Returning home
Amidst the pandemic, it was important to find my way back to where I had started from and the journey around the sun taken only to complete a year of my studio.
June 29th, 2019
Saturday morning, as I woke up, I realised I had no boss to ponder over, no emails to check, no team to work with. I have time in my hand to rediscover my journey with design.
In the past year, 2018–2019, I got carried away by words. The curves, the eccentric nature of every letter, of the meaning, the language, etc. I found a void that content writing fulfilled. My constant urge to write poems, short stories, and captions for social media made me want to create more content every single day. As I joined that company as a graphic designer, very soon I switched over to becoming a content writer and then a content strategist overlooking a team a writers and helping designers creates some impactful pitches and content for brands. But as I left that job today, this had to end. Or I thought it would.
Monday morning, 1st July, 2019 was all about contemplating. A name I couldn’t decide for my baby. Studio93 or Blckspce, two names kept hovering till I finally chose Blckspce Studio. A name I could resonate with not only because of a mere joke with my best friend but also because of the infinite possibilities it opens up to. It felt right!
December 29th, 2019
A day to remember! We have four things to celebrate— Dad and my birthday along with 6 months of Blckspce and day one of Blocks And Spaces, dad’s business.
In these six months, I realised that everything is possible, one only need to take the leap. I had my core team standing right next to me and I’ve never felt more powerful! I still think of my 6 month journey and it feels like an achievement. Post my job, I started off as a part-time designer with a company then moved on to independently working from a cafe and then to being able to have an office desk. Those six months taught me how business is done. I still remember, my very first pitch since I’d left the job. I’d not slept that night as I completed the pitch presentation and found ourselves late for the pitch. I was nervous, sleepy and hardly had any voice in my client’s office. My team was shocked to see this side to me as I fumbled and tried to manage through while presenting. I was a complete wreck. But ever since, I worked on myself, told myself everyday that I am the frikking boss and I have to represent my company, no matter what! I make the rules, and break them!
Six months taught me a lot.
February 14th, 2020
Oh yes, the day of love. While I was working in the office, waiting to wish my crush on this day, I rather found myself breaking down on the staircase outside our office. I had just resumed work after my slip disk and two months had been hard on me and my business (the ups and downs we’re not ready to accept). I distinctly remember this day is only because I was ready to shut down Blckspce Studio and handover my clientele. I cried for two days straight only because this felt like giving up on my dream, so soon.
That day my friend told me that we’d get through this and figure a way out to save the studio and other things. And honestly, that felt like such a relief to my ears and heart.
June 29th, 2020
Three months into the pandemic!
But I wasn’t panicking. I was not even close to thinking of giving up because of my clients who decided to stay and make us work for them (in a good, encouraging way). Since the pandemic hit Mumbai, I knew business was gonna slow down and none of my positive thoughts or clapping will help that, but all I had to be was strong and consistent.
This is when I looked back at my entire year and realised I was missing a base. I was jumping from one plate to another, and shifting plates was only making the future very unstable for Blckspce. Going with the flow is one thing but going with the flow with a direction or a destination in mind and a steady boat to keep you afloat is another.
I rebranded Blcksp_ce.
See what I did there? ……..^…..
I changed it’s colour, tone, voice, look, typography, and some rules. I stuck to disruption, to adding more form and function, more opinionated design and a strong voice. Neutral colours make it easy to play with my bright colour palette. It felt like, now, I’d set some ground for myself to walk on with my head high and heels higher (I can wear my heels again, my back is strong).
I changed the way I looked at Blckspce and made sure that people can view it from my perspective, because that is what design is about, form + function + humans. Blckspce Studio decided to drop its weak arms and work on its strengths— branding, strategy, visual & verbal design and communication.
I designed my first company profile and I am soon to launch an online publication called Good Design By Blcksp_ce Studio.
I have a lot of plans for Blcksp_ce. It is as good as raising a child and I am enjoying every bit of this journey especially since I have returned home.
