Meet Dr. Ananya Singh

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Ananya Singh a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Ananya, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

“I developed my confidence and self-esteem by showing up for myself every single day. I stopped waiting for others to validate my worth and started trusting my own voice. I embraced my imperfections, took risks, and allowed myself to grow through every challenge. Confidence, for me, came from learning, unlearning, and rising after every fall. Self-esteem isn’t something you’re born with—it’s something you build by standing tall in your truth and refusing to shrink yourself to fit into anyone else’s expectations.”

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Thank you for the opportunity to share my journey. I am a visual communication educator, researcher, and creative strategist working across the fields of design, branding, and media arts. My work sits at the intersection of storytelling, social impact, and research-driven design.

Professionally, what excites me most is helping others discover their unique voice—whether that’s through a piece of visual art, a campaign, or a classroom discussion. I’ve always believed that confidence comes not from waiting for permission, but from putting in the work, showing up for yourself, and redefining your path as you go. That mindset has helped me turn uncertainty into opportunity.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work is mentoring emerging creatives and researchers. I see design as a powerful language—one that can challenge norms, build identity, and shift perspectives. I’m currently writing a book titled “Designing with Insight: The Power of Research in Advertising, Visual Communication, and Sustainability”—a project rooted in my belief that meaningful design is born out of empathy and insight.

I also actively collaborate with nonprofit organizations and startups to build brands that not only look good but do good. Whether it’s a mental health awareness campaign or a sustainability-driven brand identity, I strive to bring purpose into every project I take on.

Right now, I’m preparing for international conference presentations, finalizing workshop series on visual storytelling, and expanding my research in areas like AI-generated art, cultural identity, and ethical storytelling in design.

At the heart of everything I do is a commitment to creativity with impact. I want people to know that you don’t have to fit into a mold to succeed—you can build your own blueprint and thrive on your own terms.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, three qualities that truly shaped my journey are resilience, creative adaptability, and research-driven insight.

Resilience taught me to stay grounded through uncertainty. The creative field is filled with rejection, revision, and reinvention. But resilience turns those roadblocks into stepping stones.
Advice: Don’t fear failure—learn from it. Show up consistently, even when things feel unclear.

Creative adaptability helped me navigate across disciplines—whether it was branding, teaching, or research. The ability to evolve, experiment, and stay curious made a huge difference.
Advice: Stay open. Try new tools, take on varied projects, and push yourself beyond your comfort zone.

Research-driven insight gave my work depth and direction. Understanding people, culture, and context made my design meaningful—not just visually appealing.
Advice: Ask questions. Listen deeply. The more you understand the world, the more impactful your work becomes.

To anyone just starting out: you don’t need to have it all figured out. Build your confidence like a muscle—one decision, one risk, one challenge at a time. Trust that the process is shaping you for something greater.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

That’s a powerful question—and one I’ve reflected on deeply throughout my journey.

I believe the real magic happens when you go all in on your strengths while staying self-aware enough to grow through your weaknesses. For me, doubling down on what I do best—creative strategy, visual storytelling, and research—has opened the most doors. These were the skills that made me feel alive, the ones people kept coming back to me for. So I leaned into them with everything I had.

But I never ignored my gaps. I just didn’t let them define me.

For instance, when I first started teaching in a new country, I knew I had strong ideas and a passion for design. But I also realized I needed to adapt to new systems, cultural expectations, and even communication styles. Instead of trying to become someone I wasn’t, I anchored myself in my core strengths—my ability to connect, inspire, and create with meaning—and then worked to complement them with new skills like educational tech tools, curriculum planning, and cross-cultural communication. That’s what made me not just a good educator, but a resilient one.

It’s about amplifying your superpowers, but not being afraid to evolve. I’ve seen too many people spend years fixing what they think they “lack” while neglecting what makes them extraordinary. When you refine what you already excel at, that’s what gives you an edge—what makes you irreplaceable.

My advice? Honor your strengths like they’re your foundation, and treat your weaknesses like opportunities, not flaws. Growth doesn’t mean becoming everything—it means becoming more you.

So don’t dilute your brilliance to fit into a mold. Build your own space, define your value, and then rise with purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.behance.net/14ananyasingh
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ananya.singh.16547
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ananya-singh-7305516b/

Image Credits

Self