Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Martinez-Nelson.
Hi Liz, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My background is actually in entertainment. I started out as a casting director in Los Angeles, working mostly on scripted TV shows for the CW. When I started a family, I took a long hiatus, and after a few years as a stay-at-home parent, I knew that I wasn’t going to go back to the grind in the same way. My priorities had shifted, and I knew I wanted to re-enter the workforce, but on my own terms, with flexibility and room to be creative.
I’ve always loved interior design, but I quickly realized that wasn’t where my actual talents were. I’m a crafter at heart; I’ve always been the artsy, hands-on type. When I stumbled into the world of brand design, it just clicked: here was something that would keep me genuinely interested and excited, while putting those creative instincts to use. So I got to work, learning the industry, teaching myself the tools of the trade like Illustrator and Photoshop, and slowly putting myself out there on social media.
Branding led me into website design pretty naturally. I realized I didn’t want to hand off a brand and walk away. I wanted to be hands-on through the entire process and see a client’s online presence through from start to finish, almost like an art director would. That’s shaped how I work today: my process is holistic. I collect all of a client’s collateral upfront, everything from contracts to old design presentations, audit how they currently operate, and define the ideal client we’re trying to attract before we ever touch design. Then everything we build, the brand and the website, is built around that outcome.
It’s a very goal-oriented way of working. A true ROI is hard to guarantee in this industry, but my clients see a real, tangible difference, not just in who’s reaching out to book them, but in how they show up in their own business.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been a lot of learning curves involved. I thought Illustrator would be the hardest part to learn, but it turned out the bigger challenge is all of the hats I wear. I’m a one-woman operation, so I do it all. That includes marketing, which meant I basically had to become a mini influencer just so people would know I existed. If I’d known that going in, I’m honestly not sure I would have started – the cringe is real.
Then there’s the organization and all of the internal, behind-the-scenes stuff. Finding the right CRM helped a lot (I use HoneyBook), and I’ve set up automations with some help along the way. But as a creative, I’ll admit the day-to-day nitty gritty is where I struggle most. I still have no idea if I’m doing my taxes right, so please don’t alert the authorities.
As the business grows, new challenges keep popping up, and some days I wonder if I should bring on a team. But most days, I’m genuinely happy that I’m not in charge of anyone but myself. I think that’s one of the nicest parts of having your own business, honestly.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in two things: brand identity and website design, both built around one clear outcome.
Interior design is an incredibly crowded industry, and a lot of designers start out with a DIY logo and website that served them fine in the early days. The problem is, their work eventually outgrows that branding, and they’re left wondering why they’re still fielding inquiries from budget-conscious clients who just want a single room redone, when what they actually want are the big, transformative projects. I help my clients take control of how they’re perceived in the market, because perception drives buying decisions.
I think a lot of designers with big goals get stuck in that pattern without realizing how to break out of it. That’s where I come in. I help them show up looking professional, high end, and luxury, in a way that actually matches the caliber of work they’re doing.
What I’m known for, and what sets me apart, is that I’m a strategic studio first. I don’t just make pretty logos and websites. Everything I do is meant to genuinely move the needle on my client’s business. I use what I call a push-pull strategy: get crystal clear on who a designer wants to attract, then build messaging and visuals that magnetize those ideal clients while quietly repelling the ones they’re ready to stop hearing from. From there, we build out the full visual suite and creative direction so they’re showing up exactly the way their ideal client would expect a high-end designer to show up.
Any big plans?
Looking ahead, my plan is actually to take on fewer clients, not more, and help each of them make a bigger impact. Rather than stopping the relationship at brand and website design, I’ve been overhauling all of the materials my clients send out throughout their process, things like proposals, contracts, and presentations, so that everything feels cohesive and on-brand, not just the logo and homepage. This extra layer of polish creates a true white-glove experience for their clients, which is exactly what people expect when they’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home. Every touchpoint should feel as elevated as the work itself.
So really, the future is less about scaling up in volume, and more about going deeper with the clients I do take on.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.favoritethingsstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/favorite.things.studio/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-martinez-nelson/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/Favorite_Things_Studio/
