We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ali Hooten a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ali, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
I am on a mission to create more boy and gender-neutral designs in the world since having a little boy. As the owner, designer, and mountain mama behind the brand Coit Creative, I am channeling all of my creative energy to design repeat patterns and illustrations that I would actually purchase myself. Ever since having a little boy in November of 2022, I found the boy apparel options to be very limiting, if not downright ugly, for boys. I also love a gender-neutral palette, something that could work for siblings of any s*x. In 2023, I shifted my entire business mission to focus on designing for the kid and baby industries, licensing my work on many different products.
Every month, I focus on creating both a new pattern collection (sometimes more than one) and some new spot illustrations that have been licensed on products like crib sheets, toddler swimsuits, baby diapers, and children’s sleepwear. I tie in many of our outdoor adventures with the boy designs as well, including many ski and mountain biking patterns.
Ali, 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?
Architect by trade and school turned professional illustrator, I work from home and license my digital art to companies both big and small. What started as a career in architecture quickly became a self-taught pivot to illustration in order to pursue more freedom to raise kids at home and live anywhere. I design illustrations and patterns for a living, many of which have been licensed on greeting cards, home decor items like wallpaper, children’s apparel, pet accessories, and baby products. I absolutely love what I do everyday and am particularly fond of the relationships I have made with fellow small business owners. If you are curious about more, I have a newsletter all about my story, with some behind the scenes tips for fellow designers, called The Pine Post!
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I often wonder how much of a reputation I have, but I must admit, many people recognize when my art is featured in magazines or digital newsletters before reading my name. I think my reputation has come from consistently showing up and being an active voice in the smaller surface pattern design community. While I have a love/hate relationship with social media and Instagram, I do often connect to both fellow designers and potential clients through DMs. I post my art every day and have become known for boy designs and many outdoor adventure prints, like ski illustrations.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
If there is one thing I know about myself, it is that I love to learn. I have poured myself into numerous online courses, memberships, free webinars, listened to podcasts and audio books, and watched many YouTube videos. I cannot attribute all of my success to any one of these, but rather the amalgamation of learning and then applying what I have learned to my business. I had to take action and make some mistakes. One of my favorite resources is an online coaching program called WAIM Unlimited. It is all about growing an intentional, slow and steady business with tons of tools and coaching sessions about all things business. If you are curious about more, I write about it on my page at coitcreative.com/waim!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.coitcreative.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coitcreative