Conversations with the Inspiring Kailee Nauman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kailee Nauman.

Kailee, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve been a creative since I was very young. My parents owned a screen-printing business so I grew up on the fumes of art supplies. My dad was an artist and taught me the techniques of drawing the moment I could understand guidance. In high school, I didn’t have the best art teacher and it really put a negative impact on my creative self-esteem. Before graduating the pressure of needing to choose a college degree weighed heavy on my shoulders so I enrolled for an Architectural Engineering Degree and ventured up to the University of Wyoming. While I was there, I met a friend whose brother was a Graphic Designer and I was infatuated with all the projects he would tell me about. It was the ideal thing to cross over technology with my creative mind. Then, during winter break, I came home and got incredibly ill. The symptoms were so bad, I wasn’t cleared to go back to school. They never had a precise diagnosis but I had to take almost a year off to recover.

During this downtime, my Mom and Step-Dad took me to get some art supplies while I was recovering and it made the process so much better. Conveniently, around the same time, I received a mailer from the Art Institute which invited me to an open house. I knew in my heart that I wanted to go and see what they offered, I had already been booking small photography sessions since I graduated high school and they also offered a graphic design program. I enrolled and began the journey of pursuing my passion, after three and a half years of school, I got my Bachelors in Graphic & Web Design. I had been taking on freelance clients for about two years prior to graduating and enrolled in an internship at a Commercial Real Estate Agency as their Graphic Designer. Now, I work as a Marketing Design Coordinator for a transportation company, run my design business and still book photoshoots for fun.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I would love to meet someone that says they have had a smooth road because I don’t think those really exist. Balancing your passion, work, relationships, health, and life is the hardest thing to manage. I’ve gone through a lot of mentally tough experiences. My parents divorced when I was ten and the aftermath wasn’t smooth. Throughout teenage years and into my young adult age I struggled a lot with self-esteem both physically and mentally. The biggest struggle that I deal with now is the recent passing of my Dad. He was the one that taught me to be the artist I am today and I’m still trying to figure out how to push through this black hole that has nestled itself into my heart and soul. It affects my creativity to a level I can’t exactly explain.

Any advice for other women, particularly young women who are just starting their journey?
Goodness, I could go on for hours with advice. I can’t express this enough, which I hope any woman will take wholeheartedly, is to give yourself the love you deserve and patience, so much goddamn patience. The process of becoming your story of success isn’t easy, it’s going to be filled with ups and downs, and that’s OKAY. It’s especially hard when we live in the world of “social media highlights” where we all think people are doing so amazing ALL the time, but the truth is everyone has their struggles and there is no reason to compare lives with anyone when we all have our own paths. It is up to us to remind ourselves that we are doing the best we can, every day, to believe that we are beautiful inside and out and that we can do ANYTHING we set our minds to.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into Eclectic Designs.CO story. Tell us more about the business.
As a full-time creative, I have specialized in Brand Identity & Marketing Design. Eclectic Designs.CO is an outlet for me to work with my clients on designs for their goals. I strive to use the power of Graphic Design to work with ambitious businesses who seek to make the best visual impression and to own pride with how they are presenting themselves in their community. I offer multiple package plans that suit one needs ranging from logo design, brand development, print, web design, and marketing strategy. When a client is beyond excited about the creative process we work through, it ignites my soul! While there are so many incredible designers, I think being true to myself is the best thing that sets me apart. I have such compassion for other people and love to see their ideas come to life through my work, I also offer my time to non-profits so that they can pursue their full purpose and be represented in the best way possible.

For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
My admiration for women, in general, is constantly growing. We are all so strong, bold and passionate. The opportunities are truly ongoing and I think that we are able to position ourselves for anything that we want to despite any setbacks, I think we will always find our way to our opportunities. My biggest thing is finding that warrior inside yourself and encouraging all other women to be that as well. Creating a strong support system amongst ourselves is so important and with that, I think we can all accomplish anything we set our minds to. My biggest thing is to not settle, always go for what you know you’re worth.

Contact Info:

• Website: eclecticdesigns.co
• Phone: 3038860140
• Email: knaumandesigns@gmail.com
• Instagram: @eclecticdesigns.co
• Facebook: @knaumandesigns

Image Credit:
Allie Fiore

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