They say creativity can’t be learned and meeting Kim Lincon is a solid explanation as to why. She doesn’t just have it, she radiates it and that is clear in every single thing she does. We asked Kim to answer our 12 most thought-provoking questions and she did not disappoint.
Get to know Kim Lincon and her girl-boss driven design company – Lynx & Co.
1. Do you have a nickname?
Funny to ask, yes. “Lynx” (a shortened form of my last name) started when I was bartending at a Jazz club about 10 years ago. My co-worker was also named Kim, and it was driving everyone crazy with customers asking for “Kim” and kitchen staff yelling at the wrong person. So, they declared my name to be “Lynx” and it just so happened to stick.
2. How did you come up with the name of your business?
When I first started as a freelancer, I didn’t want to just be Kim Lincon Designs. So, I went with a something I wouldn’t get entirely sick of, K.Lynx Designs. Then, when I decided to take my biz up a notch, I wanted something that transitioned easily, but also made sense on what I was trying to achieve from going solo to having some teammates. Hence, Lynx & Co was the winner.
3. If you could only choose one song to play every time you walked into a room, what would it be?
This is a hard one, but I have to go with Billy Idol, Rebel Yell.
4. Where do you go in Philadelphia for inspiration?
I usually take my dogs for a long walk or hop on my bike and get inspired by the vintage signage throughout the city. Some of my favorites are the old factories along Penn’s landing, and the gas caps on the sidewalks.
5. Where was your last road trip?
Narrowsburg, New York. We get the same little Airbnb cabin in 10 acres of land, let the dogs run free, light some fires and go for hikes. The little town is also beyond charming. Quick get away for a much needed refresh.
6. If you wrote a memoir, what would be the title?
Kim Lincon, she’ll set the bigger fire.
(A little explanation, I grew up with a twin brother, AND in an all boys neighborhood. I was constantly trying to show them I was tough and keep up with them. This mentality has carried throughout my life. People telling me I wouldn’t be able to do things, so I set bigger fires under my own ass and proved them all wrong.)
7. What’s your favorite piece of Philly culture?
I feel like the proper thing to say would be the history, but I’m going to go with the grit. When I first moved to Philly, my neighbors weren’t so much a fan of an outsider intruding on their neighborhood (got my house snowballed by a bunch of red-headed children swearing at me) But I respected that this is their neighborhood, their history, their memories and I was just some blonde chick from CT who just drove up on a yellow refurbished bike. It took some years of snow shoveling neighbor’s cars out, but I eventually earned acceptance and now appreciate ever middle finger I see. To be a Philadelphian, you gotta earn it.
8. What’s your favorite local meal?
Oh there’s so many to choose from, but I’m going to go with my staple, my most frequented spot – Cedar Point. Around the corner, and reliably good.
9. What makes you laugh?
Dogs, always dogs. Humor to me, is something that’s effortlessly funny.
10. What is one thing you need in your work space to make it your own?
Coziness. I have a hard time feeling creative without being in an environment that I feel awkward in.
11. What did you want to be when you were younger? Does that have any significance to what you do now?
So, I always say I got to cheat a little…but I always planned on being an artist. Gratefully, I grew up in a design studio owned by my parents (Mom = graphic designer, Dad= photographer) and always planned on following in their footsteps. They had their studio attached to our house when I was really little and I would always sneak in there, stealing the fancy markers and hiding under a desk, doodling away. Once I got a little older learned you can get paid for drawing all day, It was a done deal.
12. What is one book that changed your perspective?
As cliché as this might be, it was my college text book Art History: Modernism. I was absolutely mind-blown by the statements artists were making throughout the 1900s. There was always a constant debate on the theories of “what is art” and it’s meaning. It made me approach my own creations differently and actually think about why I was making certain decisions.
13. What do you need to make a decision?
Pressure. Whether it’s designing, personal or something as simple as cooking dinner, I make my best decisions with a whole lotta pressure, some slight chaos, and some risk on the table. When things go to smoothly, it almost let’s me have too many options and makes me want to try all the different routes. When there’s pressure, I cut the shit, and get it done.
14. What’s the best question you’ve ever been asked?
How did you go freelance? Of course, it’s fun to tell my story of the big leap, but I also know it’s usually coming from someone with similar pursuits. To me, it’s the best question, because I feel like a little piece of encouragement, and little example to show people it’s possible.
