Maintaining Creative Vision During Change

A few years ago, I realized I was still managing my time the same way I had at a 20-person startup. The team had grown. The stakes were higher. But I kept going... never asking how I worked, or if the way I worked still made sense. I see this a lot in creative production, especially in fast-scaling studios where change happens quickly but habits don’t. A team might double in size or bring on several new brands in the span of a year. Yet, leaders are still approving every image, still attending every meeting, still holding on to every decision. That’s when I started to see it differently: Your personal operating model—how you set priorities, spend time, and protect your energy—has to evolve with your role. Whenever I feel things slipping, I come back to a few simple questions: • What can only I do? • What restores my energy? • What deserves my full attention? • What have I quietly stopped doing? The answers aren’t always dramatic. Often, they’re small shifts in posture or focus. But they matter. Because when your habits stay frozen in a previous chapter, you don’t just slow yourself down. You become the bottleneck for everyone else. And eventually, they feel it too.

I've watched more companies fail during "successful" changes than during actual crises. It's not the layoffs, the restructuring, or even the uncertainty. The most dangerous thing is how easily we lose sight of what we set out to accomplish in the first place. During times of change, our biggest enemy isn't external chaos. It's our own distraction from the core vision that got us here. As a CEO, I've learned that when everything feels out of control, there's only one reliable anchor: going back to your original reason for starting the company. Reconnect with the passion you had at the beginning. Keep front of mind the goals you still haven't accomplished that were part of your initial plan. But staying focused isn't a solo mission. The leaders you surround yourself with will either help you stay on track or add to the noise. I look for people who aren't afraid to tell it like it is, and I maintain an open door policy so my team feels safe addressing concerns directly with me. The tangible result of this approach is simple: your company stays on the right path instead of being derailed by every new distraction that comes along.

I’ve seen the “unprecedented times” before (𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺). A couple of bad quarters. A major leadership shake-up. Budget slashes from the top. Or today—an unpredictable mix of economic pressure, political noise, and public fatigue. The ripple effect is real. Even the most energetic, collaborative teams start to feel cautious. Uncertain. Quiet. So how do you keep your marketing team grounded—and inspired—when everything outside your four walls feels unstable? Here’s what’s worked for me: 𝟭. 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 When the big picture feels overwhelming, focus on the progress you can see. Did a campaign outperform its benchmarks? Did a team member solve a tricky problem? Highlight it. Momentum is built one small win at a time. 𝟮. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 It’s easy to lose sight of the “why” when the “what” feels heavy. Clarity is power. Remind your team how their work impacts the business—and more importantly, the customers. Marketing has the power to make people’s lives better. Tap into that purpose. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 Pressure can stifle creativity, so carve out moments for your team to think outside the box. Encourage a “what if?” mindset. Host brainstorms without strict objectives or encourage them to experiment with new ideas—even if they don’t have an immediate business case. Creativity thrives in safe spaces. 𝟰. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆  People work best when they feel seen and supported. Take the time to check in with your team—not just on projects but on how they’re feeling. Show up for them as humans, not just employees. When they know you’re in their corner, they’ll bring their best to the table. Tough times will come for all of us sooner or later, and their an opportunity to learn what you’re really made of. The way you lead your team through times like these is what will stick in their memory. How have you kept your team inspired during challenging seasons? Let’s swap ideas. #leadership #marketing #cmo

Designing for the unknown or working with vague ideas can be tricky, but it’s also a great way to learn. A key part of this process is learning to be flexible with your ideas—like holding water. One day your idea might be flowing like liquid, the next it might freeze into something solid, and the next it might disappear into thin air. Learning to adapt to these changes is key to staying creative. The best way to handle uncertainty is to engage with your ideas as they are. Take the time to understand where they’re at, explore their possibilities, and see where they lead. This means being patient and open, like meeting an old friend and figuring out what works best for them. One simple but powerful way to work through unclear ideas is to write them down. Just putting your thoughts into words gives you space to reflect and slows you down, so you’re not rushing into digital tools right away. Writing helps clarify your thoughts and gives you a clearer direction. Once you’ve sorted out your ideas, you can then move on to tools like Figma or Claude to bring them to life. Starting with writing makes the rest of the process much smoother. So, take a step back from the screen, grab a pen and paper (or open a notes app), and just write. It might surprise you how much clarity it brings.

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧: 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬" One of the biggest challenges in fashion is the constant push-and-pull between designers, merchants, and product developers. Designing a new collection isn’t just about bringing creative ideas to life; it’s about navigating the unique priorities and perspectives that each team brings to the table. As designers, our job is to push the envelope, bringing in fresh trends and influences from the runway, street style, and high-end fashion. But merchants are analyzing past sales, weighing what to repeat, and deciding what might be time to retire. Then there’s product development—a team that keeps us grounded in reality! They’re often the ones letting us know when the factory can’t execute a particular detail or when costs are running too high and something needs to be revised or, sometimes, even cut. It’s a delicate dance between staying true to a creative vision and respecting the practicalities of production and budget. As a designer, creativity is only a part of the job. We're constantly selling ideas, staying flexible to make adjustments for cost, and watching the competition to bring something unique to the table. There have been plenty of times I’ve really believed in a new silhouette or trending color, only to get pushback from the merchants who feel it’s too risky or from product development flagging technical challenges. That’s where preparation and research come in. When I’m passionate about an idea, I make sure I’ve got the data to back it up—I’m not just pulling ideas from thin air. I’ve done the research, tracked emerging patterns, and spotted trends from the runway to high-end stores, validating why that idea deserves a place in our lineup. In the end, the best teams are the ones that trust each other and respect each role’s expertise. Merchants have the OTB (open-to-buy), but if they focus too much on what worked last season, we risk getting stuck in a rut. A collection needs fresh perspective to avoid “last-year-itis” and keep moving forward. 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒉-𝒂𝒏𝒅-𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍? 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔?

Our team is at a crossroads. How do we inspire innovation in an era of uncertainty? Leading teams through times of change and disruption is often likened to steering a ship through stormy seas. It's about maintaining focus on the horizon, what you want to achieve as a team, while instilling and reinforcing a culture of innovation, and ownership within our crew. Through my work on the podcast, I've had the opportunity to discuss with numerous leaders about their strategies for nurturing creativity and driving forward-thinking initiatives amidst turbulent times. Key takeaways have been: 1) Build psychological safety: Creating a safe space for your team members to take risks and focus on their work can drive creativity and innovation. 2) Minimize cognitive load: Strive for the right balance of transparency. While keeping the team informed is crucial, too much information can overwhelm them. Keep their focus on customer outcomes. 3) Foster collaboration: Promote open dialogue and welcome diverse perspectives. Your team holds invaluable customer insights. 4) Make necessary resources available: Equip your team with the right tools, training, and mentorship to succeed. Commitment to creating an ecosystem that encourages transformative thinking can be the difference in these uncertain times. What strategies are you employing to foster innovation? Share your insights As we navigate these changing tides, let's remain committed to fostering environments that ignite transformative thinking. Share your strategies for inspiring innovation during uncertain times. 🛠️🌊

Last week, I spoke with the founder of a marketing agency who was struggling to keep his team aligned with the firm’s long-term goals. He felt like every department was operating independently, focused on their own metrics, rather than the bigger picture. So, we started digging into his firm’s vision. When was the last time he shared it with his team? How often did he connect their day-to-day work to that mission? Turns out, it had been months since not only a team-wide discussion about the “why” behind their work, but MONTHS since a team-wide discussion at all. I shared with him a strategy for keeping the vision front and center: Hold quarterly "Vision Check-ins." During these, revisit the firm’s goals, highlight milestones achieved, and tell stories about how individual contributions made those wins possible. I spoke with another member a few hours later and riffing off of my last call I asked how they handle this. She told me she takes a more personal approach. She spends 15 minutes each week in one-on-one chats with her team, asking them: 1. How do you see your role connecting to our firm’s goals? 2. Is there anything you need to feel more connected to the team? She mentioned that these conversations often reveal hidden issues and generate ideas for her to use to keep her team motivated. A strong vision aligns the organization. When your team feels their work is a part of something bigger, they’re not just employees—they’re stakeholders in the future of the firm.