anne hubben, creative career coach         anne@rubycreatives.com 917.834.0354

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chatting with advertising student: Joel Jackson

Monday, December 7th, 2009
 


I first met Joel Jackson when I was working at Digitas and he was a writer looking for an internship. Joel is still a student and we remain in touch, but what really impresses me is his tenacity in preparing himself for his professional life when he graduates. When we communicate, I often have to remind myself that he is still a student. Today I’m going to talk with Joel about studying advertising in school and what that’s like.

Me: Could you tell us where you’re a student and what the program is like?

Joel: I’m a Senior majoring in Advertising with a minor in Geography at Kansas State University. The program requires all ad majors to take a smorgasbord of mass comm. classes, such as Writing, Media Planning, Ad Techniques, and the flagship course, Ad Campaigns, which is a combination of everything we’ve learned.

The curriculum helps students figure out what they’d like to do. Other elective courses are mandatory, and some professors are willing to facilitate classes toward your focus. For example, I’ll be doing an independent study to work on my portfolio next semester.

Me: What made you decide to focus in advertising?

Joel: In the beginning, I was an Art major — a young sprout with little direction. The problem was that I didn’t love it. So I took a test that focused on my interests and strong points. The result: Art and Advertising. I haven’t looked back since.

Me: What would you like to do when you get out?

Joel: The plan right now is to find a job that is a good fit for both me and the company I’ll be working for — a place where I can grow and flex my creative muscles.

Me: You’ve been really good about getting internships, could you talk about that? Why are you doing them? What was your experience at Barkley like?

Joel: Internships are essential. You learn so many things by experience in an agency that you could never learn in the collegiate setting. When you get a job, your employer will expect you to have a clue of what to do on the first day.

Two summers ago, I worked as a writer/intern at Barkley in Kansas City. Barkley is a great agency that cares about their clients and employees. There I worked with over ten clients from concept to execution, and all of the interns made a successful pitch to a real prospective client.

Last year, I applied at over 50 agencies in the U.S. and the same amount internationally. The latter was a shot in the dark. I contacted creatives via Facebook and e-mail who’ve had a hand in making great work. Five responded, and I had three leads — two in South Africa and one in New York.

The South African government requires agencies to hire native students, because there’s a high demand for those who cannot afford the opportunity elsewhere. The other offer I was given, in New York, unfortunately didn’t work out. Instead, I traveled a lot and did some freelance work.

Me: You started the ad club at KSU. Could you tell us about that?

Joel: The ad club was founded long before I was a college student. However, I did start the new digital model at ksuadclub.com, where more attention is given to having speakers online than in-person. Using a recording from Skype, we can have speakers from around the country and world. Now the ad club’s membership dues and fundraising are going toward scholarships for travel and other events.

I’ve learned that it’s difficult for students to be somewhere without an appointment or reminder. This semester has been the busiest yet, so I’m behind on updating the podcasts. Thankfully we get to take a breather, so I’ll be updating the site during winter break.

Me: Through this club, you’ve been able to talk to a lot of people active in the industry. What is the most important thing you’ve learned so far?

Joel: Everyone I’ve spoken with in the industry has a real excitement for their respective field. You must have a passion for what you’re doing, along with a natural curiosity…for everything.

Me: What advice do you have for students who are interested in advertising?

Joel: A lot of what I’ve learned as a student in advertising has been outside of the classroom — by reading awards annuals, visiting relevant websites and talking with the contacts I’ve made.

Here’s my recommendation to students:

Learn the rules and everything in-between. Then you can break them by doing your own thing. Advertising agencies thrive on creating something new, not being order takers.

If you don’t like what you’re doing, figure out what’s wrong. You may be in need of some inspiration. Or what you thought you liked may not be for you after all. Find what you love, whatever it is, and hold onto it.

Once you’ve found your desired field, declare it to the professional world — on social networks, your business card, resume, cover letter, portfolio and during interviews. If you’re still not sure what it is, decide anyhow.

You’ll need to decide because an internship is so important in getting a job. The internship is both a trial (for you and the agency) to see if you’re cut out for it. And while you’re there, you may find something else that interests you — like media planning, account service, production, etc.

Hopefully that — combined with passion, perseverance and curiosity — will help you succeed in getting a job after graduation. I’m still a student, so we’ll see if it works. I wish you the best.

Me: What are you most excited about right now?

Joel: I’m excited for next semester — working on my portfolio, taking Digital Ethnography with internationally-acclaimed professor Dr. Michael Wesch [who’s probably found this…Hi, Dr. Wesch!], and going on a missions trip to Chile (first time abroad). It’s going to be incredible.

Me: What is your biggest challenge right now?

Joel: Students on the way to getting a Bachelor of Science degree, myself included, have to take quantitative reasoning courses. Quana-what? Exactly. It’s difficult to enjoy the last required classes of my college life, but they’ve got to get done.

Me: What are you most proud of?

Joel: I’m proud of trying different things just to see if I can do them. I was a vegan for a month, but because I’m such a picky eater, I lost a lot of weight. My hair has been black, blonde, dark purple, highlighted, and auburn. And right now, I’m growing my (natural) hair out for Locks of Love.

Me: What is your portfolio site and how can people get in touch with you?

Joel: You can visit all of my sites and social networks by going to joelajackson.extendr.com. Feel free to e-mail me at joelj@ksu.edu.

If anyone’s interested, I’m looking for an internship as a writer this summer.

Thank you for reading. Have the merriest of holidays!

Posted in interviews | No Comments »

copywriter Neisha Tweed finds a new job

Monday, November 30th, 2009
 

Neisha Tweed is a very talented copywriter who I met a few years ago. I was impressed by Neisha’s talent and by her enthusiasm for being creative. I knew that she would make her mark in the world. Recently, she made the big decision to leave a big name agency to work for another smaller agency so that she could expand on her portfolio and experience.

Because it can be very challenging for junior people to navigate decisions like these, I thought it would be interesting to hear about how she made this change.

Me: Could you tell us about your career so far as a copywriter?

Neisha: I knew I wanted to be a CW. I majored in Advertising and English at University of Florida (Go Gators). Did internships, a writing independent study then went to portfolio school at the Creative Circus and more internships.

Then I decided I didn’t want to do it anymore. Ha. Just like that. I wanted to move to Costa Rica and teach. But 3 months later, a series of unfortunate and fortunate events led me to NYC, freelancing at an awesome small shop and then a small branch of a big agency then a big agency and now a smaller, multicultural agency. The adventure has only just begun.

Me: You were working at one of the leading agencies in the industry, was it a difficult decision to leave?

Neisha: Definitely. With all the layoffs going on, I thanked my jujubeans every day I had a job. But some days I felt like I was in a loveless marriage. I wanted more. Something different. More challenges. More “something”.

The new opportunity came at a weird time too. I wasn’t actively looking. I had just been put on a new team a few months before and loved them. I was doing a lot more work, more responsibility and for the first time starting to feel like I fit in.

But that feeling would come back every now and then, that loveless, “pot-roast-again” feeling. It’s so easy to get lost or become complacent at a big agency. I wanted more things for my book. I wanted new experiences. I figure I’m young so I should go explore and learn and grow. You know, fairy tale things like that.

Everything about the new place was different. Multicultural. Small agency. New people. New clients. New partner. TV and radio (I’d been doing mostly interactive for the last 2 years). What if it sucks? What if I suck?

It all terrified me. And that’s why I went there.

I believe that you should feel terrified sometimes. I think that’s what keeps us fighting to be better.

Me: What’s the most important thing for you as you move forward in your career?

Neisha: Being amazing.

Me: How is advertising different (or the same) than what you thought it would be when you were in school?

Neisha: Different – in school everything had to be great. Everything had a crazy timeline and everything felt like the impending end of humanity. At work you realize that’s only really with pitches. And sometimes you’re doing things to pay the bills so you can just tuck your creativity in your pocket this go around.

At school you also didn’t have clients, budgets or briefs. So there was all this magical freedom. At work, you’ve got to be smarter in order to be great. And some clients are allergic to greatness, so you’ve got to be a good salesman.

Same – everybody is a hilarious, borderline brilliant, borderline lazy, slightly socially awkward alcoholic.

Me: What do you wish someone had told you before you started looking for work?

Neisha: Something like “Your only loyalty is to Neisha.com. No one else. You make sure you’re looking out for you and getting what you need.” – Someone awesome named George told me this a few months into my first full-time gig.

Me: What inspires you?

Neisha: The children. They are our future.

Also, seeing great work. Creative, insightful, strategic work. And good writing – especially poetry. And sunrise.

Me: What do you think you’d like to be doing in 10 years?

Neisha: Hmm. Being happy.

Posted in be ready, change, interviews | 3 Comments »

interview with coffee roaster John Kelleran

Monday, November 23rd, 2009
 

Today I’m happy to introduce to you one of my oldest and dearest friends, John Kelleran. I’ve always admired the way John lives his life and you’ll see what I mean when you read more. He has recently become a coffee roaster, and here’s his story.

Me: Before I ask you about coffee, could you tell us about your video work?

John: I’ve been shooting documentaries and cable TV shows for about 17 years (www.johnkelleran.com). I love the places I go and hope that I can continue to do camera work in some capacity for the rest of my life. I know I won’t be able to run around like I do forever, so I’ve been thinking about how I can segue into another business while continuing to shoot.

Me: And now you’ve got a coffee business. How did you get started with that?

John: After our first child was born I got “rising housing” panic and bought a home in Westchester, NY. I got caught up with the feeling that if I didn’t buy a home now, I’d be priced out.

A year and a half later our second child was born. Then I got a new panic: I started to hate all the “stuff” I had. Since our second child was born in Westchester, there seemed to be some suburban license allowing people to drop of all this plastic crap. I would wake and see my kids surrounded by uninteresting colored objects. The apparent values I was falling into felt awful.

I talked my wife into selling the house (accidentally a month before the pin popped the bubble) and moving to Costa Rica to “clear our minds.” She was resistant at first, and then went along.

We rented a very open house in the jungle not far from the beach and our minds began to clear. Our son was 6 months and daughter 3 years. We all started to breath clearly.

It was here that we got a taste for good coffee. We sent some to my mother-in-law in Poland; she loved it, sold the rest, and asked us to send her more. Eventually we felt we could solve the supply problem by moving to Poland and roasting coffee ourselves.

Me: This has not been an easy time to start a business. How have you managed that?

John: We pooled our financial resources, bought a roaster and moved to Poland. I often jump into a situation, and then figure it out. It doesn’t always work out well, but that’s what I find myself doing.

Me: What has kept you moving forward?

John: Almost everyone that I’ve met in the coffee business has been great. It’s the second biggest commodity traded in the world, the product employs over 200 million, and I want to be one of them. There’s no Bacchus for coffee, yet so many share the same experience at the same time every day.

Me: What did people think when you originally told them of your plans?

John: Most people thought I was courageous and odd.

Me: What mistakes have you made?

John: I didn’t do proper research into my market. The polish market demands you give them the espresso machine with the coffee. I under capitalized and found myself defensive for my lack of machinery. I didn’t realize I needed to be in the machine business too.

Me: What have you learned?

John: I’ve learned that I still love the business and want to continue. I started it with my wife and will continue. My father told me to pick a business partner more carefully than I do a spouse, she and I may have made the perfect choice. We may not have. I wish we had made a projected schedule outlining how much time we had to commit to the business. We blindly underestimated the time and efforts of having young children. In the end, we really don’t have the time to run the business like we wanted to.

Me: What advice would you give someone who wants to start a business?

John: To do more research on your own. I wish I had made the trip to Poland alone and spoken to cafes and restaurants about what their needs were. I knew I had a better product at a better price, but that’s not enough. I also wish I had thought about getting a partner who knows the market and open to our style of the modern coffee business.

Me: If people want to try your coffee where can they go?

John: We are packing everything in a 40 foot container and moving to Upstate New York. We love the business and the product and I hope to always have a perfect coffee in every cup I drink. Our website now is: www.kellerancoffee.com, we are only selling in Europe now. When we come to the states, I’ll let you all know via Anne.

Thank you!!

Posted in change, interviews, persistence | 3 Comments »

talking with elasticbrand: a flexible design studio

Monday, November 16th, 2009
 

I met Arjen Noordeman a couple of years ago when he was thinking about starting his own design firm. I thought it was a great idea for him and am happy to see that he and his partner and wife, Christie Wright are doing so well. Here’s my interview with Arjen and Christie about their creative studio, Elasticbrand.

Me: Could you tell us about what you and Christie are doing at Elasticbrand?

Arjen & Christie: Elasticbrand is a flexible design studio. We do not limit ourselves to certain areas of design. We like to approach every creative challenge from a branding perspective. Whether we are designing a corporate identity, a book, exhibition, website, product or music video, we always start by brainstorming the underlying concept, researching and defining what the “brand values” are going to be for that particular end product. Wethen create concept boards for several design directions that could translate those values effectively, visually.

We usually start by sitting down with the client, and asking them a number of questions to figure out what makes them tick. We always intend to get to the heart of the idea, to the passion that sparked the client’s project or started their business. Out of those interview results, we create the parameters within which we work to develop the end product, a brand guide if you will. We often create graphic elements, photography, and custom typefaces for these style guides as well.

My background in graphic design has taken me across all areas of the profession: interactive, broadcast, print, advertising, both for commercial and non-profit organizations. Christie’s background is in art, product and identity design with a Master’s from both Cranbrook and the Design Academy Eindhoven in The Netherlands. We perfectly supplement each other’s skills and strong suits conceptually, and when we need to work in multiple dimensions.

In addition to this design process, we are venturing out into the realms of authorship, creating our own book projects, directing music videos, commercials and short films (to come). We are currently curating and designing a product design exhibition that will open in January 2011 in Atlanta. And we will also start to design and produce our own line of products that we will in turn brand and market ourselves.

Last but not least, an important element of our plan is to create a truly mobile studio that will be based in both New York and Amsterdam but sets out to create alliances and collaborations world-wide. We partner with curators, musicians, filmmakers, authors, creative business owners and non-profits to name a few. We can travel to clients, design residencies, universities or other institutions that want to host Elasticbrand for a period of time.

Me: You met each other at Cranbrook School of Design. Could you tell us about the design program they have there and the community site that you’ve created for the school?

A & C: Cranbrook Academy of Art is an MFA only program. The school has a very interesting and rich history and is set up in a utopian manner, on its own enclosed compound that includes an art museum, an art academy, a science museum, a library, a lake and more. It is a beautiful environment to focus on your work in. What we also enjoyed about being there was the incredible cross-pollination between disciplines. This is actually how Christie and I met; we started working together on collaboration between her ceramic objects and my typographic design.

The program is 100% studio based and you set your own curriculum. It is a place perfect for finding your own creative voice, and I wanted to continue the creative discourse that gave me so much energy at the time. So after I left, I started the CranbrookDesign.com website. This site incidentally is open to anyone and doesn’t exclusively promote or cater to alumni.

Me: What challenges do you face in running your own studio?

A & C: Well, that question could be answered a number of different ways, depending on what part of the trajectory you’re in. It’s finding clients who trust you and your vision to create the best possible results for them, but also help you build a body of work that reflects not only where you are, but also where you want to go. That is something you have to constantly keep in check.

It’s also figuring out, when to give up some profits to hire help. Many designers tend to think they either can or should be able to do every single aspect of a job. This approach can both cost you and the client time, money and quality.

But I have to say that it is immensely rewarding to build your own brand and to constantly keep investing in it. Be it through promoting the work you’ve done, networking, creating an online presence or giving up your weekends and nights to go the extra mile on that project you care so much about. Everything you put out makes a statement about you. That can be daunting but it’s also an incentive to keep doing better.

Me: What do you think about what’s going on in the creative field today?

A & C: Since “the creative field” encompasses so much (Music, Design, Art, Fashion, Film, any of its sub-specialties?) that is quite hard to answer. What I can say is that no matter where you look, what many seem to be grappling with is the strange combination of being simultaneously empowered by easily accessible technology—both in terms of being able to create just about anything on a laptop and promote it worldwide on the web—while simultaneously seeing budgets threatened by the overwhelming competition that this low entry barrier creates. So, it’s now really your brand and your ideas that are most often the deciding factors for a client.

Me: Where do you find your inspiration?

A & C: Art, music, the city, fashion, film, pop culture, talking with friends and colleagues, but a lot of initial sparks come out of ideas that come up when we’ve just been assigned a new project and we just brainstorm over drinks.

Me: What advice would you give someone who is thinking about starting their own studio?

A & C: Be in it for the long haul. This was something I had to learn by letting go of it to soon the first time I went out on my own. A nice job was offered to me after less than one year after being on my own and I gave it up. It is not easy. It will require total dedication. Working for yourself is actually not at all easier than having a regular job. In fact you’ll probably have to do a lot of work for little or no money to get the business off the ground. And you really have to care deeply about the work you do, in order to succeed. But if you can muster it, that tenacity will pay off in many ways.

Photo by Joseph DeLeo

Posted in collaborate, interviews | No Comments »

Lisa Cummings: making a healthy change

Monday, October 26th, 2009
 

Today’s interview is with Lisa Cummings, yet another amazing person I met while I was at Digitas. She was an extremely talented and hard working creative person there and as we got to know each other we realized that we had very similar experiences and outlooks on life. Since she was so good at her job (and highly respected), I was intrigued and impressed when she started exploring new directions in her career. Here’s my interview with Lisa:

Me: What change have you recently made in your career?

Lisa: I recently became a Certified Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor. I got my certification at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York. I love being surrounded by like-minded individuals who want to make a difference by helping people get healthy and happy. It’s quite a switch from what I was doing before as an Art Director, designing campaigns for clients like American Express, Sony, Nestle, and Sutter Home. I have always lived a very healthy lifestyle since my mid 20’s so my new career feels like more of a natural fit. Looking back, it never occurred to me that my career could be involved with health, well-being and nutrition. It’s funny that I was spending most of my time coming up with ideas for products I didn’t have a lot of personal connection with (like processed milk chocolate and credit cards!) Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed my years in advertising, that’s how I met my husband! I feel very lucky to have had such great jobs. I met incredibly fun, talented people. For me I always knew, deep down I had a different calling. I just never had the time (or courage) to focus on what I really felt passionate about. Maybe I needed to grow up. Maybe I needed to get clear. Either way, I kept showing up year after year. Then I asked myself, “I am as happy as I can be?” That’s what got me to change my story about 3 years ago.

Me: How did it all unfold?

Lisa: It hit me when I moved to New York City from Northern California in 2004. I had been working at Digitas in San Francisco and was ready to reconnect with my East Coast roots (I’m originally from Boston) so Digitas transferred me to their New York office. I was working on a photo shoot for American Express in Uruguay in 2006 with my favorite Creative Director, a talented team, an inspiring photographer, and a full schedule. This is what people long for, right? What’s wrong with this picture? Absolutely nothing. It just wasn’t the picture that I wanted for myself anymore. So the next scary question was-what did I want?

Me: How did you have the courage to do it?

Lisa: Fear gave me the courage to change. I used it as a motivator. I thought “What will my life look like in 5 years if I stay at my job? “ and then I thought “What will my life look like in 5 years if I make the change to do something I am more passionately connected to?” It was clear that I had to take action even though I was scared. Feel the fear and do it anyway. That’s when I gave my notice at Digitas and started freelancing. I also started my own gift basket business. It was when I was freelancing at Hearst Corporation and Weight Watchers Publishing Group and doing the baskets that I found the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I kept looking for the loophole or the catch. There must be something wrong with the school. It sounded too good to be true. It sounded like exactly what I wanted! I was so scared my husband would think I was nuts to make such a sweeping change in my career focus. I had “the talk” with him and he couldn’t have been more supportive of my decision. I enrolled the next day. The lesson I learned is that when you’re on your journey of soul-searching for that next career move, it doesn’t matter what you choose (in my case Health and Nutrition Counseling), just take action and be happy with your decision.

Me: How do you feel now about what you’re doing?

Lisa: I feel like I am living one life, not two. I do one thing now and do it well. I am building my health practice teaching individuals how to manage stress, eat well, lose weight naturally, and achieve more balance in their life. I am partnering with other organizations to set up my nutrition programs, along with counseling individuals one-on-one. I will say that I would not change anything about my journey and how I got here.

My advertising career taught me how to show up, think big, be professional and most importantly be myself. All of this matters in what I’m doing now. I offer a service to my clients and I want them to feel like they are getting the absolute best from me. Seeing them lose 25lbs., or have their cholesterol drop, or quit smoking or to be enthusiastic about cooking at home by learning how to eat healthy, wholesome foods, brings me joy.

Me: What has been your biggest obstacle?

Lisa: Focusing on too many things at once, in case one didn’t work out. What’s the saying? “ Jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none”? That was me.

I remember being out to dinner one night when I was just starting my business. I was with my husband and another couple. Our friend said to my husband, “So what’s it like being married to a Nutritionist?” When I heard him say that I looked at my husband thinking, “When were you married to a Nutritionist?” and I realized that he was referring to me and it felt so official. My job title was no longer an Art Director, but officially Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor. That’s it. I was not both anymore. I have been off and running since.

Me: How can people work with you if they’re interested?

Lisa: They can go to my website at lisacummingshealth.com I offer free health consultations so that people can find out more about working with me and what’s possible for their health and wellness.

Posted in change, interviews | No Comments »

chatting with the fancy fast food guy Erik Trinidad

Monday, October 19th, 2009
 


I met Erik when I was at Digitas and was amazed to discover that aside from being a talented web designer, he was a travel writer as well. He is also the master mind behind a blog called Fancy Fast Food where he turns fast food dishes in to gourmet experiences. Erik is a great example of how a person’s “day job” doesn’t have to define you. I find all that he does very inspiring and am happy to post my interview with him to share some of what he’s working on:

Me: To begin, since you do so many things, I’m curious about how you answer the question “What do you do?”

Erik: The short answer is “I’m an interactive designer,” because that’s how I pay the bills. But is anyone really defined by their day job these days? No, which is why hobbies make a person, not what they “do” for a living (exceptions aside). On the side, I run my own company Trinimation, which involves (not surprisingly) other interactive design and development projects, but ones that are more interesting than at the day job. On top of that, I run an online t-shirt store at CoverMyTorso.com, and have started up a New York-centric social media site at DoesNYLoveUBack.com — which is still in its infancy. When time permits (and when I’m overseas), I also run a travel blog at TheGlobalTrip.com. Recently, the whole FancyFastFood.com thing took off in the media spotlight, and lately the short answer to “what I do,” is “I’m the Fancy Fast Food guy,” even though behind the scenes, there is so much more going on.

Me: Wow. That’s a lot of side projects and each one is so unique. Could you start by telling us how your travel blog got started?

Erik: I’m usually not a quick adapter of new internet trends; blogs exploded six years ago, and I really didn’t care for them — this was when too many people were blogging the mundane (much like the state of twitter these days). In 2003, I said, “I’ll do a blog when I actually have something interesting to say.” Then, I got laid off from my job, and prepared for a 16-month sabbatical around the world — an experience finally worthy enough to blog about in my eyes. Originally my travel blog was only to be a casual thing for family and friends, but then it got forwarded over and over and within months I had a following of strangers — some even invited me to stay in their home or met me on the road — and by the time I got back stateside I had a developed a little community of readers. Eventually that blog got some press and accolades in national publications. Banking on that, and using my stories on the road for material, I eventually started pitching articles as a freelance travel writer, landing some notable publications, and being published in a travel humor anthology.

Me: Fast forward to FancyFastFood. How did that get started?

Erik: FancyFastFood.com was an accident — or rather its “fame” was. I just did it when I was bored and as a goof on foodie culture, not knowing that months later I’d be on Nightline talking about it. As the story goes, I grew up going to Chinese buffets with my family, and my brother Mark and I would compete on making the fanciest dish from the available ingredients. (The original Japanese-imported “Iron Chef” had just started airing on TV, and we were inspired by that.) Food styling continued in my adult life, and I really got a kick out of presenting my regular meals — mostly because I think it’s funny. Posting those pictures on Facebook, some fast food-loving friends egged me on, “What you’re too good for fast food now?” So I decided to do it with fast food. I was amazed that the domain name “FancyFastFood.com” hadn’t been taken already — nor had the idea — so I snatched it right away to claim as my own. The first post (a Fancy Big Mac) was on-line last May, and after six weeks, the site went competely viral — on the day I got back on vacation too. Within a day (on July 1st), the site was an “overnight sensation” with almost a quarter of a million hits in that day alone. From that spawned media interview in print, then radio, then eventually television.

Me: I heard there’s a book coming out, could you tell us about that?

Erik: Nightline jumped the gun and said that I’ve “landed a book deal.” I watched the segment during a little viewing party at my house and my literary agent flinched and said “When did this happen?” There is no solid book deal yet, but plenty of interest. We are still pushing it and shopping it around the different houses.

Me: What else has come out of your site?

Erik: Other than a small ad revenue, the ability to make any fast food purchase or gourmet meal a tax write-off for “research.”

Me: I know a lot of people who have great ideas for blogs (food or otherwise), but don’t know how to get started, what would you recommend to them?

Erik: It’s easier than you think. A site like Tumblr.com (which powers FancyFastFood.com) couldn’t make blogging any easier. Also, if you want your blog to “go somewhere,” make sure you do the research and see if it’s not been done already — if it has, think up a new refreshing angle that hasn’t been done. The web is saturated with tons of blogs that are so similar, they all blur together.

Me: How do you juggle all of the different things that you do?

Erik: I only get by on 4-5 hours of sleep.

Me: What motivates you?

Erik: Good question; I’ve been wondering that myself. I’m the type of person who hates leaving things unfinished, so if anything motivates me, it’s the mere satisfaction of completion — a huge natural endorphin rush.

Me: Are there any common obstacles that you have to overcome when doing a project?

Erik: Other people. Years ago, when I was trying to get into filmmaking, the biggest obstacle is to be dependant on other people. Especially in filmmaking — you may be ready to go, but if a dozen other people aren’t on the same page — even if it’s just one person — then you can’t proceed. I was turned off by filmmaking because of this one main factor. Interactive design is more independent and you can go forward with not as many setbacks that are out of your control.

Me: What do you believe in strongly?

Erik: That everything happens for a reason; there are no coincidences. Every experience you have (good or bad) will lead you (and help you) in the next.

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erik proulx feeds the animals lemonade

Monday, October 12th, 2009
 


I discovered Erik Proulx when a friend directed me to his site. Since then I’ve enjoyed watching him thrive in unemployment, supporting others in doing the same, and going on to bigger and better things. This has all been via Twitter so that’s even cooler. Here’s my interview with Erik:

Me: For those not familiar with your site, could you tell us about Please Feed The Animals and how it got started?

Erik: Please Feed The Animals started when I lost my job as a writer at Arnold Worldwide, and was originally intended to both chronicle my quest for a new gig and offer little pearls of layoff wisdom along the way.

Today, it is a blog, job board, and virtual community for advertising talent looking for something better out of this business.

Me: You’re also doing a documentary. Could you tell us about that and when we will be able to see it?

Erik: The documentary is called Lemonade, and it’s about 16 people in advertising who are doing crazy, awesome things with their careers and their lives, all made possible by unemployment.

People need to feel optimistic about something, and quickly. Unemployment numbers are still going in the wrong direction, so we’re shooting for a release ASAP. As of today, the edit is nearly complete. All that’s really left to do is title sequences, color correction, and audio mix.

Me: What has surprised you the most in all this?

Erik: Two things.

1. That a layoff blog would bring out the best in those who lost their jobs.
2. That a layoff film would bring out the best in the industry that laid them off.

Me: What do you like most about what you’re doing now?

Erik: That I’m creating, and it’s up to me (and only me) to get that creative out into the world. I wanted to start a blog, so I did. I wanted to make a movie, so I did. I didn’t have to run anything by a creative director, then an Executive Creative Director, then account service, then planning, then, if I’m lucky, the client. Oh yeah, and the focus groups after all of that. If I want to do something, I just do it. It’s incredibly liberating.

Me: Could you tell us about any obstacles that you’ve had since you’ve been laid off and how you overcame them?

Erik: That’s easy. Money. It’s always money. But every time things start to get desperate, I get some little karmic freelance call.

That said, I’m also someone who believes in making your own luck, both good and bad. As Lisa Hickey said in the film, “Don’t be the person looking for a job. Be the person doing something interesting.” Once the blog and the movie started getting some buzz, the phone started ringing with occasional opportunities. I’d like to take at least a little bit of credit for keeping the repo man away so far.

Me: What do you know now that you wish you had known at the beginning of your transition?

Erik: Okay, this is probably going to turn off some of your readers, but it’s something I am just coming to appreciate more and more with every passing day. Trust the universe. Seriously. When you’re unemployed, it feels wrong to take a day off from job searching to do something creative. You may think you’re wasting time by painting a picture or volunteering for those less fortunate (and there’s ALWAYS someone less fortunate). But the universe rewards your use of talent. Read this story for a really great example of what I’m talking about.

Me: What advice would you give someone who has either just been laid off or is thinking of making a change in their career?

Erik: It boils down to this: Who do you trust with your livelihood more: An employer? Or you? Jobs in advertising rely on stable clients and new business wins. And there just aren’t a lot of those in the business right now. In fact, there haven’t been for quite some time. So use this uncertain time to experiment with the thing you always wanted to do. Dust off your “maybe one day I’ll try this” book, and give it a shot. You will always be faced with reasons why not. So why not now?

Posted in action, interviews, state of mind, twitter | No Comments »

guest blogger Lynette Chiu: on turning a corner

Monday, October 5th, 2009
 

This week, instead of an interview, I’m having a guest blogger – Lynette Chiu. Lynette is a beautiful writer so I thought it best to let her express herself on her own. I met Lynette a couple years ago and was immediately struck by her innate creativity, curiosity and intelligence. She was full of ideas and projects and it seemed like there were many directions she could take for a career. Since then, she worked as a copywriter at a small agency in DUMBO called Adrenaline Works and recently made a major change that she will share with us today.

Two months ago, shortly after turning 27, I moved to Hong Kong after living in New York City for nine years. I now live in a dorm room on a campus surrounded by mountains. Some days I feel like I’ve hit reset on my life, that my previous experiences exist in another, irreconcilable dimension. But most of the time, I think I wouldn’t rather be anywhere but here.

Three years into an accidental career as an advertising copywriter, I decided to apply for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship. For a long while I had been grappling with dichotomies that had rendered me unable to do anything but what I was already doing. I was torn about living on the East vs. West Coast, whether I should stay in America or go abroad, and trying to be emotionally close to my family in San Francisco while maintaining some distance and my independence. I didn’t know how to resolve the disconnect between the writing I did for work and the personal writing I wanted to do, not to mention the urge to work vs. the sporadic beckoning of academia. I had reached an impasse.

And while I decided to apply somewhat on a whim for the grant that brought me here, the process of putting into words why a year in Hong Kong teaching English was what I needed to move forward in my life made it even clearer to me that I had been delaying a change like this for years. I was content and comfortable but not being challenged, and I missed traveling and proving to myself that I can adapt to unfamiliar surroundings. I told Fulbright how I wanted to rediscover and relearn the language I love through teaching and sharing it with others, reactivate and expand on the Cantonese I spoke fluently as a kid, explore the history of my father’s family in Hong Kong, and have space and inspiration for my primary outlet of self-expression: my own writing.

But when I knew I had been accepted and was done being giddy about it, my confidence dissolved and my fears kicked into overdrive. Up until I left the States all I could focus on was the things I was scared of losing by leaving. As I cleaned out my apartment, literally threw out years of junk I’d schlepped through several zip codes, I realized that I was not so much a physical packrat as an emotional one. What I was scared of giving up was not old ticket stubs and cheap toys or my rented apartment; it was a connection to the life I’d built for myself in New York and to the many people who made my life magical there. I wondered if, by going off on my own, I was choosing to alienate myself from “the beaten path” and all those who were cruising along on it. If I left New York, a place with such a short memory and where I fought to not get lost in the bustle, I was sure the Lynette-shaped void I left would consolidate itself within minutes, seconds.

I almost lost sight of why I had wanted to go abroad in the first place. In the worst moments, I thought of backing out and I was inconsolably sad to be going on this journey alone. I forgot that my world would be widening, that those who choose to live abroad, to leap into something like this, are a self-selecting group, and that by doing what I’m doing I’m putting myself on the radar of the like-minded people I’ve been wanting to meet and learn from. In my short time here, I have already met people who inspire me, who want to talk about the difficult things, the endless diverging paths we face.

And while I’m still struggling to find my places, people, and daily rhythm in Hong Kong, I know that I have already gained so much through this experience. When I’m lonely, or so frustrated trying to figure something out that I just want to cry, or missing someone who’s far away, I still don’t want to be anywhere else. I’ve had to trust that I can be my own support system, and remember that I have set something in motion, am tumbling forward opening doors for myself. Because even in the anchorless moments, I have to admit I feel absolutely alive.

I miss people in the States and parts of my routine in New York, but I carry all those people and experiences with me into everything I do here, and I wouldn’t have wanted to come here with anyone but myself. Facing my fear of the unknown and of losing the life I’d built was so humbling, but I was ultimately able to remember who I am.

I don’t know what I will do once my grant is over, if I will find a job in Hong Kong or return to the States right away, but this uncertainty doesn’t eat at me like the need for a change did. To those considering making a change, I would apply for more than one ticket out of the status quo, or have an alternate plan lined up. If you’re anything like me, you won’t enjoy recognizing your need for change and then having to wait a long time to start going forward with it.

I feel I’ve given myself a gift by initiating this experience, and I know I’m still at the beginning of what I think will be a long, fascinating adventure. To show myself I can change my life on my own has made me feel I could do it again; in fact, I think I can do most anything.

Lynette Chiu likes talking about food, language, and the bizarreness that is life. She can be contacted at dis0riented [at] gmail [dot] com. Illustration by Catherine Norrie.

Posted in change, guest blogger, interviews | 2 Comments »

clare alexander following her bliss

Monday, September 21st, 2009
 


I met Clare via Linked In (one of the benefits of these social networking sites). We spoke about her resume because she was focusing more on her “day job.” But soon after we talked, I received an excited (and inspiring) email from Clare saying that she had been recently recognized for her singing in a new way. I thought that her story would inspire others who are still plugging away at their art while making ends meet in whatever way they can.

Me: Could you tell us about your background?

Clare: After dabbling in music growing up, I moved to Los Angeles at age 32 to finally make a real go of it as a singer/songwriter. In Los Angeles, I spent the first 6 years plugging away at my dream, learning to write, collaborate, play small venues and strengthen my vocal ability. After I ran out of money, I went back to a serious day job working for a couple record labels doing sync licensing, which eventually led to managing projects in music merchandising. Then I got married and gave it up entirely for 4 years. After divorcing 3 years ago, I turned back to the one thing that always got me through everything: music.

Me: What has been the biggest challenge in your career?

Clare: When I returned to pursuing music, I didn’t know where to start and secretly I felt too old. Besides that feeling, there was the challenge of needing to make ends meet, and balancing my creative talents with a “day job”. Even though that “day job” has been in the entertainment industry so that I stay close to my dream, deep down inside, it has not fulfilled me. I continue to struggle every day with finding a place I fit, making a decent salary and being self-expressed.

Me: How did things recently take a turn?

Clare: About 2 months ago an artist manager stopped by our floor to look at space for rent. Indifferently, I gave him a cd saying maybe his artist would like to do one of my songs. An hour later he called me. He had listened to my entire cd and said, “you’re voice is beautiful, and your songs are so heartfelt.” “Your phrasing and delivery are like the old school singer/songwriters (i.e. Carly Simon, Carole King). “You have to keep doing these yourself”. I started crying. I told him in the entire 11 years I had been in Los Angeles, not one person in the industry had ever said anything that nice to me. All of a sudden I believed in myself again. I never thought at age 43, I would be given another shot at this, attending meetings as a singer/songwriter and receiving real professional advice and guidance.

Me: What has been your biggest challenge in following your dream?

Clare: Money and not being able to play an instrument have been my biggest challenges. I recently met with a PR/marketing company that loves my music. They want to put together a website, EP (four song cd) and send it out to 300 college radio stations. This will give me exposure and in turn bring people to my website. They want a monthly fee to do the campaign. So, I have been trying to come up with a way to raise or borrow money to pay them to get started. Not playing an instrument has made me dependent on other musicians for performance and collaborating. No one wants to work for free.

Me: How have you kept believing in your music for such a long time?

Clare: In the past, I have made the mistake of allowing others’ negative beliefs and opinions to carry a lot of weight (i.e. “you’re too old”, “it’s a tough business”) But in the last year I have gotten different reactions from people when I play them my songs, they are dumbfounded. My roommate cried!! They are touched by my voice and lyrics. This keeps me believing.

Me: What do you believe in strongly?

Clare: I believe strongly in this quote from Joseph Campbell: “ . . .If you follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you start living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you . . .”

Basically, when you move towards your dreams, the universe provides all sorts of coincidences and relationships with people that will lead you further down your path.

Me: What advice would you give someone who is trying to make a living with their art, but can’t seem to get a break?

Clare: Stay open and try a lot of different avenues – don’t be attached to one way. Always keep your eyes open and pay attention. Don’t play possum. Tell people what you do and be proud of it. I have a saying I tell people all the time: “People only buy what you are selling”. If you come across with confidence, they will believe it also. Celebrate your baby steps.

Me: Where can people listen to your music?

Clare: You can hear a sample of my work on my MySpace page: myspace.com/clarealexander

For collaborating or vocal projects, email me directly at: alexsongcan (at) yahoo (dot) com

Posted in interviews, persistence | No Comments »

oonie chase: using her superpowers for good

Monday, September 14th, 2009
 


Oonie Chase, another Digitas alumn, is one of those women you strive to be – creative, uber smart with a wicked sense of humor and a killer shoe collection. I got to know Oonieat Digitas where she was a Creative Director leading the experience design and strategy for American Express and I was taken with her from the start. She is someone who loves her present job in a serious way, so I’ve asked her to tell us more about how she got here.

Me: What are you doing now?

Oonie: I am an SVP at GMMB, building & leading the digital engagement practice. GMMB is one of the top Democratic candidate and public-policy shops doing integrated campaigns & communications for the likes of (then candidate) Obama, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Nothing But Nets (an anti-malarial campaign), Save Darfur and others.

Me: How did you find this job?

Oonie: Actually, the job found me.

When I began looking around for “the next thing” (this after 8 years at Digitas), I was introduced to Matt Wells by Cindy Gallop, a mutual friend. At the time he was the global head of digital talent for The Talent Business. We had intense talks over breakfast about where the most interesting stuff in digital was happening, about what was important to me, about colleagues I’ve learned from, etc. And while I had been told that he was more an agent than headhunter – that he would only bring you the stuff that was truly a fantastic fit for you – I wasn’t prepared to not hear back from him. For anything. At all. But I figured, hey – “You play. You Win. You play. You lose. You play.” (to quote someone far more eloquent than I).

Fast-forward 18 months: I was six months into a new job (Executive Creative Director for Blast Radius on the west coast). Election night. In a hotel in Seattle writing a product launch plan for a client. Obama’s giving his acceptance speech on TV and Seattle is erupting – people have poured out onto the streets to celebrate. And I am sitting in a hotel room. Writing a deck. About instant coffee.

6AM the next morning the phone rings. It’s Matt, saying, “How would you like to work for the guys who helped Obama do that?”

This was not an easy choice though: I was living in Vancouver, working with a shit-hot team on sexy clients for one of the classic digital shops. I had no idea who GMMB was, the position was to be based in DC, it was a new position in an organization that did not have a deep digital practice or understanding. Most of the clients are not sexy. But ultimately what made the difference was wanting to use my superpowers for good. Politics, cause and public policy is all about creating, nurturing and channeling group action. And nothing is so perfectly suited for doing so than what we are seeing emerge in the digital spaces.

Me: How did you know it was time to make a change?

Oonie: I was restless. I was being challenged by my clients and the work but it was feeling repetitive & soul-less.

Me: Could you tell us about any obstacles that you had and how you overcame them?

Oonie: To be honest, I’ve always been good with change – I have the gene for “blessed unrest.” The biggest obstacle – if you can call it that – was finding something that was right.

Me: What do you know now that you wish you had known at the beginning of your transition?

Oonie: That everything would unfold as it should.

Me: What advice would you give someone who is thinking about making a change in their life?

Oonie: If you are even considering it, then you need to do it. Trust yourself enough to know that something needs changing. You might not know what yet, but you must give yourself permission to explore & figure it out. So: embrace it. Enjoy the process. Shut up and learn something.

One note: think carefully about what needs a-changin’. There is that classic, cautionary tale of the pregnant woman who gets her hair cut off and realizes, when she looks in the mirror at her new chopped do, that she was not tired of her hair. She was tired of being pregnant.

Sometimes it’s not a big shake-up. Sometimes it is a few little(ish) things. Stay open to the possibilities.

Posted in change, interviews | 3 Comments »

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