On "Design Emergencies," Slow Growth And Freelance: Margo Craige
Following WORK, we interviewed speaker Margo Craige. As a self-employed graphic designer and illustrator, Craige shares how she stays grounded, resists the notion of a “design emergency” and slowly works toward growing her small, creative business daily.
WHO: Margo Craige
Margo Craige is a graphic designer, illustrator, and intuitive. She celebrates the beauty of imperfection and proudly embraces her neurodivergent perspective. Margo left the 9-5 lifestyle in 2019 and moved from Philadelphia to Austin, TX in 2021. With a passion for making spirituality more accessible and approachable, she challenges its seriousness and complexity in the creation of her oracle deck, KISS Oracle, and book, Mystical Musings: An uncomplicated guide to working with Spirit (and other woo-woo things). Drawing from over a decade of experience as an illustrator and graphic designer, she has integrated her intuitive abilities into the creation of her card deck and book under the business name KISS (Keep It Simple, Sweetie) Mystic.
1.) In your own words, tell us who you are and what you do both in and out of work.
I am a graphic designer, illustrator, letterer, and intuitive. My work involves working with small businesses and their marketing strategies, to supporting large festivals and events with interdisciplinary teams. Outside of work I'm giving readings with my oracle deck and watching a lot of Bravo.
2.) What creative frameworks or values guide your work?
I have a few phrases that keep me grounded in my work and hold it to a standard. Essentially, I'm not saving lives so there is no such thing as a design emergency. And, my time is valuable. If a client doesn't respect my time, I won't work with them again. At this point in my career, I have the privilege to choose who to work with for my own sanity and I'm grateful for that.
3.) Unpack a recent big decision or pivot within your work. How did you handle it? What did you learn?
I recently had a massive project on my plate where I didn't accurately calculate the time it would take. I've always been bad about time estimates and this one really took me out. I was spending so much time and it got to the point where I was working insane hours and it just about broke me. I spoke to the art director about my concerns and we were able to shift that work to another designer so that I could complete the other items on my plate with that specific client. In the past, I would have seen this as failure, like I gave up. But, it's important to keep your brain in check and know when it's ok to pass the baton to someone else for the greater project. Now, I can focus on other needs for this client and we can successfully meet deadlines together.
4.) What advice would you give to creatives starting out? Or even to yourself at the beginning of your creative journey?
Don't be afraid to ask for help! I felt so silly sending cold emails to past clients and colleagues when I went full time freelance. But, it got the chain started, and eventually I had all my work coming from word of mouth recommendations and I wasn't spending hours on LinkedIn or other job boards. I also think it's important to find community in whatever field you're in or starting out in. Having people to talk to, bounce ideas off of, or vent about industry-specific gripes really boosts confidence and helps you feel less isolated.
5.) How do you approach community-building within your creative work? What does community look like or feel like to you?
Community feels like having a family you can commiserate with. Like I said before, having community helps with the loneliness that can sometimes come with working on your own and not in an office.
6.) What does collaboration look like to you?
Collaboration in my line of work is fun because I'm typically working with people in different fields and with different design backgrounds. It's exciting to see how something can come to fruition through collaboration!
7.) How do you get into a creative headspace? Any mindsets or rituals that work for you?
I like to put on whatever hyperfixation music I have at the time and get into a flow state. Sometimes I meditate, sometimes I scroll pinterest to look at color palettes. I don't have one set way, since it really depends on my mood and workload, but any kind of meditative state will certainly help. I also find it really helps when my space is clean and orderly. I often feel more professional and like I can take anything on when my environment is immaculate
8.) What are you hoping to accomplish within your work over the next five years? Speak it into existence—we want to know!
I have a new mantra that feels a bit like manifesting (and it already is), and that's "work less, earn more." It's the dream that's already beginning to become a reality. I've been in this industry for 12 years, so I can only imagine in 5 more how successful I'll be. Do I want to be a manager or lead a team? No, not necessarily. I've never had the desire to climb the ladder or break my back proving myself to executives that I deserve to be one of them. Managing isn't for everybody and I think that's a misconception I had when I first started out. I want to be that piece of a puzzle that's necessary and priceless (though, at a high price).
About WORK: WORK is a biannual conference, exploring ideas and approaches to creative, collaborative and entrepreneurial work. Hosting 300 guests every summer and winter, this biannual, one-day event's panels, workshops and speaker sessions touch on personal and professional development, marketing, wellness, business management and entrepreneurship. ✨Click here for more information.
