I never set out to build brands. I just wanted to make cool stuff. Like a lot of designers, I spent my early years chasing the next creative challenge and doing more learning than leading. If it could be imagined, I wanted to figure out how to make it.

Somewhere along the way, I kept running into the same problem.

Most clients really didn’t know what they wanted. Why would they? Their passion is building their dream, not presenting it in a memorable way.

I’d create something they loved… until they saw the next idea. Then we’d change directions. Then we’d change them again. It wasn’t because they were difficult. We were trying to solve creative problems before answering the most important question:

Who is this brand?

That realization changed everything.

Today, discovery isn’t my favorite part of the process, although I do it pretty well. It simply gives me the freedom to enjoy the part I love most. Once a brand has a clear identity, you’ve created the right sandbox to play in. Every creative decision suddenly has purpose. The defining elements, photography, motion, messaging, color & typography… they stop competing with each other and start telling the same story.

If I’m going to spend my time creating something, I need to believe in it enough to obsess over the details long after most people would call it finished. That’s where my best work comes from. Not because someone asked me to, but because I genuinely enjoy chasing the next idea, the next refinement, the next little detail that brings everything together.

I’ve always been drawn to illustration because it invites imagination. It gives a brand character. Texture. Personality. It makes something feel crafted instead of assembled.

And once I can see it… I want to make it move.

That curiosity led me into motion graphics and animation. I taught myself because static visuals weren’t always enough. Sometimes a story needs movement. Sometimes a brand deserves to breathe. Whether it’s a hand-drawn illustration, a vintage-inspired identity, or an animated sequence for broadcast television, I’m still chasing the same feeling: creating work that people remember because it made them feel something.

I’ve been fortunate enough to bring that philosophy to everyone from small businesses finding their voice to brands like Phillips 66 and even primetime television. Different industries. Different audiences.

The process is always the same.

Figure out who the brand is first.

Then create something people won’t forget.