We were lucky to catch up with Lily Liseno recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lily, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
For me, success means happiness. And that happiness comes from having a strong sense of my “why” and building a life with balance, a life that leaves space for meaningful work, time with family, travel, and rest.
Throughout my journey, I’ve faced many crossroads that required tough decisions. Each time, I’ve come back to my why: Will this choice bring me closer to the life I want to live. One that feels grounded, joyful, and intentional? Sometimes that means making trade-offs, but I try to design my life in a way that supports presence, peace, and freedom.
Another part of success, and honestly the harder one for me, is belief. Truly believing I can be joyful, fulfilled, and financially stable doing work I love. When I lean into that belief, my choices start to shift in powerful ways.
One of many examples: I’m both a musician and a designer. For years, I taught music lessons while building my design business on the side. I started to notice that design felt more aligned and was opening more doors financially. I made the decision to go all in, even though it meant taking a short-term pay cut. I believed that if I gave myself the space to commit fully, it would lead to the kind of life I was envisioning, more time with my family, creative freedom, peace, and long-term stability. And that belief has proven to be a turning point.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My degree is actually in education . I don’t have a formal background in design. I got started back in 2015 when I launched my own blog and realized how much I *loved* designing the website and graphics. That creative spark led me down a new path. I started teaching myself graphic design through online courses, tutorials, and a whole lot of trial and error. During my internships and my job at a Title 1 school, I practiced building Blogger templates, designing WordPress sites, and learning tools like Photoshop and Illustrator. I completely fell in love with the process.
Eventually, with the support of my husband, I left teaching to pursue design full-time. Like many creatives, I went through a phase of undercharging and overworking, which led to burnout. I shifted gears for a while, teaching music lessons while continuing design work on the side. When the pandemic hit, I lost most of my students and found online teaching really draining. At the same time, my Etsy shop was slowly gaining traction and I was getting freelance clients here and there, so I decided it was time to go all-in on design again.
Since then, I’ve taken on a variety of contract roles and passion projects, but I’ve ultimately returned to what I love most: running my own branding studio. I’m rebuilding Liseno Designs with the experience, clarity, and creative fire I’ve gained over nearly a decade, and I feel more aligned and motivated than ever.
Today, I offer custom logo and brand design, social media branding, and premade digital products like Canva templates, Twitch overlays, brand kits, and website templates on Etsy and Creative Market. I work with soulful, adventurous creatives like content creators, small businesses, and nonprofits who want a brand that truly feels like *them*.
My work blends heart and strategy. I don’t just design beautiful visuals, I help my clients find clarity around their message, audience, and aesthetic so they can show up with confidence and consistency. I’m not about cookie-cutter branding. I want every brand I create to feel alive, unique, and deeply *true* to the person behind it.
What sets Liseno Designs apart is that intuitive-meets-intentional approach. I design in a way that’s both cozy and bold, soulful and structured, a little rebellious and still refined. I’m proud that so many clients say, “This finally feels right.” That’s the magic I want everyone to experience when they work with me.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative is leaving my mark by creating something beautiful and functional in a world that can often feel chaotic and overwhelming. I want to contribute to more beauty, clarity, and self-confidence. Not just in my clients, but in the world as a whole. When people feel confident in who they are and what they’re building, and when they can see and share the beauty around them, I truly believe that’s how we begin to create a better world.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Right now is actually one of those pivot moments for me. With the rise of AI, I’ve felt a mix of anxiety and curiosity. It’s completely changing the way many of us work, especially in creative fields. At first, I felt overwhelmed by how quickly things were shifting and unsure of what it would mean for my business. But I’ve chosen to lean into learning rather than fear. Instead of resisting the change, I’m exploring how AI can be a tool to support my creativity, streamline my process, and even open up new possibilities. It’s not always easy, but I believe that staying open, adaptable, and curious is the only way forward and that mindset shift is a pivot in itself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lisenodesigns.com
- Instagram: @lisenodesigns
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-liseno-9813299a/
