Building an Empire: Why Anne LaFollette Is an Entrepreneurial Force of Nature

For National Entrepreneur’s Day, I’d be remiss if I didn’t spotlight one of my favorite clients (and mentors), Anne LaFollette. Anne is a creative entrepreneur who helps other creatives grow their businesses. She offers various services, from a minicourse called From Doodles to Dollars that shows creatives how to transfer their “doodles” onto products to The Pattern Design Academy, an online coaching program for aspiring Surface Pattern Designers. She even has a mentorship program for creative entrepreneurs called Anne’s Atelier. 

Anne is one of my clients for whom I’ve done the deepest branding. I’ve designed her brand, sub-brands, and various courses. While they’re all different, there’s an overarching brand that encompasses all aspects of what she offers. I’ve threaded them with a shared palette, consistent fonts, and fun floral patterns from Anne’s sketches and artwork.  

Now, she wants to redo her website. She’s had the same design for five years. I’m hoping to revamp it without losing everything she’s created, including SEO (Search Engine Optimization), which ensures she has a high ranking in search engines. So, we’re bringing in an SEO expert to create a strategy and assist with this new move.  

What I love about Anne is she’s not just growing her branding; she’s evolving in influence. She’s a highly successful entrepreneur whose membership boasts a unique look. On the creative side of things, Anne’s artistry takes center stage. She creates her own art, using her designs to make patterns and craft quality products from them. Anne teaches others how to do the same and helps build their business. 

She has a ton of experience under her belt (25+ years of corporate work), possesses immense intelligence and diligence, and has a keen understanding of how to spend her time. Anne doesn’t waste time on what doesn’t work. She also doesn’t dwell on it either. 

Her business is a living, breathing, thriving thing that she expands and broadens in fascinating ways. It never stops growing. Anne’s hardworking spirit and desire to continue educating herself in business are worthy of admiration alone. 

Working with her is a dream. She’s incredibly respectful of my time. Anne allows me to tap into my highest level of creativity and doesn’t try to control everything I do. She’s told me, “You do your best work when I just let you do your thing.” It’s totally freeing to have that space to create and have fun with her brand. 

I could go on and on about her. Anne is a mentor to me, whether she knows it or not. Above all (and most importantly), she’s a great human. I admire countless qualities about her, and I aspire to be like her someday.