Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Gee.
Hi Natalie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My path hasn’t looked exactly the way I expected it to. Some difficult personal experiences and seasons of uncertainty forced me to reconsider many of my assumptions about success, timelines, and what a meaningful life looks like. My faith has been central throughout all of it. Over time, I stopped trying to force my life into the version I thought it was supposed to become and began paying closer attention to the gifts, values, and purpose that were already present within me.
I was born in Nashville and spent my early childhood in Franklin. My family and I traveled and lived in many locations throughout the U.S., including Arizona, where I lived for 13 years. I initially pursued a degree in business and banking, but eventually realized I was being pulled in a different direction. My lifelong interest in creativity ultimately led me to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Web and Graphic Design from Full Sail University.
After graduation, I worked with nonprofit organizations and small businesses before eventually moving back to Franklin and beginning to develop my own creative direction. A personal project, the Mallard whiskey label, became an important turning point. It opened the door to opportunities that felt increasingly aligned with the kind of work I wanted to create, including my recent work with Alan Jackson’s Silverbelly Whiskey.
Today, I’m drawn to work that feels intentional and enduring. I believe good design is about more than making something beautiful. It’s about understanding what is already meaningful within a person or business and bringing clarity to it. I’ve learned not to measure my life solely by a timeline or a particular definition of success. I simply want to use what I’ve been given with intention to serve people well and create work that endures.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not a smooth road. I’ve never met a creative or entrepreneur who had an easy and predictable journey, but I think that’s part of the beauty of doing something that carries an element of risk. You learn a great deal about yourself along the way.
I have struggled with self-doubt, unmet expectations, being undervalued, and the anxiety of not having a steady income. The desire to quit pursuing my dream of owning a business and get a job with a steady paycheck has been very real. There were seasons of my journey when simply finding my footing again required most of my energy.
Whenever I reached a difficult point, I found myself returning to the same question: “Where do you want me, God?” My faith is my foundation, and it’s where I go when I need clarity and perspective. Learning to surrender my own expectations has helped me keep moving forward, even when I couldn’t see the entire path ahead.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a designer and art director drawn to stories of heritage, craftsmanship, and purpose. My work centers on creating brand identities, packaging, and other tangible experiences that are rooted in the people and stories behind them. Whether I’m refining an existing identity or creating something entirely new, I’m interested in understanding the values, history, and character that make a business distinct.
I see design as a collaborative process. My role is to bring experience, perspective, and honest feedback to the table while listening closely to the people who know their story and business best. Ultimately, I see myself as a steward, uncovering what is already meaningful and bringing clarity to it through thoughtful design.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Honestly, some of the best advice I can give is to be careful not to listen to everyone. When I was starting out, I spent a lot of time learning from designers and business leaders I admired. I absorbed plenty of advice about what it takes to become a successful designer. Much of that was valuable, but eventually I realized I was trying to follow too many formulas that didn’t feel like me.
Two years ago, I made the decision to step back and listen to my own instincts about design and business. Instead of creating content simply because I felt like I had to, I began creating work that genuinely interested me and letting it grow from there. I think of every project and every piece of work I put into the world as a seed. You never know what may come from it, and sometimes the most important thing you can do is give it time to grow and mature.
When it comes to networking, I have found the most value in genuine relationships. Design itself is something I love, but working with and learning from other people is what brings me joy. For me, networking has never been about making as many connections as possible. The real value has always been in the relationships that develop when you take the time to genuinely know and learn from other people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nataliegeedesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliegeedesign/
