Marnie Bergan designs beautiful websites, promotional material and logos.

Marnie’s passion for design gives an upmarket edge to Bergan Blue.

Marnie, what was the idea that first got the ball rolling?
I’ve been using computers and the Internet since I was 11. My older brother had a PC and I was fascinated by it. Over time I became attracted to the beautiful side of it all– beautiful websites, online galleries, graphic design, online art communities – and I began to experiment with programs like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
I fell in love with graphic design and went on to study Management and Design. It was a natural step to start making money from what I love.

What got you excited enough about the idea to put it into motion?
The idea of not having to work to build someone else’s business, but my own. I was in a job I hated and desperately just wanted to love what I did each day. I also saw that there is a gaping hole in decent website design in the region and this was inspiration enough to establish a business that would give businesses on the Coast a chance to build their image online by us pumping out some amazingly great looking websites. It was a scary thing to do, but I quit my full time job and started working from the home office with my husband, Jon. It’s given me such a fantastic creative outlet.

Where did the name for your business spring from?
It’s embarrassingly simple – my surname is Bergan and I like the colour blue!

How is Bergan Blue original?
I think there is a bit of a stereotype about web designers and other related professionals. Some people tend to see them as reclusives with little or no social skills who talk in languages indecipherable to the common man or woman. We try to break this stereotype. We are active in the business community by attending many social and networking events each month, forming alliances and referral programs with other businesses. We have a real client focus which some developers and designers lack– we have not had a single unhappy client to date. We also have our own in-house developed e-commerce software which is feature rich and meets the technical and business requirements for all of our customers, and we are capable of developing custom web applications and custom website modifications to complement our sites. This is something not a lot of web designers are able to do.

What was the most difficult part in getting your business off the ground?
Staying motivated. It was hard to get used to not having a growling boss over my shoulder and set my own schedule each day. I think a lot of people probably struggle with this when starting out and never really get out of the habit of aimlessly going from one task to another. You really have to make it work properly for yourself, and that means knowing that a lack of efficiency in your day to day work means a lack of funds.

Has any part of your business gone down a different path than you first anticipated?
Yes. When I first started out it was with no intention of doing client work. As much as I love graphic design, I decided to let Jon take care of the web design and I would take care of the business side of things – marketing, accounts, business development. These days though, I’m proud to say that I’m quite involved with each project we get and have a client base of my own.

What do you enjoy most about running your business?
The freedom to be myself, to not have to be scripted or say what someone else thinks I should say. The satisfaction of working hard and moulding this business, its brand, its work into something I love. The lifestyle and time freedom is a big bonus.

Do you belong to any networks that have helped you grow your business?
Bergan Blue belongs to several local Business Chambers and, just this morning, I attended my first Business Swap meeting which I really enjoyed.

What are your future goals for Bergan Blue?
The next step is growing our team further, and we’re looking at doing this within the next 12 months. It’s a really exciting step.

What advice would you give another woman wanting to start a business of her own?
Make sure it’s something you really love. It doesn’t matter if it’s gardening or accounting – at the end of the day the buck stops with you, and if it’s not something that you wake up wanting to do each day it can be hard to keep it going. Start small, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone, no matter how successful, has been in your shoes at some point.