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

Hi Giselle, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
Taking risks can be scary, sometimes downright terrifying, but it’s essential for growth. True improvement happens when we step outside of our comfort zones, and risks are how we do so. I like to take “calculated risks”, meaning I ask myself the question: “What is it that I’m afraid of by taking this risk?” and if I can debunk my fear then I give myself less of a reason to back out. Also, this lets me filter whether the risk is worth it, or if it’s potentially a terrible idea. For example, early in my career one of the biggest risks I took was quitting my job to pursue a different lifestyle. I didn’t have another stream of income lined up so I calculated what the worst case scenarios I would face. The big ones were money and nobody ever hiring me again. So, I addressed my first fear by saving as much as I could before my last paycheck. As for the second fear, I dug deeper by asking myself more questions, trying to get to the root of whether this was a reasonable fear or just my ego getting in the way. Turns out, my fear was unreasonable. I was in my early twenties, didn’t have kids or anyone depending on me, and had a can-do attitude. I hadn’t even thought about starting the business I have today, but the risk was essential to where I am now. As for in life, I am an avid outdoor rock climber and traveler. I am constantly flexing the mental muscle of facing fears through these activities. This lifestyle has helped me become more confident as a business owner.

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?
I founded Wander Design Co. in late 2016, after finding some success with freelancing as a designer. I really enjoyed the freedom freelancing offered, so I decided to take this venture seriously by registering my business name. The road hasn’t been easy, but thanks to the people in my shoutout I continue to make Wander grow. The first year of Wander Design Co. was the hardest. I worked countless hours building my network, referral list, and portfolio. I wasn’t making enough to make it my main source of income, so I was juggling a couple of onsite design jobs in the meantime. On an average day, I would come home from my 9-5, have dinner, then work on client projects until 11 pm. I remember one day in particular being insanely busy: I had just returned late at night from an epic birthday road trip, had a few hours of sleep to wake up and dress to impress for my weekly 6 am networking breakfast, then head straight to my 9-5 agency job, then head straight to a photoshoot for my Wander Design client afterwards so I could help with creative direction. I am thankful for those early days that trained me not only to juggle the many hats a business owner wears, but also taught me the importance of learning what it truly means to build a business that won’t run me to the ground and instead support the lifestyle I want. The biggest shift in Wander happened after making my first investment in a business coach. With her help, I grew Wander’s revenue x5! I learned that I need to acknowledge my weaknesses and invest in people to compensate. Now, I am the creative director of my own design team and have helped many business owners with brand strategy and creative direction. I think the heart of Wander Design Co. is in serving our adventurous clients — whether it’s through graphic design or consulting.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Moorpark surprisingly offers various high-end culinary experiences and fun activities. I suggest starting your day at Carrara Pastries, an authentic, decadent Italian restaurant. You can enjoy an amazing egg breakfast sandwich with a latte, and cleanse your palette with house-made gelato or pastries. Afterwards, walk off your meal with either a round of golf at one of the three courses in town, or with a pleasant hike through the rolling hills at Happy Camp Canyon Trail. Moorpark houses many international restaurants: Mexican, Indian, Japanese, Italian, American, Chinese, Hawaiian, Thai, Peruvian, you name it. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I recommend one of my two favorites for lunch: Mexican hole in the wall, Carla’s Bakery, or at the Moorpark Kabob Kitchen. After lunch, you can go shop around the retail stores surrounding Target for the afternoon, or go berry picking at the local farms in town. Or if you prefer, go on another hike in surrounding towns Simi Valley or Thousand Oaks. If you need a caffeine kick, support local business by grabbing a great cup of coffee at It’s a Grind Coffee House. Wrap up your day with another stellar meal in Moorpark. If you want to have a high-end dining experience, check out Cafe Firenze. This Italian restaurant is sure to impress if you’re on a date or are celebrating someone! Then grab drinks (and if you went light on dinner, get a pretzel) at McGregor’s Craft Beer & Wine. It’s a tasting room with a casual atmosphere with plenty of games and a sweet outdoor patio.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a big shoutout to my husband, family, mentors, professors, and teachers for encouraging me, believing in me, and guiding me through the ups and downs of being a business owner. And I also want to give a big shoutout to my Better Podcast co-host and our growing community of designers — you continue to blow me away by your generosity and desire to help one another!

Website: wanderdesign.co
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wanderdesign.co/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giselle-field/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellowanderdesign
Other: https://dribbble.com/wanderdesignco

Image Credits
Photo of Giselle by her husband, Derek Field. All other photos by Giselle Field.

Nominate someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.