Here at Designity, we just couldn’t do what we do without the experience and leadership of our wonderful team of Creative Directors.
They’re the captains of the creative ship and the visionaries that drive our success, expertly manage client accounts, and make sure that each project we take on not only meets but exceeds our client’s expectations!
It should come as no surprise that Designity’s Creative Directors are as varied as the projects they lead, each one with their own set of expertise and unique background that makes them such a valuable asset to our team. And today, it’s time to get to know one of these amazing people just a little bit better!
Today’s blog is an exclusive sit-down with Philadelphia-based Creative Director, Molly M., so you get to know her a little better, see some of her work, and learn about the inspiring journey that took her from budding artist to Designity star!
It’s time to meet Molly!
Were you into art when you were a kid?
Yes. My dad is super artistic. He dabbled in all kinds of different things, but he used to make stained glass all the time. And my mom is a psychologist, which is a totally different type of brain. But I would say creativity was always a thing that they fostered and were encouraging of.
How did you make the jump from artist to designer?
I was always experimenting with different art forms. When I was younger, I took high school art all the way through AP art and composition and around, when I was a junior, I had a teacher, Mr. Starner, who during class one day mentioned that everything we see in the world that didn’t come from nature was designed by someone.
So, it just kind of clicked for me. Everything is designed. I can take this art thing and turn it into a career. That led me to looking into colleges that had Visual Communications programs and I ended up at the University of Delaware.
They had a great program that I went through and that was kind of the start of me being a designer and now a Creative Director; all from that one comment from my teacher.
What was your first creative-related job?
I was lucky that at my high school we had a program where, at the end of your senior year, you get to spend that last month doing an internship.
I did mine with a design firm called Miller Designworks and got to start to see what it was like to actually be a designer in the real world, which was really cool. It solidified for me that, yes, I do see myself doing this.
That’s a big job for a high schooler! What kind of work did you do for the design firm?
It was a friend of my sister’s father who owned the design firm. So, that was kind of my in to get the internship. I did some layout for quarterly reports for some of their clients and some Photoshopping of headshots.
The kind of simple tasks that they would trust to a high school kid.
How did your career lead you to Designity?
UI/UX design for Felt App
Right before, I was at an app company called Felt. They do stationery greeting cards. I was design lead there and oversaw all of the marketing, the app UI/UX, and strategizing new features we would implement. So, I have that background in product development as well as design.
I had spent a lot of time freelancing and leading teams in in-house positions, but I was looking for an opportunity that would have more of a collaborative process with a diverse group of creatives.
I was really attracted to Designity and the unique model that we have, and the expansive creative community, being able to work with such different types of creatives, whether it’s video or graphic design, or 3D modeling. Across the board, amazing talent. That’s what I was looking for. Something to allow me to work with different industries and push me to grow and evolve as a designer and a Creative Director.
What is your favorite kind of project to take on?
I don’t get to do them very often, but I love a packaging project.
My first job out of college was as a stationery designer so I was doing all kinds of weddings, suites, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs; getting to really have that tactile feel of the materials is really fun for me.
It takes me back to those roots of being able to make a tangible product. Not only to look beautiful but also to serve a functional purpose and enhance the user experience in a physical way. It’s really fun.
What has been your most challenging project and how did you overcome the challenges?
I think a challenging type of project can be branding, although I love branding as well.
It’s a chance to really connect with the client and establish their core identity, but it requires a lot of research and understanding. It’s just doing that front-end work: doing interviews, getting input from stakeholders, and really getting a good grasp on what their philosophy is and who their customers are.
But actually nailing the identity and overall design aesthetics after doing all of that work is really exciting. It can be a puzzle but in the end I think it makes it all the more rewarding.
What is your favorite thing about working at Designity?
I would say it’s being able to work with so many types of clients in different industries and learning about things that I never would have thought I would learn.
I had a client who manufactures adhesive products, so I’ve learned a lot about different types of tapes and how they play into insurance and restoration. There are all these different industries that you gain knowledge through osmosis while working with them and doing their marketing. It’s fun and it leads to a lot of fun facts!
How do you keep yourself up to date with design or tech trends?
I can be techy! I am that person that will watch the Apple Keynote and see what’s new with all of the different Mac products.
I also follow industry design leaders on social media. I try to do some webinars or workshops once in a while. Like when Adobe does their annual Adobe Max. So, I always check out what they’re offering and try to learn new tools. I always get really excited if I learn a new way of doing something in a software. It’s so satisfying to know that something you’ve been trying to find a shortcut for actually does exist!
Is there any insight you can give us about current design or industry trends?
AI is obviously a really big one and something that I think some designers and people in the creative world are really scared of and worried about, which I think is valid. But also, I think that there are so many ways we can use it to our advantage and learning to work with AI instead of against it is going to help us succeed going forward.
There are so many things, I’m already using it with a couple of projects. Adobe has Firefly, which is their generative AI and I’ve been using that to really good success.
Even using ChatGPT for brainstorming can be helpful.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I am a big house plant aficionado.
I love being outside but in the summer it's too hot and in the winter it’s way too cold for me, so I bring that inside with my house plants.
Just collecting those, tending to those. The other week I repotted 80% of them, it was a big project.
I also love to read. I’ve been really into fantasy recently. I just started “When the Moon Hatched,” and I am really enjoying that one.
<div class="c-blog_comp-cta cc-component-2"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left"><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-wrap"><img src="https://global-uploads.webflow.com/61cdf3c5e0b8155f19e0105b/63695243d096983691046ac3_Potential-Creative.png" loading="lazy" alt="" class="c-blog_comp-cta-left-img"></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-cta-right cc-dark"><div class="c-blog_comp-content"><div class="c-text-wrapper cc-mb-32"><div class="c-title-4 cc-bold"><strong>Like to work as a freelancer with consistent income?</strong></div></div><div class="c-text-wrapper"><div class="c-text-2">Designity's collaborative model is designed to give you all of the perks of being a freelancer without the income instability.<br></div></div></div><div class="c-blog_comp-wrapper"><a href="http://designity.com/creatives" target="_blank" class="c-button w-button"><strong>Join Our Creative Community</strong></a></div></div></div>
Do you have any words of inspiration for aspiring Creatives or Creative Directors?
I would say, keep learning and stay curious. Design is always changing and evolving; there are always new tools, new trends, something new to discover, and ways to push your creative boundaries that maybe you hadn't considered before.
Remember, design isn’t only about aesthetics, that’s obviously a big part of it, but at its core, it’s about problem-solving and creating a meaningful experience for whoever it is that’s touching what it is that you’re designing.
