Behind the Red Door

2B Bolder Podcast with Mary Killelea & Kris Jones

Mary Killelea: [00:00:00] Hi there. My name is Mary Kilolea. Welcome to the To Be Bolder podcast, providing career insights for the next generation of women in business and tech. To Be Bolder was created out of my love for technology and marketing, my desire to bring together like minded women, and my hope to be a great role model and source of inspiration for my two girls and other young women like.

Thank you. Encouraging you guys to show up and to be bolder and to know that anything you guys dream of, it's totally possible. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the conversation. Hi, thanks for tuning into the to be bolder podcast. Today's guest is a woman who has a successful career helping businesses convert visitors into paying clients.

I'm so excited to have Chris Jones on the show. She's the founder of red door designs and the story brand guide. Chris has over 20 years of experience with clients like Nike under her belt and is extremely passionate about helping business owners and entrepreneurs create website copy that sells so they can multiply their revenue [00:01:00] and focus on what they do best.

Chris believes creating copy that sells should be quick and easy and that your website can be strategically set up to convert new leads with ease. Her approach is based on authenticity, trust, and connection and storytelling methods that convert without being pushy. I love it. Chris, thank you so much for being here today.

Kris Jones: Thank you for having me, Mary. I'm thrilled to be here. 

Mary Killelea: Before we get into your business, can you tell me a little bit that led you down this path on, on, you know, how you decided, um, To start your own business versus going down another path. 

Kris Jones: Yeah. Well, we could have probably a long conversation about this, but, um, I've always been an entrepreneur at heart.

Uh, even at the age of eight, I had my mom. make me business cards. And the, the business I had back then was called Kristen's crafts with a K crafts with a K, which [00:02:00] is hilarious. And I had like rainbow balloons all over the front of the card. And I would give people my card and offer to customize their, I basically bought a bunch of acrylic goods.

And then I would Do paint pens on them, customized for my client.

And so anyway, it's just like in hindsight, it was just in my, in my bones. I was always like coming up with ways to kind of make money. And I mean, one of the things I was probably younger than eight, but I, I mushed up, like I picked a bunch of neighbors. Flowers, I mushed up the petals and then I sold it as perfume basically.

And I'm sure it was, I remember it being like an ugly green color, but my poor neighbors, anyway, it's just, it's how I'm wired. And so, um, earlier in my career, I. I, [00:03:00] after college, I traveled abroad and I ended up in Turkey. I fell in love with Turkey and no Americans traveled to Turkey at that point in time.

It was just really kind of, it felt like a foreign land. And I fell in love with Turkey and it was there that I. Recognize like, Oh, my gosh, I've only known about this one way that Americans think about you get on the hamster wheel. You start, you know, you buy a car, you buy a house and you kind of feed that money or that lifestyle.

And there's nothing wrong with that. But I just hadn't it. Been aware that there was an alternate way. And in Turkey, where I was living, it was like a headquarters for paragliding. And so there were a lot of sporty sport lovers from like all over the globe who'd come visit there. And they'd, they'd be there for the summer and then they'd travel and, and.

Out of there in the winter [00:04:00] and go all over the world. It just, it just opened my eyes to a different way of life. And what ended up happening was I came back to Portland and. I got into graphic design. So I went to school for graphic design and like minute one of my very first class, I was like, this is my purpose.

I just, I loved visual storytelling. And I dove, I dove in deep and ended up, um, getting some jobs. I worked at a design firm, then I worked at an ad agency, then I worked at Nike. And then, you know, I, I kind of just. Got, got good at what got, got good at the craft, right. And got good experience under my belt.

And then at that point, um, I decided to go out on my own. I had enough relationships by that point in time. And I was still young. [00:05:00] I mean, I, I started the company 21 years ago and. And so it was like, I didn't have overhead. I think my monthly rent in Northwest Portland was 543 a month. It was like, just, I mean, I, that time I thought that was a lot, but like, it was like, Can I save enough to get a computer?

Can I pay the rent? And, um, it just, there wasn't, it wasn't like I was jumping off like a big cliff to do this. It just felt inherent in how I'm wired. And so, It just, I just plugged away at it. And there were, there were weeks and months where I would like go to my office and organize my fonts because I didn't have any client work.

So I just kind of kept, you know, plugging away and trying not to freak out, um, in the, in the process. And then, um, yeah. And so [00:06:00] that, that kind of continued, the, the red door designs became a thing and I've never looked back. It's just, it keeps working year after year, but I have to tell you that, you know, there was a point in time as things evolved, I got kind of more and more into web design and.

Back in that day, you could have a beautiful website and you probably can totally get what I'm saying. All you needed was a beautiful website and your business would thrive, right? And it's just, that's all you needed to get respect and to get trust and to get clients. And after a handful of years, like the landscape changed.

Um, and I started to realize like, My website actually isn't working anymore and how can I [00:07:00] number one, I've got to get my website, you know, working and number two, my clients were kind of having the same issue where they needed a new website, but It, the, the beautiful part of the website wasn't enough. And so like one client in particular, I mean, this happened with, with several clients, but one client in particular, she was the face of the brand.

And when you are the brand, it really needs to feel like your voice. And so she came to me, we, we dialed in the project start date. She was a writer, so she was going to write her copy. And then I was going to design the website and make it beautiful. Well, she was struggling writing her own copy. And that is just so common.

It's so hard to write for yourself because, because we're so close to our own business and. And so she was having that same struggle that we all have. [00:08:00] And so she decided to hire a copywriter who did a great job, very professional copywriter, but it didn't feel good for her because you can't really outsource your own voice.

And, and so she went through multiple copywriters and that. Project was such a big learning for me in so many ways. Number one, cause I was kind of struggling with the same thing on my own website. I was watching it happen for her as well. And at that point, I just knew I had to find a better solution for my clients.

And so I went on a mission, which I would say was more like a quest to discover like the secret of combining visual storytelling with Powerful writing. And that's when I came across Donald Miller and his book, building a story brand, I don't know if you're familiar with that book, but it's. It's really, if you're thinking of [00:09:00] becoming, taking the leap to being self employed, it's a wonderful book.

Mary Killelea: I'll include that in the show notes and I haven't read it and I'd love to get my hands on it. So, 

Kris Jones: yeah. And if, I mean, we've, we've all got a lot on our plates. Um, the audio version is really great too. You can do it while you're washing the dishes. Anyway, I attended one of his workshops and I just, I just soaked it up because his approach was very much a less is more approach to storytelling.

And my approach to visual story, storytelling was really aligned. So basically, I loved the workshop. I soaked it all in. I couldn't wait to get home and apply the framework to my own website. And as luck would have it, the next day, toward the end of the day, Donald Trump's requested a volunteer to review, have their website be reviewed.

And [00:10:00] with a little bit of trepidation, I, I kind of raised my hand and, um, and as, as he pulled my side up on the big screen, he, he gave me some, you know, some great feedback, but. The thing that happened next was really what blew my mind, which was the workshop ended and I turned around and there was a line of people lined up to wanting me to apply the framework and do the same thing to their website.

So at that point is when I really realized the power of storytelling, like both visual and verbal. It wasn't about like my great website. It was about what happens when you tell a powerful story visually and verbally together, what that does. So, Of course, like, I didn't stop there. I, I went to Nashville and Donald actually asked me to come down to Nashville and further my knowledge and become a story brand guide.

[00:11:00] And I literally, from that day, I have. Applied the framework in some way, shape, or form to every project I've ever worked on. And it's just mind blowing what I've seen happen. I've I've watched clients like increase in 300 percent revenue. They started having consistent six figure months. They were able to charge six times more for the exact same service.

And just quadrupling the amount of leads booked. So like all the things that you need and want as a self employed person. Um, so yeah, it just, that's kind of the story of how it all unfolded. And I just, I love the work because at its core, it's about creating a connection. It's about evoking resonance and.

Really building trust and that is storytelling at its core. 

Mary Killelea: I agree. And I think storytelling one evokes that [00:12:00] emotion, but the way that I've, you know, I've looked at some of your stuff and it is less is more and it's very effective. And with today's busyness that we are all, you know, bombarded by, if you can.

Capture attention and like hook me right in. And, and then I like all the noise gets quiet around me and I'm going, okay, this person's talking to me, they can help me. 

Kris Jones: Right. Right. I mean, that's powerful. It's it is really powerful. I mean, like an example of this would be like it, we've all got our phones dinging and emails coming in and kids needing us.

And we just have a lot on our plate. I don't, it doesn't matter who you are. And. When we go to a movie and we go and sit down in that theater and we've got the popcorn on our lap and the movie begins, we don't think about our to do list. We don't think about our phones or anybody. We are, we're pulled into that movie for 90 minutes.

I [00:13:00] mean, can you think of anything else that has the power to do that, to capture our attention in that way? And the reality is the. Story brand framework and the approach that I take is doing exactly that using that same kind of framework or formula on your website. Your website can do that same thing.

Pull people in. 

Mary Killelea: I love it. Um, I'm curious. How did the red door design name come about? 

Kris Jones: Well, red is my favorite color. So I knew immediately it had to be red, had to be in there somehow. And as I was kind of brainstorming and coming up with different ideas, I found that the red door culturally. Um, like historically represents hospitality and prosperity and those two things combined really felt like true to me and what I wanted the business to be [00:14:00] about.

Mary Killelea: I love that. What advice do you have for someone who is interested in web design and storytelling, but doesn't know where to start? Because I don't know, there's just so many choices out there. Do they do traditional school? Do they do, you know, the self taught? Do they do the get, get really good at a type of platform, whether it's WordPress or Wix, you know, or coding?

I mean, there's a lot of overwhelm, a lot of choices. 

Kris Jones: Yeah, there is. I think I mean, what's really incredible about this day and age is the cloud based platforms. You really don't need to code anymore. So I would say multiple things that you just shared. I'd say number one, like pick a platform and get really good at it.

You know, pick a one that that feels easy for you. Squarespace is a great cloud based platform. Um, Get really good at [00:15:00] that. Start doing websites for free. If you can, take classes at like a local community college, or, you know, get with other people who are learning the same thing. Like, it's great to learn some design principles, because, you know, you want to know what you're doing from a design standpoint.

And I think the best, I mean, in hindsight, the very, very best thing I did was get an internship. Yeah. Who did you have your internship with a company called zap graphics. And that really helped me. Like I was going to school and having the internship at the same time. And I found that like, I was learning at such a rapid speed at the internship that I eventually, I never even finished school because the internship was like.

Provided you need a master's. Yeah. So great. Yeah. And then pick your platform and don't dabble around [00:16:00] in a bunch of different, different platforms. It doesn't matter. Nobody's nobody asked Van Gogh. What kind of, what kind of canvas he painted on just it's a blank canvas. It doesn't matter. That's your platform.

And And know it through and through in and out and that's what you do for your clients and it's it's really gets complicated when you start, you know, trying to dip your toe in multiple platforms. 

Mary Killelea: Yeah, I agree with that. Um, how do you hone your skills on storytelling, or what do you, like, how do you, yeah, I guess how do you hone that.

Or is everything a story around you and you're overwhelmed because you're like, Oh, I'm analyzing this story. 

Kris Jones: Yeah. I mean, the best thing you can do is read the book, building a story brand. I think that would be a good start. That'll, that'll change the way you view the world. It'll change the way you interact with movies, books, because it's all [00:17:00] the same.

Um, it'll, it'll probably ruin a lot of things for you, but in a good way. And, um, You can also go to a business made simple, which is the author of building a story brand. He has, he basically has courses for people who don't want to go back to school and, but really want to get good at. Um, their messaging, their business grow their business.

So, um, business made simple. com is a great resource, affordable to, for, um, kind of practicing your messaging skills. And then again, like do it for friends, do it for free, you know, keep practicing. 

Mary Killelea: How do you stay focused as a business owner? When I had my own business, I got shiny object syndrome where like I would go down this rabbit hole.

I'd go down that rabbit hole because [00:18:00] everything was new and intriguing and I wanted to learn it and I wanted to share it, but then it gets overwhelmed. 

Kris Jones: Yeah. Yeah. Well, give me like, tell me, I'm just curious out of my own curiosity. Like, give me an example of that. 

Mary Killelea: Oh gosh. Um, Well, like, did I want to become an expert on Facebook ads, or did I want to, um, learn, you know, you know, you like, like you said earlier, I think there's a need to become an expert.

And so back when I had my, my own company. I'm glad I diversified. I had SEO, I had social media, and I had web design. Had I not, I probably would have gone under during the difficult time. But at the same time, I wasn't There's so much that was evolving and coming at us. And now there's so much new software and it's just hard to stay [00:19:00] focused as a business owner.

So how do you stay focused from setting goals or, or not getting distracted? 

Kris Jones: Well, um, I think the main, the main way to figure out what you want to do is just do what you love to do the most. Um, and do the thing that you are watching, your results, your clients get results from, and that will kind of organically start to happen cause they'll be referring.

You to their friends. And so you just want to, but I, I totally have done what you're talking about. Like I was doing social media too, and, and this and that, and, um, when somebody came to me the other day for Facebook ads and. I'm like, no, like, and that is not, it will serve you better to go to someone who only does Facebook ads.

So I think you have to kind of play around, [00:20:00] do a bunch of things at first and then, and then double down on the one thing that you love the most and kind of put your stake in the ground around that and just be the best at that. 

Mary Killelea: Yeah. I love that advice. And I think it's, it's hard to say no to potential money.

When you are a business owner, but I think it's the right thing to do, um, for the reasons that you mentioned, um, what's the hardest part about your job? Mm. 

Kris Jones: I mean, I love my work so much. Like I just, I just, it brings me so such joy every day and it is really hard. I think that, um, the hardest part about my job is probably as you know, a business owner.

Staying focused on the things that bring in revenue and not getting distracted by, you know, there's so many [00:21:00] tasks, there's so many to do's. And I always feel like my list is way longer than what's humanly possible. And I have to practice like, okay, pick the three things. What are the three most important things that are actually going to lead to more money?

And that's how you're, that's how. You keep growing. 

Mary Killelea: Yeah, absolutely. Um, so speaking of that, um, kind of goes in this life, life work balance. How have you been able to establish that and find time for personal family and and self care? Yeah, 

Kris Jones: the ultimate question. Um, I had a son five years ago, yeah, His name's Jude.

He's almost, he'll be in kindergarten next year. And he has been an incredible gift to me for that reason alone. Um, number one, I love him so much. And I, you know, [00:22:00] he's my top priority, but also because the demands of children are like, I need to pick him up at a certain time. And I can't, I can't like halfway do work and halfway be with him.

Like, Especially at that age, sometimes I wish I could, but, um, so it's like full on work and then it's full on Jude and at five I go pick him up and we have a whole evening together. And, you know, by the time I put them to bed, there, there's no, there are no brain cells left in my, my brain. So I think.

That's really how I do it is like I work prior to Jude. I will, I overworked. I, I had a tendency to like give my time away and, and work kind of with very loose boundaries and. Jude has really taught me how to create [00:23:00] clear boundaries and the value of my time because it's limited. And I don't think I really fully felt that until I had a child.

Mary Killelea: Um, how did your experience, um, working at an agency and Nike help help you to be the business owner that you are today? 

Kris Jones: Wow. Well, When I worked at Nike, I've grown up in Portland, so we're, you know, Nike, Schmeike, we've all heard about Nike all our lives, or as long as you're here, you hear about it a lot. I knew it was a big company, but I didn't realize like what a big deal Nike was until I started working there.

And so I got to work in their brand design. Department. And when I look around at the designers that I was working with, they'd all, they were all from different countries. They had like cherry picked all the best designers from all over [00:24:00] the world. And they all just jumped at the chance to come move and work, work at Nike.

And So for me, it was being around people of that caliber that up my game, kind of like when you play tennis with somebody better than you, you get better. And so I got to be around these incredibly talented people and I just gleaned, I gleaned information from them and I got to build my confidence and work on projects that were kind of high profile.

And, um, so That would be probably the biggest gift that Nike gave me and Adidas too. Um, and then also on the flip side of that, I knew that driving out to Nike every day and working in a cubicle was little by little kind of sucking the life out of me. So [00:25:00] as much as I am deeply grateful for that experience, I, it also nudged me in the direction to do my own thing.

At the same time, 

Mary Killelea: as a business owner, you not only have to, you know, do business development, but you, there's operations and then there's sales and, and, and the work and everything. How do you think about your business in setting up processes and automations and, and efficiencies? 

Kris Jones: Well, um, I, I love automations and I love efficiency, but I also, um, I think fundamentally kind of an artist at heart.

And so that's never been a strong suit. I follow my ideas and my inspiration and I always take care of my clients and I, but I love to create. And so it wasn't until I hired, I actually hired an online business manager, [00:26:00] um, About a year ago, and her gift is exactly what you're talking about. So she figures that out.

And then she just says, okay, show up for this meeting. And This is due tomorrow and so I just do what she tells me to do.

Mary Killelea: That's great. I love it because you knew, you knew what your strength was and what you wanted, you know, to focus less on, but you knew it was important. So you felt you filled the void there. Um, 20 year old self? 

Kris Jones: I love that question. Um, I would say don't give away your time. Uh, know your worth. Um, don't.

Work so hard. I think, you know, [00:27:00] fundamentally, like I come from a family of hard workers and I still work really hard, but it doesn't feel like work because I love it. Um, I still think that there's Definitely room for more balance in that regard. Um, yeah, I think I would just, you know, say, keep going like you follow that golden thread, follow that next little thing that, that you're drawn to.

And in hindsight, you know, I've, I look back and I think, Oh, This is happening, but it couldn't have happened a year ago because I hadn't, you know, had, I wasn't prepared for that then, but now I am so things tend to just, I really believe in divine timing. 

Mary Killelea: Um, so you mentioned that you traveled to Turkey, and the gift of, and I'll just say what you said the gift was, you know, kind of [00:28:00] being.

Open and exposed to diverse experiences that maybe you didn't have. How does that help you as a storyteller?

Kris Jones: Well, I think that, you know, travel of any kind broadens our perspective. And I think especially when we can venture out to different cultures and really put ourselves. It's out of our comfort zone. It allows us to kind of get into the flow of life in a new way. Like we're out of our routine. It's uncomfortable and usually tired or whatever, jet lagged.

But um, I think there's like beauty and kind of shaking it up in that way. And I think that, um, how has that, how did that experience? Enhance my storytelling. You know, I think that That [00:29:00] story has been with me for so many years and it is kind of atypical. And I think just even sharing that story, um, about that time in Turkey, when I, you know, I lived right off the beach in a hostel for a dollar a night and worked at a Turkish deli, like there's just opportunity, there's opportunity for, for storytelling in a way where you can tell that people are like.

What? Like tell me more when people are like leaning in and like, that's wild. Like, okay. And then what? So I think it's helped me practice like, and, and yeah, just practice kind of how to tell a good story. What does to be bolder mean to you to be bolder, to be unapologetic about your truth. 

Mary Killelea: Fantastic. Well, it's been a pleasure to meet [00:30:00] you and I appreciate you sharing your story.

Continued success. 

Kris Jones: Oh, it was been such a joy to talk with you today, Mary. Thank you for having me.

Mary Killelea: Thanks for listening to the episode today. It was really fun chatting with my guest. If you liked our show, please like it and share it with your friends. If you want to learn what we're up to, please go check out our website at 2bboulder. com. That's the number two, little b, boulder. com.