Meet Ashley Knight

We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Knight recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashley, 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.

The most important step in overcoming imposter syndrome is understanding that everyone experiences it. Nobody is born an expert at anything, we all have to be beginners at anything we try. I try to be kind to myself when starting new things. It’s important to take the pressure off and not take yourself too seriously. Trying new things is supposed to be fun! When I started design I was just playing around and having fun, posting my work even if I wasn’t sure it was good. Another thing is, if you believe it, others will follow suit. Nobody is going to believe in your work if you don’t.

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

I’m a graphic designer, illustrator, and creative problem-solver, inspired by the fusion of contemporary and historic design elements. I combine mixed-media and digital techniques to create work that is dynamic and full of life. I specialize in both digital and print design. I have some new stuff in the works so follow me on instagram at @ashleyknightdesign to stay updated.

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?

The three traits that have helped me on my journey the most are my passion, work ethic, and friendliness. My passion is what drives everything I do. I genuinely love design, so I always want to be doing it and forming community around it. I am also a super friendly person, so I often find myself gaining knowledge and connections through my love of meeting and talking with people. My work ethic keeps me producing work and working towards my goals. I would advise people early in their journey to talk to everyone they can! I learned a lot from talking to people in the industry, hearing about their mistakes and how they found certain opportunities. Email your favorite designers! You’d be surprised, some of them would love to help you out.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

I feel overwhelmed all the time. I think everyone is pretty overwhelmed all the time. When I’m overwhelmed or getting in my head, I take a step back, even for an hour, and do something mindful like go on a walk/run or read a book. Once I take a step back I can usually circle back to solve problems with a new perspective, and with more energy. Breaks are also okay. Sometimes I experience months of creative burnout, and all I can really do is allow myself to recover without pressure to create all the time. I usually eventually experience a burst of creativity and new ideas after I take a long rest.