An Interview With Designer Paul Boal

Published: April 3, 2024

Ahead of sharing his creative story with us at our next Blick Academy Creative Talk on Wednesday 17th April we thought it would be nice to ask Paul some questions and get to know him a bit better. Here he shares a bit about his business, how it has grown, his plans for the future and what he would do differently if he was to do it all again…

Tell us a bit about your business?

Clever Ghost is a brand and design studio based just outside of Belfast in Holywood, Northern Ireland. Founded in 2018 with a mission to influence positive change through clever design.

To us, positive change looks like cultivating a sustainable future while prioritising the well-being of our employees. We aim to create a workplace environment that encourages positive mental health, personal growth, and a sense of purpose, striving to empower our team to flourish both professionally and personally. Together, we aspire to make a positive impact on our planet and within ourselves.

We focus on delivering thoughtful, idea-driven work for our clients that resonates with their audiences – from conceptual design to branding, strategy, and brand management.

How has your business grown since you started?

Since 2018, Clever Ghost has grown year on year. Thankfully, we were able to continue trading throughout COVID and came out the other side active and competitive. We’ve grown physically as well as financially, tripling the team and are even looking to add 2 new positions in 2024. We’ve been working hard to consciously be the change that we champion.

What strategies did you first use to market your business when you started out?

Networking, networking, and more networking. The relationships I built before stepping out full-time and founding Clever Ghost were all made through networking. In the early days of Clever Ghost, building those connections in the industry, developing supply chains, and creating a sales pipeline of clients were all grounded in networking and keeping in touch. I attended every type of industry meet-up I could devote time to, just to establish those connections and spread the word about what Clever Ghost was doing and how we might be of service to them and their business. I should’ve taken out shares in a café as a lot of business was done over coffee. Nowadays, the studio relies on a mixture of Direct Sales Marketing, SEO, PPC ads, our website, and social media to acquire leads. Traditional networking still plays a part but it is now one of many strings to our marketing strategy to drive new business for the studio.

As your business has grown, how have you established the culture in your business?

At Clever Ghost, we have grown our studio culture through listening. A simple thing that is often overlooked, but once the company grew beyond just myself there needed to be a platform for employee input. We want to have a positive impact on not just our industry, but our staff and the wider environment. Our vision and mission has been set by those who have shaped Clever Ghost and we actively try to stay attuned to the people who work here. We prioritise personal development and a positive work environment that steps away from the industry norms of unnecessary pressure.

What have you enjoyed most about starting your own business?

It’s a cliché, but being my own boss. It allows us to go after the projects that excite us. Shaping the future of the company and taking it on its unique creative journey is a lot of fun.

Where do you see your business in five years? Ten?

The direction for Clever Ghost is to keep sustainably delivering our work. We want to help other like-minded businesses make that positive change in the world. We care about our impact and we want to continue to do better in all the areas that we influence. In 5 years, I see the studio growing to around 6-10 strong. I’ve always envisioned the team being small and agile, and that’s where I would love it to grow. In 10 years, I would like to see Clever Ghost become a voice within the industry leading positive change. I would like to see Clever Ghost having a strong educational voice, leading the way in helping others create meaningful and influential design. I’d like to see us sharing our knowledge and extending our reach beyond just our clients and peers.

How have your priorities changed from when you first started?

I think that having a team changes your mindset; it’s no longer just my company, its theirs too, and that has played a big part in the decision-making at Clever Ghost. The studio is a team now and we will look forward with a team-centred mindset.

Knowing what you know now, is there anything you would have done differently when you were first starting out?

I initially set out to just work for myself and it took me a long time to get comfortable with the idea of hiring. Wanting to do everything yourself quickly bottlenecks the workflow and growth of a company and it’s a lesson that I’ve learned from. If I had delegated tasks that weren’t my area of expertise, it would have freed up valuable time that I could dedicate to tasks that I excelled at. Now if I need something done that isn’t within my skillset, I delegate, outsource or bring in the support to help deliver on the wider objective.

Find out more about Clever Ghost online:

Website: https://cleverghost.studio/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatcleverghost/

Paul’s Personal LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulboal-designer/