We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Britton ‘Lou’ Friedman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Britton ‘Lou’ below.
Britton ‘Lou’, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Creativity is like a muscle, use it or lose it. And it’s also like an emotional cousin of love, intangible yet there. To keep it alive, you must feed it. I try to keep both mind and body moving. Stagnation is a killer. I take walks in the woods, get a bit of exercise, practice deep breathing, and set time aside just for thinking, drawing, being still. I also make space to watch others create. They could be artists, designers, gamers or anyone doing what they love. Socializing with other artists and designers, staying curious about our changing world, and being present and comfortable in my skin all help keep that creative spark alive. Creativity is not a luxury, it’s a priority.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a Creative Director, I help businesses tell their stories and reach their audiences through brand strategy, web design and concerted marketing efforts. My work spans industries from healthcare and finance to tourism and architecture. Each project is a puzzle, and I love solving complex problems through design thinking and collaboration.
As a digital and abstract artist, my work leans more inward. It’s about pushing perception, exploring emotion, and learning to let go. Painting and, lately, AI animation, are ways I process this interesting and sometimes overwhelming world and, hopefully, help others see something behind the looking glass.
Lately, I’ve been building a new brand and website for my creative agency, BL Friedman Creative. A carpenter’s house is never finished, right? On a personal note, I just built a PC from the ground up with my son, which was a challenging yet fun experiment. This is coming from a Mac guy, you know, so it’s a big deal!
You can find my agency work at blfriedman.com
You can find my art work at britton.art.
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 three that stand out to me are perseverance, humility, and curiosity.
Perseverance keeps you going when things get hard, as they often do. Continuing to go for it even when the odds seem unfavorable is where the greatest learning happens. But knowing when to quit is just as important.
Humility keeps you open to new ideas. In my work it’s essential to step into the minds of my client’s customers. To ask what troubles them and what makes them happy. And constantly remind myself that I don’t have all the answers. It never hurts to ask others and listen.
Curiosity is the engine behind all growth. Without it, I dare say, we wouldn’t be human.
If you’re just starting out, try to protect your curiosity. Don’t let fear or ego or crappy people shut it down. Keep asking why, and don’t be afraid to fail. Every misstep teaches you something you’ll need later.
Build your network, not your social media profile. Meet with people in real places in real time and make memories; those connections will last a lot longer than someone you’ve only known online.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I think it’s better to stay well-rounded. Aristotle said to aim for the mean, and I’ve always taken that to heart. I enjoy complementing my web design work for Reno/Tahoe businesses with video, animation, plugin development, and other related fields.
I’ve never liked working on the same thing–being a niche designer or staying in one vertical. I’ve had full-time jobs where I didn’t quite fit in, and that experience taught me to build something of my own and it’s turning out to be a creative agency for the future. We’re now connecting with businesses in finance, legal, healthcare, architecture, art & design, tourism, gaming, government, non-profit, film, and retail; helping them with everything from SEO and social media campaigns to creative storytelling, video and more.
To me, being well-rounded isn’t about doing everything. It’s about staying open, curious, and adaptable and letting your strengths evolve as you do. It’s also about finding people that can do things better than you and utilizing their strengths in collaboration with yours.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://blfriedman.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/britton__art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blfriedmancreative
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bl-friedman-creative/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BLFriedmanCreative
- Other: Google: https://www.google.com/search?q=BL+Friedman+Creative
BeHance: https://www.behance.net/blfriedman
Design Rush: https://www.designrush.com/agency/profile/bl-friedman-creative
Image Credits
BL Friedman
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
