LEADERStory: Pride 365 by Design

Kylie Lovsey doesn’t need to wear a rainbow everywhere she goes. She brings light, color, and joy to every space she occupies at Leaderpromos.

As a graphic designer, Kylie brings a wealth of varied talent to our client brands. And that variety is a perfect reflection of her own “hodgepodge” and varied experiences.

Kylie grew up in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, where she was drawn to design in high school. She attended the renowned Columbus College of Art & Design, where she met her first girlfriend, who also studied design.

They’re now married and building a new home. “If you can imagine, we have a very, very, colorful lifestyle,” she said. “And we’re in the process of making a very esthetically pleasing home.”

After college, she started at a video production company where she did everything from script creation to voice acting, video editing, and graphic design. She’s worked at agencies, started her own business, and even worked for a social media influencer.

Now she brings her passion to immerse herself daily in a variety of client brands at Leaderpromos. And her work is just as delightfully complex and colorful as she is.

What’s your life story in one word and why?

I would say “weird,” because my path hasn’t been linear. I’m a hodgepodge person. I am a designer, I’m bisexual, I am a feminist, I’m a body-positive plus-sized woman, but I also go hunting and fishing. I love country music. I like to go kayaking and hiking. I’m like a little city, a little country.

And I like being weird.

What do you love most about Leaderpromos?

I really do love my team. I’ve worked with so many types of creatives, but this team is rock solid. Really cool. Teaches me a lot of things.

I’ve never even had to think twice about being my true self here. I put pictures of my wife all over my desk and all of my backgrounds on my computer, because I love them so much.

I’ve never, ever once felt uncomfortable just absolutely 100% being myself. And I think you could tell it’s really not hard for me to be myself. But no one here has made it anywhere in any way difficult.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Probably the little balancing act you have to do. It’s like that person that spins all the plates on sticks. It’s kind of how I feel sometimes.

What advice do you have for your younger self?

Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid to be as weird and be as “you” as you are. I feel like I tried to be a carbon copy of what you’re expected to be when I was in high school. And I just wish I would have been weirder.

What advice do you have for companies regarding how they approach Pride?

I would hope that businesses would want to create an environment that makes anybody who wants to come to work for them, no matter what their identity. Try to make all of your queer and LGBTQ+ individuals feel comfortable year-round.

If you’re going to do something in June, make it something that supports a Pride event, something that makes sense for that month, not just putting out something with a rainbow on it.

You shouldn’t just do something to check a box. That’s not doing anything for anybody. And if you are just checking a box, we see it. It’s not something that goes under the “gaydar.”