Annie Cate Sheedy
Annie Cate Sheedy
Web Designer / Brand Designer / UX+UI Designer
Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA
www.anniecate.com
instagram @annniecate
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“Oh hi there, I create digital experiences for all types of folks!”
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
Ah, my favorite question to answer in the longest way possible! I started learning digital design in my sophomore year of high school and it really clicked. After that I never really hesitated with what I wanted to do in life. Plainly put, I was meant to be a designer.
Then I went to design school in Arizona which was a great experience in the sense that I got to take painting, drawing, photo and sculpture classes and got credit for them. Besides that I didn’t find much use out of design school. I learned a lot more of the skills that I needed to be a designer during my summer internships than I did at school.
After college I fell into UX/UI design while at a San Francisco tech company and really loved the idea of creating web products. I learned what I needed to learn there and when I was looking for a career change I took the ilovecreatives squarespace design course and fell in love with web design. I decided to quit my corporate tech job on a whim and go against everything anybody says about starting to freelance full time.
I had no financial security and I was just betting on finding clients ASAP. Yeah there were some bumps but I am who I am today because of the scrappy nature of the route I chose.
How do you stand out in your field?
I don't settle into a niche, ever. I get claustrophobic just thinking about choosing a singular niche. Every website I create is so different from the last.
Some may see that as inconsistent, I see it as a way to keep things interesting. I gravitate towards experimental sites with a lot of animation and creative formatting which has attracted clients from far and wide.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
I am currently working on a site for an olive oil import company which is ran by a dream client and I'm still pinching myself that I get to work on it. I am also in the midst of creating some passive income in the form of squarespace templates.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
My maximalism will always get the best of me. The more bells and whistles the better. I love introducing styles that may exist outside of the realm of web design like Americana and Folk Art. I also love small hand drawn details, cut outs and anything that makes a site look more like an eclectic editorial spread than it does a website. This is a site that I created awhile back that was never launched but I'm still proud of it and I think it expresses my style perfectly.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
I wish I could focus a lot more on creating art with my hands i.e. painting with acrylics, drawing with oil pastels and creating textiles with my tufting gun and loom. As someone who struggles with finding a new hobby to try every two months I have a ton of projects in my backlog and I look forward to the day that I can slow down and fulfill that side of my life.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
This is going to get personal but I hope to help someone out by talking through it. I’ve been struggling with my new reality of being diagnosed with adult ADHD.
I tend to think that working will make me feel better but what I actually need is to take care of myself to make me feel better so I can do the work I know I can do.
There were times in the past where no matter how much I want to get something done my brain just won't allow me to get there and the spiraling frustration begins and perpetuates beating myself up therefore continuing to not being able to get projects done. The good news is I am actively getting better since the diagnosis, learning how to cope more everyday. I impress myself with how much I have improved in such a short amount of time with just being able to ground myself in the fact that I struggle with a medical issue rather than beating myself up. Thanks to a lot of books, podcasts and medication I am helping myself become the best version of me. Also, taxes SUCK.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
If I could hire someone I would have them help me create an onboarding process that works with all the different kinds of clients I take on. Right now I am onboarding each client differently based on their needs which is super fruitful but it takes a lot more time than it should. I would also have them take care of invoicing and collecting all the content I need for each project.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
Back when I was graduating college I had two VERY different job opportunities. One was a very low paying but great job at a retail/lifestyle brand and the other a high paying job at a tech company. If you have been following along you can probably guess which one I went with (hint: the tech job). If I could I would go back and tell myself that money will never give me the validation I am seeking and to take the job at the lifestyle brand because it's what I really wanted to do and would have put me in a place with people and things that offer the utmost inspiration and just all around fun!
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I would love to chat with someone about the projected forecast of trends relating to the future of e-commerce and how I could use those future design trends to help reshape the e-commerce experience.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I'm looking for anything and anyone with an open and experimental mindset whether that be their personal site, an e-comm store or just a landing page.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
I am looking to work with anyone who has an open and experimental mindset when it comes to web design. Ever since moving to LA I have been watching the food/hospitality industry closely because I think a lot of design trends that coming out of their align really well with my style. I would also LOVE to design wine labels. I have about 1 trillion photos of wine labels on my phone and I am so inspired by them.
Who is a creative that has helped you elevate your work?
Kara Thomas - I interned under Kara at Lisa Says Gah and her design process and humungous illustrator files really changed how I look at design. She's also one of my best friends now so that's a plus!
Bridgette Ricketts - I love working with her because she has such a mindful and grounded approach to design. She’s also helped me become a more confident designer by charging what I’m worth and taking the right amount of control during projects.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
A good ole email with a well thought out explanation of who you are and what you are looking for. Vague emails end up being the longest/most expensive projects. Do your homework.
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
finding inspiration outside of the internet (IRL)
This member profile was originally published in August 2021.