From Career Pivot to Creative Dream: Margot’s Journey into Graphic Design.
Seven months after graduating, Margot Mafra Spencer wakes up every day with the same thought: “This is what I dreamed of.”
Not someday. Not eventually. Now.
Her journey into graphic design wasn’t linear but that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.
Structure to Creativity
Before stepping into design, Margot’s career path looked very different. She studied psychology, became a teacher, and later worked as a technical writer in biotech. On paper, everything made sense. But something was missing.
“I felt like I was jumping out of my skin,” she says. “I needed to be creative.”
That realisation sparked a deep dive into design education. After researching countless programs (and even combing through Reddit reviews) one name kept coming up: Shillington.
She took the leap.
Margot Mafra Spencer, Shillington Graduate
Margot's Packaging project at Shillington, Tung.
"Tung is punk: tattoos, spiky hair, tongues out - and now, staying sober. Bold, rebellious, and unapologetically real, Tung is a beverage that lets you rage all night and still rise like a badass the next morning."
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Starting from Scratch (and Owning It)
When Margot began her course, she wasn’t coming in with a design background.
“I had played around in Illustrator a little. I didn’t even know InDesign existed. Photoshop scared me.”
Design principles? Also new territory. But what she did have was something far more important: commitment.
“When I’m passionate about something, I give everything. And this was it for me. I had no other choice. I was going to make the absolute most of it.”
She immersed herself fully. Long hours, extra learning outside class, constant iteration. That mindset became the foundation of her growth.
Margot Mafra Spencer, Shillington Graduate
Trusting the Process
One of the most transformative lessons Margot took away wasn’t just technical, it was methodological.
“The process is everything,” she explains. “Whenever I feel lost in freelance work now, I ask myself: did I do it the Shillington way?”
That means going back to basics:
- Research
- Concept development
- Thumbnailing
- Iteration
Even now, she still starts with pen and paper.
“There’s no way I could design without writing things out. Thumbnailing is essential.”
Designing with Purpose: The “Orbit” Project
One of Margot’s standout portfolio pieces is a corporate rebrand of New York City’s public transport system.
Instead of focusing on complaints about the system, she flipped the narrative.
“This system moves millions of people every day, 24/7. And what are we doing while we ride? Reading, sleeping, listening to music. That says everything.”
From that insight came her concept: “Mind Wander.”
A brand built around trust, reliability, and the quiet moments people experience in transit.
She evolved the concept into a more refined, corporate identity called Orbit, balancing creativity with clarity. Something she learned was essential in design.
Orbit was Margot's Company Rebrand project at Shillington.
"Safe, reliable, efficient. Running 24/7, transporting millions of people a day, the New York City public transit system deserves more credit. This rebrand is doing just that."
Key elements included:
- Bold, highly legible typography for fast-moving audiences
- Softened colour palettes rooted in existing transit lines
- Human-centered photography showing real, relatable moments
- A tone of voice that was confident, slightly playful, and deeply human
“Even if you don’t read the words, you recognise the brand instantly. That was the goal.”
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From Portfolio to Paid Work
After graduating Margot didn’t just leave with skills, she left with a portfolio that worked.
“The reception has been amazing,” she says. “People in the industry have given really positive feedback.”
One conversation even turned into a client, unexpectedly.
“I wasn’t even pitching. I just shared my portfolio, and she said, ‘Wait, I want you to design for me.’”
That’s the power of strong, thoughtful work.
Margot Mafra Spencer, Shillington Graduate
Living the Dream (and Doing the Work)
Today, Margot is working as a creative. Exactly where she wanted to be.
And while her journey may look like a dream from the outside, she’s clear about what made it possible:
- Showing up with discipline
- Staying curious
- Trusting the process
- Putting in the work consistently
“If I put more into it, I’m going to get more out of it.”
Margot’s story is a reminder that you don’t need a traditional background to break into design.
What you need is a willingness to start from zero, the discipline to keep going and the courage to choose a more creative path.
Because sometimes, the biggest career shift leads exactly where you’re meant to be. And if you’re lucky?
You wake up one day and realise, you’re already living the dream.
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