We were lucky to catch up with Christina Godepski recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Christina with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic started at home. I was raised primarily by my dad who worked his butt off to support me. He was only 21 when he had me and even in that era you had to work for what you wanted, and adding a kid to that only made the need that much greater. With his ethics constantly being shown to me, I just kind of absorbed it as a child. If there were things that I wanted, even in leisure, I was taught or shown once or twice, and then moving forward the rest was up to me. That builds a type of resilience and determination within all facets of life. I learned how if I don’t know something, ask a question. If I want something, I need to work hard for it. If it seems out of reach, how to develop a way to obtain it. And most importantly, when given opportunities to learn, know how to listen. All of these things were a constant part of my daily life growing up. On top of that the concept of honest work was also very prevalent. I was taught that if you do anything in an honest and forthcoming manner, things will always work out for the best. Sometimes you may lose clients, jobs, or opportunities that way, but I’ve found that usually the ideals and expectations weren’t in alignment anyhow so again, for the best.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about what you do before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
In laymans terms, I am a printer. However, I’ve always had a difficult time saying that to people. I believe what I do is much more than that. Yes, at the end of the day I help procure and develop physical branded items, but what REALLY drives the result is the collaboration and ideation that happens with people. Print is such a silent partner in the creative process. It often gets overlooked. Take one minute to look around yourself. I’d bet even with me not even knowing where you are reading this, that you could easily look around and count 10 things right now that are printed on. Whether it be a printed fabric design, the label on a pen, a piece of mail, a container, a street sign or packaging…all of it needed to be printed at some point! Print builds the identity of any item. It adds a personality and feeling to an otherwise blank canvas, and when I can help a fellow creative crack open that can of worms, the typically mundane process becomes so much more exciting. That is where I derive my enjoyment from. To be able to watch others see the potential of their ideas come to life.
Right now, I’m particularly excited about my expansion. I’ve worked independently since 2016 and that is all about to change. Initially I started working late after-hours when I could since I already had a full-time job. I did that for 4 years until covid forced me out of my job and into full time self employment. I had nothing but opportunity at that point to dedicate myself. Since then, I’ve spent the last 4 years developing more of my own brand identity, building my equipment assets, and niching down my demographic. I’ve been blessed over this last year to work with someone who sees my vision and is working with me to expand my presence in a very big way. I’m super excited!
In terms of jobs that come across my desk, it’s mostly been word of mouth. I’ve worked with the music industry for the last decade, and that is still a big part of my clientele, but over time I have started developing relationships with larger global brands which has also been exciting. I always feel so humbled and filled with such gratitude that my skills are trusted by such. I think for me that’s also a validating and exciting part of my livelihood. I work with all sorts of creatives, big and small, and to be able to have the skillset to work with both helps me stay grounded in the big scheme of it all. I always enjoy being able to develop personal relationships with all my clientele, it’s almost mandatory for my creative process and input. There needs to be a level of trust that is developed so that nothing short of perfection is the end result.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Only 3?! Ok, Ill try and narrow it down haha.
- If you’re going to run your own show, be sure that you are willing to immerse yourself in every aspect of it. Even if you plan on turning it over to an employee or partner later on. To really make sure that your end goal is what YOU expect, you need to be willing to do the work as well. That goes for administrative aspects, physical labor, outreach etc. You dont need to be a master at all of them, but you should at least be able to know how each part works. That way later on down the line, your expectations are reasonable and you can plan for things appropriately.
- Learn how to say no. Not every job is going to be for you, and sometimes, standing your ground (professionally of course) can yield surprising results. One of the scariest moments to date was me having to tell a huge company that I may not be the right person for the job given the circumstances andrequirements they had. Turned out, they were still so happy with my dedication and willingness to do it right, that they still wantedto work with me. We still have a thriving working relationship to date.
- Know your worth and don’t compare yourself to others, ESPECIALLY online. So many different factors go into your own personal worthand goals. Cost of living, overhead, experience,can all greatly affect your own needs, so comparing your journey to someone else’s isn’t fair to yourself. When in doubt with business, I fall back on this: There are 3 intangible servcies any entrepreneur can offer to earn business: something cheap, something quick, and something of good quality. Any client gets to pick two. So if they want it cheap and quick, it wont be good. If they want good quality but cheap, it wont be quick. And good quality but quick? It wont be cheap! This is a good way to remind yourself where you stand with your own worth and move forward appropriately. All situations are circumstantial, but its imperative to never sell your self short.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
The number one challenge is facing the uncertainty of it all. No matter how much time and energy you invest into something, theres no guarantee that things will come up roses. Being your own boss means dealing with those feelings, and overcoming them. Its so cliche to say that if you believe in yourself and your dream enough, theres no way you could fail. But when you are in the thick of it, in times where things don’t feel positive, it’s very hard to push through. For me and with many other businesses, there are good seasons and bad seasons. Some months everything is amazing, while others, you struggle to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, if I’ve really learned anything, it is that if I take a step back, and look at all that I’ve accomplished, it’s something that I should be incredibly proud of. That usually helps me realign my focus and stay the course. That is certainly a challenge that I honestly dont believe will ever really go away. Ive talked with many other business owners and we all seem to commiserate on that aspect. And another good piece of advice is to FIND YOUR TRIBE! Surround yourself with likeminded people who you can reach out to and talk shop with. In hard times youll often find wisdom and support from those on similar paths.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.clearcutmethod.com
- Instagram: clearcutmethod
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-godepski-1029891b5
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5NzkXuIqnTGatQReUyVAVA
