Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Adele Herman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Adele, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Growing up in a medical-centric city, I was often asked why was I going to pursue creativity as a career. Why was I not going into the sciences? Why in the world was I going to get an Art + Design education? But the answer is simple, because there is no other way to live life than by being creative.

After I graduated from college, it took me almost two years to get full-time work as a creative. It wasn’t that I was untalented, had little work ethic, or that what I provided to the world wasn’t of value. It was simply that I wasn’t willing to dive head-first into a creative career with confidence. My first gig was entirely volunteer. I created a brand identity and did all of the marketing for a family business, free of charge for nearly two years. It was through this time that I developed a portfolio and became noticed in other spaces. I took on a couple of freelance gigs here and there. Nothing sustaining, until I was brought in to be a social media marketing manager full-time for another business. From there, I have worked in-house for businesses, freelance, pro-bono, and more.

I am now in a space where I am building to be entirely self-employed as a creative. This is something I wish I would have had to confidence to do early on in my career. But it has required a different maturity and self-confidence that I would have never had at 22. Those years of working in the trenches, in-house from business taught me the day-in and day-out grind of being creative. But more importantly, it taught me that creative people in business are so undervalued. Everyone wants a creative person who can make anything at the drop of a hat and for next to nothing. And yet we are usually the first ones on the layoff list because, to the rest of the world, art is expendable. But the reality is, art is what keeps the world afloat.

I needed to reach a place where I could walk into a room and say ‘This is my value.’ As an introvert with little confidence for most of my life, this has been an uphill battle. But the reality is, that I have so many creative assets that businesses would be lucky to utilize. I just needed to get out of my own head and pitch myself with confidence. Some of the greatest milestones in my career have been the big moments of transition. Struggle to find work as a new grad. Being laid off during the pandemic. Losing my job when the family business went under. Those moments of transition brought me back to the question of why am I pursuing a career as a creative, it’s because there is no other choice than to use the gifts I have been given.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a catch-all creative! My educational background is in Art + Design with concentrations in photography and journalism. However, I have spent most of my career in the greater marketing world doing everything from social media management and graphic design to copywriting and videography.

I love to work with small businesses and non-profits. So often these are the people who need creatives the most to get their messages out there. But they rarely have the financial support to go through big-name agencies. A huge part of my mission as a creative is to elevate the mission of others through unique storytelling. And that is how I describe myself, a storyteller who uses multiple mediums.

For my clients, I ultimately want to make their lives easier. Being an entrepreneur or a non-profit executive is the primary job, all of the marketing and creating is secondary and so often a burden to these incredible people. I strive to make their jobs easier by taking those wild ideas they have and putting them into action without needing to stress about it.

A huge piece that sets me apart from others is that I am a multi-disciplinary artist. I write, design, photograph, video and so much more. I am also probably one of the most logic-driven creatives you will ever meet.

Some of my favorite work to do is when I am creating for youth-centric brands. I love to dive into educational material, make silly stickers, and meet kids where they are through design and creativity. But most importantly, I am a mission-driven individual. If your business or organization algins with my values, I will walk through fire to make sure that we tell your story properly!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

A huge part of what has helped me build my reputation and client base is personal connections. I rarely have clients that I have never met or had any personal relationship with. Now I know this is a privilege, but also because I live in a smaller community, word-of-mouth advertising is the best way to get new people to know what you offer.

The second piece of that is to get outside of your comfort zone and not only be in spaces that will grow your business. I started a non-profit with a dear friend in 2021 and it was never to grow my own creative business. But in return, I have designed some incredible things and found new clients along the way.

Finally, the thing I would say is to be patient with your clients. I work entirely with small businesses and non-profits. These are people who are wearing a million hats and can be tough to get information out of or progress on a project. Be patient with them and they will sing your praises.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of being creative is knowing that I can change someone’s mood, thoughts, perceptions, etc. through my work. While I work mostly in a marketing space, the smallest pieces of design, a photo, or a short reel can change the viewer’s day. Art is incredibly powerful, and so many people miss those moments. A small business owner who finally feels like their brand reflects who they are or the relief one feels from having this creative task off their plate is an amazing feeling. Creatives are making such a large impact in the world that so many people don’t see.

Contact Info:

• Website: adeleherman.com
• Instagram: @adele.herman

Image Credits
Personal Headshot credit goes to Annie Crawford. All other work is attributed to myself.