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

Hi Aman, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

When growing up I was always interested in technology. I used to take things apart, put them back together, and see if they would still work the same way. I’m talking about door locks, phones, VCRs, cassette players etc.

Fast forward to post-high school graduation, I travelled to Malaysia to pursue an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science. As I was about to submit my application, I made a last-minute decision and changed my choice to “Multimedia Design”. From there I continued studying more about the creative field, got a degree in Industrial Design and now I’m pursuing Masters in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

To answer the question of how I learnt what I do, it took a bit of sacrifice. I mean social life, relationships, sleep and so on. I always spent my free time learning new skills in the design field and being as productive as possible. I still try to fill my free time with productivity but had to make a few adjustments.

The process could definitely be improved on my part. I think if I could take initiative in connecting with mentors in the industry and get internships I would’ve been able to move further in a short amount of time. But then again there are obstacles which can’t be ignored such as visa violations, employers not being interested in hiring foreigners and some academic courses being quite expensive.

Despite all the hurdles, I was able to learn a lot of new skills that I keep improving to this day. The most essential skills throughout my journey were creative thinking, understanding my target audience, how to conduct proper research and proper ways to communicate an idea.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

As I mentioned earlier, I got into my industry based on my passion for understanding how things work. From there I pursued college courses to hone my understanding of design and how it can benefit a specific target audience.

With the skills I accumulated from my studies, I started offering my services as a freelancer to other brands and individuals. The umbrella term I use to describe my services is “Design Consulting” where within it I provide creative insight to my clients as a way to solve their creative problems. Sometimes they take the insight I provide and hire a designer to implement it or they ask me to do the implementation as well. I believe what sets me apart from others is I’m always willing to go outside my comfort zone and experiment with new solutions to a design problem. When clients have an idea, I implement it according to their instructions but I also provide my own take on how the problem could be solved.

I’m proud of the clients I’ve had the pleasure to work with from individuals to citywide entities like Downtown Long Beach Alliance and City Hall. My brand has been able to provide services in editorial design, design research, front-end development, motion graphics and prototyping.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Having a brand isn’t easy especially if you’re doing everything solo. To move forward it’s essential to have a goal in mind and break it into small steps. My ultimate goal is to bring all my passion projects to fruition. Eventually, I plan to expand my brand with several people to work with me but the major driving force for me is to make sure all personal projects I was passionate about don’t die.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I’d say one thing most people who aren’t in the field are unaware of is the creative mind block. To put it in simple terms, it’s when your brain refuses to give you any creative ideas for an extended period of time. You’ll try to find motivation, read books, and look for inspiration but there’s a point where you’re brain can’t give you any creative ideas. When this happens, it’s best to let it pass and don’t force yourself to look for ideas. My solution is activities that don’t require any creative thinking or comprehension such as cooking/baking to help the brain reset.

Contact Info:

• Website: duxedraft.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandembe