Creative Circle works with the most talented creatives in the business! One is our beloved freelance writer, Hugo Estrada. Here’s what Hugo Estrada had to say when we asked him about his freelance journey:

What advice would you give to other freelancers?
Take a page from Nike, and “just do it!” The first step can be the hardest, especially when starting a new project, but sometimes it’s just as easy as opening Illustrator, InDesign, or whatever creative tool you need to get the job done. I’ve learned that I can build momentum quickly as I work, and I end up feeling so much better for being productive and making progress on a project. And if you’re ever in a creative rut, take it easy and read a book, listen to your favorite podcast, or scroll through creative websites to reignite your creative spark. Finally, don’t feel shy to overcommunicate with your clients!

When did you realize you were good at your craft?
It was during the first few months of my first year in college. There was a quick call for a designer to create an event flyer from a student-run entertainment group. I quickly put together a flyer that fit the creative brief, and long story short, I booked the gig—my first freelance project! I only received $20 for my services, but I got to see my flyer across campus during Welcome Week. Shortly thereafter, I was hired as the creative designer of the student newspaper and helped my new college friends—and their friends—with their design needs.

When was a moment you knew you messed up, how did you cope?
My anticipation was already high when I was opening a box of printed invitations I designed for a formal event. The invitations were die cut and screen-printed, and I had only seen a digital proof from the printers. To my horror, I noticed something was off on the front cover of the card: one of the colors printed lighter than expected. I phoned the printers to figure out what went wrong and learned that the color shifted lighter due to the translucency of the red ink. To prevent this from happening in the future, I would need to select the color in a shade darker to avoid color shift. Lesson learned! The key takeaway: mistakes are a learning opportunity for you to get it right the next time….and maybe request a hard proof if you’re trying something new!

 

About the creative. 

Hugo Estrada is an artist and graphic designer, who develops design strategies in the areas of healthcare, higher education, and news media, with experience in branding, UX design, and email marketing. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Art History and Studio Art from New York University and has gone on to lead design projects at the San Francisco Art Institute, Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals, and the University of Pennsylvania. Hugo has a love for collaborating and a passion for creating memorable content.

Creative Circle works with the most talented creatives in the business! One is our beloved freelance illustrator, Alberto Santiago. Here’s what Alberto Santiago had to say when we asked him about his freelance journey:

What’s your name?

Alberto Santiago

Did you grow up in Brooklyn?

No, my mom was born here. But I was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It’s been five years since I moved here.

What’s your creative process? So when, if you’re working on something for yourself, or you’re working on something for a client, like take me through your thought process and like your creative process to get it done?

So, first, I do a very rough sketch. Usually, if you see it, you aren’t going to be able to understand what it is, but I get it. So I draw a bunch of shapes of what I wanted. And then after that, I just start doing the line work. And then I just color. Sometimes if I’m out of ideas, I go to Pinterest or stuff like that. Just to see stuff. But usually, inspiration comes out of nowhere, and I just start drawing. One thing leads to another and then I have the image.

So what do you do if you feel stuck creatively?

I feel like the best way to get out of artist’s block is to keep drawing. Because even if you’re stuck creatively, you know that you can do it because it’s your skill versus inspiration. Inspiration comes and goes, and that’s okay. You always have your skill, so just keep doing what you know/what you need to do. And eventually, skills will pick up again and so some sort of inspiration or motivation will come back again.

What are some things that inspire you?

A lot of stuff from back home. Especially after moving to New York, I like a lot of architecture and fashion. I like reading, so sometimes visualizing what I’m reading gives me ideas to draw, also.

When do you feel most inspired? Are you a morning person or a night person?

I always try to be a morning person. I like waking up and having a super productive morning, but it always ends up that – I get an idea late at night, so I can’t sleep. So, I end up working a lot at night. So, I like the idea of being a morning person, but I always end up being a night owl.

Conversation about Dreams

Sometimes I write down dreams I’ve had. I had my iPad right next to my bed and I wake up and I have this feeling that my dream is like an award-winning movie. Often, I feel like my dreams make more sense in my head. So I’ll write something, then go back to sleep. And when I read it the next day, I kind of don’t understand what it’s about. But in that moment, it made so much sense. My dreams are mostly like, more of a narrative. But sometimes I do get like visual dreams that I say, oh, this would be a nice drawing. And sometimes I end up drawing them.

Is there a person who inspires you?

Ah, yes, I would say the most – the person that most inspired me it’s Hayao Miyazaki. He’s a Japanese film director. He did Spirited Away, and Ponyo, I don’t know if you’ve seen them. They’re animated films. Howl’s Moving Castle, I really like his, it’s motive. His work is very beautiful. Well, he’s a very pessimistic person. But translates his, I guess his pessimism into beautiful stuff. Like, so I would say he’s my number one inspiration. Even though my style is not similar to his, I do get inspired by him.

Another inspiration is Edward Hopper. And I’m about to go to one of his shows here in New York. He’s a painter. He’s dead but they’re doing a show in New York. And I really like his style. It’s very American, or Americana. I’m always like, people by themselves. This kind of like a lonely vibe. Very beautiful work.

Do you feel like you create better when you’re happy or sad?

Definitely sad, I don’t know why, but it works. I think most of the time people are in a neutral state. But one of the ways I express myself, especially like my depressive side, for example, is through art. So, I would think that even though like I have a good sense of humor and stuff like that usually when it comes to art it’s more of a more serious side.

What do you listen to when you’re creating?

When I’m drawing, I like to have on relaxing music in the background. There’s a bunch of Japanese 80s instrumental music that I found out during the pandemic that I’ve never heard before, and I have like a playlist of them. I usually just put that on shuffle or relaxing video game music. I just put that in on Spotify and it has a bunch of playlists. But I also like singers and writers, mostly in Spanish. But when I’m drawing, I like instrumental music, jazz stuff like that. I like background music.

That’s very specific. 80s Japanese music. How did you find it?

YouTube just started playing the whole album for me. Do you know when you have the autoplay on? One thing just kept playing after the other and I was like, damn, never heard this before! It’s like super obscure Japanese stuff. They are mostly instrumental. Sometimes they sing. My favorite is the Summer Bridge one, I like the vibe, it’s very California. YouTube just get – put the whole album and then you know when you have the autoplay, one thing just kept playing after the other one was like damn, never heard this before. Like they’re like super obscure Japanese stuff. Then they mostly instrumental sometimes they sing but for the Summer Bridge one I’d like the vibe it has like a very California vibe

Okay, when did you realize you are good at illustrating?

Sometimes I think I’m good, sometimes I don’t. Every artist struggles. But I have always drawn ever since I was a kid. That was my main interest in high school. I didn’t go to art school, but I always liked reading comics and drawing. And everyone always liked my drawings. Then when I went to college, I kind of stopped drawing because I was studying. Around when I was 25, I picked it up again. I realized that I could work on these and people would buy them and maybe I could make money off it. So, I would say around when I was 27, I started realizing that I could make it a job.

Is there someone who has always believed in you, in your work, your abilites?

A lot of friends have always had my back, they have given me words of encouragement or the push I needed when I needed them. In terms of my family, they’re not super into art, so they have my back, but they understand it. I do have friends in the art world, so I go to them when I need an opinion or just words of encouragement.

So growing up when you expressed you wanted to be a painter, you don’t think you got any pushback from it?

When I said to my mom that I wanted to be a photographer she didn’t like the idea. She never stopped me and she’s very supportive in that way. But she’s also very practical so she just wanted something practical. But, as an artist or someone who is creative, you know that it won’t make you happy to do something only practical.

What advice would you give to other artists other freelancers about their careers?

To never stop working, even if you don’t have the inspiration, you can always just work. Inspiration will always come and go. Consistency will be what eventually brings you clients, ideas, and more inspiration. Although I say that, it’s something I’m always trying to improve on myself

Would you suggest your career to anyone else?

Well, I would say it’s hard. One of my friends is a doctor and sometimes I rant about my career and they ask, “why don’t you get a practical job?” and I answer that I know I’m not going to be happy. My art is what gives me meaning in life. So, if someone feels the same way, I would say to just do it because I know it’s fulfilling. If it’s someone who needs to make art, it’s the only thing that will give meaning. Even if it’s hard. So, I would say yeah, go for it!

What’s your biggest fear career-wise?

My biggest fear is that I might just stop making art because of fear. I also fear working on something I’m very proud of and it gets discarded. It’s already happened once and it wasn’t because they didn’t like the work, the project didn’t work because of other factors. But I did spend a bunch of time on something, and I couldn’t even use it. That was frustrating. It was for a big client, and I put in 82 hours into a big illustration. In the end, they weren’t able to get permits and the project got discarded. I got paid but it wasn’t just about the money, I wanted to be able to use the art. That was frustrating but I guess it’s just part of the job.

So how do you deal with that?

At first, they didn’t tell me why the project was discarded. So, I had this imposter syndrome thinking that they just didn’t like my work. But then they were like oh the project wasn’t continued because of other factors that don’t have to do with my art. So that made it a little bit better, but it was still frustrating that I just had to discard something I worked on.

What’s the most interesting place that you drawn or illustrated or done photography?

Well, I don’t know if it’s an interesting place, but I spend a lot of time in the Upper East Side because
I work around there, too. I always like sitting in Central Park and drawing. It’s very relaxing, especially during autumn. Drawing there is going to be harder because it’s colder, but I really like drawing in the park. I think you see a lot of people and it’s inspiring. And back home, I really like the countryside and the idea of it. So, sometimes I spend a few days in the countryside. I get inspired. But, eventually, I’m ready to come back. But I really like drawing about it. I think it’s a very peaceful place to live and, and I don’t know, it just inspires me. Right now, I’m working on a drawing of my dad’s house.

What do you think you’re gonna do with it [sketch of dad’s house]? When you’re done.

So far, it’s just a sketch. But it has some magical realism elements to it. It’s his house from a kind of isometric kind of view. And he lives in the countryside. And in the backyard, there’s a river. So, there’s going to be a giant camouflaged element going through the bushes and maybe like a giant fish in the river, or something like that. I don’t know if I’m gonna do something with it, it’s just something that came out while I was sketching at night.

 

About the creative. 

Alberto Santiago is an illustrator based in Brooklyn. He was born and raised in Puerto Rico and graduated from the University of Sagrado Corazón with a BFA in Photography. Alberto has always had an interest in art and visual arts, growing up he spent his free time reading comics, watching cartoons, and drawing what he saw. After graduating from college, he decided to pursue illustration as a career alongside photography. In his drawings, he likes to incorporate small details, from everyday things with magical realism to the contrast of living in the city in comparison to the island he grew up on.

Designer and filmmaker Saul Bass said, “The most stimulating source for a solution to a problem comes from the problem itself.” Similar to an acorn, which holds within it the complete set of blueprints needed to create an oak tree, an untapped idea is an equation, that, with the right amount of cultivation, can be transfigured into a successful finished product. For David Lynch, this process—the making—comes easy, and is vital. It’s what he’s been doing from the jump, and the result is a body of work that is simultaneously disturbing and beautiful, perplexing and liberating.

Before setting his sights on film, Lynch wanted to be a painter. He was serious about art from a young age and had a studio space in high school which he visited so regularly that his parents mistakenly believed he was out partying. He was living “the art life” as he calls it, and in the sixties, he went to college for painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. It was here that he first noticed “a little wind” in a painting he was working on, and the idea of filmmaking occurred to him. After creating a few shorts in the early seventies, he left Pennsylvania and moved to the west coast to study filmmaking at the AFI Conservatory. It was here that he made his debut feature Eraserhead, which would become a cult hit and put him on the map.

In the 2016 documentary David Lynch: The Art Life, we get a glimpse into Lynch’s process and a taste of what spurs him to create. As he declares, “Every time you do something, like a painting or whatever, you go with ideas, and sometimes the past can conjure those ideas and color them.” For someone whose films are known for their dark mystery, surrealism, and dream logic, Lynch’s work is the product of a very specific need to problem-solve—that is, the necessity to unearth the hidden mysteries of his own psyche.

In The Art Life as well as the part-biography, part-memoir Room to Dream, Lynch recalls stories from his past, and the pieces start to fit. It’s clear that Lynch’s memories are the primary foundation for his work, and his artistic pursuits are a form of exorcism. In a story, which will ring familiar to any Lynch fan, the director reveals a disturbing childhood memory in which he and his brother witnessed a bloody, naked woman walking through their nighttime suburban neighborhood. This haunting tableau stuck with Lynch for years, and eventually found its way to the screen in 1986’s Blue Velvet. Similar stories of traumatized women in peril can be found throughout Lynch’s oeuvre.

Similar to his skill for turning dark recollections into thrilling cinematic moments, Lynch sees setbacks and roadblocks on set as exciting detours to be explored. He has learned to roll with the punches and trust the process, which has resulted in some of the most exciting moments of his career. For instance, Eraserhead, created on a shoestring budget over a grueling four years, encountered a number of puzzles that had to be solved: The sets were built out of scavenged materials that were used and reused; blankets and burlap bags were used for soundproofing; and technical questions were solved by anonymous cold calls to various studios. 2001’s Mulholland Drive, originally intended as a series for television, was eventually seen as unfit for the small screen and was then recrafted and beefed up into the horrific movie masterpiece we know today.

Lynch is a meditator, and it is through this habitual emptying of the mind that he is able to “catch ideas,” a concept he explores in his book Catching the Big Fish, which is all about creativity and consciousness. In 2005, he launched the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which strives to raise awareness about the benefits of transcendental meditation and its effects on the brain. When one becomes familiar with this side of Lynch, it seems ironic: how can one who produces such provocative, disturbing work be so enlightened? This simultaneous quest for peace and the ability to burrow into the American underworld is a balancing act that Lynch has perfected, and one that brings to mind the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang, a concept revolving around the notion that all things are simultaneously inseparable and contradictory. This mode of thinking is essential to both the creation and understanding of Lynch’s work, which is gorgeous and horrifying, hilarious and tragic.

Like the tiny blue key used to open Pandora’s box in Mulholland Drive, the freeing of the mind and the trust in one’s subconscious is the final piece necessary to fully appreciate the director’s work, which should be seen not as a cryptic riddle to solve but a wondrous mystery to be experienced. This can be difficult for some. As Lynch notes, “I don’t think that people accept the fact that life doesn’t make sense. I think it makes people terribly uncomfortable. It seems like religion and myth were invented against that, trying to make sense out of it.” With his films, paintings, comics, and music, Lynch is asking us to abandon this tendency and take a ride through the thrilling in-between of not knowing. The answer is to realize there are no answers. It’s through this process of letting go, and the rejection of the human desire for resolution, that boosts Lynch’s work to near-spiritual realms. The result is a release from the white-knuckled pursuit of the definitive, and a plunge into the warm waters of possibility.

 

About the author.

Daniel Nolen is a writer, designer, and performer in New York City. He has written about design, music, film, and theater, and can be found regularly and happily taking in concerts, shows, and exhibitions around the city. He also co-hosts the weekly comedy/variety show Cast Offs, every Monday at 8 pm at Club Cumming in the East Village.

For the past two decades, the brass ring, especially for recent college graduates, was a solid job at a tech giant like Google. Since the early 2000s, thousands of Millennials have pursued their tech dreams, be they software development or web development or public relations and marketing, all replete with an espresso bar in the lobby, free gym membership, on-site drycleaning and organic lunches – and, of course, high pay and stock options. Think of it as a Millennial and Gen Z American dream, with Gen Zers leaping into the market with four-year degrees and certificates in crucial industry segments such as ecommerce, networking and cybersecurity.

All’s not well around the foosball table, however. If you’re working in tech, you’re looking at a challenging year, for sure. We’re seeing a lot of movement in tech center employment, particularly layoffs and hiring freezes. Many of the perks – and a lot of the jobs – are being peeled away. Maybe your best defense is a good offense? Maybe it’s time to really hunker down and put together a real side hustle (or even a few of them).

Most recently, Amazon announced it would reduce headcount by 18,000 people, but November 2022 was the cruelest month for tech layoffs in recent memory:

  • Meta axed 11,000 employees on November 9.
  • Salesforce laid off approximately 1,000 employees, which the company announced November 8.
  • Twitter laid off 3,700 employees on November 4, about half its workforce
  • Lyft reduced its workforce by 13 percent.
  • Stripe announced on November 3 it would reduce headcount by 14 percent.
  • Chime reported on November 3 the company is cutting its team by 12 percent.
  • OpenDoor laid off 10 percent of its workforce on November 2.
  • Zillow is closing its homebuying business (“Offers”) and laying off 25 percent of its staff.

Even Google might be considering layoffs – during an all-hands meeting in early December, CEO Sundar Pichai refused to comment on the possibility of layoffs, telling attendees, it’s “tough to predict the future.” According to Layoffs.fyi, the number of layoffs as of December 2022 was 152,468, more than double the 45,114 layoffs for the same 2021 period. Almost 1,000 companies (968) have laid off employees this year. You might be worried about getting laid off – or perhaps you’ve already been laid off? We want to help. Long a home for some of America’s best creatives, including freelancers, Creative Circle wants to help you pivot and, ultimately, thrive. But how? It starts with flexibility.

You should understand your skills are your own and you can apply them to gig work and freelancing opportunities, but you’ll have to make a shift and start thinking like an entrepreneur. How? If you’ve been laid off from a tech job, or you’re worried you might be, it’s probably time to start side hustling. In a turbulent job market – and an uncertain economy – you need to keep your options open and find new ways to earn income. But how to get started?

It’s always good to keep your resume fresh and sharp, of course. If you haven’t given yours a good solid review and edit, or if you don’t know where to start, download the Creative Circle Resume Guide. Once you’re satisfied, don’t forget to revise and polish your LinkedIn profile (and maybe add a new profile pic?). Now it’s time to promote your skills and build your network – add connections on LinkedIn, reach out to former coworkers, customers and employers and vendors, let your friends and extended family know you’re looking for more opportunities, including freelance and gigs.

We’re rolling through a difficult economic and employment landscape, and you’ve got to stay focused on the horizon as you look left, right, behind and ahead for whatever you find, including low-hanging fruit and short-term projects. Build momentum and bring in as much work as you can manage. And remember, you can produce portfolio-quality work with just a temporary gig. You’re on an entrepreneurial chessboard, and you have to keep moving (and make the right moves).

Our research has demonstrated Gen Z is intensely entrepreneurial: “Organizations seek Gen Zers for their unparalleled digital skills and fresh outlooks…Gen Zers tend to be: ‘more communicative, more competitive’ as well as ‘more independent’ and ‘more entrepreneurial.’” Whatever your cohort, though, with some attention to detail and some elbow grease you can find ways to earn more, whether you’ve been laid off or not. Taking an entrepreneurial approach to your work will also give you more control over your career and finances, and more flexibility. It might even be fun to be juggling multiple projects at once, especially when you’re your own boss.

And if you’re thinking of a career pivot, we like the advice provided in this Forbes Council article by Rebecca Bosl, a career coach and resume writer:

To develop your career pivot plan, take some time to think deeply about the following questions:

  • What is my ideal workplace or culture?
  • What skills do I have? Of these, which do I enjoy using and which do I not enjoy using?
  • What are my workplace values? Some examples would be hybrid/remote work, high pay, a flexible work schedule, change, variety and meaningful work.
  • What are my passions? Some might not be able to be part of your career (like surfing), but they still contribute to it in meaningful waves, particularly your overall mental health.

To determine your passions, answer these questions:

  • If you had unlimited resources in life and knew you would not fail, what would you do?
  • If you were given $500,000 to start a nonprofit, what type of nonprofit would you start and who would you help?
  • What charges you up? What do you want your life to look like?

Finally, the new year shouldn’t only bring you the blues. This is historically the worst period for hiring all year. Imagine this year as a fresh start. Keep swinging, and please reach out to your Creative Circle recruiter for freelance opportunities.

About the author.

David A. Porter is a writer and editor with extensive social media, public relations, journalism and publishing experience. Over the past two decades he has honed his B2B and B2C communications expertise in a variety of industries, including technology, travel and hospitality, investor relations, political campaigns, music and the arts, and fashion and jewelry. A content creation and distribution specialist, his portfolio includes ad copy, blog posts, brochures, by-lined articles, case studies, long-form content, op-eds, pitch letters, PPT presentations, press releases, proposals and RFPs and speeches; he also edits full-length works by novelists and academics.

Creative Circle works with the most talented creatives in the business! One is our beloved freelance writer, Karina Margit. Here’s what Karina had to say when we asked her about her freelance journey:

What advice would you give to other freelancers?

Luck favors the prepared—keep keeping at it. Sometimes it will feel like an immense outpouring of energy with little return. Keep keeping at it. Success is about consistency, courage, and effort when things feel hard, stuck, and stagnant. Keep keeping at it. Unspectacular preparation always precedes spectacular forward motion. Roman philosopher Seneca famously shared: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Doing the work and going after what you want will open doors—you just need to be ready to walk through them.

When did you realize you were good at writing?

I wrote an article about Bufo alvarius. Bufo is a powerful and potent psychedelic, which comes from the Colorado River (or Sonoran Desert) Toad. Using Bufo helps you put ego aside to enable connecting with a divine source—and today, science seems to be catching up with these mystical accounts. A growing number of researchers are studying Bufo and other hallucinogenic substances as legit treatments for many mental health conditions. The article went viral. Many people began reaching out to me—Vietnam veterans, survivors of mass gun violence, traumatized people—sharing how inspired they were by my piece and asking if I could help connect them with the practitioner. I felt such joy that my words could move people and give hope to so many.

When was a moment you knew you messed up, how did you cope?

Failure is a fabulous teacher. There’s a Silicon Valley maxim: Fail often. Fail fast. If you are not occasionally failing, you are not trying hard enough. Yes, it might be counterintuitive that striving for perfection may hinder the creative process—but that doesn’t make it any less true. Quality comes from quantity—if you want quality, try and try and try again until you get it right (or make it better). If it is worth doing, do it poorly and get better. Nobody became an expert by doing something once. Keep going. Keep failing. Keep learning. Keep keeping at it.

 

About the creative.

An award-winning creator and digital health, wellness, and lifestyle content strategist—Karina writes, produces, and edits compelling content across multiple platforms—including articles, videos, interactive tools, and documentary films. Her work has been featured on MSN Lifestyle, Apartment Therapy, Goop, Psycom, Yahoo News, Pregnancy & Newborn, Eat This Not That, thirdAGE, and Remedy Health Media digital properties and has spanned insight pieces on psychedelic toad medicine to forecasting the future of work to why sustainability needs to become more sustainable.

 

As our 20th Anniversary Year came to an end, we asked the Creative Circle team to share out the biggest lessons they’ve learned over the 20 years. From lessons in life, work, and family, hear about the team’s best advice from over 20 Years of us & cheers to another 20 more!

Ron Erdmann

  • Good news is easy but knowing how to approach a more problematic issue and get the results you need without complicating or damaging the relationship is a true communication skill. I learned it here and it has served me well both on the job and off.”

Melissa Sanchez

  • Log off at a normal hour. Respect your co-workers’ work hours/ time zones.
  • Say thank you. Recognizing people when they do even a small thing, it goes a long way.

Lyla Weiss

  • I’ve learned that working collaboratively whether it’s dealing with a difficult situation, finding the right candidate for a role, etc. typically makes for the most successful outcomes.
  •  I’ve learned how to make one very good-looking cheese plate. Pic attached for evidence, although this is a veggie platter still counts.
  • I’ve learned that your opinions and ideas matter and speaking up is one of the best ways to be true to yourself.
  • I’ve learned that you can’t make everyone happy but as long as you are living with integrity that’s all that counts.

Katie Welker

  • Sometimes slowing down is the best way to speed up (in work and in life).
  • Take your lunch break.

Chloe Dionisio

  • ‘How we spend our days, is how we spend our lives.’ Invest time into roles and places that make you feel supported and connected.

Liz Perry

  • From posing for a holiday picture with Santa and the Seattle team to dinner at Eataly in Chicago during leadership training to late-night dance parties at COE in Mexico to karaoke at a dive bar in LA, one of the biggest lessons Creative Circle has taught me is that it’s easy to do my best work, be myself, and show up authentically when the people I surround myself are doing that too. Creative Circlers are each other’s biggest cheerleaders, and that isn’t by chance, it’s by design. I’m lucky to have made so many great memories through Creative Circle with coworkers who have become my friends for life.

Tonya Ames

  • Because of Covid, I’ve really had to teach myself the art of work-life balance. Without a commute, I feel like I cannot step away from my computer as easily as when I was in the office. It’s easy to make one more phone call, have one more meeting or send out one more email due to the accessibility of my office at home. Setting digital boundaries has been critical for me (although I don’t always adhere to them). It’s a start for me and it’s a muscle I can continue to strengthen.

Shannon Robinson

  • What I’ve learned is that it’s not a sprint it’s a marathon and that the rankings aren’t a reflection of my efforts or successes. This mindset is what helps balance work and life – give 100% attention and effort to each – how you ask? Time blocking!! It’s a skill I’ve mastered after 15+ years in the seat and one I’ve applied to my everyday life!

Jenna Miller

  • Always being open to new tactics and recommendations + open to trying something new. If it works, excellent! If it doesn’t, toss it – or better yet, try it again in the future!
  • Asking questions is so important, as is being humble, and knowing that is it OKAY to not know everything. Always keep evolving and growing!
  • Build connections. Whether it’s with a professional colleague, friend, or family member, each relationship you build with another person adds another beam of support to what you’re building for yourself.
  • Look on the bright side. Every day isn’t going to be the best day and some days can be downright challenging. However, if you can remember to look on the bright side, the difficult days can be just another way to grow.
  • Power in failure. Not everything you do will be successful. But don’t stress about these failures. Every failure gives you the chance to grow both personally and professionally. There is no better way to know what works than knowing what doesn’t.

Michelle Murcia

  • Being a mom has made me a better employee/ leader/communicator than any coursework I’ve ever completed!

Emily Detroy

  • Fail fast and fail forward.

Creative Circle works with the most talented creatives in the business! One is our beloved freelance writer, David Porter. Here’s what David Porter had to say when we asked him about his freelance journey:

What advice would you give to other freelancers?
You have to stay as organized as possible: use your Google calendar, keep a “paper” calendar handy so you can glance at your week if your computer is off, etc. With freelancing, you often have multiple projects going at once, sometimes from the same number of clients, and you have to make sure you get everything done and meet every deadline. Also, say no to nothing and tell EVERYONE you’re freelancing. You never know if/when you’re going to bump into someone who might hire you. You have to promote yourself, network…don’t forget, if you’re freelancing your income tends to ebb and flow. You need to constantly expand your network and seek new business. And keep your portfolio up to date.

When did you realize you were good at writing?
I was working at a large tech company, offices here and in SF, just copywriting mostly, but then I was asked to come up with some ideas, and I put together a proposal for a women-in-tech content campaign. It wasn’t used, unfortunately, but it was a great project (there was a management shift at the company and my entire department ultimately disappeared). I realized at that point that I could come up with interesting content ideas AND execute them.

When was a moment you knew you messed up, how did you cope?
Too many to recount! I have one client for whom I send out press releases via Constant Contact, and I loathe Constant Contact. The big problem I usually have is I forget to change the email subject line; when I make this mistake, I send out a correction right away. It is the most elegant solution? No, but getting it right is what’s important, of course. Finally, I used to write brochures for a cruise line, and I must have been tired because I was describing a famous spot in Athens, Greece, probably the Acropolis, and I described it as “infamous,” which it isn’t! By the time I realized my painful mistake, the brochure was already printed. Thankfully no one noticed, at least no one by whom I was employed, and I decided it was best to say nothing and just shuffle off to Buffalo. Sometimes this is the best you can do (and you are forgiven).

 

About the creative. 

David A. Porter is a writer and editor with extensive social media, public relations, journalism and publishing experience. Over the past two decades he has honed his B2B and B2C communications expertise in a variety of industries, including technology, travel and hospitality, investor relations, political campaigns, music and the arts, and fashion and jewelry. A content creation and distribution specialist, his portfolio includes ad copy, blog posts, brochures, by-lined articles, case studies, long-form content, op-eds, pitch letters, PPT presentations, press releases, proposals and RFPs and speeches; he also edits full-length works by novelists and academics.