We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Olivia Magistro a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Olivia, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
My creativity is super important to me as a graphic designer, but it’s easy to hit burnout or get stuck in a rut. I keep things fresh by playing! It is something my teachers and mentors have always encouraged. Whether it’s sketching, doodling, or even playing video games and board games, I love doing things just for fun with no pressure. It gets me excited about creating again. I also gamify a lot of my tasks to make them less boring, and design briefs are my go-to for keeping things interesting.
I’m a big fan of romanticizing my life. Going to a coffee shop to draw makes me feel like the main character, and honestly, it’s the push I need to do something I don’t always make time for. Stepping away from my computer (since I’m glued to it every day) is so important. I see playing as a form of self-care. It’s fun and I don’t think we as working adults make enough time for fun.
As an extrovert, I also get a ton of inspiration from talking to people. Connecting with other creatives, whether online or in person, totally lights a fire under me. Sharing ideas and getting support from others motivates me to make cool things, something I can forget about when I’m too focused on turning things around quickly in the corporate environment.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’ve always considered myself a creative problem-solver and storyteller, and that’s exactly how I approach graphic design. I’ve been the “art kid” for as long as I can remember, and I actually decided I wanted to be a graphic designer when I was pretty young. My parents weren’t the type to push me toward being a doctor or lawyer. Instead, my dad encouraged my creativity. He signed me up for art classes and even built me an art studio in our backyard. I’ll never forget a road trip to Florida with my dad when I told him I wanted to design a billboard. That’s when he explained to me that’s exactly what graphic designers do.
Fast forward to now when I run my own brand and website design studio, Made by Magistro, and get to help business owners tell their brand’s story through creative and personal brand identities and websites. My goal is for every business owner I work with to feel seen, excited, and proud of what we create together. I see my clients as co-authors in the process, so every step is collaborative. You know your business better than anyone else, and I love using my design skills to bring your vision to life in a way that feels authentic and meaningful.
Over the past year, I’ve noticed that so many clients are ready to hit the ground running, which inspired me to launch my “Once Upon a Website in a Week” service where we spend a full week building out the site of your dreams. Every moment your brand isn’t out in the world is a missed opportunity, and I’m so excited to help bring ideas to life quickly without sacrificing quality.
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?
Gosh, the things I’ve learned since becoming a designer could probably fill an entire library. If I had to narrow it down, I’d say my communication skills, my ideation process, and my self-confidence have been the most transformative parts of both my career and my everyday life.
When I was the Creative Director at my university’s media organization, I had to figure out how to both defend my own ideas and encourage my team. That experience taught me how to explain my design decisions clearly, which has been so helpful when working with clients. Having to give constructive feedback to students who were just starting out in their design journeys also made me realize how much I love teaching and helping others grow.
My ideation process is something that’s constantly evolving. Back in college, my professors would assign us those dreaded 100+ sketch projects. I won’t lie—I hated it at the time. Coming up with 75 more ideas after I already felt tapped out at 25? Torture. But pushing myself like that led to some of my most creative and original solutions. Now, I’m the one filling notebook after notebook with sketches, even when no one is making me (Dan, you were right, haha!). The truth is, your first idea is almost never the best one. So sit down, scribble, make some ugly stuff, and push through sketches 26-99. I promise you’ll stumble on something amazing.
Lastly, confidence is something I’ve struggled with both personally and professionally. As a chronic student, I was used to being validated by grades and critiques, but creating work for clients felt so intimidating at first (and honestly, it still does sometimes!). To any creative battling imposter syndrome: just showing up and doing the work is the hard part. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. Shoutout to my Cyclebar instructors for these motivational quotes because they might be cheesy, but wow, they’re true.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I absolutely love partnering and collaborating with other creatives! It’s all about bringing different skills and perspectives together to create something truly special for the business owners I work with. I’m always on the lookout for photographers, illustrators, and other talented creatives who are passionate about helping small businesses shine. Whether it’s a stunning brand photoshoot or unique illustrations, I love recommending other creatives that I admire to help me provide that key-turn solution for my clients.
You can reach out to me anytime! I’m all about building a supportive community of fellow creatives.
And hey, don’t tell my bank account, but if any tattoo artists or coffee shops want to team up, hit me up! I’d love to help make your brand the most thrilling page-turner ever.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.madebymagistro.com
- Instagram: @madebymagistro
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviamagistro/
Image Credits
Tori Chapman | Obsidian Photo Co.
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