What do you do if you want to leave a lasting impact as a creative professional in your late career?

I am in the art world as an appraiser, teacher and mentor to those who need assistance. I share insights, education and plans for becoming an active participant in the field. The profession has been good to me; and I feel it is my turn to share what I have learned and where I have been with those beginning their careers.

I am a mentor, primarily of young designers who want to grow in their career or mid-level professional who want to start leading teams. I can say that from mentoring I learn just as much as they learn from me. I can only recommend to share your experience, your knowledge and your ability to judge quickly when it is about design matters. I never do mentoring sessions longer than 30 minutes and it has been a great experience!

Mentoring is ones of the most rewarding experiences. Not only are you supporting someone in their early career, helping them navigate the highs and lows of work, but in my experience, as a mentor, you get so much in return. Things like new perspectives, not to mention new connections.

Mentoring is not a one-way road. There is this general feeling that information and experience flow in one direction only (mentor-mentee) but this is a misconception. Both will benefit and learn from the experience. For the mentor, these connections are crucial to updating the relationship skills, adjusting the communication style to better connect with new audiences, and identifying gaps and opportunities to improve the way he/she is collaborating with new professionals.

We call it evergreen content. It's work that transcends the topical and speaks to a common human experience. Focus ruthlessly on this concept and you'll leave a legacy.

Strategically look at your projects to find your shining star. Which project can you go above and beyond to execute. Is this a project that can be used as a case study in the future? Empathetically design innovation to inspire a magnitude of audiences.

Zeitlos kreativ m?chte jeder gerne sein. Das hat was mit der geunds?tzlichen Einstellung zur T?tigkeit zu tun. Erfolgreiche kreative Teams beziehen verschiedene Unternehnensbereiche mit ein sowie erfahrene und etwas unerfahrene Kollegen und Mitarbeiter. Jeder Beteiligte hat st?rken. So potenzieren sich alle Beteiligten gegenseitig.

Think about your leadership legacy. How you treat yourself is what others will remember and possibly emulate. If you work endless hours, are a demanding perfectionist, prioritize your work over loved ones and never get enough deep sleep, wholesome food and exercise, and you lack emotional support and spiritual resources then that is your legacy. Being one who cares for themselves long term is an indicator that you are committed to your own growth and makes your legacy one that uplifts and inspires others to care for themselves. Ultimately this is a legacy we all profit from, both interpersonally and economically.

Raise your hand to be a contributing member of your community. Share your wisdom on a panel or volunteer your time on in a community/board. Get involved with student program and give back through mentorship.

It is important to be brave and share your missteps or disappointments, not just your successes, so people know we’re all stumble from time to time.

I've never been so grateful for my community. As I developed my career over the last 12 years, I organically kept in touch with contacts. I intently listened to conversations between my contacts and authentically had ideas to help propel their career. I'd connect the dots or think of anyone in my network that would benefit from meeting that person. It was something I did naturally. To this day, I connect people as I want to see my circle win. I do not connect with the intent to receive something in return. I can see how fellow colleagues connect or ask for a "back pass commission" from a connection and it has stunted their growth. Connecting, building and fostering a community is so important. I feel in my purpose when I am connecting

My community is everything. Building a community takes time and conscious intent. Your community needs to be nurtured, particularly during the good times, so it’s there for you in the challenging times.

RECEIPTS!! RECEIPTS!! RECEIPTS!! Do your best to document with photos and videos whenever possible. Even if this is just for internal use. Get an endorsement from a client... get a letter of referral... hire a media time to film BTS content.

When your name is mentioned, you want people to be able to complete this sentence: "Oh, they're the one who ________." That is how you know your personal brand has taken root.

Your personal brand should be a real and true reflection of you. Of course, we all have a professional side, but your professional side should be you at its core. Be authentic.

Do the work to understand your value proposition. Do the internal work to understand your worth AND what makes you feel authentically you. As you build your brand, there may be personas that you aspire to be one day but they will quickly fall to the wayside because they are not part of your current persona. Don't overly sell yourself. No one likes to speak to someone who only talks about them. Start modest. Work on a physical attribute of your personal brand. Something that makes you identifiable and rememberable

Creating a social responsibility initiative that embodies the ethos of creativity and culture, not only helps to uplift communities but also ensures that your legacy is intertwined with the promotion of positive values. Utilize the distilled wisdom from your career to spearhead projects that educate, inspire, and mobilize. Convert these experiences into engaging podcast episodes or a digital book, offering actionable insights and inspiring stories to a broader audience.

The only way to make a sustainable creative economy that celebrates the makers and does not just fuel owners is to raise each other up and stop competing so much. Yes, I know this is counterintuitive if you are trying to build your brand, but I personally would rather leave a legacy of helping others grow and expand in ways that support positive change than focus on my own name/gain. The legacy I want to leave is one where everyone can live a truly creative life.

"In der Krise zeigt sich der Charakter" (Zitat: Helmut Schmidt, ehemaliger deutscher Bundeskanzler ) ...."In der Krise zeigt sich der Charakter" (Zitat Helmut Schmidt, ehemaliger deutscher Bundeskanzler ).... .