Stesha Jean-Baptiste

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

My name is Stesha Jean-Baptiste. I'm a brand designer and illustrator based in Palm Coast, Florida. Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale among a large, deeply creative and entrepreneurial family, I was naturally drawn toward the arts. After seeking a change of pace during the pandemic, my husband and I relocated here with our three kids.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

I love the peaceful, slower pace and beautiful natural surroundings of Palm Coast. It provides my family with a wonderful, balanced environment to truly thrive in.

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

I run two creative ventures: Little Main Street Dreams and Sketch & Pen Co.

At Little Main Street Dreams we specialize in custom apparel and handmade products crafted with high-quality sublimation, UV-DTF and DTF transfers. We help business owners, event hosts and individuals bring their ideas to life with premium promotional items and custom pieces made to make every special occasion memorable.

At Sketch & Pen Co., I help businesses build strong, memorable brands through custom illustrations, strategic branding and complete visual identity design. My comprehensive brand identity packages equip your business to show up consistently and professionally with tailored primary and secondary logos, curated color palettes, custom typography, unique illustrative elements and a complete brand style guide.

My creative path began in childhood, but after two decades in healthcare, the pandemic inspired me to transition fully into design. My medical background taught me to bring a precise, organized and patient-first mindset to my design work. I don’t just look at the visuals—I listen to your story, understand your brand's needs and put immense care into the design process.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

My biggest advice is to let go of the '9-to-5' mindset, embrace the fact that business isn’t always black-and-white, and build everything with intention. Do your research and have a plan, but know that you will need to pivot at times. Business teaches you humility, requiring you to adjust as you grow. Most importantly, find the confidence to try something new—when something doesn’t work out, look for how you can do it better or find another way to reach your goals.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

One client who focuses on financial literacy shared how much she appreciated the time we took during our initial consultation to talk through her vision and values. Seeing how her new branding and logo elevated her presence and helped her truly connect with her target audience was a moment I'll never forget.

Where do you see your company in the future?

Looking ahead, my plan is to keep growing both Sketch & Pen Co. and Little Main Street Dreams while staying true to the heartfelt, intentional approach that started it all. I want to partner with even more amazing entrepreneurs to bring their creative visions to life, while also expanding my line of products and designs that bring a bit of joy and inspiration to everyday life.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

Sometimes people think design is just about making things look pretty or throwing something together with an AI generator in five minutes—and I get that it’s an easy, cheap route. But true branding requires real strategic problem-solving and human empathy. While AI has its place, it can't replace the deep listening, intuition and personalized care a designer brings to help your brand genuinely connect.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

Building a business from scratch is already a huge learning curve, but doing it while managing a chronic autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis) definitely brought some heavy days. I got through them by leaning on my family and close friends, being patient with myself and growing more resilient along the way. Whenever things threw me a curveball—whether health- or business-related—I learned to slow down, listen to what my body needed, pivot and just take it one day at a time.

Who was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

When it came to music growing up, it's hard to pinpoint just one artist, because if you listened to my mixtapes back in the day, you'd probably be confused! I love a little bit of everything—from Brandy, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson to Coldplay, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and Earth, Wind & Fire. As for sports, basketball was my absolute favorite, so Michael Jordan and Tim Hardaway were definitely my favorites growing up.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

A huge shoutout to my amazing family and close friends who are like family, for always being my rock, and to my "Inflamed Sisters Thriving, Inc." community—watching us all navigate our health journeys and continue to thrive together through life's challenges means the world to me.

Inflamed Sisters Thriving is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community empowering individuals living with inflammatory and autoimmune conditions to thrive personally and professionally. Website: https://inflamedsistersthriving.org/

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

Readers can learn more about my design work and branding services at https://www.sketchandpenco.com/, or explore my handcrafted products, custom designs and planners over at https://littlemainstreetdreams.myshopify.com/.

My Instagram profiles: @littlemainstreetdreams and @sketchandpenco.