Two Years in Folkestone: How I’ve built my creative business, found community, and what comes next

It’s coming up to two years since I moved my business to Folkestone, and I’ve loved every moment of it.

We relocated our family home from London to Folkestone in 2024, which meant my business moved too, The Karma Creative is now situated in Sandgate, Folkestone

When I first made the decision to relocate, I didn’t wait to “land” before getting started. As soon as our house offer was accepted and we knew the move was definitely happening, I began working on the SEO side of my website straight away. I focused on improving how I appeared in local search, thinking carefully about how people might find me through Google and emerging language-based search tools.

That early work made a real difference. Even before I was fully based here, I was already starting to see enquiries come through — and that momentum has continued to grow.

Over time, I’ve found that the strongest and most consistent sources of leads for my business have come from three areas:

• Google, LLM and organic search

• Word of mouth

• Real-life networking

Search has been a steady foundation, especially as I’ve refined my SEO and more recently thought about how businesses show up in AI and language-led search tools.

When trying to reach new customers, you have to show up in search, that means making sure your website and digital presence (Google Business, LinkedIn, Social) are all targeting your new location

But as well as talking about your business online, one must never neglect the power of word of mouth, offline. Built through relationships, collaborations, being a good human and simply showing up consistently in the local community. Networking in real life has played a huge part of my success here. I tend to gravitate towards spaces and groups where people are open, collaborative, and doing interesting, creative things. Being part of communities like Ladies Who Latte, Work From Home Folke, and With Good Company has helped me connect with other local business owners and creatives in a really natural way and I'm thankful to them for welcoming me in so warmly.

I also love working from local coffee shops — especially places like Orchard Lane in Sandgate, and Mugs where you’ll often find freelancers quietly working alongside each other. Those everyday spaces have become an important part of how I work and stay connected.

I love changing my space and working out of local cafes or co-working spaces, there's nearly always a new interesting connection to be made!

One standout space has been The Workshop venue on Tontine Street, where I’ve already hosted a design session and plan to use again. It’s a fantastic local facility and a great example of how much creative infrastructure exists here when you start looking for it.

Beyond that, I’ve really enjoyed attending pop-ups, creative networking events, and cross-disciplinary spaces where different worlds overlap — art, dance, design, wellbeing, and small business. Those unexpected intersections often lead to the most interesting conversations and collaborations.

Ladies Who Latte and the Sustainable Futures Forum have both proven to be very rewarding groups for new connections, collaborations and indeed new business leads

Alongside networking, I’ve also invested heavily in building a stronger foundation for my business. I rebranded, refined my positioning, and worked with brilliant local photographer Kate Noble to create imagery that feels aligned with where I am now professionally. I also invested in printed materials and worked with Folkestone Printers for new business cards — small details, but important ones when building a brand presence in a new place.

I’ve also enjoyed collaborating with other local creatives. I’ve worked with people from across different networks and I’m always looking for ways to collaborate more meaningfully across disciplines. While I don’t work exclusively in WordPress, I really value partnering with specialists like Kate from Margate (web development) and Mark from Bamboo Folkestone, who bring technical depth to projects where I focus on design, UX, and brand experience. Those collaborations make the work better — and more enjoyable.

I’ve also spent time on pro bono and community-focused projects, which feel like an important part of giving something back. From working on projects like Common Grounding, to supporting community-led initiatives and CICs like RuffNecks, these types of projects have helped me stay connected to purpose beyond commercial work. I call these my “karma projects” — they’re not just about output, but about contribution, visibility, and supporting people who might not otherwise have access to design support.

RuffNecks CIC website, my latest Karma Project

Looking ahead, I want to continue growing in this way, more local businesses, more startups, more workshops, and more collaborative work with people who are open, curious, and interested in building something together.

I’m especially excited about expanding my workshop offering with With Good Company, and continuing to help small business owners feel more confident with branding, websites, and digital presence — especially in a world where visibility is changing so quickly.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past two years, it’s that business growth isn’t just about being online, it’s about being present. In conversations, in spaces, in communities, and in the real world. And Folkestone has given me exactly the kind of environment where that kind of work can thrive.

If you’re a local business, brand or startup looking for support with branding, websites, or digital design I’d love to hear from you. Work with me get in touch and let’s build something together.