WHO I AM
I SPENT SIX YEARS BUILDING SOMETHING I DIDN'T IDENTIFY WITH, SO NONE OF THIS IS SECOND HAND.
I STUDIED ENGLISH PHILOLOGY. BECAUSE EVERYONE AROUND ME KEPT SAYING ENGLISH MATTERED. THEN A MASTER'S IN TOURISM, FOR THE SAME REASON: IT SEEMED SENSIBLE.
SIX YEARS LATER. MEETING EXPECTATIONS THAT WEREN'T MINE, WITHOUT HAVING MADE A SINGLE IMPORTANT DECISION MYSELF.
I STARTED FROM SCRATCH, DOING WHAT I ACTUALLY LOVED: DESIGN. THE FIRST YEARS WERE AGENCIES, BAD PAY AND BOSSES WHO KILLED ANY IDEA BEFORE IT WAS BORN.
I STOPPED ASKING PERMISSION. I REDESIGNED APPS NOBODY ASKED ME FOR AND STUDIED THE WHOLE CRAFT, DISCIPLINE BY DISCIPLINE, UNTIL I HAD SOMETHING WORTH DEFENDING. THEN I SENT THEM TO THE COMPANIES I WANTED.
THAT IS HOW I GOT INTO ALLFUNDS, THE VERY YEAR THEY WENT PUBLIC, DESIGNING TOOLS FOR SEVEN PRIVATE BANKS.
THEN CAME ALMOST FOUR YEARS AT FACTORIAL, LEADING DESIGN ON CARDS, PAYROLL AND BENEFITS WHILE THE COMPANY CROSSED A BILLION IN VALUATION.
SEVEN YEARS DESIGNING. BUT WHAT HELPS ME MOST WITH YOU ISN'T THOSE SEVEN. IT IS THE SIX BEFORE.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT IS LIKE TO MAKE SOMETHING YOU DON'T RECOGNISE YOURSELF IN, BECAUSE I SPENT SIX YEARS MAKING IT.