Charles Kae shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Charles, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I am currently on a journey to rediscover and redefine my identity, especially as someone in the middle of life. With enough experience behind me to reflect and enough ahead to shape my path intentionally, I feel it’s time for this exploration. For a long time, I was afraid to fully express myself. I often filtered my thoughts and choices through the lens of what I believed others wanted or expected from me.
Now, I’m turning inward and asking: What does Charlie want? How does Charlie feel?
This is a powerful shift—from merely performing to truly becoming. I am making space for my own voice, instincts, and dreams. While the answer to who I am becoming is still unfolding, I am genuinely excited about this journey. I am grateful for the clarity that is emerging and for the freedom to create a life that is honest, intentional, and truly mine.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Charlie Kae, and I’m a designer, storyteller, and creative thinker based in New Port Richey, Florida. I co-own Tampa Design Company, where we specialize in branding, logos, and websites — but what we really do is help people see their business clearly and communicate it beautifully.
What makes my work special is that it’s deeply personal. I’m not just creating visuals—I’m helping build identity, clarity, and connection. I bring a background in theology and storytelling into every project, which means I’m always looking beneath the surface for meaning, purpose, and narrative. Design isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling true.
Right now, I’m especially focused on projects that blend creativity with strategy: building brands that resonate, designing websites that convert, and helping businesses express who they really are with confidence. I’m also leaning into collaborations that allow space for honest conversation and human-centered design.
More than anything, I’m grateful. I get to wake up every day and make things that matter—for clients I believe in, in a city I love, with a team that cares. That’s a gift I don’t take for granted.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful? I was five years old, just a tiny Korean American kid in kindergarten with a wild imagination and an older brother who had already inducted me into the sacred world of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and classic martial arts flicks. One day, my parents gave me a gift that felt like destiny: a midnight blue bomber jacket with a giant golden dragon stitched across the back.
It wasn’t armor—it felt more like a gi straight out of a kung fu movie. The moment I slipped it on, I swear the air shifted. I wasn’t just Charlie anymore—I was the main character in my own martial arts epic. Suddenly I had swagger. Cinematic slow-motion energy. I walked onto that kindergarten playground like it was a movie set, fully expecting my theme music to kick in.
And, well… in true overcommitted hero fashion, I ended up punching a kid in line during recess. No reason. No buildup. Just a poorly executed attempt at being a badass. Totally uncalled for. I got in trouble, obviously. And the punch? It had the force of a Florida breeze in August—basically nonexistent. I’m pretty sure the kid didn’t even register it as a punch.
The funny part is, I’m not a fighter. I’ve always been more of a faun than a tiger—gentle, observant, conflict-averse. But that day? That jacket? It gave me something. Confidence. Energy. A story to step into. And it taught me a lesson that still shapes the way I work: design has power. The right image, the right graphic, the right symbol can shift how you see yourself—and how you move through the world.
That’s what I try to create for others now. Not jackets (although I have a green bomber that I’ve made myself that I love), but brands, visuals, and moments that let people feel like the main character in their own story.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
If I could say one kind thing to my younger self, it would be this:
“You are already full of worth. You don’t have to prove it by constantly trying to make other people happy.”
Now, don’t get me wrong—there’s nothing wrong with wanting to bring joy to others. That’s one of your gifts. You love making people laugh, feel seen, feel good. And that’s a beautiful thing. Serving others is a noble, worthwhile path. But here’s the part I want you to hear clearly: you don’t have to trade your own peace or identity to do it.
You don’t need to earn love. You don’t need to shrink or stretch just to fit what you think someone else wants. Learn to listen inward, not just outward. Make room for yourself—your wants, your feelings, your voice.
There’s this quote I come back to often:
“You owe yourself the love that you so freely give to other people.” – Alexandra Elle
So Little Charlie, your heart is big. Your empathy runs deep. But even the brightest flame needs rest. So go ahead—be kind, be generous, lift others up—but do it from a place of fullness, not emptiness. Find that balance. You matter, just as you are.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
Good question! Honor. Honor is so key in my life.
To me, honor is often misunderstood. People tend to confuse it with respect, but I see them as very different. Respect is earned—it depends on someone else’s behavior, how they carry themselves, how they treat others. If someone acts with integrity or kindness, we respect them. If they don’t, we might withhold it. That’s fair.
But honor is different. Honor isn’t about them—it’s about me. It’s about my values, my character, and how I choose to show up in the world. I can honor someone even if I don’t necessarily respect their actions. For example, I may honor a boss or a leader—not because I admire everything they do, but because I’m choosing to lead with dignity. Honor is something I give freely, not because someone deserves it, but because I deserve to stay aligned with who I am.
That doesn’t mean I let people walk over me. I have my limits. There are moments I want to lose my temper, talk trash, or retaliate when I feel disrespected or hurt—and trust me, I’ve had those moments. But time and again, I’ve learned to choose the higher road, not out of weakness, but out of strength. Honor doesn’t mean silence or passivity—it means clarity, control, and self-respect.
Of course, there’s a time to fight. There’s a time to speak up, to stand firm, to protect what matters. But those moments are rare in my everyday life. Most of the time, honor means choosing peace even when ego wants war.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
hmm … probably by the quality of my questions.
I’ve always been endlessly curious—annoyingly curious, if you ask some people. I ask a lot of questions, and I’ve learned over time that the deeper your understanding grows, the more refined and specific your questions become. Great questions are a sign of engagement, of clarity, of experience. And when I’m in my zone, I’m firing off two dozen of them without breaking a sweat—deep, layered, nuanced questions that build on each other.
But when I catch myself asking only surface-level questions—or worse, when I’m staring blankly not even sure what to ask—I know I’ve hit unfamiliar waters. It’s not about feeling dumb; it’s about recognizing the shape of my own learning curve. When my questions are basic or scattered, that’s my signal: I don’t know this terrain yet.
It’s actually one of my favorite tells. Because the moment I realize I’m out of my depth is also the moment I know I’m about to grow. And that’s exciting.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tampadesigncompany.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tampadesigncompany/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-kae/
- Twitter: https://x.com/tampadesignco
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/tampadesigncompany
