When I was a teenager I used to take the train from New Jersey into New York to skateboard with my friends.
We'd weave through pedestrians, grind marble ledges and outrun security guards. I didn't realize then just how much I was shaping my brain for how I approach my design and strategy career today.
A skateboarder sees the world completely different than the average person. They see infinite possibilities for an object as unipurpose as a bench. A skateboarder is least interested in the safest, most practical solution. They need a unique challenge. They need to make a mark.
I've refined this scrappy philosophy to be the secret weapon in my strategy playbook. Brands trust me to see the world differently, to explore unique approaches to their challenges, and to leave a mark that feels as fresh as it does timeless.
So I guess the emergency room trips weren't in vain.