Shauna Haider

Palm Springs based Shauna is Creative Director + Graphic Designer of @wearebranch. Brilliantly talented with a voguish sense of style, Shauna reminds us why hard work can be play.

Can you tell me a little about your career path and how you got into design + graphic arts?

From a young age, I’d always dreamed of being an artist and by the time I was in high school, I’d taken every art class twice. Based on that passion, I toured a local art school but it was really expensive and the more I thought about it, it didn’t seem practical to run up that much debt. Instead, I went to community college for a few years, taking art classes there and getting my prerequisites out of the way.

Everything changed when I took a marketing class — it was so much fun and in a way, felt more immediately applicable so I switched my major to business. Once I’d finished my business degree, I ended up at a boring office job and felt really uninspired.

I knew I had to find a way into a creative field so I went back to school again at 25 for graphic design. I’d learned about graphic design by this point and it made total sense — I could be creative while providing businesses with branding and visual assets to grow. I enrolled in an intensive two-year program at the same community college and it was exactly what I needed. It was fast-paced, affordable and had zero filler. By the end of the first year, I’d interviewed for an internship at my top design studio pick and the week after I graduated, I had a full-time job there. I honestly feel like everything clicked because I was a bit older and had figured out exactly what I wanted.

You are the founder + creative director of We Are Branch, a design studio. How do you stay creative under pressure?

What helps you keep a fresh approach to your design work?

This can be challenging in the midst of keeping up with the admin and day-to-day tasks but it’s something I think a lot about!

I focus on each project individually and try to not deliver anything after just one pass on the design unless it’s a quick update. After I’ve put together the initial design or presentation, I’ll let it sit on my desktop and move onto my next task. Then, before sending, I’ll come back to it with fresh eyes — almost always, I find a way to improve on what I’ve done.

Beyond that, I think you have to naturally be a curious person, paying attention to the world around you and absorbing content and knowledge from a wide range of sources. While I scroll through Pinterest, I’m also reading magazines, listening to a huge variety of podcasts from politics to history, and always taking photos on my phone as I’m out walking. Inspiration is truly everywhere from the shadows on a wall to a business card at your favorite coffee shop.

What first interested you about starting your own studio/business? Can you talk about why you were drawn to starting your design studio and what led you to this path? What was the scariest thing you faced, and the most empowering thing you learned? 

This was something I’d always dreamed about but it happened slowly. At the time I was in school for graphic design, I began blogging about my projects and readers started hiring me for small projects. Later, I began taking on more freelance projects to build a side business while I freelanced at larger studios that would often only need me for one big project. I knew that I couldn’t depend on anyone else for my income — it was important for me to build my own client base.

The big shift happened in 2012 — I was back to working full-time and had a great job at a studio I loved but because I was traveling so much, I’d used up all my vacation time. By that point, my side income was matching my full-time income and it didn’t make sense to stay. I started Branch in the Fall of 2012 in my spare room at home and never looked back.

The scariest thing was worrying that the clients would dry up….but that never happened! The most empowering thing I learned is that you don’t need a fancy degree or office or to know every little thing about design and business to make it. Much of the knowledge you need you end up learning on the job though trial and error. The most important thing you can do is to get out of bed every day, give it your best shot, block out the noise of what everyone else is doing and know that success that’s lasting comes from slow and steady wins.

What is the best advice anyone has ever given you in regards to your career? Worst? 

Charge what you’re worth. The week before I launched Branch, I showed a friend my services guide and she told me the pricing was way too low and to double all my prices. She was right — and I’ve realized that if your pricing is too low, there’s a perception that something is off. Pricing yourself fairly weeds out potential clients who are just looking for a deal and don’t respect your process.

The worst advice I received was to only show my design work. I’m more than “just a designer” and enjoy traveling, personal style, interior design and so much more! 

What are some of your visual influences? How would you describe your design esthetic?

I find inspiration everywhere — from magazines to Instagram to my surroundings in Palm Springs. I’m always looking around and absorbing colors, light, signage, everything. My design aesthetic tends to be sleek, refined and crisp with an edge. I want my work to be timeless and tasteful but never boring. Good design is knowing when you’ve done enough and being secure enough in your technique to not overdo it.

You are known for your highly creative, non-stop work ethic; how do you get into a creative flow? What keeps you there?

It’s something that comes naturally for me. I truly love what I do and am lucky that my profession aligns with my personal passion. I still think back to when I was younger and wanted to be an artist. Getting to wake up and get paid to be creative every day to me is fulfilling my lifelong dream. On a more practical level, the work that comes in is always pretty steady so I always have deadlines to meet. By not giving myself a choice to slack off, I’m constantly motivated to show up, sharpen my skills and deliver work I’m proud of.

Do you have any daily rituals/mantras/tools that help get you in a creative space? Do you have any unusual places where you find inspiration?

I make a written to-do list every morning. Having a physical outline of what needs to get done keeps me motivated. I also take a walk every morning and night with my husband and our dog through Palm Springs — the clean lines, desert light and architecture are always inspiring.

What has been the most satisfying creative project in your career? How did it help you grow as an artist + entrepreneur?

At this point, I’ve done well over 700 projects so there’s not a particular one that comes to mind! But the one I’ve had the most fun with recently was designing the new Branch website. I added in a lot of little interactive touches and that was really cool to explore. Also, when you spend your days working on client projects, having that time out to work on a personal one is always a nice shift.

Do you have a dream project, or a collaborator you would love to work with?

This might sound cliché but I get to work with my dream clients every day. Back when I started my career, I worked on big, corporate projects for really recognizable brands but didn’t enjoy the limits on the creative direction and the never-ending rounds of revisions. Because of that, with Branch I focus on small to medium-sized businesses and only take on projects that I feel passionate about. I go out of my way to never limit the work I do to a particular industry or gender — the variety of projects are what keep me creatively inspired.

How has creating your own business changed the way you approach work + creativity? What was the biggest learning curve?

I feel like I always have to be “on” whether I’m answering emails, sharing work on Instagram or working on a project. It’s honestly hard to unplug and take break. It’s a double-edged sword because I love what I do so much and the more work I do, the more confident I become in my design style. At the same time, it’s necessary to get away and mentally reset. I’ve always struggled with finding balance and it’s something I’m still actively working on.

Obviously you have a passion for typography; what is your favorite font? 

I know it’s overused these days but I love the Freight family. Both the serif and sans are great and I love the versatility of weights. It’s just stylish enough to feel editorial-worthy and it’s super legible. I use it for everything!

*You can find Shauna at https://www.wearebranch.com