Being too hard on myself. When I moved to New York City in the winter of 2006, I didn’t have a job lined up. It was the first time that I was responsible for myself, no safety net, and not much savings on hand. My parents told me if I didn’t find a job in three months, I …

The Mystics Client: “Make it pop” AKA: “Something about this page does not feel exciting. How can we make this more dynamic?” What it means: It’s kinda boring. Are there other graphics we can explore or different design treatments to the typography or layout that can make the page look less contained? What about the colors, are they high contrast or …

Networking is an essential skill for building great relationships and takes effort and practice. Go to networking events alone. If you go with a friend or someone you know, you will end up talking to your friend the whole time. It’s also harder for people to approach you if you are ‘buddied’ up with other people. Say your …

A way to seek advice or a new opportunity is to send out cold emails. It can lead to unexpected outcomes that you may never expect. These are my experiences with cold emailing. Cold Emailing Sony When I first moved to New York City ten years ago, I was attracted to the entertainment industry. I thought it would be …

Why do we call initial designs the “Look and Feel?” How do we want clients to give us feedback on initial design concepts? How do we narrow down designs more effectively from the start? Clients should focus on the feeling, not the look. What’s a feeling? A feeling is when you are confident in making the best decision by …

Take inspiration from places outside your comfort zone is where you’ll find new beginnings. One of the ways to improve your style, taste, and design is by exploring different methods and approaches that are unknown to you. The design could be generalized into two major components: Creative Direction and Technical Execution. A person can be very versed and …