Feelings
Clients are hard
Design is an emotional rollercoaster: a project starts with the excitement of something new, followed by days in the pit of despair, leading to an hour of productivity, only to be told that the client hates the design. I've realized that the way off this rollercoaster is understanding its origin. For me it had to do with linking love to achievement, aspiring to be perfect. So every client disagreement left me feeling imperfect—undeserving of love.
Hiring is hard
I've long dreamt of building a design studio—sun-soaked, concrete-clad space, fueled by craft coffee and happy hours. Think West Wing with hipsters. Instead I ended up with a fully remote studio that meets IRL a few times a year…THANK GOD. This original dream was misguided, driven by a desire to forge a 'work family' that would fill a personal void. Confronting this truth revealed a hidden key to successful hiring.