About me
“Effort can be light touch and have greater impact than grind.
This still means we do the work.”
3 domains of creative momentum
Refusal to pause = failure to receive signs that point to what’s important.
Refusal to learn = failure to make connections that get things unstuck.
Refusal to act = failure to transform what was learned in theory and make it useful.
Engaging with this flow is the work.
Opportunity presents itself in all three domains
What if I told you I felt most productive and influential as an entry level employee who slacked off a lot? Weird flex, but I’ll confess it! (I was in creative flow but didn’t know it…even more, I didn’t have the frameworks, language, or experience to prove it.) Individuals can be biased towards one “safe” domain. We need each other to model what it’s like to try what scares us.
A perspective shaped by many teachers
-
Illustration
I began my career in retail catalog production as an assembly line illustrator, eventually growing into conceptual and layout designer for cookbooks and calendars.
-
Workflow
I grew naturally into workflow management, but wasn’t great at all aspects of the role. I took that as a sign it wasn’t right for me, because I hadn’t yet learned that every natural gift comes with super wobbly spots and room for growth.
-
Manufacturing
I fell into 3D giftware design and found out starting over could be invigorating. I learned about: visualizing design specs from multiple pov’s, rapid iteration, white label manufacturing, selling at trade shows, and working with overseas vendors.
-
Graphic design
Next up: traditional graphic design. I fell into this, too, cutting my teeth on print and digital—from production to special projects. I DON’T love doing it all, but I sure know what it takes to switch gears.
-
People management
I landed back into a managing role. Turns out I wasn’t uniquely bad at it…I just needed to practice. I feel most at home in a role that starts with the big picture, zooms down into the dots, then back out to connect them.
-
Team leadership
Shifting from a managing director to an IC director has been amazing—allowing me to once again relate as a peer and lead casually by example. I believe in the efficacy of both managing and IC directors (especially when paired together).