In one of my first jobs, I was a graphic designer. My first well-recognized piece was a timeline graphic that documented every single executive departure at Yahoo while Carol Bartz was CEO. Known people in tech tweeted it, and it was even the top headline on Techmeme.

High off my success, I set out to work on the next graphic. In honor of LinkedIn's anniversary, I charted key milestones in their business. Only this one was a complete flop.

I'll never forget the tweet I saw criticizing it:

I was mortified. And I never wanted to design anything ever again.

Given the information I have presented to you thus far, dear reader, you might say that this was a case of imposter syndrome. This was only one criticism, and I shouldn't have let it get the best of me.

Wrong.

I was an imposter. Because I wasn't actually a graphic designer.

I never took a class on foundational design principles. Never apprenticed with an experienced graphic designer. Never even read a blog. I was just an entry-level journalist with a Photoshop subscription.

In my next job, I got to strengthen my rudimentary Photoshop skills. Only this time, I did it with more self-awareness and an eagerness to learn. I was an editor at a women's healthy living site, and I wanted to help design the homepage hero images. And since I shared an office with the senior graphic designer, he showed me some best practices, he taught me basic graphic design principles, and we'd work together on new design concepts.

I got better at graphic design... but I'm still not a graphic designer. Instead, I developed an understanding that would later help me work effectively with creative and design teams during my marketing career.

And today, I am very comfortable saying I'm not a graphic designer.

Next time you feel your imposter syndrome siren going off, it's worth some introspection to ask yourself if you really are an imposter. If you are, you might realize you need to find the education and mentorship to close that knowledge gap. And if you aren't, well... you'll know it. You need to trust yourself.

Shoutout to Amber Naslund for her tweets that inspired my own reflection of imposter syndrome today.

🤫 Secret Workshop: Headlines & Hooks

On Friday, April 22, I'm hosting a workshop for alums and upcoming students of my course, Content Marketing 201. And as a supporter of my work, you're invited too!

I'll cover effective formats, frameworks to use, and some harsh truths about why certain types of content flop. I'll even do a couple teardowns of my own past Twitter threads or blog posts, and I'll dish on what I should have written instead — a self-roast, if you will.

🧁 Petits Fours

Four bite-sized blurbs linking to content worth consuming...

​Newsletter to check out: While You Were Away: My friend Blake Burge writes a weekly newsletter rounding up some of the most interesting content on Twitter. Topics change every week, running the gamut of life, business, marketing, and occasionally, web3. A fun way to catch up on what's happening on Twitter without, well, having to spend too much time on Twitter.

​This petit four is brought to you by the letter "F": Brett Goldstein, best known as Roy Kent on Ted Lasso, joins an episode of Sesame Street.

​When interior design honors its history: I stumbled upon these beautiful photos shared by a real estate developer who had purchased an old fire station. He and his wife built an upstairs loft and designed the space in a timeless way: Classic subway tile, exposed pipes, vintage bar stools, and a two-toned kitchen — a mix of early 1900s aesthetic with a modern flair.

​A list of literary devices through Mariah Carey's discography: Say what you want about Mariah Carey. She's one of the greatest artists of all time and she is woefully under-recognized for writing all her own songs.

🥗 DIY Salad Bar

I am tired and didn't make anything new this week. Here's some salad.

Sorry, this is not a recipe. I just went through old photos and dug up pics of a salad bar my friend and I made together.

Salad bars need multiple types of greens, vegetables, and elements that make up salt, acid/brightness, fat, and protein. Of course, your salt element can also be fat, as is the case with some cheeses.

Here's a list of ideas:

• At least 2 kinds of greens: try peppery arugula with a neutral, crisp romaine.
• Vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded carrots, pickled onions
• Salt: feta cheese, parmesan
• Fat: creamy dressing, vinaigrette, extra olive oil on the side
• Acid/brightness: sliced apples or pears, lemon, dried cranberries
• Protein: chicken, hardboiled eggs, bacon

And don't forget to season your salad before you dress it. That's what restaurant chefs do. Enjoy!

🦅 There are not a lot of marketing thoughts...

...in today's newsletter. But the Friday webinar should make up for that.

Eagle-eyed readers might notice this is the second week in a row I'm sending a newsletter. I may try to do these weekly now.

Have a great week!