Earlier this year, I had the amazing opportunity to chat with Contra for their Freelancer Spotlight of the Month! It was a fantastic moment to dive deep into my journey as a designer, sharing the “why” behind my leap to freelancing, my passion for mission-driven brands, and the creative process that drives my work. From psychology to design, I’ve crafted a career where purpose and personality meet—and where clients become partners in building something meaningful. I’m excited to share a few highlights from our interview, so you can see the heart behind my work and how my studio is all about bringing brands to life in fresh, thoughtful ways.
What was the reason you decided to go freelance?
For the most part, I enjoyed the projects I worked on in my previous jobs—they gave me a lot of creative freedom, and I loved my Creative Director. However, I was burnt out from constantly attending meetings and juggling multiple projects simultaneously. Towards the end, I didn’t feel very aligned with the clients we were working with. Even though we preached wellness to our clients and their consumers, that wasn’t true for us employees. While my agency charged thousands for a project where I was mostly working independently, I only saw a fraction of that. I quit my job to start freelancing so I could have more freedom in selecting clients that I truly loved and resonated with, and to do it in a way that celebrated wellness for everyone—not only because our most creative work happens when we’re happy, but because there needs to be a change in the industry as a whole.
How did you realize that branding design was where you wanted to go?
I actually studied psychology and am mostly a self-taught designer. For me, branding is the perfect combination of my two interests: psychology and creativity. I felt a bit selfish for making the switch, choosing something “fun” over helping others. When I switched over to design, I wanted to make sure that I was still making a positive impact with my work. Becoming a supportive partner for small brands and founders who truly care is incredibly fulfilling. I feel very lucky and excited that I get to play a part in their success, which will eventually create a cultural shift.
How do you get inspired?
I’m usually the target audience for most of my clients, so I naturally interact with a lot of bold, mission-driven brands as a consumer myself. Following the journey of many of these brands gives me great insights into the space. Plus, as a nomad, I bring variety to my work from my travels and unconventional life in general. For example, last month, I was in Oaxaca, falling in love with all the street art, woodcut designs, and colorful hand-drawn lettering, and now I’m in a small beach town with a strong surf and skate influence. Lastly, being surrounded by creative people and their work constantly inspires me—from my creative friends back in NY to the Contra Slack channel, and the accounts I follow on social media. Being immersed in creativity from different mediums is probably my best source of inspiration!
How has your freelancing/business changed over the past year?
It has changed drastically since this was my first year of freelancing! 🥳 I made the jump to freelance in an impulsive move—I was so burnt out that I just quit my previous agency job after flying back from a photoshoot in LA. I took some time off, and when I realized my bank account was almost at zero, I had no more excuses but to start! I wouldn’t recommend doing that to others, lol, but to some extent, putting myself in that scary position helped me get over all my fears and quiet my impostor syndrome. I was so unsure about everything with my first client, spending the very little money I had to buy connects so that I could apply to job listings on Upwork, hoping someone would hire me. Eventually, someone did. It was a small project, and even though they didn’t pay me much, I still felt like I didn’t deserve to get paid. Then I found Contra and started bringing those clients from Upwork onto Contra (shh! Don’t tell them 😈). I was short on money, and I wasn’t going to pay what little I had to them. That first project was $1K, and one year later, my latest branding project was $10K. I also get to have one of my closest friends help me a few hours a week as a project manager, and I also get to hire a copywriter to help offer a more holistic list of services to my clients. But I think the biggest change is just feeling a lot more confident in my skills and my worth, and the overall excitement of doing what I love and realizing that people are willing to pay me—ME!!
What are you currently working on, if anything?
I’m currently working on rebranding a pet brand—a dream, I know! 😍 Their entire mission is to make the pet world more inclusive and to support pet owners in advocating for their dogs. I’m also working on translating the branding I did for a skincare brand earlier this year into packaging concepts. Lastly, I’m offering some consulting to a previous client on their new website before they launch in a week! Things are a bit slower than usual this month, so I’m using this time to work on my marketing and business as a whole. There are a lot of exciting things I’m working on in the background!
I hope these insights from my Contra interview offer a little window into my world and the philosophy behind my studio. Freelancing has been an incredible journey, full of growth, connection, and purpose-driven projects that make me grateful to do what I love. Huge thanks to the Contra team for the feature, and to everyone who’s been a part of this journey with me! If you’re looking to build a brand that resonates and want to bring a little magic to the process, let’s connect—I’d love to be part of your story.
