Catherine Bianca Lima Wakim
Q What do you do?
“I design with businesses/design studios looking to support frameworks and design processes to better the experience of our ecosystem.”
Through service design and graphic communications, clients and I strategize concepts, prototype ideas, design products and services to make relevant impact with end-users and our social spaces.
I enjoy working with cross-disciplinary teams, developing original work and designing work developed with other design teams.
I work in experience design, strategy presentations, visual systems, editorial/web interfaces, package design, book design and illustrations to live in a better world, together.
Lately, the work I design with clients, bridges social impact and graphic design in business and education.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
Early on in my career, I established intentions and goals to develop my craftsmanship with the industry of design. Throughout the years, I learned about business approaches, xenophobia in the workplace, relevance in my well-being and existence as a Latina immigrant women. I have taken steps to own my value, acknowledge my successes and failures, understand my purpose and feel the joy in working together to place myself where I am today.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
I stand out in my field by designing work with clients who are motivated by design processes, by being incredibly detail-oriented, solving design problems through interactive design approaches and nourishing clients/companies internal culture and our work relationships.
Q What are you working on right now?
Lately, I have been working in the finance, impact analysis, hospitality, food and art industries. I am working to become a full-time Senior Designer in a studio and develop my design practice on the side.
Q What’s your style?
I see my style as bridging brand identity with social impact. Depending on the type of project, the style, perspective and taste will vary. When I am working with cross-disciplinary teams, we tend to design our own language from various perspectives to find an aligned purpose and visual system. When adapting to a project already developed by a team, my perspective becomes about the responsibility to carry on the visual system and translate it as is. Developing original work is about being open to experimentation, deep listening to the purpose of the client’s experience and fine tuning my design craftsmanship. Challenging myself to learn something new, making new work colleagues along the way and building relationships is part of my long-term “style”.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Right now, I am looking to focus more on my animation and video skills. I want to breakthrough the industries of retail environment spaces, beauty, women’s health and nature oriented projects.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
I am frustrated I am only making 54 cents to the dollar and have been able to only find part-time design projects. I am frustrated by clients' promises and seeing them bailing out last minute, leaving me empty handed and jobless.
It is incredibly frustrating to work on short-term projects and with unstable clients. It is emotionally, psychologically and physically exhausting.
Tasks like: Finding clients and colleagues who fully value my design contribution to the world is what is going to be at the top of my to-do list starting today.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
If I could hire someone, I would have them register brand style specs in spreadsheets, develop presentations and pitch ideas for projects. Keep files organized and our contacts list up-to-date.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
I wish I could have told myself to be more aware of what biologically affects me and my work process. During my internship days, I was naive and thought my mentors, directors wanted to give me the best advice and cheer for my successes. It wasn’t always the case. There were many hostile moments in my career where our relationships were not nourished and I felt used and unwanted. Perhaps, if I had been more aware I would have avoided unpleasant situations which took me nowhere.
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I would talk to an expert about design processes and how we can improve our way of thinking, how we work and how we serve.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I am looking for long-term opportunities and projects. Ideally, these opportunities can turn into a full-time design role and I can dedicate my time to my design practice on the side.
Projects in the social impact, systems-thinking and regenerative industries are possible ways I can own my opportunities.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My ideal client and collaboration is connected to building strong relationships and design processes for our greater good. Integrity, accountability, and the will to make the project happen is part of a pleasant start to make something wonderful together.
Q: What is your rate?
I like working on projects which will incorporate strategy, concept and design deliverables, starting at $4,000.
If the project will take over 30 hours a week for the duration of several months, then a package is a better idea, rather than charging for sections of the project.
My hourly rate is $54 per hour and I usually use this rate during the end of contract projects, when the contract has already finished and we only need a few additional hours to accomplish the end results. Ideally, I am making $70,000-$80,000 yearly, with benefits, 401k and a little time off.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
Through my website, reaching out by email or giving me a call are great ways to talk about collaborating together. A hilarious GIF, scope and tagline would be so fun and engaging!
Q Who is a creative you admire?
Carlos Estrada is a fabulous creative I would recommend working with.
He is engaging, aware of inclusive principles and is kind. These qualities are invaluable.
Jessica Morrow is a delightful person to work with.
She is insightful, experimental and a team player.
Lisa Blakeborough is an enjoyable person to work with.
She is tactful, detail-oriented and a great collaborator.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
I stay creative by letting my surroundings inspire me. Reading books, going to conferences, having conversations with friends, strangers, and children. I stay creative by keeping an archive of the body of work I have accomplished. I stay creative by learning something new and practicing being open to new opportunities.
This member profile was originally published in November 2021.