What would compel someone to walk away from a steady job? For our designer, Surej, it was a no-brainer. Driven by a strong sense of purpose, he knew he couldn’t thrive in a role that didn’t align with his values. Now, as designer at Young Folks, Surej channels that passion into creating impactful design and branding work for clients who care about making a positive difference on people and the planet.
In this edition of our meet the team series, Surej opens up about his boldest career move, his go-to advice for aspiring creatives, and how staying true to personal values has been the key to success.
What’s the most unexpectedly bold thing you’ve ever done in your professional career?
I quit a full time job three months into it. Bold? Yes. Did I have a plan? No. What I did know is that my values didn’t align with this company and I couldn’t continue working in such a contrived environment where nothing really mattered except the bottom line.
Free from the [enter descriptive word about old job here], it allowed me to focus my energy and time on getting freelance opportunities with clients more aligned with my values. Clients who were out there doing good things for others and for the planet.
I’d say it’s through that process of really listening to my instinct and knowing what my values are that has led me to working with Young Folks today.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting out in the creative industry?
Know what it is you want to do as a designer, and do it.
If you want to work in branding, be sure your portfolio is filled with branding projects. If you want to work in publishing, you best be sure your portfolio of work is reflective of that.
Or it might be that you want to work with specific types of clients. Let’s say you want to work exclusively with hospitality clients — you probably get it by now, but fill your portfolio with hospitality client work.
And remember, personal projects go a long way in showing your skills and abilities as a designer.
If you were to create a slogan for your life, what would it be?
The one theme that runs through all aspects of my life, since I was a kid, has always been doing things my own way. Maybe it’s being the youngest child. Maybe it’s being queer in a heteronormative society. Whatever the factors are that have contributed to making me feel grounded in who I am as a person now, it seems apt to have a slogan reflective of this theme.
So, I think my slogan would be ‘live life according to what feels best for you’.
If you weren’t working in this field, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
I think I’d still like to do something creative, but be a bit more active and physical. Something that marries the ability to be creative and be physically active. The things that come to mind are a furniture designer, or perhaps a landscape designer. Working outdoors has always sounded very appealing to me.
How do you balance creativity with meeting client expectations and objectives in your designs?
I think the best creative solutions are provided within the context of objectives and client expectations. Client expectations act as a boundary. It’s like ‘this is how far you can go with your design and still meet the objectives required’. And it’s important for design work. It saves so much time and energy.
I like to think objectives give direction for where the creative can go. If you know what it is you are trying to solve, you can design something that’s really fit for purpose.
So, I think the two work hand in hand. That’s how I find balance (and keep my sense of peace).
Can you share a memorable client interaction where your design work made a significant impact?
I worked on a client’s accountability report last year. What this report detailed was how they were doing business in line with their values. The values they lived by were kindness, fun, radical transparency, connection — to name a few.
Part of designing this publication was illustrating their values. That was a fun exercise collaborating with them to ensure the illustrations were inclusive, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing, of course. It also had to be reflective of the overall vibe of the publication, which was a celebration of the year they had.
The end result of the illustrations was one that exceeded their expectations. It encompassed all the things we talked about in the creative explorations sessions we had prior to designing, and it brought life to their values.
What software or tools do you find indispensable in your day-to-day work?
I use Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign regularly on a day-to-day basis. I’ve only recently started using Figma and I am absolutely floored — it’s brilliant!
How do you stay inspired and keep those creative juices flowing, especially when faced with tight deadlines or creative blocks?
I think creativity is a function of how I manage my time and my life. So, what am I doing to keep my mind and body happy and healthy? For me these things are spending time in nature, which is incredibly helpful to recharge and it gives tremendous perspective on life. I think meditation is also a great tool to stay present and help navigate stress. Staying physically active is also super important to me. I like playing sports and going to the gym, and my primary form of transportation is cycling.
I think by keeping my mind and body happy and healthy, I’m able to navigate difficult situations without compromising my ability to be creative.
I also think that remaining active in the scene and absorbing what other creatives are doing is important. I go for networking events to meet other creatives regularly. Sometimes it’s just nice to vent about the things that go on, which can be a good way to release stress and tension, and find common ground with a fellow creative.
I also regularly visit websites that have case studies or provide space for people to showcase the work they do. Pinterest, Behance, Dieline, The Design Files, It’s Nice That, Brand New, Creative Review — these are my most regularly visited sites.
You can connect with Surej on LinkedIn.
