@mariaelizabethdesigns

After studying for a year at St. Andrew’s Academy in Paisley, I was very lucky to be granted a government funding scholarship to attend the Music School of Douglas Academy at the age of 12 where I studied to become a classical singer. As this was a semi-boarding school, I packed my bags scared and ready for independent freedom and I believe this is where my story towards entrepreneurial drive began.

Living alone required me to be very self-sufficient. Yes I had staff, teachers and my family check in on me every so often however the studying, practice, exercise and general life admin was always left to me. When I finally reached 4th year I remember studying really hard for my standard grades as I remember it almost feeling like I was preparing for my part of “grown up”. A game or play of sorts. After receiving great results this excitement rapidly faded and my motivation to study plumited. The second time round for highers was harder and to add to this I had taken subjects that I wasn’t naturally good at. The pressure from my parents’ societal outlook to take science subjects (as these were for the “smart kids”) was heavy and for a creative person this was the wrong path. With no motivation to study due to the mind boggling complexity I ultimately failed these subjects. From here, I was determined to prove to others, but mainly myself, that by sitting them again in 6th year I could do it however life had other plans. By the end of 6th year my brain was frazzled and I was highly demotivated as I wasn’t experiencing any joy from learning at school. I was born to be an artist, not a scientist and so my results, albeit better, reflected this. I believe we need to STOP using the term “academic” as a label towards only the children who achieve highly expected results in mathematical/scientific based subjects. The pressure on them alone is unbearable and the shame on the rest of us leaves us asking ‘well if I’m not academic then what am I? Where do I belong?’.  Academic means schooled and as far as I am aware all children within the building are therefore academic. We are all deserving. Artistry and creativity is what allows us to view the world in different ways, spark imagination, invent new possibilities and see beyond our own limitations. Art is just as important as science and this we must remember, especially when it comes to funding.

Sobbing my heart out in my bedroom upon my 6th year results, I took to clearing to see if anything inspired me however nothing did. Tunnel visioned on getting into University of Glasgow, I phoned up admissions and asked them for advice on what I should do in order to achieve a place for the following year. Glasgow University responded to say that as long as I got an A in any college course and passed the audition process, I would get in to study Music. Now as much as I knew this would be the response, I was very reluctant to go to college as that is not what I had dreamed for the next year of my life. I was still grieving my loss of not getting in that year and carrying a great deal of shame as I felt like I had failed in comparison to my friends who were heading off to Cambridge and St. Andrews. Looking back now, I want to give 18 year old me a hug. Fast forward 2 weeks, I was attending Anniesland College and my goodness this was my struggle bus of a year. Not only was I finding things hard emotionally but educationally I found social sciences incredibly difficult. And on top of this, from a social aspect, I felt like I had been plucked out of my safe space with the music kids to being plonked into a room with kids from all backgrounds. However! As hard as it all was – I needed that injection of refreshing growth! I am so grateful looking back on it as I learned so much eductionally, emotionally and socially. Finally after one year, I didn’t get the A however due to persistent emails throughout the year I was on my way to Glasgow University!

By the time I arrived at university I had been living away from home for about a year with no financial support. I knew that in order to survive I would have to support myself through jobs via retail and hospitality and so went out and did just that. I made cocktails in bars, gave expert advice at skincare brands, volunteered for small jewellery designers and finally landed a job as a visual merchandiser for a lifestyle brand. Alongside this, I was also setting up and uploading to personal instagram accounts which featured photography, home DIY’s and self taught calligraphy. I always had a drive and passion to learn new things outside of my university education.

After finally graduating from University of Glasgow with my honours degree I went and got a job in marketing for a small non profit. Through this I learned a lot as I was working in a small team of people who were appealing to raise £3 million. This was a fabulous opportunity as a graduate however I had a fire inside of me that kept telling me I was meant for more. To be fair, I had no idea what that was going to be however what I did know is that I wanted to create with my life. So, after a pivotal speech from Cameron McNeish at a charity Gala in Edinburgh saying the following I knew change was coming “I travel not to go anywhere but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move” followed by “When you reach my age you’ll look back on these challenges and it is the journey that you’ll remember; not so much the end point”. Sometime after, covid hit, I was made redundant and I knew it was time TO MOVE.

To tide over my boredom during lockdown I decided to create pick me up calligraphy cards to my friends and family to lift their spirits as we couldn’t see one another. From here, it was noticed on social media by local businesses in Shawlands and the next thing I knew I was creating a business account named Maria Elizabeth Designs. Taking the leap, I decided to establish myself as a calligrapher whilst learning via YouTube how to create wedding invitations, use Adobe Suite, shoot professional product photography, build a website, network with industry pros and take part in styled shoots. All of this self development led me to being seen by my first major brand, Dior, who asked me if I’d like to work for them by engraving calligraphy into perfume bottles. This activation led to another and finally over the years led to me now working as the official activation and PR artist for Jo Malone London, Creed, Harvey Nichols and Prada. Atop this, I have now directed many of my own styled shoots, exported across the world and launched my selfbuilt website www.mariaelizabethdesigns.com which contains all services from wedding stationery (both invitations and on the day) to venue styling. This website was a climb but seriously worth the journey.

As of this year, I am proud to say that I am now part of the Scottish Edge Alumni (the UK’s biggest entrepreneurial funding competition) as I won a grant of £10,000 within their Young Edge Category and have additionally been accepted onto RBS’s business accelerator programme. Thanks to all of this, as of last week, I have now also welcomed one of Scotland’s most esteemed actors to my client list!

So, if you have just received your exam results and you are heartbroken or you are in a job where you do not feel fulfilled and you have a dream (where you may or may not know what it is) then I hope my story or another allows you to know remember that with drive, dreams, ambition and resilience those doors were never closed on you and that anything is achievable. Anything is possible, you just have to believe in yourself. Please also know that there is endless free education out there on YouTube and Skillshare for you to utilise to your advantage like building a website for example. As someone who has been in dark places feeling very lost in my life path trajectory I know how this feels however use that fire in your core to remember your belonging and know how deserving you are! If I can do it, so can you! I believe in you.

You can find Maria @mariaelizabethdesigns on all socials.