We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sabine Quetant. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sabine below.

Alright, Sabine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

In 2021, I left a six-figure associate director role in the creative media landscape. While it was absolutely the right decision for me, there are some days when I think, “What I wouldn’t give to have that big corporate check in my account.”

Most recently, I was up late after finishing a client proposal and sending follow-up emails to prospective clients; my next task was pulling together some social media posts to stay engaged and top of mind with my audiences—basically wearing all the hats at once, and I was just done.

I didn’t want to have to do six other jobs in order to do the things I actually enjoy—art and strategy. I remembered the ” good ole days’ when I could show up to my office job, and there were social media people for the social media work, website people for the website updates, coordinators to handle the communications, and so on.

Luckily for me, the other side of the coin is never far behind these thoughts. One beautiful message from a client so excited about the work we collaborate on, or one desperate message from a business owner seeking someone who understands their vision and audience. I find more joy in connecting and bringing these visions to life than in most of the work I did in media.

On the days that I find myself doubting, I remind myself of a few truths to anchor myself:
1. 9-5’s can be great but I left for a good reason.
2. I’ve spent years hustling to build someone else’s dream. I am proud of that work but ready to create my own dreams.
3. I love my work and believe in helping small businesses grow through creative & strategic work.
4. Every path is hard; the one that I am on is my challenge.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hey there, my name is Sabine Quetant. I am a multi-disciplinary black female creative, serving as an illustrator, graphic designer, creative strategist, model and storyteller. My career is centered on building, supporting and elevating minority-led brands in service of community and culture.

At the jumpstart of my career, I sharpened my skills in the startup and media landscape, leading marketing and creative initiatives at Blavity, Inc., where I was honored to be an integral part of building its flagship brands, especially 21Ninety – a lifestyle platform for multicultural women. This work fostered a deeper passion to support and empower my community of women to build lasting and influential businesses.

Dame Design grew from this desire.

I embarked on a mission to use all I had learned to help other growing brands. This journey led to establishing a boutique operation specializing in illustration/design, creative strategy, and brand architecture. Dame Design serves as a launchpad for emerging brands; helping them establish a strong foundation and curate an elevated brand experience. Each client/brand is taken on as a collaborative project working with founders (often solopreneurs) to develop a stand-out brand narrative, strategy, or product that authentically reflects the essence of the brand. My favorite moment is when my clients see the vision they held so preciously in their heads and hearts comes to life in our work – that moment fuels everything I do. Dame Design offers custom creative services including:
• Brand Architecture
• Visual Identity
• Creative Direction
• Campaign Development
• Messaging Guidelines
• Graphic Design / Illustration
• Planner/Journal Layout Design

In true multi-hyphenate fashion, my other passions are also brewing.

I am in production of a home and life accessories brand, featuring my digital illustrations, that celebrates our dwelling as a place of joy, comfort, and personal flair. The seasonal collections aim to give women of color an opportunity to be intentional about curating the spaces where they spend the most time and surround themselves with imagery of style, self-care, and sisterhood. The pandemic forced us all deeper into our homes; for me, the experience redefined how I created and held space for myself in my own home. I gained an appreciation for how our surroundings impacted mental health, creativity, and happiness.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One big lesson I had to unlearn was the belief that I had to stick to just one creative path to make it. My creative career has taken me in many directions: social media, brand strategy, graphic design, creative production, event programming and more. Not to mention all the passion projects like poetry, illustrations, home decor, handmade jewelry, and designing fashion pieces. My life has always been an amalgamation of different creative expressions professionally and personally.

A proclaimed Renaissance woman, I bore the association with appreciation and endeavored to keep learning and exploring. As my career evolved the question became, “is this what you want to be doing?” I was asked this several times by company leadership. And much to everyone’s dismay I never really had a solid answer. I had worked hard to get to this level and felt I had earned a seat at the table, but the seat that was offered felt limiting.

When I sought advice, I was told that to be truly valuable, I had to specialize—either excel as an independent contributor in one thing or become a people manager who inspires and leads. In an ever-growing influencer/personal brand industry the directive was “find a niche, build a niche, niche, niche, niche”

Now this wasn’t all terrible advice. I’d probably give similar advice to one of my clients today looking to fine tune their creative approach. But unlike a brand, I am a person and over time, I’ve realized this way of thinking was holding me back — it just didn’t see how all my skills could work together for me. Thanks to my work at Dame Design, I’m learning that having a wide range of interests and talents is a strength, not an obstacle.

Embracing all my multifaceted skills lets me draw inspiration from all over, which makes each aspect of my work richer. With one client alone, I illustrated a collection of puzzles for a brand relaunch that I helped develop and strategize. Then as a follow-up, I developed and curated the artwork for their next collection launch. What started as a simple request for a set of illustrations became a multi-level collaboration and creative investment in the evolution of the brand.

This holistic approach fuels my passion and helps me be a more innovative thinker and leader. By combining all these elements, I can inspire and strategize more effectively, proving that real value comes from the synergy of diverse talents.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative goes hand in hand with the responsibility of being a creative and, quite frankly, of just being a human — to leave things better than I found them.

This is how I measure my impact on my world and the people around me. It isn’t always pretty and comfortable; sometimes, it means having tough conversations, pointing out ugly truths, and reflecting on our/my own hypocrisies. But other times, it is glorious. It is imaging freedoms for all, pushing the boundaries of thought, and simply pure joy.

This is the balance I hold on to when the world decides to test my convictions. It is what I hold on to to keep on the path of my purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thedamedesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dame.design/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabine-quetant/