The Bud Collective is a curated series of interviews featuring Nikki Holbrook, founder of Flower Buds Creative, in conversation with podcast hosts, as well as interviews with Nikki and her own clients. Focused on the art and strategy behind branding and web design, the collection dives into Nikki’s process, client transformations, and the stories behind building standout online presences for women-led businesses.

In this installment of Flower Buds Creative’s interview series, founder Nikki Holbrook joined host Bri Jenkins on The Tea with Bri which is a podcast focused on deep, honest, and vulnerable conversation. Each week Bri interviews a guest that sheds light on a topic that they feel passionate about..

Bri’s Intro: “Nikki Holbrook (pronouns: she/her) 'spills the tea' about her business, Flower Buds Creative. She talks about why businesses need a website and brand, how collaboration plays a huge role when working with a graphic designer, and just being a person online who is trying to grow their business and build connections.”

There’s a lyric in the intro to "Tea with Bri” that perfectly sets the tone for this conversation: “I just need space to grow.”

That idea of space to grow, room to evolve, and permission to be human, shows up again and again in the way Nikki Holbrook talks about design, business, and what it really means to build a brand that feels honest.

Meet Nikki Holbrook, Founder of Flower Buds Creative

Nikki is the founder of Flower Buds Creative, a branding and web design studio in Lansdale, PA. She partners with female entrepreneurs and mission-driven businesses, creating brands and websites that are approachable, impactful, and enjoyable…without losing the heart of who they are.

Nikki’s background is rooted in design. She studied graphic design and spent more than a decade working in the corporate world as a designer and web designer for large brands. Over time, she realized something important: corporate work gave her experience, but it didn’t give her connection.

That shift is what led her to build Flower Buds Creative—so she could help entrepreneurs and small businesses bring their dreams to life with design that feels real, aligned, and intentional.

As a branding designer in Lansdale, PA, Nikki is especially drawn to people building businesses with purpose and brands that care about community, values, and impact, not just profit.

Branding Is More Than a Logo

When Nikki talks about branding, she’s quick to move beyond the “just make it pretty” approach.

Yes, logos, color palettes, typography, and visuals matter. But Nikki starts deeper. She focuses on:

What the business stands for

Who the business is trying to serve
What the brand should sound like (tone, language, messaging)
What values the business wants to be known for
That’s the difference between a brand that simply looks good and a brand that connects.
And for Nikki, that connection is the goal…especially in web design for women-owned businesses, where the story, voice, and trust factor matters much more than visuals.

Why a Website Is Still Essential (Even If You “Have Instagram”)

One of Nikki’s clearest points: social media isn’t enough anymore.

A lot of business owners assume Instagram (or another platform) can be their main home base. Nikki explains that social platforms can bring leads, but that attention can burn out quickly, and it’s not something you truly control.

A website gives you a stable, owned space to:

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Share your mission and values
Clearly explain your offers
Build credibility and trust
Turn visitors into inquiries
Create a consistent brand experience
If you’re serious about long-term growth, a website isn’t optional. It’s fundamental. That’s why Nikki’s work as a web designer in Lansdale, PA centers on building sites that support business goals and reflect the person behind the brand.

Blogs Aren’t Dead: How SEO (and AI Search) Helps You Get Found

Nikki also highlights something many people overlook: blogs still matter.

Even in a world full of short-form video, blog content helps businesses show up in searches. Especially for the questions your audience is already asking.

Blogs help you:

Show your expertise
Build trust before someone contacts you
Improve SEO visibility over time
Create content you can repurpose on social media

Use your blog as long-form content (then repurpose it)

Nikki recommends a simple strategy shift: treat your blog as your “long-form home,” then break it into smaller content pieces for social.

That way, your Instagram posts, captions, reels, and email content aren’t created from scratch every time. Instead, they’re built from one strong, aligned foundation.

This is especially helpful for business owners who don’t love being on camera, but have a lot to say. For many of Nikki’s clients (particularly in web design for women-owned businesses) writing can feel more authentic than chasing trends.

What Nikki’s Branding Process Looks Like

Nikki’s discovery process is designed to pull out personality and meaning—not just surface-level preferences.

She uses a questionnaire that asks “outside-the-box” questions (like imagining your brand as an animal or describing who it would collaborate with) because those answers help uncover a more human brand identity.

From there, she builds a complete visual system, including:

A logo family (not just one logo)
Multiple variations for different placements
Typefaces and color palette
Supporting textures, illustrations, and/or photo direction
A brand board to keep everything consistent

The goal: consistency with intention

Nikki’s approach isn’t about picking “pretty colors.” It’s about building a visual identity rooted in:

Core values
Target audience
Brand personality
What the business wants to be known for

That’s what makes the final brand feel aligned. And that’s why clients often feel surprised (in the best way) at how seen they feel through the work.

Progress Over Perfection: Nikki’s Best Advice

At the end of the conversation, Nikki shares the advice she returns to again and again:

Progress over perfection.

If you’re building something new, it’s easy to get stuck waiting for the perfect timing, the perfect plan, or the perfect version of yourself.

Nikki’s reminder is simple: you don’t lose until you quit. Keep moving, keep testing, keep learning. Let the business evolve as you do.

Because it’s not a race, and perfection isn’t the requirement.

Why “Flower Buds” Is More Than a Name

Nikki chose the name Flower Buds Creative because she’s a gardener, but also because it represents how she wants clients to feel: like they have space to grow.

The corporate environment can be cold and restrictive. Nikki’s work is the opposite. It’s grounded in genuine connection, honesty, and helping people feel confident showing up as themselves.

That’s what her design is really about: creating a brand and website that allows you to be human…and still be taken seriously.

Ready to Build a Brand and Website That Feels Like You?

If you’re looking for a branding designer in Lansdale, PA or you need web design for a women-owned business, Nikki Holbrook and Flower Buds Creative create brands and websites that are grounded, strategic, and true to you.

To listen to Nikki’s whole interview on The Tea with Bri, You can find it in all of these places (and more):

Progress Over Perfection: Brand + Web Design Tips for Women Entrepreneurs