We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Becky Sehenuk Waite a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Becky, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

I started my design career working for a nonprofit that partnered and worked with many underserved communities. That experience opened a lot of doors for me and I was able to make connections with people who served those groups on the ground level. Many of those connections turned into freelance work for me and since then I have taken on a lot of work for nonprofits and independent projects that support or bring awareness to the underserved. As a designer, I put a lot of energy and time into providing various creative services that I feel really elevate the work my clients are doing, which enables them to have a greater impact. The reality is many nonprofits have poor designs to promote what they do or raise funds. I’ve seen this first hand and it’s important to me to help these types of efforts engage with their donors/supporters and make an impression through clear and effective design and marketing efforts. Because I’m passionate about this, I’ve in turn done, and continue to do, a lot of free design work for organizations and causes that are working tirelessly to change the world. Being able to do that is hugely important to me and my business.

For example, a recent project I’ve been involved in is the production of a film called Wake Up. This film was created to bring to light the frightening reality of child trafficking, specifically within the foster care system. I’ve been working with the creator of the film, providing design solutions such as the logo, website, promotional materials, social media graphics, the film poster, even the thumbnail image used on Delta flights, where you can now view it. There is a huge design need for low budget, but powerful projects like this and oftentimes these projects go unnoticed because they don’t have the marketing and design resources they desperately need. Being able to use my skills to serve the underserved gives me a lot of satisfaction and reminds me why I love this profession so much.

Becky, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve been working as a freelance graphic designer for the past 16 years. I started my career in the nonprofit sector, working on a variety of design solutions, ranging from marketing campaigns, brand packages, custom illustrations, book covers, promotional materials, you name it. I initially became interested in design through an advertising class I took in my undergrad studies my senior year. I was fascinated with the power of visual storytelling and how imagery and typography played a role in that. Right after college I took an entry level position at a small ad agency and was so impressed by the work the designers were producing. I thought to myself, “I want to be able to do that.” So for years I learned as much as I could about design through watching others, following designers who inspired me, and experimenting with any freelance work that came my way. After 2 years I knew I wanted to pursue design as a career so I enrolled in the MFA in Graphic Design program at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. That program was grueling and pushed me way further than I thought (or wanted) to be pushed. What I gained was priceless. It was there that I got formal training on design which spans across so many disciplines.

During that time I was working as a Creative Art Director at a large non-profit. I’ve had a handful of creative leadership jobs since and am currently an Associate Creative Director working at the University of Michigan. With every full time job I have had, I have maintained a steady stream of freelance work, which has enabled me to work on various projects for all types of businesses. Having a steady full time job enables me to be more flexible with my freelance work. I’m able to take on meaningful projects at lower costs to the client because I’m not as dependent on that income as I would be if I was doing freelance full time. I have been fortunate enough to continue providing services for nonprofits doing some really incredible work, and I also have done work for larger companies/organizations like the California Governor’s Office and the Central Coast Public Defender’s Office. I pride myself on being able to partner with clients and really listen and understand what their mission and goals are. In doing that, I’m able to suggest realistic and successful design solutions that increase revenue and support, engage constituents and develop brand awareness.

I look at the work I do for all of my clients as a lasting partnership. Whether I’m designing a new logo or creating a book series with 50+ layouts, I view each project as important and value the relationships I make. I really want to elevate the work of my clients through visually impactful design solutions that take what they do to the next level. I have a lot of training and experience in the field of graphic design and its very rewarding being able to use those skills to have an impact.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Putting myself out there and getting my hands dirty with a variety of projects. I work hard and I work fast and most often that’s what clients need. They often need a quick turnaround and they need to trust in their investment. I view every project as important and really try to deeply understand the needs of the client. I have experience in multiple creative disciplines which helps me have a unique perspective when approaching a project. I take a lot of pride in the work I do and it’s important to me that my clients feel heard and seen and that they embrace what I design for them.

Word of mouth has been the biggest way that I’ve gotten work. When my clients are happy, they’re always willing to share my contact information with their network, and that has served me well since I first started.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I have a two part answer to this. Part one: I absolutely love creating something that is new or pushes the boundaries, or takes a different approach to what’s expected. Seeing designs that do that and are successful for my client is extremely rewarding. When I see my work out in the wild, it’s truly an awesome feeling. Knowing that I have played a tiny part in telling someone’s story or visually sharing an impactful message or product is really cool. Part two: I love the creative process. I geek out over moodboarding, the discovery process, sketching, revising, pitching comps to clients. The entire creative process is fun for me. I enjoy the challenge of coming up with new design solutions that someone hasn’t thought of.   

Contact Info:

• Website: beckysehenuk.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsehenuk/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckysehenuk/