Emma Balebela: Self-Made

At the age of six, multidisciplinary designer Emma Balebela had her life mapped out in front of her. As a kid, she would spend her days drawing sketches of shoes, picturing up the dream job of being paid to create. Now, she’s doing it daily – collaborating with fashion brands and youth culture mag, Huck. But what really helped kickstart things was her side hustle, Cool Brother. Self-published and free, it’s a zine which combines music, illustration, style and photography – printed out and perfect-bound in neat A5.

Cool Brother is a platform which allows her to experiment, self-express and create her own artistic playing field, acting as a springboard to land new work. Don’t find a job, make a job – and the rest will naturally follow. Read Emma’s tips on turning your side hustle into a full-time career.

We met Emma after she designed a pair of Air Max ‘95s for Nike By You. If you fancy making your mark with a personalised pair of Nike shoes yourself, scroll to the bottom of the page and tap ‘Nike By You’ now – to get customising your look your way.

Emma’s side hustle as Art Director at Cool Brother gives her the freedom to let loose creatively and experiment, which brings an element of freshness to her full-time work and helps her learn new skills.

“When you're doing something for a brand that already exists, you can add your own flavour into the mix, but you can't own it. Whereas, when you do your own stuff, that's when you have time to shine – to just go for it and be your own boss. You can experiment, make mistakes and learn from them… And that’s when you and your portfolio will grow the most.”

All it takes is one tutorial video online to discover an all new skill. Emma encourages you to experiment with new crafts to see what new talents you might pick up. You never know where they might take you.

“Don't put any limits on what you can and cannot do. If you’re just really talented at one thing, then that’s fantastic, and roll with that. But, if you have the space and time to explore a different medium, such as painting, collaging or textiles, I'd definitely try it – because once you get a project, you can then bring in all those skills, and you can in a sense be your own agency. Plus, your portfolio will look amazing, and you’ll stand out when it comes around to interviews.”

Want to start contacting brands, companies and agencies for work? Whatever you do, avoid copy/pasting the same email to each place, and instead make things personal with Emma’s tips.

“When it comes to contacting employers, try to go for someone high up, like the creative director or equivalent depending on your sector. Definitely email, but if they have a professional Instagram, slide on in there and send a cheeky DM too. Try to get on their wavelength, let them know you exist – and just be as real and honest as you can. Plus, if you have time, why not create something bespoke for that brand? I created a Bill Withers record sleeve for a studio once, as I knew they were big on vinyl, for example – and although they weren’t looking for workers at the time, they remembered me for next time and it gave me a huge leg up.”

Emma has been creating zines and illustrations since she was a kid, and now brands are coming to her for her multidisciplinary expertise and skill set. Creating projects off her own back helps her stand out from the rest and proves how driven she really is.

“Having a side hustle will help you stand out and get more work because it shows people that you've got that burning passion in you, that you truly love what you do and it ignites a bigger conversation during interviews. Even just the way you speak about it will be a huge projection of your own personality and what you can do. It might not get you a job straight away – but, trust me, having it there is the start of something big. When you get an interview, you can show what you’re capable of without the need for words. Just present your work, and it will speak for itself. The job’s yours.”

Fancy creating your own pair of Nike shoes, like Emma? Give Nike By You a go now.