Meet Megan Larkins | Website Developer & Marketing Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan Larkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
When starting The Branding District as my third business venture I set out with a specific goal and mission in mind: to help as many business owners as possible obtain a custom website and/or to assist with their marketing and branding. The design process and development of creating a website platform and curating custom content is not something that comes naturally to most people, yet these are two of the most important pieces to the puzzle when trying to generate organic leads and increase company profit margins. Upon starting my first business I realized how incredibly expensive and unrealistic it was for most small business owners to afford these types of services, meaning most would not be able to invest in these necessities to run their business. A custom website costs right under $7,000 on average when working with an agency. I had the skills, the proper education, and obtained the right certifications to begin designing my own website and marketing content. Shortly after the start of my second business, a fellow colleague reached out and expressed her need for a new website for her own business, that she had fallen in love with the website I had created for my company, and wanted to hire me for the job. Ultimately this turned into my passion for assisting other small business owners obtain their own custom websites and marketing content at completely affordable rates. The Branding District serves as Charlotte, NC’s most affordable website design and marketing agency. The collaboration between local small businesses within the community assists in generating and increasing local revenue, creating the culture for our community by providing affordable services, and expanding resources upon other business owners generating new relationships and networking platforms. We have helped over 30 business owners within the last year develop a professional website, curate cohesive branding materials, and generate a solidified marketing plan to maximize their reach and generate new business. The Branding District services businesses nation-wide and plans to expand their completely affordable services globally by 2023.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Branding District is a custom website design and marketing agency where cohesive branding and marketing material comes to life. This agency works to provide services at completely affordable rates to business owners that they otherwise would not be able to afford. Where normally starting a business is centered around maximizing your profit and charging higher rates, we work with one goal in mind: to provide services at affordable rates in efforts to help as many business owners as possible. Upon starting my first business which is an online boutique, I found myself constantly changing and working on the setup and design of the website more than anything else within my operation. I was SO in love with the process and being able to use my creative skills while working. Upon starting this company I’d have to say that the most challenging aspect was getting clientele to understand that just because we have low affordable rates, does not mean the value or seriousness in this company was less than. I had to teach and retrain my clientele to understand and respect the seriousness and structure of this agency. I am beyond thankful and incredibly proud of myself, my team, and the 30+ clients that have trusted me within my first year of business to generate material for their own companies.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When friends and family come to visit the city of Charlotte there’s so much to do and so much fun to be had! Some of my favorite places to eat, drink, and visit are Ink and Ivy, Lost and Found, Sip, and my absolute favorite being Brazwells. There’s a lot of cool attractions like iFly, Top Golf, or a short drive to Carowinds. I love our city specifically for the level of diversity, the potential and opportunities that are available to professionals of our age, and the unique artistic and creative culture that resides within our community.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The person I believe deserves credit and recognition within my story the most would have to be a colleague and amazing friend of mine, Taishma Council. She is the owner of Virtual Goals Assistant Agency a dedicated VA and OBM company. I shared my story in how this business came about and she was the friend who first reached out to me and asked me to design her website, even though at the time that was not what I was doing as a business owner. She saw my potential and motivated me to expand upon that creative talent I possessed which ultimately lead to my third business venture!

Website: thebrandingdistrict.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/thebrandingdistrict_

Image Credits
Brandon Moses