“Embrace this Resource
as a companion on your creative journey, helping you navigate challenges, celebrate successes, and continuously evolve as a creative professional…”
Nthabi Taukobong
Overview
The Designer Notes are an extension of my journey and experiences detailed in “The Real Interior.” After the publication of my book, I felt compelled to delve deeper into specific chapters, sharing the valuable lessons and wisdom I’ve gathered over the years. These notes are not just a recount of experiences but a guide for other creatives navigating their paths.
By providing this resource, my aim is to offer a beacon of insight, much like the invaluable class notes from the top students that we all sought after in our lecture rooms.
Value Proposition
The Designer Notes offer a unique blend of personal anecdotes, professional insights, and practical advice. They are designed to serve as a mentor in written form, providing readers with:
✦ Real-World Insights – Learn from real-life challenges and triumphs, gaining perspectives that textbooks often overlook.
✦ Actionable Advice – Practical tips and strategies that can be immediately applied to your creative projects.
✦ Inspirational Guidance – Stories that motivate and inspire, helping you stay connected to your passion and purpose.
Workbook Components
Each Designer Note is accompanied by a Workbook, designed to translate the insights and lessons into actionable tasks. These Workbooks are structured to help you map out your creative journey, offering exercises that foster growth and development.
Here’s what you can expect…
Target Audience
Interior Design Students
✦ Relevance – These notes are ideal for students pursuing a degree or diploma in Interior Design. They offer a real-world perspective that complements academic learning, providing a deeper understanding of the industry’s practical aspects.
✦ Value – Gain insights from someone who has navigated the same path and learn from their experiences, mistakes, and successes. This can help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
Students in Other Creative Fields
✦ Relevance – The principles and lessons shared in the Designer Notes transcend the specific field of Interior Design. Whether you are in graphic design, fashion design, fine arts, or any other creative discipline, these notes provide universally applicable wisdom.
✦ Value – Learn about the creative process, managing projects, and overcoming obstacles, all of which are relevant across various creative industries. The workbooks encourage cross-disciplinary thinking and the application of creative principles in diverse contexts.
Emerging Professionals
✦ Relevance – Those who have recently started their careers and are facing the typical early challenges will find these notes particularly beneficial. They provide guidance on navigating the initial hurdles and building a solid foundation for a successful career.
✦ Value – Access practical advice on client management, project execution, and career development. The notes offer a roadmap for those feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about their next steps.
Experienced Creatives
✦ Relevance – Even seasoned professionals sometimes hit a plateau or face new challenges that require fresh perspectives. These notes are also aimed at those further along in their careers who are seeking inspiration or reassessing their creative direction.
✦ Value – Reflect on your journey, gain new insights, and find renewed motivation. The workbooks encourage experienced creatives to revisit fundamental principles and explore new approaches to their work.
The Workbooks
Workbook 1: What’s Your Dream?
This opening Workbook invites you delve into your deepest aspirations and uncover your true creative potential. It is designed for anyone in the creative field – whether you’re an interior design student, a budding artist, or an established professional seeking renewed inspiration, this is your space to dream without limits – and begin honouring those dreams in real life.
Workbook 2: Ready for business…
Launching a creative business takes more than talent – it calls for clarity, courage, and the right foundations. Workbook 2, “Ready for Business”, offers practical guidance to help you shape your creative passion into a purposeful and sustainable venture.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to elevate your current offering, this workbook walks you through the essentials of building something that feels aligned — and built to grow.
Workbook 3: Networking 101
A creative journey goes beyond honing your craft in isolation – it thrives through connections. Workbook 3, “Networking 101”, is your guide to building meaningful relationships that grow with you and your work.
Whether you’re entering the industry or evolving your circle, this workbook offers gentle, grounded strategies to help you connect with authenticity, ease, and purpose.
Workbook 4: Too BIG. Too Soon.
There’s a quiet wisdom in knowing when to grow and when to breathe. Too Big Too Soon is an invitation to pace your progress, honour your current season, and build a life that doesn’t cost you your peace.
In a world that praises rapid expansion, this Workbook offers something rare – permission to go slowly, purposefully, and in a way that feels right for you.
Workbook 5: Who Are You Creating For?
Workbook 5, Who Are You Creating For?, explores one of the most important questions every creative will need to answer – not only to succeed, but to feel truly aligned in the work they bring into the world. Whether you’re designing for a client, building a personal brand, or creating from a deeply personal place, this guide invites you to pause, reflect, and connect with the heart of your audience.
Workbook 6: Don’t Quit. Pivot
There’s power in knowing when to pause, shift, or take a new direction – not out of defeat, but because you’ve grown. Don’t Quit. PIVOT. is your companion through moments of uncertainty, guiding you to reimagine the path ahead without giving up on yourself or your creative dreams.
Workbook 7: What is Your Design Style…
In Workbook 7, What is Your Design Style?, we explore the journey of discovering and defining your unique design aesthetic. Whether you’re designing a space, a brand, or your own creative identity, this Workbook helps you develop a clear, confident visual voice.
