Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Joshua Gadson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Joshua , thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I get my work ethic from my parents; they are the most diligent people that I know. Neither of them knows how to stop before a job is a complete. I naturally picked up on that growing up. It has served me well on my journey. The people who matter know what the work looks like, you can’t cheat it. I live by the motto “How you do one thing, is how you do everything.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the Co-Founder & Creative Director of Unsurfaced™, an award winning micro creative firm that is on the relentless pursuit of exceptional creativity. I have been in creative services for the past 14 years, starting with a clothing brand named Fresh Connection Brand. It was started in college along with my current business partner and a good friend. We were able to work on some really cool projects such as Team Wade’s NBA Championship T-Shirts, Microsoft WE Day, Gumball 3000 and more. I also worked in advertising for 7 years at two agencies where I was able to work on brands like Mountain Dew, Polaris, Primaloft, and AMEX to name a few. Those times in my life served as the foundation for today with Unsurfaced™. We are in our official second year of business and on the heels of a silver award at the 2024 Anthem Awards for our work last year with Eastside Golf. My focus this year is to continue to grow our client list and create opportunities for other creatives to grow.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The 3 things that have served me most to get where I am today; were my faith, curiosity, and my ability to execute. I would tell folks early in their careers to focus on the work. Networking is cool, self-promotion is cool, but nothing is a substitute for doing the work. The people who matter will see you even when you don’t think that they do.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did was teach me how to read. Reading is the foundation for how I have been able to get this far. The ability to read, comprehend and execute have helped me more than anything else.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.unsurfacedside.com
- Instagram: JoshBeFresh
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/joshuagadson/
Image Credits
Earl Cooper Olajuwon Ajanaku Devin Dismang Shaun Baluyot Shelly Duncan Evan Purty Christopher Unera
