Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yaheng Li. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Yaheng, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

Today, I work as a visual designer in Greater Los Angeles. Before this, I spent five years in Shanghai focusing on graphic and visual design. However, the COVID-19 pandemic profoundly altered my career direction, and life as well. In particular, the absurd lockdown in Shanghai during the spring of 2022 changed many of my perspectives. That period made me feel suffocated, even stripped of my dignity, and it made me realize there are things I simply cannot change. As a creative professional, I came to understand that freedom and expression are perhaps the most important rights. With that realization, I devoted some time and coins to take this step forward.

Yaheng, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a visual designer based in Pasadena, CA. I specialize in solving creative problems from an emotional perspective, striving to use romantic and empathetic visual expressions. I hope my designs are gentle, kind, and approachable. Additionally, throughout my career and studies, I have made an effort to broaden my skill set and range of experiences. My future career goal is to become an art director, and I believe that accumulating more—whether it’s technical skills or knowledge through reading—will have a positive impact on my work in that role.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

There’s no doubt that staying in humble and active listening are essential to a designer’s success, I think. I am a very patient listener, and as a designer, it’s crucial to sensitively uncover the needs of users or clients hidden between the lines. Doing more is not as important as doing it right. At the same time, I deeply enjoy hearing and learning from stories and experiences that I haven’t encountered myself.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I highly recommend the Netflix documentary Abstract, which includes 2 seasons so far. It might already have been recommended by many creative professionals, but it truly stands out as the most inspiring video content I’ve come across during the past two years. Each episode of the series introduces an outstanding designer from a different creative field. Beyond showcasing their extraordinary achievements in design, what moved me even more were the fascinating life stories they shared. I deeply admire their diversity and ability to take control of their career paths. As a Chinese guy, I feel that many of us have lost the freedom to make certain choices, and the efforts I’ve made over the years are aimed at breaking these constraints.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yahengli.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yahengdesign/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/averach/