We recently connected with Latoya Burris and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Latoya, thanks for joining us today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

When I think of heroes in my life, I must speak of my college professor, Douglas Davis. Mr. Davis provided his students with valuable insights into the potential directions our professional careers could take post-graduation. During college, he encouraged me to experiment and learn more about the business of commercial design. He was the only professor at the time with whom I could relate, and he made me realize that I could be one of two types of designers: the designer who merely executes others’ ideas, or the designer who is involved much earlier, contributing to the strategy and goals of the business, which, of course, impacts design decisions.

Mr. Davis was also a talented entrepreneur who shared his stories with his students and exemplified practicing what he preached. To this day, I stay connected with this amazing author, educator, and disruptor, who has encouraged and mentored many of my peers to achieve the success they enjoy today.

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?

With over 10 years of experience in the design and marketing industries, I have a proven track record of developing and executing creative campaigns that achieve business goals.

I am a strategic thinker with a keen eye for detail, and I am also a highly effective communicator and collaborator. I have a passion for helping businesses grow and succeed, and I am confident that I can help my clients achieve their goals.

I naturally built my career in the marketing and design field after earning a degree in communication design. This journey began with the idea of creating a magazine with my best friend in high school. We loved magazines like *Essence* and *Ebony* but wanted to create something comparable for a younger audience. That magazine, known as *Shuga*, was indeed published. This project became the seed that sprouted my commitment to pursuing a career in design.

Although *Shuga* magazine no longer exists, I have since pursued other projects and now offer my clients brand identity systems, strategy, and other creative solutions to meet their business needs. I am most proud of my ability to create and foster trust with my clients. I believe in creating a space where clients are encouraged to share their insights and challenge one another to push further and explore ideas and solutions that reach their business goals.

For example, when I did a brand refresh for the luxury and event lifestyle brand, Fine Wine Series, I often found my initial concepts challenged. However, my willingness to accept feedback and push further led to the creation of an identity system that is flexible and can evolve with the brand. Fine Wine Series remains one of my favorite brands, and I occasionally check on it in the wild. I love how they have successfully taken the foundation I provided and evolved and expanded it since. To me, if I can do this for every one of my clients, then it is a successful project in my eyes.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

As I mentioned earlier, working with the brand Fine Wine Series taught me a valuable lesson. I had to unlearn the notion that I know everything and that my concepts are always the right solution. In the early phase, when I was pitching my concepts, the client felt I was not on the right path. This challenge or friction could have caused the project to fail. However, my attitude and commitment to being a design professional allowed me to take their concerns seriously and go back to the drawing board to improve the ideas. This led us to align on a concept that we were all proud of and willing to push forward.

Creative professionals must remember that their clients have knowledge and expertise too, and that information is valuable to the process.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being creative is the limitless challenges it presents. While not every project may initially excite you, even the less challenging ones can build trust with clients, leading to opportunities to tackle bigger missions. For example, I’ve had clients approach me for brand refreshes because they felt their existing identity wasn’t hitting the mark, or simply to update a landing page. Regardless of the project, the variety of work ensures that I never have a dull moment. Embracing each challenge, big or small, allows me to grow and continuously find inspiration in my creative journey.

Contact Info:

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