Meet Monica Reitsma

We were lucky to catch up with Monica Reitsma recently and have shared our conversation below.

Monica, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Naturally, when you start something new, there is always that voice in your head saying “you don’t know what the heck you are doing.” I remember my first job out of college at a small marketing agency feeling so overwhelmed. I was not only the youngest, but I was also the only woman in my location’s office for my first six months there. I had no idea what I was doing. I was the only account/project manager for the agency at the time. The operations side of an agency was never the end goal–I went to school for design, but this was the only job I could get so I took it thinking I could show my skills and transition to the creative department.

About a year in, I approached one of the partners asking if I could shadow someone in the creative department because I’d ultimately love to be a designer. And I’ll never forget that he told me I’d never be creative enough to work as a designer. He said some people are meant to be creative, and I wasn’t destined for that so I should just focus on client management because that’s what I was meant to be good at. “You’ll never make it. Trust me, I’m just looking out for you,” he said. I’ve replayed this five-minute conversation in my head hundreds of thousands of times.

I always had an air of confidence about me. Some people call it Lucky Girl Syndrome, but I think it’s really my ability to lean into the “if it’s meant to be, it’ll be” mentality. But this was the first time I was really shaken to my core thinking like “oh my god, am I really not creative? Am I actually bad at this?” I built my life, my identity, around that belief that I was in fact creative and I was meant to do something creative.

I struggled finding my place for years after that conversation, it was like an 8-year-long identity crisis. Anytime I hit a setback the words “You’ll never make it” would ring through my head. Those four words honestly kept me frozen for a long time. I was working in these jobs where I was miserable. I felt undervalued, unseen, and unmotivated. I felt like I was meant for something bigger, and I tried. For years, I had a branding and web design side hustle. For years I told myself I was serious about it and that was the end game, but the feeling of inevitable failure always stopped me. Because I believed and let one single man’s opinion tell my worth and fuel my imposter syndrome, when I had dozens of family, friends, and ultimately dream clients tell me I could do it.

In August of 2024, I broke free from the imposter syndrome that was controlling me for so long and quit my corporate job to run my own design studio. People ask me if there was a single moment when I knew it was time, and for me it was actually a tarot card pull I did for myself. I was waffling for weeks if this was the right time to quit and on August 11th, it was a Sunday, I did a 4 card spread where everything was in alignment and I just felt like the universe and my gut were telling it was time. The next day I quit.

I remember this moment so clearly. It was Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful day. I was wearing my favorite summer dress sitting on my bed. The windows were open. My husband was mowing the lawn outside. I was baking focaccia so the house smelled amazing. And when I pulled these cards I cried because it was the most intense “I know this is right” feeling I’ve had.

And in that moment I realized that the years of imposter syndrome were really just training my gut and my intuition. When I would face a challenge or question my abilities, and the voice would pop into my head, what happened? I didn’t fail, I did it. I made it. At some point I truly believe your gut will overpower the voice in your head telling you that you aren’t enough.

Don’t get me wrong, I still get imposter syndrome. I was meeting with a potential client in September right after I quit and they said on the call, “I know talent when I see it, and I see it in you. I just have to work with you.” I got off the call and joked to my husband, “Like is this a scam? They told me I’m talented.”, he’s amazing, so of course he responded with “But Mon, you are talented.” and I couldn’t help but feel this glow in my gut that this was the start of something amazing.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am the founder, creative director, and all things-er for Nous Sommes Creative. My focus is designing intuitive brands and websites that are the perfect blend of elevated and unexpected for entrepreneurs who are ready for their brand to finally feel like them.

“Nous Sommes” means “we are” in French—so Nous Sommes Creative is a declaration: We are creative. I believe creativity isn’t just for designers; it’s how you bring your vision to life. My work helps entrepreneurs tap into their unique creativity and build brands in creative harmony—where every detail, from logo to messaging, works together seamlessly and feels intuitively like them.

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?

Embracing Iteration
We are constantly evolving, and the idea of perfection is a myth. Putting something out there is better than not putting anything out there. Start your forward motion no matter how small, you’ll gain momentum.

Why Not Me
There are 8.2 billion people in this world, there is a specific niche of people in those 8.2 billion that need your idea. So why not you? And if you have one person telling you that you can’t, find those who tell you that you can.

Amplifying Intuition
Whether it’s prayer, meditation, daily walks–find something that allows you to tap into your intuition. For me, every morning I pull a tarot card that helps guide me in what I need to focus on. It’s helped me hone into listening to my gut, because if you can’t trust your own gut, what can you trust?

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

I work really well with clients who are looking for something new, but they don’t know exactly what that is yet. They want to feel like their brand reflects them, because currently it doesn’t, but they don’t know where to begin. Oftentimes I work with people who set up their own branding because they needed something quick and it hasn’t been able to keep up with their growth or position them as a high-end option.

I’ve been lucky enough to find my true purpose in brand design, and I want to help you bring your purpose back into your business. I design with intention, clarity, and ease—so your brand works with you, not against you. When your branding is aligned, everything flows. Creating content feels natural, your dream clients recognize you instantly, and showing up confidently isn’t a struggle—it’s second nature. My style is the interception of elevated and unexpected, but most importantly, it’s built to help you step into that flow state where running your business feels easy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://noussommescreative.com/
• Instagram: @NousSommesCreative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-reitsma/
• Other: Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/Monica-Reitsma

Image Credits

Paige Kendall