Robin Horton of Robin Horton Design is known for being a “creative catalyst.”
Businesses
Robin Horton Design, Urban Gardens, The Blog Workshops
Business Description
I am Principal and Creative Director of Robin Horton Design, a strategic and creative print and web design consultancy. My years of design experience and interest in urban life, the outdoors, design, and writing, led me two years ago to launch Urban Gardens: Unlimited Thinking for Limited Spaces, an award-winning green lifestyle and design blog that showcases fresh, innovative, and eco-friendly designs, trends, and ideas.
Since its launch in April 2009, Urban Gardens has grown to attract an average monthly readership of 30,000, over 1500 email and RSS subscribers, and more than 13,000 Twitter and Facebook followers. The blog was nominated in 2010 for a Webby, hailed by the New York Times as “the Internet’s highest honor.” In addition, the blog has received an International Creativity Award for blog design, as well as a silver award for best blog, and a gold award for best electronic media across all categories, from the Garden Writers Association.
Urban Gardens has slowly begun to monetize, attracting brands looking to place ads or sponsor posts. I have several new ideas in development, including regional directories that will include, for example, places to visit, shops, and restaurants and hotels with garden or outdoor space.
Having used social media effectively to create awareness of and drive traffic to Urban Gardens, I was approached to brand, launch, and co-facilitate The Blog Workshops, creative writing workshops for social media. The Blog Workshops are lively, interactive workshops that teach creative exercises for stimulating ideas that can be channeled into one’s writing.
Business Start Dates
Robin Horton Design: 1990
Urban Gardens: April 2009
The Blog Workshops: April 2010
Social Media
Robin Horton Design – LinkedIn
Urban Gardens – Twitter, Facebook
The Blog Workshops – Twitter, Facebook
Best thing about working for yourself?
Working on my schedule.
Worst thing about working for yourself?
Working on my own schedule. I’m a perfectionist: I get carried away sometimes on something and can have trouble letting go.
Why did you start your business?
When my daughter was born, I wanted the flexibility of being with my 2 kids (my son was 3). That was before virtual offices were so common. It was not as easy to do this back then.
When did you start to think of yourself as an entrepreneur?
I have always moved to the beat of my own drum. Although I think I am a good team player, I have lots of ideas and am always thinking of new things to create and launch.
How do you relax?
I practice Transcendental Meditation and I do a rigorous workout called Crossfit. Meals with friends, movies, all those things too.
What is something that you are known for?
I have been told that I am a “creative catalyst.” I love brainstorming and coaching others in their creative ventures. I do a lot of that in my business, but even outside of the business I always find myself offering up creative ideas.
What 5 things would you never like to be without?
My family, my iPad, my cell phone, my travels, my imagination.
What’s a business that you think is interesting or inspiring?
Mine! I also think having a design TV show would be interesting, and a very specialized travel tour business would be fun.
Who is a person that inspires you?
Michelle James of The Center for Creative Emergence is a very inspiring individual with a wonderful creative business teaching people, businesses, and organizations how to think creatively and then channel that practically.
Emily Wolper