Finding My Purpose
Some of my first art as a toddler.
I always knew I wanted to be involved in the arts in some way, shape, or form. As a child, I was not much of an athlete but thoroughly enjoyed mixing paint colors, and spent the rest of my time reading. Growing up to become an artist or writer seemed my best option, though both felt far-fetched, as I was told it was difficult to succeed as a creative.
In high school, I eventually took a class titled “Commercial Art”, where we mocked up CD covers, posters, and book covers. My mind was blown—one could get paid to produce art!? My art teacher told me this was done by graphic designers. I still wasn’t sure what that meant, but my college search took on a whole new trajectory. Soon enough I decided I would do nothing else—no plan B—much to my parents' chagrin.
“Brand strategy and design has been a joyful journey to help clients find the purpose within their brand.”
I enjoyed every minute of college and the way it trained my artistic brain to research problems and conceptualize visual answers. My only ambition after graduation was to put this knowledge to work for clients. My first job was at a small ad agency where I learned so much—packaging, trade shows, billboards, branding, advertisements, and more—but I wasn’t fulfilled. Over time I became dissatisfied but couldn’t quite put my finger on why. My breaking point was illustrating posters for a local casino. I felt like I was encouraging seniors to spend their retirement, and it didn’t sit right with me. When I made the move to Nashville, I was thrilled to get a design job with a university.
Making a Difference through Design
Though a bit of a culture shock at first, working for a nonprofit made all the difference. Instead of designing for casinos, I was helping faculty communicate their research to the outside world and the university connect with its ideal student. Often I was interacting directly with the client, which allowed me to ask probing questions and make suggestions that better met the project goals. Design with purpose had been my missing ingredient—my why.
Since 2018, I have been independent, and enjoy working directly with clients who are as passionate about their work as I am. Brand strategy and design has been a joyful journey to help clients find the purpose within their brand. Once we know why we do what we do, everything becomes so much easier—marketing, hiring, and planning for the future.
Can I help you find your brand’s purpose—your why?
