We were lucky to catch up with Olivia Ashworth McDonald recently and have shared our conversation below.
Olivia, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I really like this question. Purpose is a funny thing. Often we see purpose as being something immoveable and robust.
For someone in branding and building brand identities, this is one of the first questions I strive to discover (but not necessarily ‘answer’) with clients, particularly when personal brands are involved. It is a tough concept for some to wrap their head around. This slightly illusive, guiding north star keeps us on track for everything else in our lives.
One thing I encourage with my clients is to understand where they are with their brand building. They might be emerging, they might be evolving, they might be embracing. In some cases, they might be experiencing all three. Purpose is way more elastic than we give it credit for. Understanding where you are helps you pin point finding it.
Truthfully, I think it is very normal to experience flux in purpose.
I believe how we define and understand purpose today, is different from 10 years ago, and will be different to 10 years in the future. This is why we review our goals regularly. Both in business and personally. We tweak and adjust intentions according to where that path is taking us now, and how it needs to realign.
I’ve experienced huge shifts in life which have contributed to my evolving purpose. Living in different countries, working in intense 9-5 positions, friendships changes, building my own business, experiencing the pandemic, recovering from cancer. Each of these experiences have contributed to honing or influencing my purpose.
The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is to accept that the main constant in life and work, quite ironically, is change. It is so helpful to accept the changes life can bring, and allow your purpose to reimagine itself when it needs to.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Aside from loving all things design, I have always felt empowered by helping solve creative challenges. I love creating solutions which are flexible, lasting and relevant to the individual.
I always knew I would end up in the ‘creative’ industry. As a kid, I poured through coffee table books, magazines and collecting anything made from paper. I remember spending hours designing my own invitations and actively (and likely annoyingly!) wanting to take a part in the brochure design for our family B&B. When I left school, I applied to the Whitehouse Institute of Design and focused on a broad, creative direction based Bachelor of Design. It was my first full-time job, as a marketing coordinator for a wholesale fashion agency, that taught me my love for not only design, but telling the stories of brands, and how influential they can be for people and business.
Throughout my career I’ve worked in different types of design atmospheres, including a fashion agency, creative agency, architecture practices and an interior design firm. I’ve lived in three countries. I spent four years leading Brand Marketing & Communications for an interior design firm in London, heading up the department across Europe and working closely with the team to grow the company’s brand at a fast moving pace.
I loved this role, though as I became more senior, like many people in 9-5 positions, I moved further into leadership, and away from being creatively influential. Just before the pandemic hit, I decided to not only prioritise this, but also my wellbeing – what I imagined and wanted my life would be like in another 5 years – so I left to start my own creative consultancy. Of course, the timing of 2020 was a challenge, but it was a great time to learn, experiment and pivot.
I must have had a sixth sense around wanting more balance, because within a year I was diagnosed with cancer. 2021 was equally not, and very much, my year. Confronted with this type of challenge, without reason, very suddenly, shook my value system to the core and how I have managed my life since.
One of the golden keys that kept me on track? Family, friends and my business. I was so proud that I had a supportive small business and community to keep me inspired. That I could dial up or down based on what was going on in my life. I was so grateful to have that foundation, and I’ve been continuing to cultivate it since early 2022 when I felt ready to get back on track during recovery.
It has been a solid two years of evolving and embracing my brand. One thing I love is that as my community grows, my approach to business flexes and I have the autonomy to make changes as needed.
Just like you, I understand building a brand begins with strong belief, persistence and your imagination. It builds from the inside, out. That is exactly how I work with my clients.
I guide leaders of service based businesses, and often personal brands, to emerge with, evolve and embrace their brand experiences. Whether your focus is on experience or creation, I work hand-in-hand with you to shape your brand, both visually and strategically.
Through my business OAM Design Co., I offer a combination of creative consultancy, brand strategy and brand identity design. I work closely with you to bring clarity to brand challenges you have, resulting in a clever, charismatic and hard-working brand.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I would say three qualities which I’ve found impactful to hone in my life are empathy, comfort with ambiguity and resilience. One of my mentors inspired this in me, and I’ve never forgotten it.
Empathy gives you the power to quieten. To listen to others and really hear and understand where they and are what they need to achieve. It helps you dig deep into how you can help them and support their own transformation from a personal and business perspective.
Comfort with ambiguity, because you will never have all the answers. It is important to acknowledge we aren’t perfect. No matter how fine our attention to detail, or intelligent we might be. Life happens, and it is critical to be able to sit with those slightly uncomfortable moments when you may not know what path to take, rather than reactively deciding.
Resilience, because life and work can be gritty. As they say, “no grit, no pearl”. Roll with the punches. Accept that not everything is in your control, and remember that no matter the outcome, there is always a learning and a silver lining.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’m looking to connect and collaborate with more artful entrepreneurs.
Not necessarily ‘creative or artful’ in the traditional sense, but service providers or entrepreneurial business leaders who have a fresh, creative take on how they offer their service to their audience. You could be based anywhere in the world – I work remotely from London, and often collaborate with individuals who are based elsewhere.
You might be a therapist with a modern approach. You might be a gallery owner looking to expand. You might be an interior designer or architect who is starting your own studio after leaving the 9-5. You might be a business consultant looking to bring in a partner to support you with brand design for your own clients.
The common connection is being brave to take a personal leap, and having strong self belief to build your personal and business brand. You will value simplicity, personal connection and thoughtful approaches to your work.
I’d love to support through my Bespoke Branding Experiences and Big Picture Collateral Sprints. You can learn more about how these work via my website. https://oamdesignco.com/
Contact Info:
- Website: www.oamdesignco.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/oamdesignco
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-ashworth-mcdonald
- Other: Pinterest – https://pin.it/2wOZqRS1e
Image Credits
Camille Marie Bieber https://www.camillemariebieber.com/
