“We cannot predict the future, but we can invent it.”
— Dennis Gabor
I grew up on the East Coast during the 80s and 90s, fed by a steady stream of Saturday morning cartoons, Sunday afternoon Kung Fu theatre, comic books, music, and fashion. Those inspirations have fueled me throughout my life. From the fantastical worlds of science fiction, I fell in love with the future. I consider myself a futurist, and I firmly believe that design holds the power to shape that future. As designers, we turn imagination into something real, something groundbreaking, something world-changing. That's powerful. And with great power must also come great responsibility.
If Saturday mornings took me into the future, Sunday afternoons thrust me into the past, to faraway lands where ancient masters taught their disciples that true mastery can only come from dedication and great effort over time. It’s from this lesson that I learned the importance of practice and iteration.
Growing up in New York City's fashion district, I was surrounded by fashion, music, dance, and street culture. It's in this mash-up of cultures and styles that I learned how important it is to look to the street if you want to discover the trends of tomorrow.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
— President John Quincy Adams
As a creative leader and designer with 25 years of experience crafting world-class products, I've had the privilege of working with incredibly talented people on some of the most groundbreaking products and brands. These relationships have taught me that the true power of any company lies in its people. Behind every great product is a passionate group of individuals who come together to create something amazing. I wholeheartedly believe that it is the responsibility of a leader to foster the growth of these individuals, help them evolve their skill sets, promote team camaraderie that encourages collaboration, and provide a healthy environment where the team can work hard when necessary and also have downtime to learn, grow, innovate, and imagine the future.
As a hands-on leader, I take pride in knowing when it's time to take charge and when it's time to empower others to drive ideas forward. Furthermore, I believe that it's during those in-between times, when pencils are down and there's an opportunity to come together and reflect, that some of the strongest relationships are built. Above all else, I believe that when a leader can unite a team behind a mission, foster mutual support, and leverage our collective abilities, any challenge can be overcome.
“Through practice, a conscious effort becomes unconscious, or automatic.”
— Josh Waitzkin
In "The Art of Learning," Josh Waitzkin discusses the concept of "form to leave form" in regard to martial arts and professional chess. He sees kata as a way to train the practitioner until they transcend the need for prescribed forms and tap into their own understanding and creativity, leading to improvisation and innovation. Drawing inspiration from this philosophy, I see a team's process as a pliable tool that enables the development of shared capabilities, removes roadblocks, increases efficiency, and empowers the team to do their best work.
It serves as scaffolding to create structure, rhythm, and improve workflow. A team's process is most effective when it reflects the individuals on the team—enhancing strengths, providing coverage for weaknesses, and accommodating inevitable changes along the way. It's not a set of steps etched in stone, but a flexible system that should be regularly reviewed and refined to ensure it aligns with the team's needs. When a team's process fits seamlessly with its members, it becomes invisible, natural, and allows innovation and creativity to thrive.