Creative Law Shop® Customer Highlights: Bronwyn Spain
Previously a successful wedding venue owner, Bronwyn Spain followed her dreams to pursue a career in the publishing industry. Keep reading for an inside look into how she made her industry transition and what she hopes her new business, B.E Publishing, can do for print publishing.
Meet bronwyn
Photo by John Spain
Name: Bronwyn Spain
Company Name: B.E Publishing (and B.E Wed Oklahoma)
Industry: Publishing + Business Coaching
Years in Industry: Zero so far.
Location: Jenks, Oklahoma
Website: www.bepublishing.co
Instagram: @bepublishingco + @bewedoklahoma
How long have you been in the industry/practicing your craft?
I’ve been fully immersed in the creative industry for four years, but have a history in all things creative. I have a degree in Interior Design. I have been helping grow businesses/create brand identities for seven years. In the publication industry, just a few months.
How did you get started in the industry?
In a nutshell: It was a “right place, right time” type moment in both of the beginnings of my two major business endeavors. In short, my husband and I saw a hole in the wedding venue market and decided to start a business using our backgrounds in the design and construction industry to fill that space. This venue opened to success beyond anything we’d imagined. A year after opening, we began planning a second venue on the same property. This one more successful than the last. I met the owner of a publication called Cottage Hill through a retreat she hosted at Spain Ranch. Three years later, she took me to breakfast to ask if I would be interested in acquiring Cottage Hill and her coaching company. We made this official in September of this year. Since the acquisition, I rebranded and re-named the company to enable clarity for expansion: B.E Publishing. Next year, I will be releasing four print magazines: B.E Wed, B.E Well, B.E Home, and B.E Away. The new coaching/education branch is now known as B.E Driven. Along with these two companies, I am in the process of publishing Oklahoma’s newest bridal publication: B.E Wed Oklahoma. I found a love for writing and curating for Spain Ranch’s Instagram and had a dream to expand this vision throughout the wedding industry in Oklahoma, which led me to the local publication.
Photo by Monica Burgess Photography
What industry changes have you seen since you began? How have you adjusted to those changes along the way?
I’m hoping to be the change of the publication industry. I’d like to bring importance back to print and focus on telling love stories (over insta-worthy weddings) and celebrating the Oklahoma wedding industry. As far as the creative industry as a whole, I have seen trends cycle faster than ever. Likely, this is due to Instagram and the sheer amount of information thrown at a person throughout the day. I’ve seen a shift for people to purchase and support businesses with a large social media presence, so they can post about said businesses on their personal accounts. This is a double-edged sword. It’s a fantastic tool for businesses that utilize this ethically, but it can also create unrealistic expectations for businesses and humans alike. For my first business, Spain Ranch, we’ve tried to create spaces on the Ranch that are insta-worthy. Another change I’ve noticed (for the better) is the sense of community in the creative industry. The younger generations paving new roads for this industry are doing so with a community-based mindset, and this has been a core value for me to support personally and with my business. I believe that by supporting and helping other small businesses, it will come back to you in a positive way while also expanding your market reach and network.
Are there any mistakes you made early on in your business that you learned from/ what taught you the biggest lesson when you began your business?
I’m currently in the mistake phase of this endeavor, so I’ll have to get back to you a year from now about all of the embarrassing mistakes I’ll have made by then. One that I learned from Spain Ranch is to not cheapen your brand and say “yes” to all projects or discount for fear of not booking clients. I learned to set yourself up to float until you have a physical product without compromising on your ideal client or pricing because that makes for a stronger brand, more time for servicing clients, and less resentment over having to compromise on your personal values. I am putting this into practice on B.E Wed Oklahoma at the moment as I am currently working on the first physical product.
What advice would you give to another entrepreneur in the creative industry?
Try to quickly find the balance between sticking to your guns, but knowing when to listen and adapt. Also, pay as little attention as possible to the specific details, styles, and business models of others. Simple market research is okay, but I’ve been most successful when I’ve said “I don’t care that no one else has done this, this is what I’m going to do BECAUSE it hasn’t been done.” I find if you are actively researching to attempt to come up with something unique, you taint your subconscious.
What was the biggest quantum leap you made in your business?
Being the creator of a successful wedding venue and leaving it all behind to purchase a publication business, coaching business, and starting a local publication from scratch all at once.
