We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lydia Serfling a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lydia, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of my most meaningful design projects is the branding I created for a strength and conditioning college course curriculum. My primary work is in collegiate athletics and recreation, where I have had the privilege of learning from some of the most accomplished professionals in the field. Early in my career, I was fortunate to work for an exceptional mentor and contribute to his world-class program for educating and hiring student personal trainers. His innovative, in-house program included an introductory strength and conditioning course supported by comprehensive visual aids that eventually called for an updated design to better showcase its timeless substance. I felt it was my calling to honor the program’s legacy and aimed to reflect its excellence through the bold colors and deeply meaningful weight stack pin logo. The entire project was an homage to my mentor and the unwavering excellence he brings to everything he pursues. Believe it or not, my commitment to learning graphic design actually began with this project in mind!

Lydia, 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 grew up a creative kid with a ton of energy and a huge drive for athletic success. This led to a lifetime of sports participation up to and through college where I studied Kinesiology and later wound up working in collegiate athletics. By the time my most competitive days came to an end in the sports arena, I knew my driven nature needed to be channeled into something new. That something new quickly became graphic design where I figured out that, with a little imagination, the application of that skill has nearly endless possibilities. Bringing concepts and ideas to life in a visual format is a form of communication that sets me apart from most all my peers in athletics and has made me a highly effective teacher, coach, and communicator.

After years of learning from tutorials and practice playing with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign, my novice projects made for friends and family started leading to comments like “Hey you’re really good at this. You should do this full time!” with increasing frequency. That’s when I decided to start Serfling Designs and explore the world of small business!

My goal as a graphic designer is to bring to life a visual identity that my clients can be proud of. One that genuinely reflects who they are and how they want the world to feel about their products and services. Like the walk-on athlete I was in my past sports life, my job at Serfling Designs is to work extremely hard to make others look good! That’s my approach. The heart of a walk-on is the sincere joy experienced when we play our part to shine the spotlight on others.

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

One lesson I’ve had to unlearn is the constant pressure to conform to what others expect of me. With so many voices dictating how we should act, look, or think, it’s easy for originality and imagination to be overshadowed. To counter this, I make it a priority to seek out quiet moments where I can reconnect with my story and reflect on the kind of light I want to bring into the world. It’s in these moments of clarity that true creativity thrives.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to bring professional, high-quality design to my corner of the world. I approach life and graphic design with a growth mindset, always learning something new and eagerly willing to use that growth to help others with their pursuits. Because I have seen the limitations of verbal communication time and again, that reinforces the value of visual communication only graphic design can provide. I strive to be a source of excellent design for those who need help showing off who they are!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.serflingdesigns.com
• Instagram: @serflingdesigns
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydia-serfling

Image Credits

Lydia Serfling