We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Steenz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Steenz below.
Steenz, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Sometimes I think I found my purpose as a young person when I was reading instructions on how to play board games. There’s always someone who doesn’t want to play because they don’t want to spend time learning detailed instructions. I always felt like that was a barrier that I could help people cross easier. I thought there’s no need to miss out on fun because learning something new can be hard! Let me be the one to explain it to you in a easy to understand and concise way.
I think this way of thinking spilled into other aspects of my life. From suggesting comics to read for my customers at Star Clipper, to walking folks through how to use the library system. I’ve had the opportunities to teach people how to fold their own zines, how to take care of their bodies as freelancers, how to do taxes… I think my purpose is accessible education and all of my past experiences have led me to that.
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?
Right now I’m at the start of my book tour for Side Quest: A Visual History of Role playing Games. I’m excited for folks to read this book as its one of my first major Non-Fiction Graphic Novels. Role playing games are something I’d always done in some form. As children, playing make-believe is one of our earliest experiences of role playing. But I fell into it professionally when I was tasked with running and editing Rolled & Told: a monthly magazine that gave readers new modules to use in their own campaigns along with articles, art, and comics all about tabletop role playing games (TTRPGs). That’s where I found that TTRPG community is thriving and has thrived even more so in the last ten years. It’s a perfect time to teach folks about the history of role playing and how its shaped the landscape today. And while I may not be a big fan of fantasy, TTRPGs have a wide variety of genres! I love sci-fi, solo RPGs, and RPGs that take place over discord! There’s so much out there for people to learn about and there’s no time like the present.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think the three most important skills that were most impactful in my journey were:
Time Management
Confidence
Being Personable
Time Management is key when you’re a freelancer. Being able to schedule your own work and meet your own deadlines can be daunting for first-timers, but you can start honing those skills today! I always recommend to my students to utilize a calendar. It’s a great way to keep yourself on track and when your duties are on the calendar, they’re not taking up space in your head!
Confidence is something that I don’t think I had until I left high school, haha. But that’s typical. I found my confidence when I started doing tours at my local university for incoming freshmen. I was good with directions, told a few jokes to ease peoples nerves, and I knew the campus and how it ran like the back of my hand. So I had plenty of opportunities to practice public speaking and the FEELING of knowing what you’re talking about. The best way to improve your confidence is to lean in and speak on the things you know very well. Once you get practice doing that, being confident in other areas follows.
As for being personable, I’m not really sure how to develop that skill LOL. I just treat people like they’re already my friends! That could be my Midwestern coming out.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
It can be very easy to become overwhelmed as a freelancer. Especially a freelancer in the creative field. My advice is to be organized and to have a good community around you. Any time I feel like I’m overwhelmed with work, I find that it helps to write it all out and share it with my spouse. And I ask which one of these items is more important? What order should I do these things? Sharing your workload with someone who isn’t a coworker is a good way to get feedback and an outsiders point of view.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://oheysteenz.com
- Instagram: oheysteenz
Image Credits
Jin Park
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