Meet the members: Charlotte Young
We have an amazing range of options for people who want to work at WRAP. From private offices to hotdesking and coworking, we have it all - even a new day office: The Study!
Charlotte is one of our wonderful members who has her own desk in our lovely dedicated desk room; a room for members who want the guarantee of their own space, without the need for a whole office. We caught up with Charlotte to find out more about her graphic and branding design business, Copper Moth Design!
Tell us about yourself, Copper Month and what you do!
I’ve been running my business since 2017. I had been working for 10 years at that point in a range of different agencies in London and having moved to Brighton in the January, felt it was time to start up on my own. Working as part of an agency, you don’t get much direct contact with your clients, and I thought it would be great to start offering design services with a direct to designer relationship.
I offer a range of services from branding to marketing design across print and digital. I work with a really diverse range of businesses including marketing and other design companies, Universities, Borough Councils and Breweries to name a few!
Tell us about your working style - do you work with other designers?
Day to day it’s just me, but if needed I’ve got a pool of trusted peers that I can pull in if a project requires it. My books are open for 2023 and would love to work with more Brighton and Hove businesses and individuals!
“An enormous orange moth and hit me in the face. That’s when I decided to go with the name!”
We’re all about that work/life balance at WRAP. Give us your top 3 reasons why you love it here:
Having a space to work I can call my own. I love the dedicated desk space, as for me, it feels like I have my own office with the benefits of the meeting spaces for client meetings if I need it.
The people - everyone is super friendly, and I’ve made some lovely connections for chats on the sofa at lunchtime.
Location - though I can be tied to my desk when here, it’s such a luxury to be able to go out and wonder the Laines and to the seafront on a whim!
Other than your desk, where’s your favourite spot in the building?
My favourite space is on the Loft sofa, where I am currently sitting! It’s super comfy and has the BEST view, even when its soggy - like today.
Tell us something surprising about Copper Moth!
When I was trying to name my company I had narrowed it down to two names Copper Moth and something else I can’t now recall. When my sister went into labour I left my house to drive back to Kent at 5am in the morning. I hadn’t had much sleep, so in retrospect I have no idea if this actually happened or if it was my mind playing tricks on me… Anyway, I had driven down Southover Street onto Lewes Road and turned on the heat blowers and out of the vents came an enormous orange moth and hit me in the face. That’s when I decided to go with the name!
Any tips for someone starting out on their freelance/business journey?
Contact as many agencies or companies as you can and especially those that you’d love to do work for and let them know you will be available for work, you’ll be surprised that something will fall in place and then go from there. When I started, Instagram was a really good tool to get noticed, but that is increasingly harder these days, but if you’re good at it, and you like social media, get on there and push your work. I use it mostly as a portfolio now as it’s quicker to update, but I still get a lead time to time. There are also great brief setting accounts to give you projects to increase your portfolio if you are a bit thin on the ground or looking for inspiration for something to create on the side of your paid work.
Meeting other designers is a great thing to do, because you never know if they’ll need help with projects when they are busy. I have a few connections with other designers and love working with them. Networking and co-working spaces are a great place to do this, as well as meeting other potential clients.
Learn to take the downtime with the busy times. I still now, five years later have weeks where the work really quietens down, but before you know it, you’ll be back rushed off your feet again.
I have a few connections with other designers and love working with them. Networking and co-working spaces are a great place to do this, as well as meeting other potential clients
Quick fire round
Favourite fact about the local area?
Not a fact, but I love that in Brighton you can sunbathe, go on a rollercoaster, get soaked, shop, eat anything you like, see a plethora of different people, visit a palace and get attacked by seagulls all within half a day.
Your top local lunch spot/place take kids?
I absolutely love Bread and Milk on Trafalgar Street, but to be honest, I love a lot of the cafes on offer here, thoroughly spoilt! My son loves Gails after a visit to the Library, and of course a run around at WRAP cafe.
Best kept local secret?
Not a secret if you live here I suppose, but I love the undercliff path from the marina for a great walk and a spot of rock pooling.
Favourite nearby green space?
I live in Hanover, so my go to, especially in lockdown was Queens Park. Near WRAP, outside the front of the Pavilion, as you can pretend you’re in some different time whilst enjoying your lunch.
