Carolyn Stebbing believes that the most important aspect of a design is that it be interruptive. “Nothing else matters if you can’t stop someone in their tracks and make them look twice,” she says. Stebbing founded Little Village Creative, an agency that promises its clients to help them become category-busting, defying the design and marketing clichés that make every brand in that category look the same. “I didn’t get into this industry or start an agency just to create wallpaper work that no one notices,” Stebbing says. “This philosophy of category rebellion is what shapes our work.” 

She encourages aspiring designers to get out in the world and be curious. “Talk to people, and stay in touch with them,” Stebbing says. “Have many in-person conversations with people you admire, and don’t be afraid to reach out for a chat. Meet with people without any expectations, and once you start to build those genuine connections, good things will happen.” She also encourages designers to master their craft, as practice makes perfect.

Looking back on her early jobs as a student and her career in advertising and marketing, Stebbing realizes that she’s always been drawn to opportunities where she can create something. “I can say this is what I have to show for my hard work,” she says. With hard work and multiple projects comes the inevitable burnout, which Stebbings manages by setting boundaries. “I always aim to carve out two days a week with no meetings so I have space to think and create without distraction,” she says. “I schedule blocks of time to dedicate to specific projects, and at the end of the day, I quickly review my to-do list for the following day to assess whether what I’ve planned out is still realistic.”