I live in Austin, Texas with my wife, Patty, our 4-year son, Henry, and our dog, Pickles. When I’m not at work, I can be found exploring Texas (especially state parks!) and the surrounding states, riding my bicycle around town, working on my project car, or practicing my photography.
After designing and building my first website back in 1998, I knew being a designer was for me. It hasn’t been a straightforward path, but every part has been a lesson. Working for agencies has taught me how to wear multiple hats, how to have thick skin, and how to manage a team that has competing priorities. Freelancing has taught me how to ask the right questions of clients, how to respect good project management, and how design isn’t the only part of the process, but it’s definitely the best part.
I’m an INFP, and my Gallup strengths are Intellection, Positivity, Restorative, Connectedness and Developer.
My favorite part of being a team member is being able to brainstorm with a team that has diverse perspectives, then come together with the best ideas to create something that we are truly proud of. My favorite part of being a leader is building teams that care about the work, who support each other’s growth, and that champion for each individual to get the praise and recognition they deserve.
A few of my favorite things: Jelly beans, hiking, dogs, campfires, quality time, hammock naps, 90’s Japanese cars, credit where credit is due, photography, gravel bikes, vintage advertising, orange creamsicles, outdoor patios, sunrises, a good set of headphones, etc.
My Core Values
Honesty is key.
Open and honest communication is essential to a healthy relationship and team. If you have a differing opinion or perspective, my team should be a safe place to share it! I don’t expect to agree on everything and I welcome team members to challenge me and others as long as it’s done with clarity and kindness.
Stay Humble, Stay Hungry
From the intern to the CEO, every interaction is a chance to learn from someone. As team members, we should approach every situation with confident opinions written in pencil. We don’t know everything and should be able to drop our egos, accept new information, and adapt our approach.
Lead with Kindness
One of our previous creative directors had a great saying: Assume positive intent. I try to go into every interaction with a team member assuming they mean well and have come to the conversation with a positive purpose. If someone is slightly rude or distracted, I do my best to have empathy for that person and understand that there’s an entire world of reasons they could be feeling that way.
Attitude of Gratitude
I like to take the time to remember where I’ve come from and where I am now. When the work gets tough, I try to think about how fortunate I am to work with such talented people. I try to foster an environment in which we have fun, we laugh a lot, and we care for each other. That’s something worth being grateful for.