Meet Liz McShane | CEO and Founder at On Trend Creative Studio

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

Hi Liz, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Before On Trend, I worked primarily as a photographer for different businesses and clients. I would often finish a branding session, and afterwards, I always felt my work wasn’t finished. My clients would love their images but express they didn’t have the time, knowledge, or resources to really leverage their brand with my work. I saw a need among my client base and created a solution that could be scaled across a wide range of businesses, services, and personalities. With On Trend, my team and I are able to create comprehensive marketing systems, starting with photography, cross functional collaboration, and forward thinking social media strategies that result in brand leverage, growth, and exposure for our clients.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Our main goal is ALWAYS our clients’ goal. I believe that is what sets us apart – our overall approach is straightforward with all clients but our content and strategies are unique and hyper individualized. It takes a little more legwork, but we are passionate about understanding each individual we work with on a deeper level. We jump in head first with each clients’ business to fully understand how we can best serve them. This allows us to create a custom plan alongside our company’s structure to help them reach their personal and professional goals, which is what I believe is what sets us apart.

I cannot express how proud I am of my team! During interviews, I always tell potential new hires the standards I set for both myself and my team, one of them being not settling for anything less than excellence. This doesn’t make us immune to mistakes but my team’s work ethic and devotion to the company’s values means our clients’ experience will never be mediocre, which I am incredibly grateful for and proud of.

One thing that helped me get where I am with my business is setting an end goal and not stopping until I reached it. I do this by figuring out what it is I want for my company, a client, employee, etc. and make smaller, attainable goals that get me one step closer to the larger goal. It may sound cliché but setting and meeting goals has been the most efficient way I have grown as a business owner. Not every step has been the easiest but when you’re doing something you love, the wins outweigh the losses.

One of the biggest challenges I have faced with On Trend also taught me one of the biggest lessons. With my company being fairly new, there is still some trial and error to troubleshoot with clients, strategies, and the services I ultimately want to provide. I’ve learned to set clear boundaries within the size and scope of On Trend. Talking and working with a range of clients has shown not everyone is looking for the same thing and some may want more than what I expect for my team. Overall, I would say setting boundaries in order to maintain my team’s morale and prioritize our clients has been a very productive lesson I’ve learned as an entrepreneur.

I want the world to know that we truly work hard so you don’t have to. We value excellence, creativity, research, up-to-date marketing, and client relationships so when you hire us, you are making the choice to grow your business, leverage your brand, and generate revenue in places you might not know exist!

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.
It can be easy to minimize Athens to a college town but it’s much more than that. Since living in or near Athens, one thing I’ve learned about the Classic City is whatever direction you are going, you are promised to find something new, delicious, or entertaining. The restaurant scene here is one of the most diverse and exquisite experiences, and live music will always be in the air. If my best friend were coming to town on a Friday night, I would take them to Creature Comforts so they can learn how to navigate local breweries and then cross the street for seasonal cocktails from The National. Afterwards, we would head to the Georgia Theater to hear an up-and-coming band, followed by more live music at The Globe. On our way home, I would stop by Last Resort for the sweetest and fluffiest piece of cheesecake we’ve ever had. The next morning, we would either feel the buzz of a game day or I would take us to the Athens Farmers Market. We would spend the rest of our day with charcuterie on North Campus (my favorite pastime) and shopping at Monkees, Cheeky Peach, and Fabrik (my go to stores). There’s also so many vintage stores in downtown Athens that are always worth a pop-in! Sunday would call for a trip to the Georgia Museum of Art and an outdoor lunch at Clocked or Cali-n-Tito’s. We might even end the weekend with a bucket of popcorn and an evening screening at Ciné. With everything considered, I would show pieces of Athens that make it a hub for art, food, southern culture and traditions, and so much more than a small college town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to thank my husband, Patrick, for his constant love and encouragement. He has taught me so much about entrepreneurship and business strategy. He has never made me feel like I have to “fit in a box.” He respects and supports all of my ventures and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.

Website: www.Ontrendcreativstudio.com

Instagram: @ontrendcreativestudio

Facebook: On Trend Creative Studio

Image Credits
Images shot by: Savannah Holcombe (@Savannahhphotography) and Liz McShane (@repurposedphotography) Images Edited by: Liz McShane (@repurposedphotography)