Strat with Steph: Chapter Two

Do you ever take a moment to reflect on the last thing that REALLY made you smile? It’s not a rhetorical question… pause your scrolling and actually think about it. After I posted my last chapter of Strat with Steph, a friend reached out to let me know I inspired her to start her own blog. Me? A rookie LinkedIn writer prompting someone else to also start writing? I thought this series would be an interesting way to watch my definition of strategy evolve before my very eyes. I considered the fact that this series could potentially help me describe to friends and family what it is a I do for 40+ hours a week. I even went to the extent of thinking that it might shine a light on strategy as a career path for anyone who has the time to actually read the thoughts I scribble. But I can’t say I anticipated receiving a note like that.

So, to answer my own question—that message REALLY made me smile, along with a whole slew of recent adventures I won’t bore you with in this chapter (but it’s coming, don’t you worry). In fact, that message inspired this short, but sweet chapter about inspiration— the unconscious burst of creativity that gets you thinking, feeling, and maybe even acting.

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to a woman who I feel pretty grateful to share a name with. Steph Cajucom is a Group Creative Director, among many other things, based in New York. My first interaction with Steph was at the 2024 Young Lions Masterclass session. In her presentation, she quoted the legendary Rick Rubin: “There is no right way. There is only your way.” ?She explained that, if you can enter the creative process with a mindset that reinforces that there is no “right” approach, you give yourself permission to follow your gut and step outside the confines of the invisible box we tend to put ourselves in.

Beyond feeling inspired by her advice and her journey from receptionist to creative director, it was her enthusiasm that left a lasting impression. So, after a few LinkedIn messages back and forth, we hopped on a call. I asked her as many questions as one could possibly fit within 30 minutes, one of them being to describe the relationship between strategy and creativity. She explained that “a good creative is a good strategist.” ?She observed that a good strategy gets creative people excited and often serves as the grounds for inspiration. The way an artist might get inspired by nature, or a musician might get inspired by love, a good strategy has the power to spark creative work.

So, how do we spur that inspiration? I like to believe it comes in different forms; what inspires an author to write their next chapter is likely different from what inspires a financial advisor to dedicate their lives to helping their clients achieve financial freedom. In a work context, it could be an insightful conversation, a performance review, a piece of positive feedback from a client. Or maybe you’re part of the 72% of individuals who claim to experience creative revelations while taking a shower? Regardless, inspiration is everywhere.

It is the reason I asked at the top of this chapter what REALLY makes you smile—because I’d argue that more often than not, the things that put smiles on our faces may also serve as our daily dose of inspiration. I’ll use my Nonno Andy as an example (he feels like a main character in this series after all). He worked as a painter his entire life—from Scotiabank Arena (the ACC at that time) to the TTC, to the countless “new” high rises budding across Toronto, his paint brush stroked the entire city. Every morning, his alarm would go off before 6am; never once did he miss a day of work (he’s too humble to admit that, but Nonna spilled the beans). The question is, why? Why did he work SO hard? Why did he never call in sick? He may not know the English word for it, but I’ll take the chance and chalk it up to inspiration. The thought of putting his kids through university inspired him to work harder, the hope of giving his grandchildren the life he dreamed of having as a young boy inspired him to never call in sick. These were the things that made him grin ear to ear and served as his inspiration.

I wish the LinkedIn community could see the smile on his face today—the way his eyes well with tears any time a grandchild tells him about a good grade in school or a compliment received at work. It was this dream future state that got him out of bed before 6am every single morning and inspired him to keep going. ?

This brings me to my next and final point, which is that the message in this chapter goes far beyond a job title or career path. Whether you’re a painter, lawyer, student, avid gym goer, single mom, Grammy-nominated shower singer, or just a human trying to get by, I hope this chapter serves as a reminder to find the things in life that REALLY make you smile; let those moments, people, dreams, and places guide the great things you do. Let those things that make you smile inspire your personal and professional lives. And don’t forget that you may be that source of inspiration for someone else.