We were lucky to catch up with Thomas Swafford recently and have shared our conversation below.
Thomas, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
This might sound like a generic response but i get my work ethic from my parents. My dad was a recon sergeant in Vietnam which means he was on the frontlines and experienced horrific tragedies and saw some pretty bad stuff. I often asked him about his experience and he would always revert back to “i just tried to make the best out of everything i went through so i could make it back”. That stuck with me….That and going jogging with him when i was about 11 one time, and he stopped to pull some shrapnel out of his arm. My mom instilled in me to “never settle.”
I also spent time in Alaska as a teenager working on a drift net operation out in Pilot Point, AK, where there was no running water or electricity and in order to get to the new fresh bag of chips we’d have to eat the stale ones that were in the cabin from the year before….That’s a whole other story….so when i’m filiming and i’m having a hard time i always look back at my time in Alaska and my dad’s stories of Vietnam and tell myself this is nowhere close to being as hard as those experiences and I power through.
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 went out on my own and started a creative agency last year. Learning to be a business owner has been challenging but I like to think I prepared myself in advance to be confident and successful. The best thing about it is that I was able to build a team rather than join one and try to figure out how to integrate and punch a clock. I get to work with some of my favorite people and friends which allows me to take on more challenging projects with ease and confidence while building my brand and company.
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?
It takes a lot of guts to go out on your own. I admire and respect anyone that has taken that leap. Since I’ve been out on my own for about a year now I get asked “Do you wish you would’ve done it sooner”. To which I respond “No”. I wasn’t ready, I didn’t have the knowledge and the confidence. I had so much to learn from my day jobs and I used every bit of that knowledge to apply it to myself and my company. Good and bad. So I didn’t just rage quit and make this decision, it was a calculated move that i absolutely could not have done without my wife Allison. She saw how unhappy I was in my day jobs and kept motivating me and encouraging me that i could pull this off and be successful. It is so important to have that open communication with your partner and to be strategic.
Another piece advice that I would have is to take care of your network. Check in on people and don’t just take from them for your own gain but genuinely care and check in on them. My network has been fantastic and has truly propelled my company in 2024. I’m fortunate enough to not have to market myself yet, but I’m aware that there might come a time where I may need to look outside that network. And when that time comes I will be ready.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
Anyone that comes to me asking for advice on business or how to navigate clients I point them to Jamie Brindle. His advice has helped me with confidence in talking with clients and how to be 3 steps ahead. The information and teachings he’s put out there has also helped me understand my worth when creating pitches and getting compensated.
When people take the time to share their knowledge? Those are the real heroes.
For books I read The Win Without Pitching Manifesto. This was crucial in the beginning phases of launching my business. The big takeaway was to listen more than speaking and don’t prescribe without diagnosing. So many times you want to jump the gun and talk about what you would do and how you would do things when you really just need to identify the problem then take that information and be strategic about next steps. Basic stuff but super helpful to hear.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blue73creative.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blue73creative/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-swafford-3a6b208a/
- Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user11814121
Image Credits
Wife: Allison Swafford Jeff Moreau (American Leather) Lucky Nguyen (Running camera)
