Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brooklyn Allan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Brooklyn, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
I adore this question, because keeping creativity alive requires constant exercise. In my case, it does not feel “optional” to me. Creativity, in production and consumption, is so fundamental to my personal nourishment that I can feel it in my bones when I am depleted. On principle, I keep creativity alive by: choosing to step outside my comfort zone at least once a month, staying curious and challenging myself to have “something to show for it”. Recently, I’ve taken a floristry workshop where I came home with a bespoke arrangement, I collaborated in a songwriting session and had a demo at the end of the day, and I watched a foreign language film and then wrote a review about what I loved and texted it to a friend. The “action” at the end of the creativity is important to me to really absorb the experience, what I learned, how I felt about it, and how I grew.
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?
I am a Creative Storyteller and Strategist and have worked in the creative advertising industry for 10 years. Having had the pleasure of partnering with clients like Vogue, YouTube, McDonald’s, TikTok, F1 Grand Prix, Versace & beyond on award-winning projects both large and petite.
Based in Los Angeles, I provide consulting support across a range of International projects from experiential (event production), creative direction, and branding/strategy development for both artists, professionals and brands.
Growing up I studied theatre and dance before graduating with a double major in Marketing & Communications – so my work always strives for depth of storytelling, consumer/character development and a rich approach to world-building.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Curiosity. 2. Research.
3. Audacity.
I look back on my start into the communications industry, and am so proud of the teenager who had the audacity to put herself out there and dare to reach out to brands and professionals in the pursuit of an opportunity, advice or even just a response! Allow yourself to be curious about the world around you, and ask yourself what inspires you and why? Maybe it is a fashion runway show, or a magazine cover, or a song, a film, an artwork. Why does it move you? Then consider researching how the work was put together, is the work credited and could you research it online? Was it one artist, or a whole company? Was it a brand, and did the brand hire an agency to produce the work for them? Really drill down on how it came into existence. Then, consider whether you’d like to learn or work with the creator and craft a reason to connect with them – and have the audacity to reach out to them! Investigate their contact details on social, or LinkedIn or the like.
When I was 19 and starting to explore the fashion and events scene in Sydney, I was dazzled by an event I saw for “The Great Gatsby” film premiere, sponsored by Tiffany & Co. I researched the agency which produced the event, made an interactive presentation about myself and what I loved about their work and sent it to the owner of NAC Media Group. They actually responded, invited me in for a meeting AND gave me an internship, which in turn taught me so much about my career to come.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
This is such a wonderful question. I’d suggest the answer lies in your expertise and what your clients/consumers expect from you. For instance, I’d very much hope that my medical doctor is hyper focused on their specialty, however for my favorite actor I’d want to see them evolve their work throughout their career and try new things.
Based on my experience (and personal fulfillment) in the communications field, I actively practice challenging myself. Once I got to a point in my career where I looked across an executive boardroom and realized “wow, everyone is making it up, why am I nervous?” I let go of my imposter syndrome by reminding myself that I am ‘selling creativity’ and working with technologies and platforms that evolve at the speed of culture, so if I effortlessly know how to do the work, then I am probably not pushing the boundaries with exciting work. My ability to stretch my comfort zones and learn new things is critical to my success.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brooklyn-allan.com
- Instagram: brooklynsallan
Image Credits
Hagop Kailaidjian, Tony Tran.
