From Words to Design: The Journey I’m Living Now

The First Spark: From Storytelling to Design

My story began with words. At fourteen, I was filling pages with characters and storylines, fully immersed in my first big project—a sixty-chapter book I’d spent months on. But when it came time to design the cover, I realized I was missing something. That’s when I stumbled into design, trying my hand at layouts and colors for the very first time. I didn’t know it then, but that moment would shape my entire career.

A Breakthrough Moment (and My First Podcast)

A few years later, I was invited to share my story on the Becoming podcast. I was just starting to get my footing, still learning what design meant to me, but sharing my journey out loud taught me something: creativity isn’t about knowing where you’re going. It’s about being open to where it could take you. (You can check out that episode here—I sound like a baby, but it’s part of the story!)

By nineteen, I found myself in San Francisco working on my first major project with Nestlé. They were hosting a hackathon for teams creating sustainable products, and my role was to help bring their presentations to life. That experience showed me that design was about more than making things look nice. It was about crafting a story, collaborating with others, and turning ideas into something real. Plus, endless chocolate and ice cream didn’t hurt.

The Hustle: Learning Resilience in Freelance

But the journey wasn’t always smooth. Freelancing taught me resilience—I knocked on what felt like hundreds of doors, only to get “no” more times than I’d care to count. Imposter syndrome? We knew each other well. People told me to have backup plans, that maybe design wasn’t a “safe” path. And sure, I had moments of doubt, but each project, each collaboration, gave me just enough confidence to keep going.

Over time, I found my footing in freelance, working with everyone from small businesses to established design agencies. I adapted, learned, and realized that building brands was about more than logos or colors. It was about creating experiences that connected with people. And then, there were those big moments—the ones that remind you why you started. Going to New York for the first time on a project with Andros was one of them. Between collaborating with amazing people and experiencing NYC (and its pizza), I knew I was exactly where I was meant to be.

Discovering the Magic of Marketing and Copywriting

Landing my first corporate role with Certify was a game-changer. I was part of a team that valued creativity as more than just aesthetics. I took on a full company rebrand, which taught me that design can truly shape a company’s story when it’s strategic and aligned. But it was also here that I dove deeper into marketing and copywriting. Design is powerful, but I saw how the right words—paired with the right visuals—could make people feel connected, understood, even inspired.

Marketing, I realized, was storytelling in action. I was no longer just creating designs; I was crafting messages that resonated and stuck with people. Copywriting became a natural extension of my design work—a way to ensure every visual had a voice, every image had meaning.

Today’s Mission: Building Brands That Last

Today, my work is about bringing that ambition to life for others. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful design and words can be, not just in helping brands stand out but in helping them reshape their entire category. I focus on more than just aesthetics; I’m here to create experiences that linger, designs that don’t just catch the eye but hold attention and build real relationships.

So if there’s one takeaway from my journey so far, it’s this: keep pushing, keep creating, and don’t underestimate the power of a good story—whether it’s told through words, visuals, or the impact it leaves behind. This journey is still unfolding, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next.