Meet Katie Fox | Graphic Designer & Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katie Fox and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katie, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always been creative since I was a kid, which I feel like is a pretty common answer for most creatives. It’s just one of those things where I didn’t outgrow wanting to draw and express myself in some sort of creative way. The creative classes were always my favorite in school; art classes, web design, sewing, computer graphics, anything that let me be creative I was always trying to do. Overall school wasn’t my favorite as I struggled with a lot of it, but the creative classes I always enjoyed and did well in. Being creative was the main thing I enjoyed the most growing up, so it only made sense to go that direction for my career. I toured several art schools without really knowing exactly what I wanted to major in, and am forever grateful for the one admissions person that recommended graphic design to me after I mentioned an interest in fashion design and web design, which are very different from each other. They mentioned how I could make t-shirts and design websites in graphic designs; that it would allow for me to do a range of projects. And boy were they right. I absolutely love the range of projects I get to work on and how it’s set me up well to start my own business.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Dead Disco is my small business that organically came about after making a collection of illustrations I found fun and funny. It’s very much my personal artistic expression and it’s so cool that others can relate to it. I am my brand, my brand is me and while I may be making things others make, like t-shrits and enamel pins, it’s very much my take on them. When your business is artistic based and has so much of yourself in it, it can be extra hard when something doesn’t workout as planned cause you can end up taking it personally. At least that’s been the case for me, but each time I’ve failed, or didn’t do as well as I hoped, I just get back up again and with each fail it gets easier to get back up. That’s the main key of business I think really, if you truly believe in what you’re doing and have that passion and drive, you get back up each time you fail. Being successful is just learning from each fail and keep moving forward and failing again and again and learning more and more from it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
East End Market is one of my favorite go-to spots, so would definitely be making a stop by there to get some delicious vegan comfort food from Winter Park Biscuit and a drink from The Neighbors. And since we’ll be right in the area swinging by Park Ave CDs and picking up some records to add to the collection is always something I find myself doing. A mid-week, mid-day unlimited play at Arcade Monster is always a good time and then going to grab any sandwich from Stasio’s Italian Deli, and I mean any, cause they’re all so amazingly good, although it’s usually a meatball sub for me. If we’re lucky it’ll be around the time of Milk Mart and can checkout all the amazing local artists and makers we have in the area. And then to wrap things up hitting up my favorite tiki bar, Aku Aku for a nice, strong drink.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Firstly I want to shoutout Ryan Danley of D.O.A. for recommending me and for always being supportive of our business and being one of my favorite small businesses! I also want to mention my husband, Matt, for being an amazing support and inspiring and encouraging me to go for it on my wild ideas and dreams of being a small business owner.

Website: https://www.dead-disco.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deaddisco.co

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deaddisco.co

Image Credits
Dead Disco @deaddisco.co