An Inspired Chat with Cathy Sell of Rochester

Cathy Sell shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Cathy, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What battle are you avoiding?
Being the mom of two teen girls, 14 and 18, I think I am avoiding no so much the “battle” but the shift in life that empty nest will bring in only 4 short years. Although I keep telling myself that I am a “bird launcher” and trying to frame is as the beautiful next step it will be for them, I can’t help but dread it just a bit.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
PinkSheep Designs was born out of necessity. In my early thirties, my triathlon coach and I ran a race management company. Part of that job entailed creating ideas for the races, logos, marketing, medal designs and all sponsorship material. At the time I was a solid “doodler” I could sketch it, but when the screen printers asked for a EPS file-that was not in my vocabulary. It was then that I decided it was time to learn a new skill. I dug right in and learned Adobe Illustrator and started moving from sketchpad to I-Pad. In 2008 I decided to start PinkSheep Designs as a little side project, specializing in logos, branding, apparel design, print and packaging design. Now, 7 years later it is still just lil’ old me, but I have grown in my knowledge, skill set and the ability to push myself out of my comfort zone (last year that took me 50 feet up in the air painting my first and last parking garage mural!)

I currently do a lot of design work with the City of Rochester, Destination Medical Center and local restaurants and small businesses. I love what I do and it never feels like work!

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
2001, a coworker ask me to sign up for a sprint triathlon (400 yard swim, 12 mile bike and 5K run) I signed up, then soiled my pants and tried to devise a plan to get out of it. The months came and went and I trained, a little for it. I truly relied on my skills as a high school swimmer to get me through the swim, the power of a rented bike and the thought that I could just “muscle” through the run. “Anyone can run/walk a 5k, right?”
It turned out to be the day I was introduced to my new addiction. Just like design, I decided then and there I needed to learn more, and in 2014 after many miles, many doubts and a good chunk of money later, I crossed the finish line of my first full Ironman! I felt so powerful.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
DON”T WASTE TIME! I grew up in a lower middle class family, that although voiced they wanted me to move on after high school and become a productive member of society, they did what most Boomer parents did-NOTHING! They never talked about college, because they were probably scared about the talk of paying for it, it was just unspoken in my house. So I spent the last part of my teens and early twenties just kind of floating around. I just look back now at that time lost wish I could have rerouted.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
I have always been the funny one. I have been told I have the sharpest wit and came lighten the mood in a room with one sentence. In my “other” job I have been a clinical dental hygienist for over 25 years. Each working day I have to adjust, comfort, educate and entertain 8-9 people of all ages. I am good at it and not too many people make me squirm in those situations. But you get me in a room where I have to network for PinkSheep Designs I turn into this awkward, jumbling, fumbling mess. When I tell people that, then can not believe this, seeing my personality in the other %90 of my life. Maybe it is when I feel like I have to “sell” myself and even though I have a portfolio and clients to back it up, it still feels like I am an imposter. So I am a 90/10 split-I am working on it!

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I would hope that when I am dead and gone, people will remember how I made them feel. In my design life, I made them feel heard, I worked through their vision and it is exciting to think that some of my designs will outlive me. In my personal life I hope they talk of me bringing light to their life and a pop of color when they needed it. I also think it is amazing that my girls have seen me stick to things when they got tough, watched me finish many marathons, triathlons and even go back to school in my forties! I hope they talk about my perseverance when I am gone!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pinskheepdesigns.com
• Instagram: @pinksheepdesigns11
• Linkedin: PinkSheep Designs
• Facebook: PinkSheep Designs