We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kate Libby a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kate, 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.
I’m not sure I ever did. I still get it. The self-doubt goblin is just as loud as ever, just talks less. It’s best for me to just acknowledge it and move on.
One thing I’d recommend to a new designer is to quit obsessively looking at Instagram famous designers. They’re good, of course, they do great work. But try to forge your own path. Find your own voice, don’t try to copy their style. The work is always subpar cause its not YOU. That being said, taking a break from obsessively scrolling through the Draplins and the Hoodzpahs is a good thing, but this isn’t to say you should stop watching tutorials and listening to design talks. Things like these are much more productive and you should use them as tools to advance your skills.
I’d recommend the Perspective Podcast, it really helped me when I felt like I wasn’t making anything good. Scotty Russell is a down to earth designer who doesn’t act like a design guru.
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?
I grew up in Maine and lived there the majority of my life, my father and two brothers are lobstermen, so I grew up around a working waterfront. The people that you interact with in that type of setting are unique. They tend to be gritty, tough, often hilarious. I take lot of inspiration from that environment and the kind of folks that you find there.
Professionally, I am focused on developing a niche and seeing where it goes. Would be nice to make some dough along the way.
I’m pretty disinterested in being an influencer or a real personality on social media. Seems to be a common trend in the design community. I’ve been avoiding using TikTok or talking on camera, I want to make quality work that speaks for itself.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Grit, resilience, whatever you call it. By far the most important. Not giving up is the most important quality to being successful. It can be a tough field. Getting used to rejection will go a long way.
Draw. Doesn’t matter if it’s paper or an iPad really, although there’s something nice about a paper and pencil, less pressure I guess. You gotta draw all the time! I find it meditative and very relaxing most of time, unless I’m on a deadline.
Consistency is important. Just keep on doing the work. If you don’t feel inspired or hit a creative rut too bad. You got to work through it. The deadline doesn’t care about how you’re feeling.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
I have to do some more marketing, which is part of the job, kind of sucks though. I see some designers who are soooo good at it. Killing it. I’m definitely envious. Finding a way to market myself that feels authentic is something I am having struggles with at the moment. Self promotion is just a pain in the ass.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.katelibb.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scoutlibb/
Image Credits
@rembean photo credit for bandanas @bandits_bandanas
