Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dedra Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dedra, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
In January of 2024, I was working a full time job at a small printshop in my hometown as a graphic designer. It was my first real gig as a graphic designer after college and it taught me so so much. However, on December 28th, 2023, I had posted a piece of artwork on my Instagram page that blew up overnight practically. It actually was a very deciding factor for me that I needed to pursue my Instagram more seriously. Flash forward a couple of months later and I had gained 10K followers and was posting regularly on my page. I was getting a lot of freelance work and was ultimately faced with a decision.. I either chase this dream of having my own business, or continue working at my steady, printshop job. I was getting burnt out working both and I knew it was only a matter of time before I hit complete creative burnout. However, I loved my job. I loved the people I worked with, I had worked there for two years, and I was comfortable! For reference, this job I was working, genuinely shaped me into who I am now. When I started it, I was shy, very anti social, and honestly afraid of people. It taught me communication skills, how to work creatively with other people, how to grow as a creative, etc. That being said, I was TERRIFIED to leave and go out on my own. However, I sat down with myself and decided that I would have a lot of regret if I didn’t at least try to grow my own business. At the end of May, I went to my last day at that job and set sail to grow my business, Piki Designs. Needless to say, the risk was absolutely worth it. I worked my tail off all summer and into the fall growing my business, working freelance for some big companies, selling my own merch, and networking as much as I could. And in November, my Instagram account reached 30,000 followers. Which is insane to me, knowing that I grew my platform that much in less than a year. I now own my own business, still work regularly on it, and I also got hired full time as a graphic designer for my dream company in Texas. I sometimes think about how different my life would’ve worked out if I wouldn’t have taken that jump! I am so so grateful that I did because I now feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. So here’s your sign: risk is always better than regret!
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?
I was a creator from a very young age. I can remember painting tea sets with my grandma and making handmade cards for my parents’ anniversaries. I took some advanced art classes in high school, and with the guidance of my dad, I decided that I wanted to pursue graphic design in college. It’s so funny now, to think about how it didn’t stick with me at first. I had the hardest time my first semester in college and even debated switching my major at times. But, I had this one professor that believed in me and stuck with me through all the bad days, which eventually, led me to believe in myself as well. In 2022, I graduated with my BS degree in graphic design and marketing from GCU in my home state. Flash forward to 2025, and I am now operating my own freelance business where I create graphics, logos, branding, for companies around the world. (My Instagram page is a big hit in Australia) Besides working for others, I also create my own graphics that I sell on my own merch. I’ve done hats, sweatshirts, tshirts, prints, and I even created my own coloring book called the “Piki Book” at the end of 2024. My brand is very western based, and you can easily tell that by looking at my Instagram grid. Which makes sense, because I was raised in a very large rodeo family and my parents have always been very involved in the western community. I think one thing, besides the western art, that sets me apart from other artists is that my work is always paired with poetry. Outside of being an artist, I have also always had a passion for writing. I really found my niche when I started pairing the two and posting them online. I like to live life with a positive mindset and I wish to share that with every piece that I create/post. I get a lot of feedback from followers with comments like “Needed this today” or “I’m going through a breakup and this helped me so much” and that is truly what inspires me most of the time. I started my page as an outlet for me to share positivity and get things off my chest, and knowing that 30,000+ people follow along to share my daily creativity is so amazing. I truly love what I do and I am so so blessed to wake up and chase my passions everyday!
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Consistency, grit and resilience are three words I would use to encourage anyone trying to grow their social media following. Honestly, that goes for anyone trying to chase any dream. But for me, specifically with social media, those three things helped me grow. I have posted every single day on social media for the past year. Whether it be a post, or 8 stories, I had a presence on my page everyday. You just have to show up! I created 269 pieces of artwork in 2024. That means I created art 75% of the year. And that’s just based off of what I posted! There is definitely more than that in my archives. You’ve also gotta be tough. No matter what you do on social media or in real life, there are going to be haters. I have gotten the most random hate on my page and have received some less than kind messages, but at the end of the day, you just have to look past it. Another thing that I would advise, would be to always, ALWAYS, stay true to yourself and your heart and your goals. You will never regret being yourself. If you feel that your purpose in life is to be a creator, chase it and don’t take no for an answer. You just have to keep going and keep outlasting the haters. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it, and I would do it all over again from day one!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
“You will know your purpose in life by the joy that it brings you”. I remember seeing that quote online one day and it has stuck with me ever since. Being a creative brings me so much joy and contentment, that I just know it is where I belong and what I’m supposed to be. I always say to myself “No matter what, I can always create”. And it’s true! People can hate and try to tear you down, but they can never take away your ability to create. That’s the beauty in it for me. Art is my emotional outlet and it has helped me through some of my hardest times in life. I genuinely can’t imagine my life any other way and I’m so grateful that I stuck with it, even on the hard days. I also get a lot of reward knowing that something I created and posted online, is potentially helping someone see the light when they’re in the middle of a tunnel. I’ve gotten some really sweet messages from people saying that my art and my Instagram page has helped them through their hardships and that helps fuel me to keep going and keep creating so I can continue to influence someone who needs it!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Pikidesigns.com
- Instagram: pikidesigns_
Image Credits
Shelby Borer Photography