We were lucky to catch up with Katie Styles recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Katie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

My journey in becoming a creative started way back in high school when I was on my school’s newspaper staff as a page designer. This is where I first started using the adobe suite, primarily InDesign and Photoshop. When I was preparing for college I then realized I wanted to major in graphic design instead of journalism. I loved the designing part of it rather than the writing. I wish I had honed in on my illustration and hand lettering skills at an earlier age but that didn’t happen until I was in college and took my first typography and illustrator class. But learning layout design seemed to follow me into my career today where I’m creative director for a multi media company where one of my biggest responsibilities is designing our monthly magazine. I think one of my biggest obstacles was believing I could do anything I set my mind too. Self-doubt has always been a struggle for me. But I learned that as long as I put all my best effort into something, I can do amazing things.

Katie, 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?

After being part of my school newspaper then going to college for Graphic Design at Valencia College, I interned at a local print shop in Orlando called Mama’s Sauce. They were well known for the love and care they put into each and every one of their client’s projects and were overall just passionate about print and I wanted to be part of it. I learned about all types of print/finishing processes like screen printing, letterpress, edge painting, duplexing paper and the cutting of paper. I also got exposed to some of the best designers around the world who had their work printed by us whether they came to give a talk or just quality controlling their projects. After my internship I worked there for 2 years. I also met my husband there so it was overall an amazing experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I then felt like I learned all I could and decided to take a production artist job at an ad agency called &Barr. It’s there were I really got a lot of my design and client experience. I started with just resizing ads to running photoshoots and presenting full print and digital ad campaigns to clients. I worked with clients like Nemours Children’s Hospital, Ruth’s Chris, Rosen Hotels and Resorts, Sonny’s BBQ, Bealls, Florida Virtual School, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, Discover The Palm Beaches, and Badcock Home Furniture & More. I also got the opportunity to take our workspace and elevate it with murals and posters around the office.I was there for 4 years and learned a lot during my time there. I think one of the biggest obstacles was trying to not only make the clients happy but also my team. Truth is you can’t make everyone happy and you just have to try your best to fight for what the client needs, not always what they want. When you have so many cooks in the kitchen, it can get really tricky. But it taught me so much about how to handle different personalities and work as a team. I worked under 3 very different creative directors and so I would say one of my biggest strengths during the course of those 4 years was able to adapt to any work environment I was exposed to. I survived multiple layoffs which is pretty typical in the ad industry. It wasn’t until the last one right when COVID-19 hit that I realized I wanted out and wanted to seek new opportunities.

I decided to then work in-house at Growing Bolder. I started as the Senior Graphic Designer, assisting my creative director in executing all print and digital design for the brand and 2 years later, I’ve been promoted to Creative Director. It’s a completely different feeling having full control over the design decisions versus presenting 2-3 concepts to a client for them to maybe hate all of them. And not only that, but I’m designing for a mission driven brand that I’m passionate about. That made a world of difference. I get to design stories about ordinary people living extraordinary lives and design guides that help people make the rest of their lives the best of their lives.

Outside of all of that, I’m a new mom of a 6 month old and try to find time in between to hand letter and illustrate stuff for myself. I’ve got my hands full at all moments of the day but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding thing about being a creative is getting the chance to take my own or some else’s ideas and bring them to life. I love that I have the power to create something that can help explain what someone else had in mind but may not be able to execute. And then you show them what you created and they’re blown away. And for my own ideas, I like to call passion projects, I have the ability to take any idea I have and create something that can make an impact on others. It’s harder to find time for those type of projects these says with a little one but I know it won’t be long until I flex that muscle again.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As a creative, I’m also a problem solver and I would say that has always been the mission behind my work. Especially now, my work is meant to help others discover new passions, live a healthier life and receive daily inspiration. If I can make an impact on someone’s life even for just a moment, that’s why I do what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katiekicksass.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katie_kicksass/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-styles-0111b5b2/