Meet Ken Westrick

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ken Westrick. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Ken, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

When you’re the only one in the room with your lived experience, you kind of have to advocate for ideas others might not see. That doesn’t mean being the loudest—it just means being confident that your instincts are valuable and having the ability to articulate them clearly.

I used to be the quiet one in the room for sure; not one to raise my hand in class or to challenge an idea, but these days I try to remember that if I’m in the room, it’s for a reason. I don’t need to mold myself to fit the space. I’m here to help shape it into something more interesting. Especially if you’re more introverted, I think that just comes with repeatedly forcing yourself to try to contribute when there’s an opportunity.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m an art director working in advertising, which basically means I spend my days figuring out how to solve a brand’s problems with campaign ideas. Every brief is different, and I love that I can use a bunch of different mediums to get a message across—film, print, digital, an experiential event. To me that keeps things super open and exciting.

I actually started out as a photographer. That led to cinematography, which led to directing, which led to writing, and even a bit of acting. Honestly, I’ve dabbled my way into a career, and that’s been surprisingly useful. Each skill added something to the way I approach communicating with an audience.

I was born in Fukuoka, Japan, moved to Iowa City when I was eight, and I’ve been based in New York since 2016. Moving between such different places really taught me how to read a room and speak to all kinds of people, which definitely comes in handy.

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?

Curiosity kept me moving – trying new things, asking a lot of questions. This goes for developing any skill but also your relationships with people that you collaborate with. If you can be genuinely curious about how someone else thinks or sees the world, not only do you learn a lot – I think life just becomes more interesting.

If I were to focus on a more concrete skill, it would be storytelling. Practice telling stories in any which way. Is it a single image? Is it a ten page script? Is it a sculpture? Every piece of work, at its best, communicates something. It doesn’t matter what medium you choose. It’ll inform how you tell your next story in unexpected ways.

And a big one: Always seek feedback, but not all feedback is a gift. If your goal is to connect with an audience, there’s no way the work can happen in a vacuum. But at the same time, creativity is incredibly subjective, and you have to remain in charge of the vision. Defend your work but keep an open mind.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Oof… that’s tough. If I had to choose one from early in my career, I’d say ‘The Go-Giver’ by Bob Burg and John David Mann. The core idea is simple: the more you focus on giving—whether that’s value, time, energy, or ideas—the more it comes back around. Help others succeed and you’ll be uplifted with them.

A quote that’s stuck with me is “Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”

Am I just completing the task, or am I doing everything I can to help my team or my client win? You know? It’s a mindset shift that’s helped me build better relationships—and better work.

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Image Credits

all images are my own

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