We were lucky to catch up with Meg Ryan Flanigan recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Meg Ryan with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
From a young age, I remember everyone in my family being a hard worker. My Grandma was a nurse, my Dad worked long hours, my Mom went back to work as soon as she could after having kids. It was just something that you did. We all had chores to do, and we would get an allowance for doing them. And at some points we had some under-the-table jobs at places our parents worked, because it was fun and we got some money to spend. Everyone worked, it was just a fact.
So a lot of my work ethic came from my family. The other part came from working in restaurants, which is basically a commission job (like most art or design jobs I’ve taken). You make the amount of money equal to the amount of time and energy you put into it. And I wont say its the best way to work, or even to live. Commission based work, or freelancing, is hard and takes up a ton of time. I think a lot can change to make it a healthier, more rewarding path.
But knowing you made everything possible, and seeing your work out there is its own reward too.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I do a lot of different things, haha. My primary job is in Product Design, which is basically creative problem solving within a set of requirements. It’s a lot more ‘left brain’ to me. It involves research, brainstorming, prototyping, testing, and then designing something using that uses all the data you’ve collected so people can use a product and enjoy it.
My ‘side hustles’ are all my creative outlets, like painting, illustration, designing stickers, ect. This is part of my work is more fun and emotional, less data-driven. In all my pieces I like to have some semblance of humor or light-heartedness. I’m pretty unprepared to explain my ‘brand,’ which is poor practice for an artist, but right now I’d say my work leans towards whimsical and satirical. My stuff looks fun and bright, but I was probably thinking something bitter and sarcastic while making it.
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?
Oh man, the first skill I’d endorse is going to sound so cheesy, but it really does help with everything:
Networking. Seriously, get really good at starting conversations with everyone, about anything, and then somehow mention what you do. You never know when someone will reach out in the future for some work, or even if you apply to a job somewhere, you can drop a name.
The next skill kind of follows networking, but really learn how to talk to people. I was a huge introvert until I worked in a customer facing industry, and talking with people in all sorts of situations is a soft skill that not many people have. Learn how to engage with people, manage how to navigate difficult conversations, and practice how you talk about your work.
My third skill, or quality, would be knowing what your work is worth, and how much you can handle. When I first started doing freelance, I would take any and every job. And it was awful. People will scam you, not pay you, or ask for more than you agreed to do, so many bad things. Look into making a contract for yourself and your work, and have some idea of how long projects will take so you can manage your work load.
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 its best, in my opinion, to vary your skill set. There’s nothing wrong with focusing on your favorite skill or area, but try to have a few extra skills in your back pocket, especially if those extra strengths support your main one.
I’m a big fan of the ‘never stop learning’ mindset. It helps to be interested in all facets of your industry and be aware of upcoming trends. Doing so can help you look at things from different perspectives, and can help you reach a wider audience.
For example, I used to be very firmly in the illustration freelance. But after a while, my network stopped needing that skill for a bit, and started asking if I knew anyone who could do logos. So I took some classes online, learned a new tool, and was able to say “Oh, yea, I can do those too.” It allowed me to reach a wider client base, and also taught me useful tools for improving my illustrations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.megryanflani.com/
- Instagram: @megryanflani
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meg-ryan-flani/
