It was a sweltering August day when I, at the age of 21, drove from my small hometown in Louisiana to Houston to start my new life with my new husband. He likes to joke that he never actually saw me driving my car because I’d followed him so closely that I wasn’t visible in the mirrors. I’d graduated that summer with my B.F.A. and was eager to begin my grown-up career in graphic design. Pedal to the metal, despite how intimidated I was heading in this new direction.
When I think back, the word “intimidated” sounds like an understatement about my state of mind. I had no plan, no prospects and no connections. I was dealing with the challenges just about any emerging creative faces—finding a job, building a name for myself, battling imposter syndrome and learning to trust my own instincts—all while trying to navigate six lanes of traffic on a daily basis for the first time.
What I learned that summer was that I needed more than a college degree and optimism to find a fulfilling career. I needed role models. I needed to see what others who’d come before me did to navigate this jungle gym that is the field of design. I needed a mentor (or two, or seven.)
Where do mentors come from?
As I was trying to navigate this unknown space, I called up my old design professor. (A lot.) She helped me figure out how to apply to grad schools, get involved with AIGA, make a few connections and put myself out there. And then I dug for mentorship in other unlikely places—part-time retail jobs, neighborhood happy hours and volunteer gigs.
Surprisingly, my biggest mentor was the CEO at my first full-time job—a former business consultant and software developer. He knew almost nothing about design, but he taught me how to understand my business value, track my time and have tough conversations. He taught me how to be a true professional—one who is now just as grateful to be working in a spreadsheet as an INDD file.
Since then, I’ve adopted the practice of seeing a mentor in everyone I meet—never limiting my search to creatives. This is the power of mentorship. I learned to navigate the early years through practice, support from friends and co-workers, a lot of awkward trial and error and (most importantly) the invaluable help of my mentors.
From mentee to mentor
Because of the impact mentorship has had on my career, I feel inspired to pass on the generosity by volunteering in the AIGA Design Loop program. It’s a design mentorship program that pairs working pros with emerging folks who just need a hand up and some encouragement to kickstart their careers.
My mentee this year is Bruce: a recent design grad from the University of Houston and in-house designer for Lawndale Art Center. We both love video production, so I invited him to join me for an on-site video shoot last month (which he might’ve even made a cameo in). In this program, I get to meet new people, help designers achieve their goals and learn from them about the future of our field. (Spoiler alert: It’s all video games and VR).
Need a mentor in your life? Here’s what you need to know.
Everyone you meet has something to teach you. A lot of people only look for mentors in their own fields, but these people are seriously missing out. I’ve learned the most from people who have totally different jobs and mindsets than I do. It was always a win-win because both of us came to the conversation with our own perspectives and could learn from each other.
Don’t be afraid of sounding stupid. Your mentor is here to help. They probably know you’re new at this and, if they’re worth their salt, they won’t judge you for asking questions.
And, finally, it’s okay if you’re scared to do new things (like drive in a new city). Just go for it, practice a few times and shake it off when your spouse makes fun of you. (Okay, maybe that one was just for me.)
>Natalie, @natalielora