Anusha Kasi, Junior Designer for Superminted Pte Ltd, has a simple piece of advice for up-and-coming designers: don’t be afraid to ask questions. “Stay curious, and always ready to learn,” she says. “As a young designer, it’s really easy to feel insecure about your own skills, but there’s another way to look at it. You’re a blank slate. You’ve got so much to learn and so many people around you with the knowledge and expertise that can help you. Make use of it. Ask questions and build connections.”

Kasi was born and raised in Bangalore, India, and currently lives in Singapore. “Bangalore is a place with a rich culture and heritage,” she says. “I started practicing Indian Classical Dance, Bharatnatyam, at age seven, which fueled my passion for storytelling.” Kasi’s mother quickly recognized her daughter’s natural aptitude for design and suggested that she look into it as a profession. “She had faith in my creative abilities and thought I’d enjoy it,” Kasi says. “I did my share of research and spoke to a lot of people. I saw myself fitting quite comfortably in the industry.”

Kasi’s design approach is straightforward and collaborative. “We generally start with researching our client, and their needs and industry,” she says. “Once we have some ideas, we find visual references, sketch them out, and then discuss them as a team. Finally, we refine those sketches into something more polished.” Throughout the process, Kasi balances strategy and creativity by keeping each other grounded and constantly reminding themselves of the strategic implications of the designs. “Creativity and strategy are two sides of the same coin,” Kasi says.