How I Dropped Out of Uni and Accidentally Started a Creative Studio
I didn’t have a grand plan. Just a quiet knowing that I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. At 20, I achieved a diploma in Aviation Management and then went on to pursue a degree in Global Communications & Marketing. On paper, it looked like a solid future — stable industry, good prospects, the kind of thing parents feel safe telling their friends. But inside, I felt completely disconnected. I’d sit in lectures wondering what I was doing there, feeling like I was living someone else’s life.
What I did look forward to were the nights I spent tinkering on the Adobe Suite, trying to design posters, logos, or anything remotely creative. I’d lose hours just figuring out how things worked. It felt like play — but it also felt like something I could be really good at, if I gave it a shot.
One small project led to another. I helped a stranger with her biz visuals. I designed something for an event. I said yes to a logo job even though I had no clue what I was doing (thank you, YouTube). Somewhere in between those moments… it clicked. I didn’t want to escape school — I wanted to build something of my own.
So I dropped out.
It wasn’t a dramatic storm-off. It was a quiet decision. A conversation with myself. A choice to try something different.
What happened next:
I started freelancing with no roadmap — just curiosity and trial-and-error.
I said yes to everything. I made $50 logos. (My first logo was $5!) I stayed up until 3AM editing client decks I wasn't sure how to price.
I designed, redesigned, doubted myself, and then kept going.
Eventually, it started making sense. I wasn’t just “doing design.” I was building something real. Clients kept coming. I learned to say no. I got clearer on my voice. And from all those experiments, my studio — Daylight Collective (Previously known as Studio A Designs) — was born. (Read why I rebranded!)
Where we are now:
What started as a hobby-ish design hustle has grown into Daylight Collective — a creative studio that builds brands and content for people who give a damn.
Today, we don’t just design. We shape strategy. We create content. We build systems. We bring brand and social under one roof — so you don’t have to duct-tape your presence together anymore.
It’s still evolving, still growing. But it’s intentional now. We’re building work we’re proud of, with people who care deeply about doing things well.
And it all started because I decided to drop out and pursue something that I truly believed in— helping small businesses thrive with clarity.
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