We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kevin Craft a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kevin, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I think imposter syndrome is always there, but comes and goes. I get it in waves. Whenever I feel like it’s coming on, I often take time to reflect on a few things. One, how long I’ve been in the design industry which is 12 years now. I remind myself that that is a big milestone to have. I also look at a document I keep. It’s kind of like a resume, but I call it my “hype doc” it’s really just a list of all the things I’ve accomplished in my career, especially in my personal business. It also houses my business goals. It’s good to write these things down to help remind you where you’ve been and where you want to go.
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?
As a brand designer and strategist, I work with my clients to create visual identities that reflect their essence and values, all based on a unique brand strategy that I uncover with them beforehand. I don’t just show my designs, I show why I designed them because I believe every decision I make should be motivated by intention. I think of brand identity as a living, breathing thing that will grow with a company over time. What I love the most about this is I get to partner with really interesting business owners and creative directors, learn where they are coming from, and also where they want to be in their business.
I’ve recently been teaching my methods to students all over the world with an online course for beginner designers. Sharing my knowledge and insights with aspiring designers and entrepreneurs is incredibly rewarding, and I love seeing the spark of inspiration in their eyes.
Link to course https://lnkd.in/gzptW8Dn
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 on my years of experience, I would have to say: passion, adaptability, and continuous learning. I do this work because I’m passionate about it, I even make mock design challenges for myself to stay fresh when I don’t have something challenging or creative to work on. I think this keeps you sharp, like exercising a muscle. Adaptability, you never know what life is going to hand you, so you it’s best to learn how to pivot when things don’t go right. Brand design and strategy is tailored to each client, so each process may not go in a straight line. Lastly, continuous learning. The branding world is ever changing, so is the design world, it’s always great to pick up new skills when you have the time. So my advice for those starting out, stay passionate, stay curious, and be willing to learn.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Whenever I’m feeling really overwhelmed, I like to take a step back and give myself some breathing space. I remind myself I’ve never missed a deadline, so why would I this time. I also like to prioritize my tasks for projects into smaller ones I can just check off in Google Tasks. I do this in my day to day life when things are busy too (gym, chores, cooking, etc.) There is something so cathartic about checking one of those off, even if it’s something tiny.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kevincraft.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevincraftco/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-craft-1590341b/
- Other: https://dribbble.com/kevVader
Image Credits
Personal Photo ©Domestika
