Creative Business Interview - Keeley Traae Design

So I have a bit of a different type of print method for this months creative business interview - Keeley Traae is a 3D printer of beautiful vessels which I know you are just going to love. Read on to find out more..

Tell us a bit about your business - what do you do?

I am a Designer Maker based in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire. My background is in mostly ceramic product design and design management. I am now enjoying exploring digital craft through 3D printing in commercially compostable materials. My new ‘hello beautiful’ collection recently launched through my online shop in March 2021 expresses my love of form, textural surfaces, geometries found in nature and colour. I am excited by the endless possibilities this design technology offers with each piece being unique, the nature of the process is often unpredictable resulting in all kinds of surprises. Sustainability is at the core of my business model, with my printing materials being made from renewable resources and all packaging being recyclable.

I am also a design consultant offering my expertise to clients who wish to create exciting and meaningful product collections. I create mood boards and concept development, provide 3D surfaces for shape design and prototyping, and finally create technical drawings for manufacture in ceramics, metals, glass and wood. From October 2020 I have also had the exciting opportunity to become a visiting lecturer on the Staffordshire University 3D Designer Maker BA (Hons) course. As a mixed material course, I can work with students not only with their ceramic designs and making processes but also with many other materials and objects such as furniture and jewellery. It is certainly very rewarding to work with the next generation of creatives!

What’s been the biggest challenge getting started?

This first year of business has had so many challenges for me both personally and professionally. The biggest challenge was building my website which took me 5 weeks on and off. A big shout out to my husband https://www.instagram.com/dominicmarshalldesign/ for my branding design and daughter https://www.instagram.com/hildagoose/ for the website photography, It’s a family affair.
I used a Squarespace template which I now love as its very easy to edit the content, update the online shop, publish my blog posts and monitor visitor traffic. Next on the to do list is mastering the ‘art of the newsletter’ and really getting to grips with my email marketing. These are all things that I had been exposed to in my previous roles but never had the need to develop myself. I am by no means a marketeer and realise that to run a successful small design business you have to be not only good at design but marketing, photography, budgeting, bookkeeping and spreadsheet generation (all the fun stuff !)

And what’s been the most exciting part of starting your business?

The most exciting part has been realising my ideas in 3D through my printer which sits humming away next to my studio desk. Initially creating this collection of mini vases for fun, I decided to take the plunge and launch it to the outside world after receiving many encouraging comments on Instagram. I have just secured my second wholesale order after only 5 weeks of business and its feels fantastic. Also being selected to be part of the https://www.findamaker.co.uk/Keeley-Traae-Design/Maker/ is wonderful and I am still pinching myself to be honest. I feel blessed to be part of this new creative community run by Craft Festival, a show I have followed for some years.

What is your typical day like?

Funnily enough I have not used my alarm clock since working from home March 2020, I wake up at 7 ish and as my commute takes approximately 30 seconds I try and be at my desk for 8am. I first check emails, and respond to any enquiries, note any orders through my online shop, check any messages on Instagram and linked in and then I am set for the day. Whatever I am working on I try and set off a design to print in the morning and then after lunch. If I have orders I will prepare the product for posting out. If I am working on a client brief I might spend the day sketching, creating mood boards and researching their brand and current design trends. I prefer to get straight into 3D in my CAD programme once the design process starts, as I can quickly explore different forms and solutions. If it's a teaching day I arrive at Uni before 9am to catch up with the course leader before the day commences. I might find myself in the ceramic workshops helping with practical plaster modelling and mould making, in the casting and glaze rooms, or having one to one catch ups with students to give feedback.

As this is still a fledgling business, I often find myself returning to my desk after dinner in the evening and have been working 6 days a week for some time. I know that I need to find a better work life balance but to be honest as we are still restricted in our movements I really don’t mind as I am enjoying this new adventure and still learning something new every day.

You use 3D printing to create your pieces - tell us more about the process and the materials.

After a year of self-discovery and exploration of the 3D printing world (prepare yourself for some nerdy acronyms) I invested in a FDM printer which prints 3D objects using filament materials. I design my objects in Rhino software and export the surfaces to a slicing programme called Cura. This software creates a G code (basically a building plan of action for the 3D shape) which I then save to a memory stick and pop into the printer before preparing the machine to print. There are lots of choices for sustainable filament materials available and I choose the materials based on my colour palette and the interesting makeup of the material. The wood filaments for example are comprised of 40% wood shavings and PLA (Polylactic acid) which is derived from plants like rice, potato and corn, they feel, look and even smell like wood. All materials I use are commercially biodegradable which is really important to me, as we all know the world needs to reduce its petroleum-based plastics significantly.

I am looking forward to developing different families of form, texture, colour and functionality and have a sketchbook with me at all times to scribble down my ideas.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given so far?

To connect and enquire with as many new customers and independent retailers as possible but remember that not every enquiry will come to immediate fruition. If you send 20 emails you may only receive one response. I think this came from you Fiona and I thank you for this valuable advice.

What advice would you give other creative business starting out?

To understand your customer and to find your niche, to believe in yourself and ignore the imposter syndrome which hovers quite often in my own studio, and finally to take small risks because what is the worst thing that can happen?

Do you have any exciting plans for your business in the future?

I am excited to say that the ‘Hello Beautiful’ collection has been accepted for the online GNCCF shows in July and November this year, so I will be working on new products for these events and building up stock. I will be investing in another 3D printer to help with production and continue to play with new materials, shapes and textures. I also have a couple of new clients for my design consultancy and I am looking forward to working with other new teams and brands. It has been an incredible first year of business and am grateful for all the encouragement and support received from family and friends, old and new.