Ragen Dodson is the Chief Marketing Officer & Founder of Ragen Ray Brand Agency. She specializes in crafting strategic brand strategies for small businesses who use social media as their form of advertising and brand exposure.
Ragen also designs aesthetically pleasing brand identities for companies who are up and coming or simply just wanting a rebrand to amplify the visual aspects of their business. Ragen also works full-time at a Fintech company in Atlanta where she assists small businesses with obtaining affordable financial software and technology.
Ragen has a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design from Indiana University and is pursuing her Masters of Science in Project Management currently. Ragen also has a Social Media Marketing certification from Hootsuite. She is currently expanding her business and utilizing her platform to empower and inspire women all over.
What motivated and inspired you to start your own business?
I decided the only way to truly fulfill my career goals and aspirations was to build my own empire, and that is in the making. While building my own empire and helping others do the same with my services, I want to be an advocate for women who have decided that they want to break out of the norm, and be their own boss. There’s nothing wrong with that!
We deserve freedom, and power just like any man out there. Women are dominating and they deserve to have the resources readily available to them to follow their dreams as entrepreneurs and truly make an impact! My business is more than money to me, I truly want to help women get their businesses off the ground.
Tell us about your business.
My business offers the perfect opportunity to work with a knowledgeable, well-rounded, graphic designer/marketer at an affordable price. Whether that is building a company’s brand collateral, e-commerce design, social media marketing, and strategy, or brand strategy.
Are you currently running any promos/contests/giveaways that you would like our readers to know about?
My standard branding package is currently $100. You get two logos, brand stationery, business card design, and a brand mood board. This is the perfect branding & identity package.
List awards/certifications/accomplishments.
I am certified by Hootsuite in Social Media Marketing. I almost have two degrees. Yay to being educated in your craft!
Where is your business based?
My business is based in Atlanta, Georgia. I work for people all over the world, though.
What were the first few steps you took to get your business up and running?
I started my business by branding myself. Deciding on what the visual’s were going to look like. Logo, color scheme, textures, mood board.
I wanted my branding to stand out on social media and to look professional. I then made my business legal, did tons of research, and followed my heart.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness of your business and getting new customers?
Utilizing my skills in social media marketing and using that to my advantage. I like to empower women through my Instagram, so I offer a lot of motivational posts to get my followers engaged and connected with me.
What have been your biggest challenges so far?
My biggest challenges have been gaining the right exposure. I really want to connect with people within the industry and start going to more events, and networking.
How did you overcome these challenges?
I started branching out more and started connecting with other boss-women myself to gain insight, and really started networking the way I should have been. I want to gain a bigger audience so that I can really start learning more about my target audience as well as truly inspiring and motivating other women.
How do you keep motivated through difficult times?
When I am truly going through a hard time, I remind myself of where I started. As a young girl, dreaming and aspiring to be the world’s best Graphic Designer. Even if I can’t be the world’s best, I want to truly make an impact on people’s lives, especially young women.
When trials and tribulations occur – I meditate, I pray, I go back on old pictures, and I look at my goal book (where I write down on my goals whether short-term or long-term) and I keep moving forward with my best foot forward.
Nothing will stop me from reaching my goals and the dreams for my life.
How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors?
I do not even consider other agencies my competitor. I really don’t even do competitor analysis for my business. My brand is completely unique and I think that my competition knows that. I stay in my own lane, I launch my own initiatives, and I give my client’s the best service and experience. That is how I get things accomplished.
I think I am different from my competitor’s because I have my degree in what I do. A lot of Graphic Designer’s on social media work off of passion and that is okay, but I, invested a lot of money into my education and I want that to be noticed.
What is the best advice you have received recently?
- During hard times or times of uncertainty, you have to keep moving forward and working hard.
- Nothing is going to come when I want it to come, but it will come in due time.
- Putting in the work will put the energy into the world that will return back to me far bigger than I will ever expect.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
- Scope out a vision and a plan and seriously stick to it.
- Write out sticky notes and put it on your mirror with your goals and your vision.
- Never let that vision out of your mind and sight. Just do it!
What are your favorite business tools/resources and why?
Other entrepreneurs and cool articles that relate to my business.
What is a good article or book you have read recently?
Why Every Entrepreneur Needs to be Savvy in Digital Marketing in Order to Survive.
What are you currently learning about for your business or looking for help with?
I am learning on how to properly price my services. I am planning on adding some additional services, as well as a clothing line to my business.
I am not sure how to properly do that and manage my time. I need a lot of help with time management, that is for sure.
What are your goals for the next few months and how are you striving to achieve them?
My goals within the next few months are to hire 2 new Interns to my team. Women who are in college and striving to gain experience in the industry.
I also am planning on finding an awesome office space in the Atlanta area to have local client’s come consult with me in person.
I plan on adding more products to my brand and I am working tirelessly every day with research and development processes and planning out new initiatives.
What social media outlets do you use? List them below.
Instagram @ragenray
Website www.ragenray.com
Hashtags #ragenray #ragenraydesign