How does a blue-collar guy from Boston end up in the desert doing marketing?... Behind the answer to that question is a lot of the motivation for doing what I do.
​I'm a designer by trade but a writer at heart, so my creative work is always shaped through the lens of storytelling. And the simpler the better. People see and interpret the world around them through the stories they tell themselves - usually on a subconscious level - and the text, subtext and context of any creative product are all crucial to the impact on it's audience. So my approach to any project always begins from that perspective, and my work factors in all of those elements to any design solution or campaign.
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I also work under the mantra that I carried over from my previous career as a craftsman in New England, that "it's not done until it's done right." I apply this to every creative product that leaves my desk, and am proud of the history I've had with the clients I've partnered with, who've all been able to rest assured in knowing that they were in good hands. As a former small business owner and entrepreneur, I know all too well how the experience with marketing world can go, and a large part of my motivation in every project is to help my clients and partners avoid those pitfalls and mistakes.
I grew up on Cape Cod, was an English major in college and spent the first half of my adult life in Boston. I started off working for a few years at Harvard University Press, then found work in the field of Historic Preservation, which gave me the opportunity to fully develop an appreciation for fine craftsmanship while working on a variety of iconic buildings like the Old North Church and MIT.
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But I've always been creative by nature, and after failing to make any significant inroads to the field of writing I found my way into the world of design, and in an unlikely way one day while doing a tile job. The moment I laid my hands on a wet saw and realized the limitless array of shapes that could be made and the world of designs that could be made from them, I was hooked on the idea of pioneering my way into a career of custom-carved tile designs and installations. And so I did.
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I loved the work and am still proud of many of the projects I created along the way, and attribute those formative years to helping build the work ethic and insights with clients that I have today. But I was also young and had no experience with business or marketing myself, and had to learn many tough lessons the hard way. After enough bruising adventures with marketing "help" and doomed partnerships, I made a vow to myself to use my experience to help others avoid the pitfalls and traps I'd encountered along the way.
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In 2014 I moved to Tucson and enrolled at the Art Institute to extend my education, and where I became the president of the Ad Club and won a National Addy Award for advertising. But the real education was about to begin, and I've spent the years since then cutting my teeth in the marketing industry, and teaching myself everything I can about design. ​Now I'm finally in the position where I can I do the type of work that I dreamed of doing for years, and help clients like the kind of entrepreneur I was before realize their dreams and help turn them into a reality.
At heart though I'm still that custom craftsman from back east, with the kind of pride and blue-collar work ethic that ensures every job gets done right, and making sure my clients love the work I did for them. The only real difference now is that I've traded in my workbench for a laptop, and the clientele have different needs. But that's still the approach I bring to each project, and the one aspect of it that's not up for negotiation.
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If that sounds like a good fit for your next project then get in touch. I'd love to hear what you're working on. ​​
The Steeple at Boston's Old North Church was my favorite job site during the restoration days.
This rendition of Van Gogh's Starry night was among the first pieces created during the mosaic period.
This swordfish remains one of my favorite pieces due to the client's bold imagination and vision
Working on projects for start-ups and small businesses has allowed for the creative license to build on my skillset.