Main Street Receives First 5-Star Clutch Review for Web Design and Branding Services

Web design grants business owners the opportunity to weave their branding seamlessly into their website. Not only is this a smart execution for marketing, but it’s also a cost-effective solution to expanding your reach. However, you must remember to be wise in your web design or you’ll end up overwhelming your visitors every time they visit your website.

Luckily, Main Street offers solutions to help business owners streamline their web design and marry their branding into their marketing efforts smoothly. We craft visually appealing, smart, and functional websites that perfectly incorporate your brand’s imagery. Our team of design geniuses works closely with you to elevate the overall creative process.

As we help clients navigate the changing landscape of the digital design industry, we’re thrilled to share with you that we’ve earned our first review on Clutch.

For context, Clutch is a B2B ratings and reviews platform based in Washington, DC. They evaluate technology service and solutions companies based on the quality of work, thought leadership, and client reviews. A rapidly expanding startup, Clutch has become the go-to resource in the agency space. Their review process is reliable and transparent.

Our first reviewer, Penelope Randall, the Sales and Marketing Manager of US Nuclear Corp., talked about our ongoing engagement from the beginning. In her interview with the Clutch team, she shared the daunting aspects of their marketing process and why they hired us back in 2007.

“We had a variety of products in the same genre but for different industries. As such, we needed Main Street to create and fill up websites for us.”

Since our partnership began, we’ve delivered five fully designed and optimized websites to US Nuclear Corp. We’re also in charge of their social media management, logo design, brand awareness campaigns, and more.

“Main Street has come up with several excellent logos for us, and the development of the websites has been smooth. They have a real eye for design and are excellent at coming up with branding.”

Find us on The Manifest, Clutch’s sister B2B website. The Manifest provides lists of top companies by industry and location, and they’ve named us one of the top 100 product branding companies in LA!

We can improve your overall branding strategy. Chat with us today to get started.

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exploring ways of serving my existing clientele in the city while serving the people in my community. It occurred to me I could enjoy the autonomy of owning my own salon without too much more effort. I knew I would have to step it up in order to cover my overhead expenses but I was up to the challenge.

FJ: What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
KR: Along with expressing my creativity, I love being my own boss. I can move my business in any direction I choose and offer my clientele the level of service they deserve without having to be concerned about company guidelines that come with working for someone else. I also have the opportunity to be creative with my own product line.

FJ: What are three of your company’s goals?
KR: My number one goal is to grow as a person through aspects of my business. My 2nd goal is to express myself by earning an income doing something I love. And I would say my 3rd goal is to build a sustainable business here on the mountain, serving people in all of the Frazier Mountain Communities according to their needs. Each of my goals is tied in with the others.

FJ: What challenges have you encountered?
KR: There are challenges, as most entrepreneurs will agree, just in starting a business. Moving through those challenges is part of the thrill of owning a business. I am constantly looking for ways to be successful while taking into account the needs and wants of my clients. Living in the mountains comes with its own set of challenges; one of them being winter weather. It snows up here and the roads get icy when the temperature drops. Since Mountain Mane Beauty is a mobile salon, I must always take that into account. But the good thing is most everyone up here is willing to be flexible. There’s always a way to work around the challenges of mountain living. 

FJ: What thoughts would you give to others who have similar aspirations?
KR: I would say to anyone who has a dream of starting their own business, whether it be opening a store or a bakery or a service-oriented business, be willing to risk. You’ll never know unless you try, and you’ll always wonder if you don’t. Starting a business, even if you’re doing something you love, takes hard work and commitment. You have to be willing to sacrifice and practice self-discipline. But there is no greater reward than watching your business grow and as it does, experiencing the success of all of your efforts.

FJ: What are your responsibilities as a business owner?
KR: Since I am a sole proprietor, all of the responsibilities of running my business belong to me. I design, market, and promote my company. As the owner of Mountain Mane Beauty, my most significant responsibility is to operate my business ethically and to provide the highest quality service using quality products. It’s my responsibility to continue to learn and to keep up on fashion and color trends.

FJ: Why will customers stay or do repeat business with you?

KR: I have a long-standing clientele and I believe the reason they continue with me is not only that they are happy with my level of service, but also they know I put them first. I stand by my work and guarantee their satisfaction.

FJ: How do you market your business, and which tactics have been most successful?
KR: I use social media to market my business, mainly Instagram and Facebook, I also believe face-to-face networking is important. I belong to our Mountain Communities Women in Business group. We help each other succeed and grow our businesses. 

FJ: What is unique about your business?
KR: Mountain Mane Beauty is a mobile salon. I go to my clients’ homes and venues. There is something to be said about having your hair done in the comfort and privacy of your home. 

FJ: Who inspires you?
KR: I find inspiration in a variety of people and things. I would have to say the person who has most greatly inspired me in my life was my Mom. She was kind, she was strong, and she was courageous! She was well respected and always gave more than she received. She was the one who cheered me on and believed in me the most. I try to live like she did, as much as I can. 

FJ: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
KR: Always remember why you went into business in the first place and never lose sight of it. Believe in yourself. You can do anything you choose if you commit fully.

xxx

Interested in learning more about Kelli? Visit her website at Mountain Mane Beauty or her Instagram page mountainmanebeauty

Till next time!

Reposted with permission from Fat jack’s Coffee

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From a job board to a food pantry, they were experienced with helping people in crisis. Eventually, I did go into the Family Resource Center and came out with a job. For almost two years, it was my privilege to help others through times of crisis there. I helped senior citizens write custody paperwork to keep families intact through addiction. I helped keep the utilities on for parents facing a sudden lay-off. I helped adults craft their resumes to find that next needed job. When my daughter was old enough, we were lucky to get a preschool scholarship so that she could start preparing for school, something that was initially out of our financial reach. Later, when an infant foster son joined our family, the MCFRC conducted developmental assessments to help us know how to nurture him through the trauma toward missed milestones. All that great work is why I am now honored to volunteer my time as the Chair of the Board of Directors!

FJ: What is your favorite aspect of running a nonprofit?
MCFRC: My favorite aspect of serving as the Board Chair of the Mountain Communities Family Resource Center is the view I get of everything that is going on — whether it be the marketing, budgeting, or day-to-day operations, I get a window into all of it. This then then allows me the opportunity to think about how we might improve our services to be even more responsive to community needs. It is a creative challenge!

FJ: What are three of your nonprofits’ goals?
MCFRC: The overarching goal of the MCFRC is to improve the quality of life for individuals and families in the Frazier Mountain communities. We do this by providing access to health, education, and safety-related services and programs and connecting remote mountain residents to county, state, and federal resources.

FJ: What challenges have you encountered?
MCFRC: The perennial challenge, as with most nonprofits, is funding. We often find grants that could help us offer more services to the community; however, it is more difficult to find funding to cover the staff time necessary to expand our services.

FJ: What thoughts would you give to others who have similar aspirations?
MCFRC: The Family Resource Center was created based on rigorous needs assessment research completed in the local community. This allowed residents an opportunity to weigh in on what was most needed to improve local quality of life. My advice to anyone considering starting a nonprofit is to listen to the voices of multiple stakeholders, but especially those who will be directly served by it!

FJ: Why do your supporters and followers stay loyal to your cause?
MCFRC: I think supporters remain loyal to the MCFRC, including former clients who give back, because they know that we have always remained focused on our mission of improving the quality of life for mountain residents. They know that when an individual or family is in crisis in our community, there is a place that they can turn for immediate help — whether that be emergency food, assistance on utilities or rent, referrals for domestic violence shelters, or services for children with special needs. As the COVID-19 situation has hit our community, the phone has been ringing off the hook, both with people in need and donors wanting to help, knowing that their donations will directly benefit those most in need.

FJ: How do you market your nonprofit, which tactics have been most successful?
MCFRC: Word-of-mouth in the local community has always been one of the primary drivers of new clients seeking our services. Beyond that, however, we have some ads in the local newspaper and phonebook as well as a sign on the local business billboard. Among our most successful strategies has been to have employees staff booths at community events as well as specifically outreaching at other events geared toward low-income residents.

FJ: What is unique about your nonprofit?
MCFRC: The MCFRC is truly a community hub for residents of the Frazier Mountain communities. Even residents who are not struggling financially can come for county dog licensing, to dialogue with field workers for legislative representatives, or advice on health insurance. For residents who are in crisis, the MCFRC is a lifeline to a variety of local, county, state, and federal resources to help them get back on their feet.

FJ: Who inspires you?
MCFRC: It sounds cliche but my Mom. She is the most generous, giving person I know, both on a personal/family level but also on a community level. Over an almost 40-year career in public education, she made a difference in the administrative functioning of her school without ever losing sight of the importance of each individual child.

FJ: If you had one piece of advice to someone just starting out, what would it be?
MCFRC: Stay in tune with the individuals and families you hope to serve — not just by learning about them, but by conversing with them regularly about their needs!

Interested in learning more or donating to Mountain Communities Family Resource Center? Visit their website at MCFRC.com or their Give Big Kern fundraiser.

xxx

Reposted with permission from Jack Jack’s Coffee. The goal of these interviews is to provide increased exposure to nonprofits, small businesses, and entrepreneurs during these unique times we are in.

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