John Bernhard’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

We recently had the chance to connect with John Bernhard and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning John, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I have always believed that I followed a dream rather than a map. I let myself drift, trusting that movement itself would lead me somewhere meaningful. The most important moments in a life rarely unfold as planned, and I learned early not to resist that truth. Instead, I chose to embrace destiny as it revealed itself, sometimes quietly, sometimes with surprise. Looking back, I recognize how fortunate I have been. My career has allowed me not only to pursue my passions, but to fulfill what I needed at each stage, often before I even knew how to name it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I was born in the 1950s and have lived across two centuries and two millennia, an experience that shaped my understanding of the American Dream. Not the polished fantasy of comfort and routine, but the real one, earned through movement, risk, and persistence. My life has unfolded across cities like Geneva, London, Ottawa, and Houston, each leaving its quiet imprint. I began working with my hands, moving through trades and construction, learning by doing. Over time, my attention shifted toward design, image, and form, leading me to photography, visual art, and eventually writing. What followed was a life built around creation, not only of my own work, but of platforms that allow others to be seen and heard. Today, I work across art, publishing, cultural engagement and diplomacy, always guided by curiosity and reinvention. I have never believed in being just one thing. I believe in staying in motion, adapting, and pursuing meaning wherever it reveals itself.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My grandmother saw me clearly long before I did. From an early age, she recognized my potential and believed in it without condition. She was the only one in my family who did, and that belief stayed with me. She taught me that possibility has no ceiling, that with focus and resolve, anything can be reached. Even now, her faith remains with me. I carry it daily, a private compass reminding me that belief, once given freely, can shape an entire life.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Never. Doubt may pass through a life, but surrender never did through mine. I learned early that perseverance is not a choice but a temperament, and once you understand that, giving up simply ceases to be an option.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire too many to name, but I have always found the word “influence” more accurate than “admiration.” For most creators, what shapes us comes from those we quietly observe, and absorb. These influences become recollections, sometimes conscious, often not, settling into our way of seeing the world. It is less an act of homage than a natural process, one that belongs to any inquisitive and attentive mind.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
That is an interesting question. Yes, I would always give my best, regardless of praise. An artist stranded on an island would still create, even knowing the work might never be seen. When you can answer that question with a clear yes, you understand that the effort itself matters, and that giving your best is no longer dependent on an audience.

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Image Credits
All images ©John Bernhard

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