CreativeMornings - Live by your own design

December 2, 2021

Photo of Six Cinquième founders Miro LaFlaga and Ash Phillips with video play button superimposed

“Are you designing a better human experience for yourself?”

Ash Phillips and Miro LaFlaga broke away from unfulfilling creative jobs to found Six Cinquième, a branding agency that offers an alternative of what a diverse agency could look like in Montreal’s creative industry. But following the hustle-and-grind model of other agencies to build their business — answering late night messages, saying yes to any client, and taking on functions outside of their scope — left them just as unmotivated and burnt out as their old careers.

In their 20-minute talk for CreativeMornings/Montréal, Phillips and LaFlaga share how they redesigned their lives to fulfill the needs of their “end users”: themselves. Now, they work from 9AM-3PM (yes, you read that right), turn down projects that fail to spark their passion, and prioritize rest and rejuvenation, to the boon of their creative breakthroughs. Watch Miro LaFlaga and Ash Phillips in conversation — and decide how you’ll live by your own design.

Image of Jeff Staples drawing a design on paper in a warehouse with racks of clothing

Learn how to create a brand with impact from the ground up in this four-week immersive Skillshare Chroma Course with creative visionary Jeff Staple. Explore design, brand collaboration, social media, and more, with live instruction and direct feedback on projects straight from Jeff. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of your brand’s identity, aesthetic, and personality, and a plan for what’s next. There are only 50 seats, so register before January 3rd to save your spot.

(From our global partner Skillshare)

Fun Stuff to Click On
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How to have a week.

Are you an Interviewer or a Volunteer? How to navigate two conversation styles.

Virtual office holiday party ideas for teams near and far.

Why everyone should be asking for a raise this performance review season.*

A photographer documents the spectacular wildlife that visit her birdfeeder.

“It’s easy to mistake excitement for ease” and 20 other principles for groundedness.

A shower curtain that turns your bathroom into an underwater oasis.

What it’s like to job hunt in the creative industry when you’re autistic.

Drive around cities while listening to their local radios.*

Writing and designing are more alike than you think.

An apartment full of paper plants.

An unexpected exam question.

*Thanks to Annie Rogerson and Elyzha C. for the link inspiration.

CreativeGuild Spotlights
A global directory of creative companies and individuals.

A nighttime photo of the Charlotte, North Carolina, skyline from the highway

Dionna Bright Photography is based in Charlotte, NC. Bright is passionate about photography and the many ways it allows her to connect with so many beautiful individuals. It’s her mission to capture love, light, and authenticity, authentically.

Witness Me is contemporary storytelling for an evolving world, amplified with an integrated, thoughtful approach. They provide PR, branding, strategy, and social media content creation for a vibrant and diverse roster of creative clients to grow their brands.

Cool Jobs in Our Universe
Hiring? Looking for work? Check out the CreativeGuild.

CreativeMornings (hey, that’s us!) is hiring a Partnerships Manager in New York.

Matchstic is looking for a Brand Identity Designer in Atlanta (remote-friendly).

Could you be Skillshare’s new remote Director of Product Marketing?

Asana is hiring a Head of Content Design based in either San Francisco or New York.

Friendly Design Co. is hiring a UX/UI Designer in Washington, D.C. (remote-friendly).

humhum is looking for a contract-based remote Virtual Experience Tech Support.

Artisan Creative is staffing a Graphic Designer role for a Los Angeles-based beauty company.

Animated illustration of a figure rowing an oar inside the cranium of a larger head

I thought I had journeyed far and wide to search for the pieces of this newsletter, but it turns out I was wading through my own consciousness the whole time.

👋 Waving,
Annie Yi, CreativeMornings HQ

GIF by @ccahogan