How To Get Noticed and Feel Seen as a Designer

December 3, 2020

Are you the type of person who discovers something and you just have to share it with others? I am. That’s why I want to talk to you about how to find clients who value your work, are making an impact, and make you feel seen and heard as a designer.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The starving artist stereotype and mentality runs deep. It’s what I battled with at the beginning when I started White Coffee Creative. Now, it’s what I coach other designers on through The Colorful Jess.

If you’re struggling to make enough and feel enough in this world, this is my process for getting noticed and feeling seen as a designer.

Step 1: Do a lot of inner-child healing

If you read my last blog about my journey to find freedom after I was laid off from the design agency, you’ll remember my first memory of color was when I was 5-years-old. Let me paint the picture for you.

My family and I lived in a townhome at the time. One day, my younger sister and I decided “Hey! These walls look like they could use a splash of something” and drew all over the walls in our playroom. The tools we chose? A confusing combination of our mother’s makeup, markers, crayons, and anything else we could get our hands on.

Our antics weren’t well-received, but over the years, this experience has come full circle. Now, I get paid to paint bright colors on large walls for a living.

I made this connection when my coach asked me to recall my first memory of color. It was important to her that I do this work to heal my inner-child – the 5-year-old in me longing to feel good enough.

Color makes you notice things. And when I look back on young Jess, I see why she colored on the walls… she needed to be seen. How I got to that conclusion? Acknowledging that my inner-child needed to heal and then doing the necessary work.

Step 2: Discover what makes you feel “you”

One of my first local murals was for Haven Street Ballroom in Baltimore city. I owe a lot to the owner, Kate, because she’s a huge influence on my journey to owning my color. I painted a candy-coated exterior that was Instagrammable as hell for her business. It opened my eyes to the satisfaction of getting noticed and feeling seen through being colorful and loud.

Another part of my journey to owning my color? My coach. She helped me uncover who I was hiding under the surface all along and gave me permission to not be afraid to shine in all my colorful glory. I’m forever grateful to her for this.

Most designers are scared to believe in themselves and their success. They dim their light and their magic. When it comes to being paid to do what they love, they don’t feel worthy. When it comes to working with clients they love and who value them, they don’t think it’s possible.

Sound like you?

I know how you’re feeling because I WAS you. Before I created my six-figure business making an impact with color, I had to uncover what made me “me.”

My journey as a designer went from lettering at a small scale to taking my graphic design work and blowing it up to a large scale. When I learned that bigger is better for me – it’s easier, more fun, and involves more freedom and expression – I realized that it was safe for me to be noticed.

Color helped me come to that realization, but it’s going to look different for you.

Step 3: Learn how to express yourself

The interesting thing about discovering yourself is that you’re not “becoming” someone new. You’re uncovering what’s always been hiding under the surface.

But it’s not meant to be shut away. It’s meant to be visible and bright and in your face. Expressing yourself is about putting yourself out there, not caring what other people think, and doing you.

For so long, I tried to hide the entire “me.” I let a few things slip out (like my goofiness), but I felt judged. Now, I don’t stop shining because someone thinks I’m weird. I know I’m innately worthy. And when we feel worthy, we show up as ourselves in all our colorful glory.

Step 4: Make the impact you know you’re here to make

When you’re authentically yourself, you attract the people you’re meant to attract, the projects you’re meant to work on, and the resources you need. You make the impact you’re meant for in this world by being you.

It’s so cool how uncovering a memory from my childhood taught me so much about myself. And sharing my story with you? It’s important because I want to empower you to do what you love, get paid for it, and feel enough. If I can do it, so can you.

Ready to feel seen, heard, and get noticed as the purposeful designer you know you are? Enroll in Beginner to Business Badass, the foundational course for designers ready to feel confident, understand themselves, and make an impact (while making 6-figures). If you made it to the very end of this blog, I know you’re going to dig it.