The Power of Saying Yes in Your Career: How Embracing Opportunities Transformed My Path

Looking to grow your career, start a creative business, or find your niche in the design industry? My journey of saying "yes" to unexpected opportunities might offer the inspiration you need. For years, I pursued design with passion but without a clear plan, and along the way, I discovered that saying yes to the unknown was my best career decision.

I was one of the lucky ones at an early age, I always knew that I wanted to be a designer. However, I didn’t realise the complexities of the design industry. Would I be a Graphic Designer, Product Designer, UI Designer, UX Designer, Brand Designer, 3D Designer, Animator, Web Designer, Advertising Specialist, Illustrator… the list goes on. All I knew is that I had a passion for making things visually, I loved to be an artist, I loved the seeing the reactions of people as they interacted with my work, I knew I wanted to make a difference.

In this article I will touch upon and reflect on some of the key factors that helped shape the designer and business owner that I am today, factors that were found in some of the most mysterious places and how, only now, I look upon them and understand their importance. Before we start, be prepared to be open, malleable, and get ready to start your journey!

Reflecting on the Early Days: Embracing New Experiences to Build a Creative Foundation

From learning new skills to trying out various jobs, the early stages of my design career taught me that embracing new experiences is essential for career growth. Each challenge and opportunity provided me with skills and insights that became invaluable.

Trying new things, do not be scared to excel

Not only was I longing to become a designer, I was fixated on being the best at anything I set my mind to, I hated being in the middle of the pack. I saw tasks as an opportunity to learn, progress and excel at. I could kick-flip on a skateboard, backflip on a BMX, became 2nd in the UK and a sponsored scooter rider, released music on a Drum & Bass label and took paid DJ sets, became a carer and trained in dementia, worked behind a bar and obsessed over food and ‘designing a plate,’ I stacked shelves, was a paper boy, and had many life experiences in which to learn from and break down.

I was never scared at saying no to opportunities, never scared to ‘try-hard.’ Upon reflection, it was these early years of not being scared of new opportunities that would go on to give me clearer insight and shape a ‘can-do’ attitude that helped define what I really wanted to do and help me in taking the steps to get there.

Be prepared to re-invent yourself

I knew that my path would be in design, but how and what? I didn’t have any kind of plan, and this is what benefitted me the most. I found my first design job as an intern for Liam Hodges - a menswear/ streetwear brand. How I landed this job? A friend, Luke, a landscaper and fashion fanatic, forwarded me an Instagram post. I could have ignored this, knowing that I didn’t have the skillset or the right motivation to be in this industry. I liked wearing ‘cool’ clothes, but I was telling myself that there are many more people out there that would dedicate themselves to the role and be a much better fit. I liked fashion, but wasn’t in love. I wasn’t the person who lived, breathed and chatted fashion, I didn’t participate in the meet-ups, the blogs, post outfit pics or try to be influential in the industry.

However, I did love to design… I applied for the job, put on my most fashionable, stand-out jacket, an £8 charity shop womenswear piece and turned up to their studio for an interview. I got the job. I owe my whole life to this one moment, a moment that I could have easily turned down. I made myself say yes even though I still wasn’t sure where or even who I wanted to be. At this moment I wasn’t shooting for the stars or mapping out an exact career plan, I just knew I wanted to start somewhere and even though my skills were not up to scratch I would put everything in to it and mould myself to become the type of person who could work for Liam Hodges.

Finding your moment

It was whilst I was at Liam Hodges that I was developing my identity, the thing is, I didn’t know it! This is absolutely fine in hindsight, and to any new designers or brands who are starting out I do recommend not being too rigid. I didn’t know who I was to begin with, I had to search for it, accidentally find it, say yes to projects I didn’t know I could do, say yes to an industry that I didn’t know that I would fit in to.

I found one moment at Liam Hodges that started to solidify my path, the Liam Hodges x Ellesse collaboration. I had never worked in print design and at this moment I couldn’t tell you the difference between RGB and CMYK or how a printer would even begin to read my file. But I said yes. Yes, I could create patterns, prints and graphics, and yes I’d be able to execute to a level that would walk on-model at London Fashion Week.

I was out of my comfort zone but I could visualise what I wanted to do, I knew that this would be an important moment in my career and I knew that I had to do anything it takes to survive. It was sink or swim. I needed to prove that I was able, that I could do it. I couldn’t do it technically, but I had the drive, I had a laptop, and had learned experiences of failing and trying again. I worked tirelessly to pull off 3 prints for a Jacket, T-Shirt and Track Pants, followed tutorials, researched excessively and pulled off one of my career highlights - 3 months into my professional design journey.

If I didn’t say yes to Liam Hodges, to my friend, to myself, to being open to learn and mould, to research and develop, I wouldn’t know that I was the person who could pull of design work that could walk the runway at London Fashion week. I didn’t have a plan, I had to adapt, and most importantly, I was learning, quickly.

When Things Started to Fall into Place

Take your early learnings and apply to new opportunities

I spent just over a year with Liam Hodges. I took a risk in asking for a job after my 3 month internship came to a close and landed my first paid role with him! However, I was hungry for more, I knew there was more out there. I knew I was enjoying the world of fashion, however, I was starting to feel like I was replicating the same work day in and day out. I was plateauing, I had learned so much so quickly, but I wasn’t actually growing. I needed to step out of my comfort zone, again.

I later found myself in a new role. A designer for a creative agency called Pengarna. This was going to be a real test. I managed to land this role through my very limited portfolio at Liam Hodges. I had fashion experience, but that was about it! Lucky for me, I had landed this role as Pengarna had some large fashion clients so found myself working in the same sphere. Unlucky for me (or extremely lucky), the work was at a much higher level of quality and required a lot more skills than those which I possessed.

Here we go, its time to up-skill, time to say yes, time to make myself the designer that somebody else needed. I had already re-invented myself once, how hard would it be to re-invent myself a second time? The truth is, it was very hard. My skills were severely lacking and at the beginning I was just getting by. I had to learn and fast.

Becoming the designer who can ‘do it all’

I had to say yes to survive. Yes I can design and brand a wellness brand. Yes I can animate the Takashi Murakami flowers and bee for MoMA. Yes I can create a brand identity. Yes I can create a functional E-Commerce site in Figma, yes I can work to strict guidelines from The United Nations. Yes I can create animations and motion graphics for Pangaia x Haroshi Be@rbrick. Yes I can create fly posters and effective marketing and advertising. I knew deep down that I would be able to execute, but I didn’t always know how, I knew it was possible, I had been in this situation before, there would always be a way.

I said yes to working my first design job at Liam Hodges and therefore landed Pengarna because I had also said:

‘No worries, I can effectively and compassionately look after residents at a care home with dementia.’

‘Yes, I can pull off a double backflip of a scooter.’

‘I’ll get up every morning at 6:30am Monday-Friday at 13 years old for £10 a week to deliver papers.’

‘I can pour a cracking pint.’

I said yes to an opportunity at a creative studio out of my league which gave me the most valuable experience working as a ‘generalist,’ grabbing all projects as they came in with the same grit and determination that it was all possible. The clients expected it, we could deliver it. If I didn’t know how to achieve it, someone else did, therefore, I could also do it.

How Being a Generalist Helped Me Thrive as a Designer

Saying yes is one of the most amazing things I learned to do. I learned through a a variety of jobs and life experiences and took it into my career as a designer. I threw myself into the deep-end and I had to swim. I made incredible progress, more than I would have dreamed possible, and achieved more than I could imagine.

Saying yes to life and work experiences is a blessing, however, it can be hard, frustrating and potentially de-motivating. There have been multiple instances of working until 3am, computer whirring, being completely wired and anxious that a project wouldn’t be delivered. I had said yes, that this work was possible to achieve within deadlines that were not really achievable. I had been near complete burnout and worried that I may be making career ending mistakes. These were some of the hardest moments of my career, and in the moment, I felt like I wanted to give it all up.

Looking back on these difficult moments in hindsight, I would not make any changes. My ability to say yes landed me in tricky situations, but it was my fault, and I do thank myself, I made progress at rates I didn’t know possible. I developed skills through the late nights, the willingness to do everything it took to execute results. I have also learned the balances in saying yes and setting realistic expectations (higher than I would have previously set).

From saying yes, pushing myself to the limit, taking on work that I didn’t know I could achieve, going to the highest-highs, and the lowest-lows, I now have the experience to be able take on work outside of my scope, know when to push myself and when to hold back. I have experience in many sub-categories of design which not only helps me make stronger and more calculated design decisions but also gave me the confidence to speak on this subject and give advice to others who are looking to find their path in the industry.

Looking Back: Lessons Learned

Saying yes in my career taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of a growth mindset. It also showed me the value of being open to reinventing myself, even when I wasn't entirely sure of my path.

Say yes, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Keep your mind open and take some risks, don’t say yes to building a rocket ship, unless you have a experience in aerospace engineering, know you’re on a journey and that saying yes can lead you on a path that you never knew was possible. You will learn and grow faster than you think.

Be flexible, progression is in the process.

We all have our own journey, the ways we meet our goals, the path we take is different from one individual to another, but be open and flexible. You may say yes to a project or opportunity you are unsure about and find yourself wanting to do nothing else but that! You may find yourself learning that you never want to touch a project like that again. You will however have the experience of being the person who can do it, who said yes, and knows for sure the path you want to take.

You can execute to a level you never knew was possible.

I’m sure we have all had someone in our life who has said ‘you never know until you try.’ Exactly this. I never knew I could pull off some of the projects that I’m proud to put my name against, but with a little bit of determination, you can do it.

Take all that you can, a variety of experience is key.

Another catch phrase incoming… ‘Variety is the spice of life.’ Variety in your practise can make you a well rounded designer, it can give you logic and reason behind your decision making. If you have experience across many industries and across many projects, you may find cross-overs in the most unexpected places.

It can be, and will be hard.

You may have moment where it feels like it is too much, you have pushed yourself too far, but how will we know if something is possible if we don’t try? Sometimes we will push ourselves into situations and find ourselves pleasantly surprised, learning new skills, and finding new interests, great! Sometimes we will push ourselves into situations that we don’t like, provide no enjoyment and don’t offer any form of progression, not so great, but a provider of insight and experience! Both of these situations are learning opportunities and both have value in shaping out future.

Don’t be scared to try, and then try hard.

Throw yourself into the deep end, and swim! It often feels easy to give up when the going gets hard. However, how many times have we been in situations where the easy solution was just around the corner, it just took some looking. Sometimes this process is quick, sometimes it can feel like a long journey. Try hard. The results are just around the corner.

Not everything will be pre-planned, follow your heart, keep an open mind and more importantly say yes.