“When you're a student, a $1,000 book deal feels like a jackpot.”
But for Evie Kemp, it wasn’t about the money.
It was about being seen.
In her final year at uni, she pitched to illustrate a children's book.
She got it.
It paid a modest fee — just enough for a student to feel like her ideas mattered.
And that was the moment she realised:
What you create has value.
Even when the world doesn’t recognise it yet.
In this episode of Misunderstood, we talk about:
Why young creatives downplay their wins
How undervaluing your work starts early
What it takes to back yourself when no one else does
Because the gap isn’t just about money.
It’s confidence.
And the courage to keep creating.
If you’ve ever doubted whether you belong here — this one’s for you.
New episode now live on YouTube, TikTok and criticaldesign.nz.