Hi, I'm Mia 👋
★ THE DESIGNER
— your new design bestie.
A coffee fuelled, detail obsessed freelance designer bases in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland New Zealand. Building distinctive brands and teaching the next gen of designers how to do the same.
★ Based in St Marys Bay, Auckland
★ Designing since I was 16
★ Also founder of Mimies Cards
★ Currently obsessed with: editorial layouts
EDUCATOR
✦
FOUNDER OF MIMIES CARDS
✦
DESIGNER
EDUCATOR ✦ FOUNDER OF MIMIES CARDS ✦ DESIGNER
The longer story
I didn't always know I wanted to be a designer, just that I wanted to do something creative. The path didn't really show up until high school, when I picked up graphic design, and something clicked almost immediately. I went home that day, and became obsessed with Illustrator, and that was kind of it.
I went on to study graphic design at university for three years, and somewhere along the way fell properly in love with rebrands, taking something that already exists and giving it a second life. I also did three unpaid internships while I was at it, which is where I actually learned the why behind design: colour psychology, type as a feeling, the marketing brain that has to sit underneath every visual decision. Turns out design isn't just about how it looks. it's everything around it.
I graduated in 2023, straight into one of the most competitive hiring markets in years. I applied for every design role I could find and got nowhere. So I took a marketing job to pay rent, told myself it was temporary, and tried to be patient about it.
"Good design isn't just about how it looks, it's about how confidently you can show up because of it."
So I started posting on TikTok, making up fake brands, sharing my design process, showing the work. Just for fun, mostly. But people started DMing me asking if I'd design things for them. I said yes (to nearly everything), charged barely anything, and built up a portfolio one cheap project at a time. I also started cold emailing brands asking if they wanted free work done , which sounds desperate, but absolutely paid off.
After about a year of working my 9-to-5 by day and freelancing by night, my social presence was growing and the freelance income had started matching my salary. In July 2025, I quit the marketing job and went full-time freelance.
That was about ten months ago. Since then I've built a fully booked studio, launched my first downloadable playbook, and finally started taking lunch breaks. When I'm not designing for clients, I'm teaching the next wave of freelancers the pricing/contracts/onboarding stuff nobody told me, because someone should.
If that sounds like the kind of person you want building your brand (or showing you how to build your own), let's chat.
How I got here.
★ THE JOURNEY
From self taught teen to fully booked freelance studio, the highlight reel.
Picked up graphic design at school
Something clicked. Went home and downloaded a free Illustrator trial that same day. Never really put it down.
High school · The spark
Couldn't land a design job, took a marketing role
One of the most competitive hiring markets in years. I loved the marketing job, but I knew I needed more.
2021–2023 · University
Started posting design content + freelancing on the side
Made up brands, BTS, design process. People started DMing for work. I said yes to everything (cheaply), coldemailed brands for free portfolio pieces, and built a presence one project at a time.2024 · TikTok + side hustle
Fully-booked studio + first playbook
Designing for 2–3 brand clients a month, growing the template shop, and (occasionally) taking lunch breaks.
May 2026 · Now
Quit the 9-to-5, went full time freelance
Once the freelance income matched my salary, the maths made itself. Slightly terrifying. Immediately worth it.
July 2025 · The leap
Four things I'm obsessed with.
The principles that shape how I design, run projects, and show up for clients.
Details matter more than trends
01
Trends fade… kerning, hierarchy, and intention don't. I'd rather build you something timeless than something trendy.
Brands are built better together
02
Trends fade… kerning, hierarchy, and intention don't. I'd rather build you something timeless than something trendy.
Calm beats chaos, every time.
03
No surprise invoices, no ghosting, no design by committee nightmares. I run a tight ship so you don't have to think about it.
04
Everything I know, I learned from someone willing to teach. That's why half my business is templates and playbooks gatekeeping is so 2019
Share what you learn.
A day in the studio
Mornings start slow, morning movement to coffee from Daily Daily, journal, then Figma. I'm a deep focus designer, so I batch client work into 3 hour blocks.
Afternoons are for calls, content, and shop admin. I usually end the day by going for a walk around Ponsonby with my podcast and a flat white (yes, another one).
Best ideas come on Sunday mornings or in the shower, like everyone else's, but I write mine down.
Now you
know me
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!