How I Became - a Graphic Designer w/ Rosie Manley

Welcome to the ‘How I Became’ series where Billie talks to girls across New Zealand who are killing it in their chosen career and see how they got there!

Trying to decide what you ‘want to be when you grow up’ is hard enough as it is and your careers counsellor probably won’t have all the answers you need.

HIB aims to give you a bit of insight into different career paths and what it takes to get there.

Name: Rosie Manley

Age: 28

Job title: Founder of Rose Tinted, Head of Creative for Eleven Athletic

Current job: Graphic Design & Digital Marketing

(oh and did we mention she did all the graphic design for us here at billie!)

Firstly, what drew you to graphic design?

I’ve always been the creative type. Academics were never really my calling, so after a few gap years overseas I managed to land a job with a small element of design involved, and it all grew from there. 

Growing up my dream job was to be a tattoo artist! (sorry Mum.) But I learnt early on that I’m far more comfortable having a delete button at my fingertips.

I’ve spent most of my career up until now in the fashion industry. After losing my job thanks to Covid in 2019, and years of entertaining the thought of freelancing, I was ultimately pushed into it, and I’ve never looked back!

What subjects did you take in high school that you think helped?

I took as many creative subjects as I could… Graphic design, art, photography, sociology. I was lucky that my school even offered graphic design, it wasn’t a common subject back then.

I got my first taste of design in an IT class when I was in Third Form (Year 9). We had to design a website (aka a ‘MySpace skin’) and it was the first thing I really enjoyed, I still had no idea graphic design was even a career at that point.

What did your pathway towards starting your career look like?

A hot mess. I really had no idea what I wanted to do until I was in my early 20’s. I’d been a ski instructor, an insurance consultant, even a safety technician on the Oil Fields in Canada… Pretty quickly I realised that a regular office job wasn’t for me.

When I was done travelling I came home to Auckland and started a business degree at AUT as it felt like a safe choice. One semester of economics and I was done. I couldn’t enrol into a design course until the next year, so I found a job as a marketing coordinator for a Veterinary company. The role was “90% admin, 10% design.” But after a month or so, they were so happy with my creative work the role flipped, mostly design and a little admin.

From there I moved to fashion, an industry I grew up in, and was super passionate about. I spent the next 8 or so years as an in-house designer for brands like TOPSHOP, moochi and Federation.

What did you study/where/how long did it take?

I’m proud to say that I’m self taught! Luckily with creative work, your portfolio can act as your degree. A great portfolio paired with some valuable work experience and the world is your oyster!

What’s the best thing about your job?

So many things! I started Rose Tinted in the beginning of Covid, and I’m extremely grateful for the way it’s all played out. Going out on your own is a scary thing, especially in the creative industry, in the heat of a global pandemic.

Coming from internal roles, it’s nice to work with a variety of clients in many different industries. Keeps things interesting!

Plus, most people now have an understanding of the freelance WFH (work-from-home) life, so the flexibility is always a bonus.

What’s the hardest part?

That WFH life is a double edged sword. Staying focused, motivated, and inspired. All of these things can be tricky in a home environment. Keeping a structured routine is the key for sure. Being your own boss means you need to BE your own boss.

I’ve worked with many local businesses - bars, architects, bands & musicians, even an eggplant farm! No two days are the same.

Early into my freelancing journey a friend reached out asking me to do some work for her fitness business, Eleven Athletic. It was a match made in heaven, and I’ve progressed into a permanent member of their team. I am now the Head of Creative for Eleven Athletic - a global fitness company which helps online fitness professionals build bespoke apps, and much more.

Working with Eleven is an incredible opportunity, with an epic team of go-getters. Rose Tinted lets me take on passion projects like billie ;)

What does an average day look like for you?

First and foremost, a cup of tea in bed. Jumping on Slack to see what the Eleven team is up to, as well as my emails to plan my day ahead.

Pre-lockdown: a reformer class, or the gym. Currently: walking the dog.

I spend my morning on Eleven - branding, social media, app visuals and all the rest for our personal trainer clients.

Finishing off my day with my own clients. More brandings and website builds.

Wine time, and that’s a wrap.

What advice would you give to those looking to follow a similar career path?

Being an autodidact (someone who's self-taught) is extremely valuable, especially in the creative, marketing, and digital worlds. Keep learning, every day. If you’re interested in the creative industry, or digital marketing - you can learn all you need to know online! You just need to put the work in and anything is possible.

And if you’re good with numbers, give coding a go - it’s a skill you’ll be forever grateful for!

What are the biggest challenges in your opinion to getting into graphic design?

A career in graphic design can go a few ways. In my experience...

You could be an in-house designer. A great option to begin with. You’ll have company guidelines to adhere to, and usually a marketing team to guide you. These are the golden years for learning. Creative freedom is pretty limited here, so you’ll be hungry for variety.

Agency life. Hold on, it’s going to be a ride. Agency roles offer that creative variance or “freedom” you might have been after. Agency roles are exciting, fast paced and ever evolving. Did I mention fast paced? So a few years experience under your belt will be essential.

Next up, Freelancing / running your own business. Maybe the best of both worlds. Easing yourself into a freelance role is the best approach. If you want to break into freelancing, secure some part time at work, and the rest of your time can be spent on your own clients.

When I started Freelancing I used an agency here in Auckland called “The Creative Store.” They offer you assignments for small gigs, maybe 2 days here, a few hours there. The bonus with this is that you don’t need to seek out the work yourself, and the pay is pretty damn good as it’s short term. I’ve worked with companies like Visa, Mediaworks, Skycity and more thanks to them!

What kind of skills does your job require?

Any eye for aesthetics, and a passion for it. We’ve all seen what bad graphic design looks like (I’m talking to you comic sans) and with programmes like Canva floating around, it’s a very competitive market. But design is more than a logo. It’s an identity: multiple logos, colour palettes, typography, tone of voice, website builds, social media + photography look and feel… But it’s truly rewarding to see a brand come to life.

P.S. Canva is a great tool for beginners!

What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

When the whirlwind of ideas come together. Clients can either give you too much, or not enough to work with. So in the exploration phase it can feel overwhelming, then, bit by bit, things fall into place. And the magic happens.

What has been an absolute highlight of your career?

Starting my own business! It’s taken a hot minute to get there, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. All of my past roles have been essential to my growth and development, both personally and professionally. Every opportunity is a lesson, you just need to learn as much as possible from the people around you.

What’s an unexpected element to your job that people don’t realise you have to do?

Perhaps not my job, but my life. I have ADHD, so regular 9-5’s have always been a struggle. My drive, motivation and inspiration can differ day to day, so a freelance role has given me the opportunity to really find what works for me.

Branding projects are crazy. When graphic designers joke about being mind-readers, it’s less of a joke and more of a coping mechanism… Clients can get upset when you don’t get it right, but in return they have no idea what they really want until they see it. Design largely comes down to personal preference, so understanding your clients with discovery sessions are essential.

Describe your job in three words

Passionate. Limitless. Rewarding.