes down to doing the best work. 26:14
• I think the intuitive sense of what people need and the caregiving sense that women have are instrumental to our roles as caregivers and mothers. Moreover, these qualities translate well to the workplace, particularly when developing tools for humans and creating user-friendly solutions. 27:03
• I have business owners whom I collaborate with and deeply value and trust. I proactively reach out to them, setting up conversations specifically for brainstorming, and through these interactions, I've been able to establish mentorship relationships with some of these individuals. 29:32
• I am looking forward to growing our team, we're adding a second engineering channel so we can take on more projects. 31:28

 

Myth-Busted - 

Sales professionals or agencies do not get paid for the planning phase of the sales process

Links -

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaiersta/ 

Twitter:https://twitter.com/theflowerpress 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/khaiersta 

Company website: https://www.theflowerpress.net/ 

Clutch: https://clutch.co/top-service-providers/women-owned 

Show Credits - 

Host - Varun Bihani & Jessie Coan

Produced by Bobby Soni 

Edited by Priyanka Sharma 

Content by Aakash Damani, Yashika Neekhra, and Juhie Bhardwaj