We were lucky to catch up with Teresa Ferreira recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Teresa, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
A tough question to get me started – I guess I’ve always been an idealist and being Portuguese with parents that went through a revolution to get rid of a totalitarian dictatorship, this was always part of my DNA and my way of being.
I’ve a always enjoyed working with NGOs and not for profit organisations that want to impact the world. As a graphic designer in London, I was lucky enough to be able to have my day job in various agencies and media powerhouses such as the Financial Times and then I would always have a project on the go that was aligned with my purpose and mission.
I now do this full time in my studio where I work with start ups and scale ups that are aligned in sustainability or social impact values.
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?
I’m a Brand Consultant and Creative Director, formerly Head of Design at the Financial Times, working with businesses who want to create a positive impact.
I’ve been building and elevating brands in the sustainability and wellbeing space at my own creative studio, alongside delivering workshops and talks in branding and working in the creative industry.
The thing that excites me the most about working in this niche is the fact that I feel good about the work I do. Through my work I’ve been lucky to work with clients that want to change ways of consumerism, environmental impact and de-stigmatising mental health.
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?
Perseverance is the most underrated quality to have as a business owner, as you get a lot of rejection or set backs and it’s hard not to take these personally.
Resilience is obviously related to the first one, but again really important to be able to shake things off and start again or pivot.
And finally, a good sense of humour, because it’s the best quality to have when life ‘throws you lemons’
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is a start up or scale up that has secured investment to get started with a product or service that will make a big impact on its industry. The industries that I am focused on are sustainable tech, wellness tech, wellbeing and sustainable fashion.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.teresaferreira.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresaferreirastudio/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferreirateresa/
