Meet Britt Sekulić of Popstradamus in Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Britt Sekulić.

Britt, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My first career was actually as a hairstylist. I’ve always been an artist in some capacity and doing hair was a fun way for me to be creative and help people. But, after 11 years of braving the public and salon drama, I was just burned out. My father’s health also started to decline back home, so I started searching for a new profession that was creative and that I could do remotely or would at least give me the freedom to travel back and forth to check in on him. I took some time for myself to explore different creative professions. Music is a big part of my life so, I started curating music for a local blog (which I still do and love).

One day, a friend of mine approached me to illustrate a children’s book she had written and I thought, “why not?” Then, almost at the same time, my sister connected me with her co-worker that was looking for an illustrator for his children’s book. So, I figured I would just follow the work. After that, I wrote and illustrated my own children’s book, which was a lot of fun. While I worked on the books, I decided to study graphic design, thinking it would be a more lucrative direction and discovered I absolutely loved it. After that, I started getting freelance jobs for commercial art, everything from logo design to album art, to map design, so I veered in that direction.

I realized most of the work I was needed for, was helping small businesses brand themselves and represent themselves professionally. I really enjoyed the work and the research end as well. I started investigating their market, seeing what everyone else was doing and what they weren’t doing. I liked getting to know the client and creating something very tailored to them and helping them express their individuality through design.

Last year I decided to get formal about it and created Popstradamus, a graphic design company catering specifically to small businesses. There can be quite a bit of ego in L.A., so I wanted to buck against that and create a business that is friendly and unpretentious. I wanted a company you can feel comfortable working with and have an enjoyable experience and also feel taken care of. Popstradamus is kind of like an office full of your graphic design nerd friends, burning the midnight oil, working passionately and loving every minute of it.

I’ve also always had a soft spot for small and local businesses and truly feel that they are an essential part of the American dream. Maybe I’m a romantic, but I believe we can all still take our slice of the pie. The idea that anyone from any nationality, social class or education could come to the States, start from zero and build a successful business from the ground up, totally inspires me. It’s like that quote from George Carlin “I like it when a flower or a tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It’s so f***in heroic.” I guess I wanted to do my part to further that dream by giving small businesses a leg up with amazing graphic design, great customer service and simultaneously keeping it affordable for them.

So in a way, I’m still kind of a stylist… making your business look impressive so that you can impress your clients and succeed.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been an interesting and windy road. I’ve learned so much about myself along the way. But all in all, it was a relatively smooth and organic transition. I was fortunate to have friends and family who believed in me enough to refer work my way and I enjoyed the challenge of learning how to do things as they were thrown at me. My husband has been amazingly supportive and beyond helpful in so many ways. The hardest part has been the marketing aspect of it. Social media seems oversaturated and so many tried and true methods have been done to death. Marketing is constantly evolving so it can be a bit daunting trying to keep up with it all. I’ve realized that I need to look at it all more creatively, which is what I do best, so it really is a game of throwing ideas out there and seeing what sticks. There is also so much internal struggle that goes along with being self-employed. Riding the waves of feast or famine can be a serious test of your faith in yourself. But perhaps that’s half the fun. It’s all a bit of an adventure.

Please tell us about Popstradamus.
Popstradamus is small graphic design studio that specializes in the reimagining of small business brands. We also love taking old websites with outdated, bland and safe design, going back to our lab, tinkering and creating something that will exceed their expectations. Like a whole business makeover. Cue the montage! Lol!

I think what sets us apart from others is a genuine heart. I think, we honestly love what we do and love people and really want their businesses to succeed. Yes, we want to make money, but it’s more about making good art, helping people and enjoying our work. We got soul.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite childhood memories are traveling through Europe with my dad as a kid. We lived in Germany for many years and almost every weekend and holiday we were off hitting the road somewhere. I loved all the different cultures, foods and people. My dad was a history teacher so it was kind of like growing up with a tour guide. We had so many fun adventures and silly stories. All kids should travel. Best education a kid could get.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.popstradamus.com/
• Email: [email protected]

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