Member Spotlight: Carley Sibley of Carley Sibley Designs
Hey ladies! Welcome to another Member Spotlight, featuring our members — influencers, entrepreneurs, bloggers, and girl bosses alike!
Next up: Carley Sibley, Founder of Carley Sibley Designs. Carley is an Atlanta based freelance graphic designer specializing in illustrations, branding, and websites. Her designs are amazing and we know you’ll love her!
Read on to learn about how Carley got started, how she balances her side hustle and more!
Q: Tell us a little bit about you, girl!
A: My name is Carley Sibley - I’m a Marketing Manager by day and a freelance Graphic Designer by night. I love using creativity to draw awareness of ideas and products I’m passionate about. I specifically enjoy working on branding and illustration projects.
Q: How do you stay motivated through challenging times in your career?
A: By keeping an end goal in mind and by reminding myself of how thankful I am to be doing work I enjoy.
Q: What inspired you to turn your passion into a business?
A: Honestly, it was a bit of an accident. I started an Instagram account a year ago to keep myself accountable. I told myself that I wanted to create a series of new illustrations each week and I thought that if I posted them online for all to see, I would be more likely to stick to my goal. I simply wanted to refine a skillset that was interesting to me.
>> Fast forward a few months later, I decided to join ATL Girl Gang. After being a vendor at the Member’s Mart, I had the opportunity to work with multiple fellow ATL Girl Gang members and then the inquiries just kept flowing into my inbox - that’s when I decided to turn this creative outlet of mine into a business!
If you are looking to turn a passion of yours into a business, I highly recommend joining groups such as the Girl Gang where you have the opportunity to meet like minded ladies in the community! I would not be where I am today without the gang!
Q: What’s next for Carley Sibley Designs?
A: Great question! I plan to continue offering branding and illustration work for my clients, but I also would like to reopen my online shop soon which was previously stocked with art prints and hats designed by me. Follow me at @CarleySibleyDesigns for more updates!
Q: What is one thing that is so satisfying in your career that you wouldn't be able to do if you had chosen another career path?
A: I work with a lot of women business owners, and I absolutely love hearing their vision and passion for their brands. Freelance graphic design gives me a unique opportunity to get to know businesses quickly and on a deep level. There are so many incredible women in Atlanta who are dedicating a lot of time and energy towards things they are passionate about, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to get to know them and their businesses. They continuously inspire me!
Q: What are some tips you have for reaching out to potential clients to work with them/collab?
A: Don’t be afraid to reach out! It can be easy to think that a brand is too big to consider working with you, but if you think you would be a good fit for a collaboration, go ahead and send that email, girl! You never know what might happen! Also, when wanting to collaborate with other individuals and businesses, make sure to not only think about what’s in it for you, but also what’s in it for them. It should be a win win for both of you!
Q: What does branding mean to you?
A: Branding is so much more than just a new logo. Branding means giving a personality to a brand that should remain consistent no matter how you encounter that business or individual (IRL, on social media, online, etc.).
Q: How do you find a balance between your full-time job and your business?
A: In all honestly, it is pretty challenging to find balance, but setting boundaries has been impactful for me. Some days, this might look like working on a project at midnight while other days, this might look like me turning my phone on silent and unplugging for the day. Balance looks different for everyone, but learning to be fully engaged in whatever I am doing (whether it be work or play) is extremely important and something I am still attempting to master!
