Naya Rivera Addresses Those David Spade Dating Rumors… Sort Of

In this segment, Paige Wiese, founder & CEO of Tree Ring Digital in Denver, CO, walks us through some of the ways she encourages clients to double down on marketing when business is slow. Paige built her business as a solopreneur graphic designer to a team of 15, helping clients with SEO, online ads, and social media management. Here’s her Take 5, plus more tips for surviving the business lulls below!

What's a recent small win for you and your business?

Paige: A recent small win has been just seeing business pick up again. I am seeing businesses start to engage with their marketing efforts and really trying to get to the root of why their website might be underperforming. We look at what they can be doing to see their money actually go to a place that it should be going.

What's a big piece of advice that you give to your clients?

Paige: A lot of them want to back off anytime there's a little bit of scarcity. I really think that's the time to double down, whether it be your digital presence, your website, or just adjusting how you're spending your money. But instead of just saying, ‘Hey, we're going to stop [investing in marketing],’ ask ‘How do we double down in the correct way and make sure we're seeing measurable results out of it?’ I do it myself anytime business is a little slow. I think we have to either change or we need to be doubling down. A lot of clients come to us when the pipeline is already dry and money is tight and they’re hoping for a quick fix. Marketing, unfortunately, isn't a quick fix.

See more tips for surviving business lulls below!

What's an unexpected business challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?

Paige: I think one of the bigger challenges that we've run into has been more on the employee side, some of the retention or the hiccups that come along the way and then just learning from them. So how can we be a better, stronger company coming out of this and how do we use it as a growing opportunity?

How has the Verizon Small Business program helped propel your business forward?

Paige: I learned about the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). It's a free resource that’s self-paced and very digestible. The variety of topics it covers is a large gamut for any size business. The Selling with Storytelling course, especially, was really valuable to me, just really getting your messaging out there. I laugh that I sometimes enjoy the marketing ones a little bit more just because it is a refresher or another take on how we do this.

Thanks Paige!

Here Are More B+C Tips For Surviving The Small Business Lulls

1. Refine Your Strategy
   • Review your business plan and goals. Are you on track? What can be improved?
   • Analyze customer feedback and sales data to spot trends and areas where you can grow.
2. Boost Your Marketing Efforts
   • Refresh your website or social media profiles. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready’s free Put Your Website to Work course will help you get started with best practices for building your business website.
   • Create engaging content through blogs, videos, and newsletters. Verizon’s free Creating Compelling Content course can help you create consistent, quality content for your target customers.
   • Offer promotions or limited-time discounts to attract new customers.
3. Invest in Learning
   • Take an online course related to your industry, like Verizon’s free Planning for the Unexpected course for building resiliency in your business.
   • Stay updated on industry trends and innovations.
   • Engage with customers too. Send personalized emails to loyal customers or clients. Ask for reviews!
4. Improve Your Processes
   • Streamline operations or explore new tools to increase your efficiency.
   • Organize your workspace and declutter your digital files.
5. Self-Care and Rest
   • Take advantage of the slower pace to recharge. A refreshed mindset is exactly what you need to bring forth fresh ideas!

10 million new friends

Anna first learned about Photoshop in high school. It fueled her passion for bringing her creative visions to life. Then, at the beginning of her grad school career, an exciting new opportunity to express herself came along when a friend told her about this new app called TikTok that was blowing up.

Anna was getting a masters in film and television production in Los Angeles, which, she says, “was a full 180 switch” after graduating in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

“My mom and dad always instilled in me that you should take chances while you're young,” says Anna, who has always had a passion for multimedia.

She started playing around and making content on TikTok that felt natural to her creativity and sense of humor. Six months later, COVID hit, and she was sent back home to Michigan to study online.

“I was like, ‘you know what? I should really try this TikTok thing,” Anna recalls. It marked the beginning of her journey to establish herself as a content creator and commit to producing content consistently on the platform. She started doing fashion and makeup GRWM videos, and. music became a big inspiration for her during this. “I would create morning musicals where I make a music video out of my morning routine. Then, I started making these “I don't want it” videos,” she recalls, which ultimately took off as a major social trend.

While she says she was “mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared to be some director's assistant for the next 10 years,” before she knew it, she had over 10 million friends on the app.

“It was such an incredible way to not only connect with people, but to share creativity and feel so freely self-expressive too. I'm so happy to be here,” she says. “TikTok reignited that creativity that I had as a kid,” she told us.

It’s all about the (creative) process

Anna admits that she’s not really a planner. “My mom always jokes, ‘I get my best ideas when I'm sleeping,’ and I feel the same way,” she says. Her creative process always starts with whatever inspires her when she wakes up in the morning. Then she’s able to turn a creative idea into something that’s fun and silly and resonates with her audiences. And that’s why she works with tools like Photoshop, the ultimate image editing and design app, that lets her bring her creativity to life at the speed of her imagination whenever and whenever her inspiration strikes.

“Photoshop allows me to just have such creative freedom. It's such a powerful app and allows me to not only have precision and creative control, but it lets me bring ideas in my head to life. I love that it's something that connects all of us,” she says.

She’s able to take a photo or video and elevate it in a way that makes it even more beautiful and powerful than it was before. Photoshop can be used in so many ways during the creative process beyond photo editing – creating mood boards to kick off the creative process, graphic design for marketing and even for storyboards for videos. Photoshop has a diverse set of features that help with inspiration too. So what is her latest obsession with Photoshop?

“I'm obsessed with making collages – that's my new little love right now in life,” she says. When we spoke, she was getting ready for a spec shoot, and using Photoshop to put all of her ideas in one place, making sure colors worked well together and idealizing and expanding images. She was focused on building the flow of her video through inspirational imagery, so she could execute the perfect setups, fashion, theme and a plan to film her video. As a creator, she doesn’t just shoot and post, but loves to get creative with tools like Photoshop to bring a larger concept to life. “I love that I have an app that just allows me to expand further from just taking a photo and posting it on Instagram versus really bringing different ideas to life,” she adds.

Social media Dos and Don’ts

Anna is known for herrefreshing down-to-earth personality – you can feel it throughout her content. She’s really just herself and living her best life.

“Authenticity is an absolute DO,” she says. But that doesn’t mean you have to focus on just one aspect of yourself. “People often say to try to fit into a niche and I disagree. I don't think you should make content that's catered toward one idea. I think that YOU are the exciting idea, and everything that you have – all of these passions and things that you love – are a mosaic of what makes you creative,” she adds.

Another major DO? Finding the creative tools that most authentically support your content creation process. As an avid Photoshop user from a young age, Anna has continued to utilize the app for creative design across her channels to create content that is undeniably HER, without limits.

For all the chatter about posting multiple times a day to gain an audience, you might be surprised by Anna’s Don’ts. “You make your best content when you feel creative and when you feel like posting and making things that you're enjoying. If you're in a creative block, one, two, three days of rest are actually only going to benefit you in the long run,” she says. And along the lines of authenticity, “don't feel the need to make what everybody else is making to make something good,” she adds.

Adobe Photoshop tips and tricks

Anna has had a passion for photography since childhood. “I loved making little home movies out of our family vacations, and I grew up really loving photography,” she says. Photoshop is a tool that seamlessly fits into her life as a professional and in her day-to-day.

“I think when people think Photoshop, they think, ‘oh my gosh, I have to be doing these major changes to whatever I'm creating.’ But the truth is, I really do use it for everything from my Instagram post for my podcast page to giving a photo a different color scheme, or resizing or creating a little collage to inspire whatever I want to do next,” she says.

While talking about her community, Anna mentioned how much her Instagram community loves the black and white posters she creates withPhotoshop. “Even for the simplest tasks, the first app that I reach for is Photoshop. I really enjoy having an app that makes me feel like I can have my creativity at my fingertips. It has so many uses beyond just being a tool for elite creatives. It really is a great app for day-to-day life as well,” she adds.

Finding inspiration as a creator

As a creator, it can be easy to live your life online. Anna avoids that way of life and it makes her content even stronger for it. “When you're on a phone all the time and creating content, it's so easy to get lost in filming 90 percent of your life, and filming every time you go to a coffee shop, every time you have a hang out with a friend, every time you wear a good outfit that you're proud of. But my greatest inspiration comes from actually what I'm truly firsthand living and not documenting my life. And then the lessons that I learned and the things that I see and the value that brings to my life is only further elevating the content that I make,” she says.

Anna’s advice

If you’re someone who aspires to have a creative outlet, Anna has some advice for you.“Even if it's little baby steps that you take a photo every single day, or you make a video every single day, or you brainstorm every single day, I think action is the best way that you're going to learn,” she says.

Anna also recommends doing what she does, tinker with different tools and apps, this helps make her content shine. “You can learn so much by just testing out different features to edit photos, different ways to expand and add text and ways to make your creativity really come to life,” she says

“I think the best advice is to play and do what makes you happy."

THE BEFORE

Prior to the renovation, the home was stuck in the past with a lime green exterior and a late 80s/early 90s design aesthetic, including dated flooring, cramped rooms, wall-to-wall carpeting, bulky kitchen cabinets and granite (granite!) countertops. Drumroll on the after....

THE AFTER

I'm in awe of this transformation. Amanda and Taylor enhanced the home’s original features, including the floor-to-ceiling windows, slate roof with beautifully patinated gutters and accents, and kept original lighting fixtures while adding a fresh coat of paint and modern landscaping. Gorgeous!

THE BEFORE: ENTRY AND LIVING ROOM

Before diving into the renovation, take a look at the original living area and entryway. The space feels not just overdone, but also cold and uninviting. The bulky staircases (plural) dominate the entry, while the divider adds nothing to the warmth or flow of the space. The furniture feels stuck in another era, and that tiny rug? A total eyesore!

THE AFTER: LIVING AREA

The entry now is stunning, designed to make a statement with one staircase removed to create a charming seating nook and a more open, inviting flow into the cozy living space. The home now has 20-foot ceilings, an elegant formal living room topped with custom-stained cedar paneling, and a bespoke bar area showcasing beautifully restored red oak cabinetry.

Elegant furnishings with modern silhouettes and warm, earthy tones instantly elevate the home's aesthetic. The restored fireplace adds warmth and character to the room, while a well-proportioned rug enhances the cozy, inviting space.

THE BEFORE: KITCHEN

My eyes! This kitchen is a time capsule of outdated design, from the heavy granite countertops to the awkward circular layout that feels cramped and closed off.

"We opened up the kitchen to create a much more spacious and functional layout," says Taylor. "One of the key changes was expanding the kitchen’s visual space by installing double islands to create more prep space and an inviting area for family to gather."

They also removed a wall that separated the kitchen from the dining area, which not only opened up the space but also allowed natural light to flood in from both sides of the house. "The wood and paint-grade cabinetry allowed for contrast, and served as the perfect canvas for Calacatta Viola marble and absolute black slabs. The matte black hardware we used throughout the cabinetry and railings added a modern touch," adds Amanda.

Amanda and Taylor revamped the '90s kitchen into a chic and design-forward space by adding a moody breakfast nook for the family to gather. Find more banquette inspiration here!

Another challenge was optimizing the natural light — some rooms had very little natural light while others had plenty, so they introduced skylights where it was lacking. "We maximized the layout, lighting, and use of space while adding crucial design factors to make the property stand out," says Taylor.

Striking a balance between light and dark, the dining room features a rich brown and black palette that enhances its moody, earthy aesthetic while beautifully framing the outdoor views.

"The defining highlight for us is how we were able to preserve the home’s original charm while modernizing it to meet the physical and aesthetic needs of a modern family," says Amanda. The design duo kept the architectural integrity intact, but enhanced the functionality and warmth.

Taylor and Amanda restored the fireplace to its original brick, "but not how you might think," says Taylor. "We went through multiple processes to come to the final product. First attempting to remove paint, then micro cementing the fireplace, and at the very end we wanted to have the warmth and beauty of used brick. So we had to source used brick to satisfy the color and size needs for our room and proceeded to install."

Marble and matte black hardware was also used in the bathrooms, creating a cohesive and luxurious feel throughout the home.

"We chose natural materials like warm oak wood, used brick, and natural stones to blend with the moldings and historic feel of the home," says Amanda. The soft goods complement these harder materials with natural linens and vintage style rugs.

Touches of nature are woven throughout the home, subtly appearing in the artwork and décor.

The adorable kids room is a clean canvas with neutral decor and a rich amber-colored rug.

The outdoors is just as stunning. The pair upgraded the pool tile to a cle rust brown tile to modernize and warm up the pool. "We take landscaping our homes very seriously, so when it came to this home we had to go all out," says Amanda. Grass, olive trees, ficus, vines and more create a serene environment for years to come.

"The idea was to create a connection between the interior and the surrounding landscape — bringing the outside in," adds Taylor. "The seamless integration of indoor-outdoor living and the design of the kitchen as the heart of the home really stand out."