Meet Jesse Molina | Designer, Illustrator, and Yoga Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jesse Molina and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jesse, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
There is no balance. One of the most profound concepts is to counterbalance. For anyone to excel one must fully understand that intense dedication is needed. counterbalance is the ability to offset the stress load of intensity that creative work takes. Sometimes deadlines will be hot and you will have to pull an all-nighter. As you get older this becomes harder, but you also get better at your craft. The most important thing is to make sure you get rest in between the intensity. Just like an Olympic athlete. Intensity then rest. As you do this you become more well equipped to deal with the stress and reinterpret it as excitement.

Now this isn’t to say that you shouldn’t exercise, eat healthy, or treasure your family events because those will compound and you will be severely affected later in life by the habits you have now. Especially with present moment experiences with your children or your husband, you can never get those back. Making boundaries to protect priorities becomes essential as the creative loves to work.

When I was younger I would exhaust myself and expect to keep going.As I got older I noticed the consequences: poor health, chronic fatigue, and poor relationships. With learning boundaries and the powerful ability to rest, I’m now more creative than I’ve ever been.

Counterbalance is the ability to focus on what needs to be done and to do it well with the time given, and that sometimes takes sacrifice. What we sacrifice is personal. I sacrifice entertainment and often outings with friends so I can focus on work, family, and my health. It is my goal to nurture more friendships this year though as that is an essential path to a long happy life.

What should our readers know about your business?
Before I owned my business, I worked at multiple design studios and ad agencies which slowly killed my soul. I committed myself to what is called “The Overlap Technique” where I took on clients and worked on the weekends until I had a waiting list that extended to six months out. After saving money, I decided to take the leap. I left my job and started my own business, Momo Creative Studio (momocreativestudio.com).

I’ve been blessed that I haven’t had to market very much because word of mouth is perhaps the most powerful organic marketing there is. Do a good job and make your client happy and they’ll be more than happy to share the word about your business.

I had two business models: one targeting artists/craft makers and the other for wellness practitioners. Now a lot of my clients have turned into retainer clients, which is always a benefit for financial stability. Once in a while though, there are still financial droughts and I doubt myself. I think about the security of a W-2, a 401 K, and a job that finishes at five. The truth is, no creative job ever finishes at five and the most secure job is investing in yourself. Unless you work at a business that aligns with your dreams, visions, and goals, the investment goes primarily to the employer in the current capitalist paradigm of America.

It’s in those times I pray. I’m not religious but I have grown a deep appreciation of simple prayer to connect my mind, body, and spirit. To see clearly what is in front of me and where to put my energy. I find contentment with what I have and I recognize that every path is my path. The more I do this, the more natural stability arises. I also start to hustle, save money, and put myself out there more.

I am honored to work for my clients.They create a positive difference in the world and authentically care. This is much different from the advertising agency world where I never even met the clients and had to quit positions once I found the questionable ethics of their company were non compatible with my values.

I place my heart, soul, and energy into my work and truly look forward to making my clients happy. It’s never easy forging my own path but it is truly worth it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Union Station Exhibitions: They have stellar exhibits from Ghengas Khan to the Maya civilization.

Nelson Atkins Museum:
Amazing collections of artwork and it’s free!

Dance at The Ship:
The Ship is a speak easy style bar that serves food. They always have dancing!

Check out the city Skyline from my neighborhood: Strawberry Hill
Amazing views

Eat at Ghengas Khan.
Delicious Mongolian food.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
In design school I met a charismatic, supportive, and inspiring mentor, Stephanie Sabato. She mesmerized me with her lovingly fierce personality, the beautiful ornate Persian jewelry she wore, and her depth of understanding how to inspire students to see the world through a designer lens.

Her love for tight became my love for type. She actually was one of the first teachers that I met that had a deep spiritual practice. We immediately connected. She has been an amazing source of strength to me, especially during my school years.

Second is my first position at a small boutique studio called Novella Brandhouse. This is where I met my first professional graphic design mentor, Claire McClaren. I quickly went from intern to graphic designer and it was through that job that I was able to explore my love of illustration, learn the client-designer relationship, and also started understanding small aspects of typography that I could have never learned in school.
She encouraged me as a friend and as my superior. I still miss her.

Third is Kathleen Kasner and Wade Mortison. They owned Maya Yoga in Kansas City (mayayoga.com) and they took me in. When I couldn’t afford the full price of classes, they gave me a scholarship and I practiced with all my heart.

Now teaching yoga has become one of the treasured aspects of my life. I teach now at the same studio. Though they moved to California and sold the studio. I still keep contact with them.

The fourth is Christopher Wallis, also known as Hareesh, is a Sanskritist and scholar-practitioner of Classical Tantra with over thirty years of experience. His work has profoundly changed my life. He has brought a tradition known as Nondual Śaiva Tantra into the light. This tradition is not only beautiful, but revolutionary. It awakens, frees us from the illusion of bondage, and through our natural essence we can experience the world with the joy of a child. I have the honor now to work with him as my client. You can see his wonderful work at www.tantrailluminated.com and his profound text Tanta Illuminated is a wonderful starting point to learning about this tradition.

Website: www.momocreativestudio.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camatkara_yoga/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessemolinadesign/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYgGotSiezd59wUIpK8XU3g

Other: camatkarayoga.com

Image Credits
Portrait photo by Nicole Bissey