Discussion with Creative Director, Stu Smith

‍You Don't Have to Go to Design School to Become a Designer.‍

One common misconception is that if you go to college and want to become a designer (or go into any other creative profession) you have to get your degree in design. This is completely false. If there were a possibility to go back and redo college, I would have changed my path and gone for marketing or business (like Stu) instead.

Sometimes You Have to Know When to Walk Away.‍

Just like how Stu made the realization that he should close the doors on Sputnik, sometimes you have to know when its time to walk away and move on to the "next thing." We all have or will have those moments in careers and lives. I had that moment with my last job where I decided that I was going to leave and strike out on my own, but before I could make that move, it was made for me. Make that leap on your own terms, not someone else's.

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Small Opportunities Can Lead to Bigger Ones Down the Road.‍

You never know when a smaller opportunity may lead to a major one. Just like with Stu's work for the apartment complex, it started off with flyers and led to a $30,000 project. When you're starting out, take on those smaller projects and treat them like they're big dollar projects and clients.