Meet Misa Doi

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Misa Doi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Misa below.

Hi Misa, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I live by the adage, “Fake it ’til you make it.” You must have faith in yourself and your capabilities, even if you lack the confidence and experience. If you don’t believe you deserve where you want to be, why should anyone else? 

I once had a boss who habitually overpromised clients without a second thought, regardless of whether he could make it happen. Sometimes, it would work out; sometimes, it wouldn’t. While I don’t condone his business tactics, working with him made me realize that if a company CEO could fly by the seat of his pants without a meticulous plan to move forward, then so could I.

I didn’t need to have every little detail figured out before I started my business or took that next step in my career. I didn’t need to be perfect to be successful.

I like to think that most people are figuring things out as they go along. While education and experience are important and beneficial for personal and career-oriented growth, at the end of the day, everyone is just a human being trying to live a happy life.

Does “faking it til I make it” mean I will never doubt myself and my abilities? No, of course not. I don’t think there is a human alive who never doubts themselves – only those who don’t allow the doubt to hold them back.

There will always be people who are more intelligent, better looking, more successful, richer… but their existence does not make yours any less valuable. You bring as much value to the table as you allow yourself. You merit success right now — just as you are. The hardest part is that you have to believe it.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Hello! My name is Misa and I am a SoCal native. I work as a graphic designer and media manager for press junkets in Los Angeles. In my free time, I work on my small business, Chasing Extraordinary, and create fun, unique art heavily influenced by my love for puns and cats. My most popular series are my CatDetective series, where I reimagine my favorite fictional detectives as cats; my Food Plant series, where I combine my favorite foods with plants; and my Purrmaid series, where I turn my friend’s cats into magical mercats. If you love cats and weird art, you might love my art.

I am also a board member of California Creative Arts, a Los Angeles non-profit art collective that provides several opportunities throughout the year for artists to show and sell their artwork. It has been a great experience connecting our artists with local businesses and communities.

If you’d like to see more of my art, please visit my website (ChasingExtraordinary.com) and my Etsy shop (Chasing Extraordinary). Occasionally you can find me at art events as a vendor. You can also find my art via my social media (@catdetective_art and @chasingextraordinary).

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three things I would tell other artists who are just beginning their small business journey:

1. Don’t wait. Just do it.
If you are thinking about starting your art journey but are on the fence, then here’s my advice to you: Just do it. I knew I wanted to start my own small business, but I was scared to jump in and came up with 1.5 million excuses as to why I wasn’t ready. If you’re anything like me, then you’ll never feel ready, no matter how much research you do. If you are intimidated, start small and just practice your craft every day. Create a social media account to share your art. You don’t have to jump to forming a LLC right away (and you shouldn’t – definitely do your research to see if it would be beneficial to you to take this step later on).

2. Immerse yourself in your community.
Seek out other artists and engage and follow them on social media. Attend local pop up shows and make friends with other vendors. One of my favorite things has been all the new friends I have made since I started my business. It is great to have a community that shares your interests, and you can learn a lot from people who have more experience.

3. Consistency is key
I think this applies to many things in life – being consistent in your craft will only help you in the long run. You will continue to grow as an artist and if you continue to put your art out on social media and local events then more people will come to know your art and brand.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My mother is one of my biggest supporters. Her love and guidance have helped shape me into the person I am today. She had me while she was in her twenties, so she gave up a big part of her life to raise me and my brother and provide us with a loving home.

She has always encouraged my dreams, no matter how fleeting they may have been, and she has always been my rock whenever I suffer from panic attacks or depression.

I am incredibly fortunate to have such a strong support system of friends and family in my life, but I am especially thankful for my mother.

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Image Credits

Photo Credit: Misa Doi

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