Creativity never sleeps
Designing requires lots of late nights, especially when you have a day job. As a creative, I don't think you can truly ever shut down from thinking. Instead of fighting it, I work with it and put my thoughts into my work. Sometimes that happens to be at 2am.
I am a night owl, that's when I do most of my work. My vices are cups of tea, snacks, retro wrestling videos and the company of my (snoring) sausage dog, Rory.
Developing my craft
I self-taught myself web design in 2012 when I quit my retail job and decided to bike across the USA and blog my experience. Soon after, I landed my first office job, not so much because of my skills, but more so because I had a memorable story to tell. I was the guy who sold his car, bought a bike and cycled from Boston to Miami because I was bored one Wednesday.
Since then, I have seasoned my craft in both the private and public sectors spanning a few different industries including: Local Government, Hospitality, Travel, Pet, Financial, Legal, Health and Fitness, Fashion, Arts and Logistics.
This experience has helped to shape and develop my understanding of creating digital experiences that both looks appealing but also serves a purpose. I create experiences for my clients that allows them to move forward and focus on what they do best.
People don't know what they want
until you show it to them.
until you show it to them.
Respecting my craft
Not long after getting my first office job, I had the opportunity to move into a more demanding job in digital. Three websites, thicker skin and a few brick walls later, I found myself on the job hunt again. I realised some organisations really do not embrace digital change.
I applied to work at a local digital marketing agency. For my interview they asked me to sketch a concept for a real estate website. In true form, I went the extra mile and designed a fully functioning website. Rather than praise the extra effort, I was told "the website wasn't to scale."
I got the job but turned it down out of principle. I always trust my vibe. I needed to find a place where I felt my craft would be respected. That summer the stars aligned and my first office job needed someone senior to oversee a website redesign. It was a role that I wouldn't have qualified for if I hadn't left three years earlier to develop myself within and gain more experience.
Peace in my craft
That's where I am now. I'm in a team with total creative freedom and we have created so many trailblazing experiences in our sector. My career has taught me so much. I appreciate now that not everyone thinks like me or has my vision so I have had to come out of my shell a bit more to articulate ideas and sell the art of the possible.
I have been told that I have created a reputation for myself for being an innovator at work. It's kind of cool to see senior staff put their phones away during a meeting and fully focus on my pitch when it's my turn to speak.
I love the words of Steve Jobs, "People don't know what they want until you show it to them. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.” My experiences in my career so far, both positive and negative, have given me the confidence in my ability to show people what they did not know they've always wanted.
Need a quote or fancy a coffee?
If you would like to share an idea or work together on a project, drop me a message. Even better, if you are local, let's grab a coffee, pastry and discuss your idea! (I may even bring Rory!)
