Update 030. Wearing Hats
I remember vividly, one of my tutors at Art School telling me “most people have 3 careers in their lifetime”. It has always stuck with me. It gave me a sense of freedom - knowing that my career could evolve and shift over time.
With the pace of change in the job market, young people today are expected to have up to 7 distinct careers in their lifetimes. For a lot of people, this could instil fear. One of my favourite things about being a designer is feeling comfortable feeling uncomfortable. I love that feeling when you step into a new project, in a new industry, with a new set of unknowns… and trusting the design process to guide you. Over time, that becomes its own form of confidence.
The Lifelong Learner
If there’s one constant in a world of shifting careers, it’s this: curiosity is the only compass that works.
As designers, we don’t have the luxury of standing still. The landscape moves too quickly. Tools evolve. Industries change shape.
The real skill is knowing how to learn.
It’s something educators talk about a lot, and something I believe deeply. If we can teach the next generation how to learn, they’ll be able to weather whatever their future careers throw at them.
I feel that in my own practice. I love learning new skills - digital or analogue. One week it’s refining a plaster mould for slip casting; the next, experimenting with a new AI tool. Every new skill is another lens, another way of understanding the world.
Every tool added to the toolbox doesn’t just make you more capable - it makes you more resilient.
Yes this is a cheesy image and yes it was produced with AI. I have been playing quite a bit with nano banana lately and have been incredibly impressed with its ability for consistency with base images (not re-interpreting the geometry of a model for example).
The Challenge?
We’re expected to learn new skills endlessly. To be creative, strategic, technical, social, analytical. To understand branding, marketing, finance, product development, storytelling - and somehow also remember to drink enough water.
Wearing Hats
We’re wearing more hats than ever before. Designer one minute, copywriter the next. Customer service at 10am, operations before lunch, social media manager in the evening. Roles that used to belong to whole departments now sit on one pair of shoulders.
The Cost?
Burnout has become a quiet companion for many of us - not dramatic, just persistent. A hum in the background. A reminder that the tools that liberate us can also stretch us thin. So thinly at times, that we barely move the needle.
Yet, We Keep Creating
Yet even with the overwhelm, people are still choosing to build something of their own.
Company creation in the UK has surged over the past two decades because this new world, for all its demands, offers something previous generations rarely had: agency.
Entrepreneurship isn’t a niche anymore and it has never been easier to setup a business:
-
The world is more connected than ever. We don’t need to be in big cities anymore to connect and share. Social media has provided us all with a megaphone.
-
Globalisation connected our industries. It has never been easier to source production partners and put your ideas into the world.
-
Creative tools have become more accessible. You can 3D model and produce production ready files for free. You can also access professional level editing and layout tools (hello Affinity) for free.
-
Knowledge is accessible. Online courses have grown, YouTube has matured and more people are going to University than ever before (free university education in Scotland!).
Where This has Led Me Lately…
Like many of you, I’ve been learning new tools, strengthening old ones, and trying to manage the delicate balance between curiosity and burnout.
One of those chapters has become a quiet obsession - something I’ve been building in the background for months.
It’s called TRACE and it’s a product I introduced back in Update 025. A fully customisable wall-art map. This month, I had a breakthrough.
I finally built the website that brings TRACE to life - something I genuinely didn’t think I had the skills to do until now.
I’ll share the behind-the-scenes later in this newsletter, but for now:
If we’re all going to wear many hats, it feels good when one of them starts to fit just right.
My Products, My philosophy
By now, you’ve probably been hit by an avalanche of festive ads, discount emails, and even text messages. Small businesses like mine don’t operate on the same margins as the big retailers, and I’m not interested in using scarcity tactics to pressure anyone into buying.
The festive season can already be overwhelming, so this December I’m keeping things simple: 20% off all products for the whole month. If you know someone who might enjoy one of my pieces, now’s a lovely time to share a gift that’s thoughtful and intentional.
This December, give (or keep) a gift that nudges you - or someone you love - out of auto-pilot
Mμ
A set of two porcelain cups, designed to elevate daily coffee rituals. The matt exterior and thoughtful silhouette make every sip feel intentional.
One for the coffee lovers
IKIGAI
A calming incense holder designed to bring balance and reflection to any home.
A mindful gift for those who seek calm and ritual in everyday life.
CASTLEGATE
A playful series of stackable trays featuring a 3D scan of Aberdeen’s famous cobbles.
A thoughtful gift that brings a little more order and fun to the home.
LAMINAR
A pair of latte cups with a parabolic interior for better latte art and a tactile, comforting feel in the hand.
Perfect for the coffee lover in your life who cares as much about the ritual as the flavour.
Use this discount code at checkout (available site wide): festivecheer (20% off).
Last months most clicked link: An IKEA Classic relaunched.
My top 5 pieces of content I have found helpful/inspiring:
1.
Patagonia’s First Impact Report. A brilliant write up on Patagonia’s radically honest take on impact reporting. Once again setting the standard for sustainability best practices.
2.
Memo: the playful robot. In a world with weekly home robot’s launching, this is the first one I wouldn’t be horrified having in the home. No uncanny valley here.
3.
Love + War. An incredible national geographic documentary that shines a light on the incredible work war photographers carry out in showing the world what is actually happening whilst tussling with family life.
4.
Adaptation isn’t backing down. Brilliant article on the reality of where we are with climate change and the reality that we are now in a world of adaptation, not purely prevention.
5.
Threads. Having left the toxicity of twitter years ago, I have been really enjoying the positivity on threads. If you need a positive social media platform, come join the conversation on threads!
TRACE LAUNCH
5 months ago I introduced TRACE - a minimal birch plywood wall art map that is personal to you. If you missed that update, feel free to read about TRACE in more detail here.
Having gifted various versions of this for wedding presents over the years, I finally developed TRACE into a product that could be installed on any wall within 5 minutes - even for the DIY avoiders.
Back in update 026 I shared that the bottleneck in making TRACE a reality was me. It relied on a back and forth conversation with me and a LOT of design time on my end to bring each one to life.
I proposed, What if…
-
You could visit a website, choose your location, preview it live, add your custom text, and check out in minutes?
-
It arrived beautifully boxed, direct to the recipient?
-
It was easy to install - even if you’re renting?
Surely a go-to gift? Personal, timeless, and simple to order.
Well… I am delighted to share that all of the above is now possible and LIVE on the website:
I could not be happier with how this turned out and whilst it’s not perfect - it does allow you as the customer, full control over the map you want to create.
Easy to order. Easy to install
I’d love to know what you think of the product, the website and the ordering experience. If you haven’t commented before, let’s start the conversation :) if you’ve been reading since update 026 - you’ve seen this one evolve.