By Cade Martin
As a kid, I spent many a dinner at a table surrounded by friends of my parents, an eclectic cast of characters — sculptors, writers, painters, creatives. That thread of creative community has remained in our offices, our teams, and our collaborations. But that thread feels thinner in this moment.
So I asked, with the purpose of sharing, and of supporting and caring for this creative community in its current, uncertain reality. I asked what people are doing, how they are feeling, how they are sparking creativity. It feels important to share what we do, when we can’t do all our doing.
Reaching out first to some of the talented people I’ve had the good fortune to profile though the Capitol Communicator portrait series. It’s my version of a virtual dinner table of sorts. Grab a chair and listen in to my conversation with Deb Hagan, Chief Creative Officer at Yebo.
Deb, what, if anything, are you doing differently?
My days are pretty much the same, jammed full of meetings only now I take them from my screened porch! And I have to say, that’s kind of delightful. I’ve been doing activities with my various teams that allow everyone to stay connected. For example, I had everyone send me one thing no one knows about them and we played a guessing game on Zoom. I also do 3 Pics for Your Week and the whole agency shares via email three pictures that encapsulate what their week has been like. It’s been really fun.
Are you staying creatively active?
Yes. We (Yebo) are in a new business pitch and client workloads are still very high. The challenge is a bit different now as we have to cleverly cut through all the COVID-19 clutter that is filing social feeds. Additionally, without the ability to do live action shoots, we are having to be creative about how to concept and execute fresh ideas for client who still have sales goals and/or are launching new products. It’s been pretty exhilarating actually.
How are you sparking yourself creatively?
Pantry cooking. It’s been fun to get food delivered once a week with Shipt and then have to wing it out of what I’ve got. I like to push myself to create something new to stave off boredom. With the kids, we do Chopped Challenges. They get 45 minutes to complete the challenge with a basket of ingredients I’ve curated plus access to whatever else is in the house. The adults are the judges. The kids get pissed when we try to make everyone feel good and call a tie. It’s hilarious, creative, and super competitive!
Additionally, taking time in my day to get out and walk has been fantastic. It’s a great head clearer. When I’m in the office I rarely have time to leave and certainly would not have time for a mid-day walk. So, it’s been nice to be able to make that a new addition to my life.
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