Meet Lindsay Kelly | Founder + Creative Director of JaneMade

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

Hi Lindsay, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had been working professionally for 10 years before leaving to start my own studio. With a daughter at home and hopes of having more kids, I knew that I couldn’t continue the pace of my career in the city and be a present parent, which was most important to me. I started freelancing on the side while I still worked full time, essentially working two full time jobs, to prove to myself that I’d be able to maintain the same income as a freelancer as I did in my full time role. I’ve always been a workaholic but wanted to be spending time on things that aligned with my aesthetic, values, and personal interests if I was going to be devoting those hours to something other than my children.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I entered art school, I originally had the intention of majoring in painting; it was the mid 2000s and graphic design training wasn’t what it is today. While I switched my plan early on, I didn’t touch a computer until junior year. I’ve carried my studio training with me through my work, which I think is evident in a lot of what we do; hand drawing, illustrations, well balanced compositions. My typography training started with cutting and pasting strips of text together; even though it was so long ago, this laid the groundwork for how I approach design.

My career has always been rooted in consumer goods: beauty, lifestyle, fashion. Being such a niched creative has allowed me to take a very strategic approach to our projects, making sure that we always position brands a bit against the grain. Our clients work with us because of our aesthetic, years of experience, and strategy.

I worked for a decade in house before branching off on my own. I’ve always been very business oriented (despite being a scorpio designer) so having a plan for supporting my family financially while working on my own was always top of mind. I made sure I had enough clients to support the income I needed and said yes to way more people than I should have in the first year. Over time, I was able to only take on clients that really fit the ethos of our studio and projects that delighted us and have structured a team to support the studio. Trusting my gut with projects and clients has been the biggest obstacle but the most rewarding. I truly love every client we work with and am so fortunate to be able to collaborate with such amazing women.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Boston is the BEST. I’ve lived here for half my life and honestly can’t imagine living anywhere else. It’s changed a lot but my go-to’s are the same that they’ve been for nearly 20 years.

Eat:
Coffee + breakfast from Tatte
Pizza + tri color salad from Toscano
Lunch to go from South End Buttery
Tapas and sangria from Bar Lola
Brunch at Mooo…
Burgers and beers from RF O’Sullivan’s

Drink:
Cocktails at Oak Long Bar
Patio at Intercontinental
Drinks at Yvonne’s
Rooftop at Daedalus

Visit:
Fogg Museum at Harvard
ICA Boston
Bodega on Mass Ave for sneakers (secret entrance hidden behind the grocery store)
Walk to Charlestown from the North End via the Charles River Locks
Vendors + beer gardens along the Rose Kennedy Greenway

Hang out:
Walk around Beacon Hill
Shop in the South End
Visit the North End to sample Italian food, peep the locals, and eat Mike’s Pastry

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my amazing husband and children who always support me in my career and professional endeavors, no matter how hard I work.

Website: janemade.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janemade_/

Image Credits
1. Hannah Thornhill 2. Chelsea Ruggiero