More stories about my background and experience
Culture
I was born in Fargo, North Dakota and graduated high school in Arizona, but Louisiana is where I spent my formidable childhood.
I would experience at an early age the realities and perceptions related to race, money, religion and tradition. If it weren't for people like Mrs. Mouton, acknowledging my existence, my pain and my potential, I may not have the ability to see the good through the bad.
Wiring
Moving to Arizona introduced me to new cultures, new flavors and a new start at life. Mr. Jacobs would give me access to my first video camera and in high school Mr. G would teach me how to put my "stories" into the camera.
These men made it ok for me to imagine, to exaggerate and to use this talent that had since tortured me, for some good. These were the days that I fell in love with filmmaking. As long as I had a camera in my hand, the world felt safe. I finally felt like maybe I belonged here.
Influence
One of my first jobs landed me in a parts warehouse for a car dealership. Little did I know that the car business would sculpt my early understanding of the professional world and expose my ability to break complex situations into simple, understandable stories that customers could understand.
"My car is broken," was the phrase that often offered me the opportunity to get to know someone, educate them and help them in a time of need.
I learned that I was a leader, which made me hungry to be a great student. I learned that caring matters and that good people are in the most unlikely of places.
Dream
As much as I found success in the automotive industry (winning the President's Award from Ford Motor Company and being nominated Service Advisor of the Year), I still felt a hole in my story. I found myself longing to have a camera in my hand.
After 10 years working toward what many would call a "good job", I took a chance on myself, risking more than I should have to go to film school.
The season of my life that would follow would break me down, test my beliefs and remind me of what was most important to me.
Calling
In 2011, after failing as an independent contractor for years, I was given a shot to join a corporate in-house film team. Another man, a wild man named Michael, would challenge me, advise me and agitate me toward fulfilment as a corporate storyteller.
In 2013, Michael submitted our short documentary for review by the National Academy of Television Sciences who recognized our work with an Emmy Award for Co-Producer and Cinematographer.
But it was the man across the hall, Louis Giordano who introduced me to the idea of a different career path: creative direction.
Training
For the next 10 years, I chased knowledge from some of the best in the business. Learning design, copywriting and brand strategy at a more complex level than I knew existed.
Teammates would guide me. Leaders would throw me to the wolves. And in a few special twists of opportunity, I would find myself in leadership academies, projects at extremely large scale and premier learning environments like the Business Perspectives for Creative Leadership at Yale School of Management.