We recently connected with Jaye Thompson and have shared our conversation below.

Jaye, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later?

I am in the process of starting my own creative practice, an independent studio called Wish You Well. The intent is to create a collective of multidisciplinary experts and culture junkies who share the same desire to create things that did not exist yesterday. Through active storytelling, well-crafted design, and daring experimentation we aim to stir up hype and evoke a sense of wonder. As for timing, I think this very moment is the perfect time to do this – any earlier and I wouldn’t have been properly equipped or had access to the right resources. Based on the work I have been able to accomplish independently and with agencies, I feel very confident in my ability to have a vision and execute it, but also to bring the best out of others and inspire them to show up as their authentic selves.

Comparatively, at the start of my career my focus was on understanding the craft of art direction and design and sharpening my technical skills. After that, things shifted towards figuring out how to use my creative point of view to shape a narrative around the work and sell it the proper way. Each stage has slowly built upon the last, with knowledge, skills, and perspective culminating together to prepare myself to launch this next endeavor.

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

I am an Associate Creative Director + Director currently working in the advertising industry, based in Brooklyn. Although my professional career began in Los Angeles, an unexpected detour after attempting for several months to land a full-time gig in New York City.

The three-and-half years spent living in LA is a time I am quite grateful for because not only did it allow me to develop my skills as a designer and an art director in a constructive environment, but I think West Coast living taught me the value of work-life balance and saved me from burning out early. I was introduced to incredible mentors, people who exhibited qualities of compassionate leadership, and creative excellence, and took the time to share meaningful advice that has stuck with me to this day. I look at my stint in LA as a pivotal moment in my life, one that not only contributed to my growth as a creative but also taught me the necessary resolve of how to navigate the unfamiliar. I gained a sense of fearlessness and determination that comes from being a transplant in a new city, fueled by the hunger to establish myself.

After working at several agencies in LA and building up a portfolio that touted projects from clients such as The North Face, Netflix, Under Armour, MasterClass, and Samsung, I moved back to the East Coast, finding my way to Brooklyn, a place that continuously motivates me. From there I would continue to add to my portfolio through my agency ties, and eventually begin taking on my own creative projects.

In 2023, I worked with two different artists, my friends Christinna O and John Polanco, with whom I directed music videos as well as creative directed the album rollout for John’s project ‘ACTIVELLI’. These opportunities allowed me the creative freedom to help bring an artist’s vision to life, and I began thinking of ways to make this more than a side hustle. In essence, I was using the same practices I had developed while working with big brands and applying my expertise to musical artists. Furthermore, by leveraging my network of friends in the industry, I was able to tap into an array of other talented folks who could contribute their talents, assembling a nimble yet dedicated team to execute each project.

These opportunities became the proof points I needed to showcase my ability to independently facilitate and execute a vision for my own clients. It’s what became the catalyst for forming Wish You Well, a venture that is a simultaneous farewell to the familiar, but a warm welcome to what lies ahead – the start of something grand. The aim of the studio is to develop selective partnerships across art, entertainment, and technology by providing bespoke creative services. This can take the form of creative direction, production, or innovation. I want it to be a collective in which everyone involved shares the mentality for making things that can add to culture and propel it forward.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goals are the byproduct of the people and things I have been following since I was a teenager. People like Donald Glover, an all-around renaissance man, who has wielded his creativity to shape music, film, and art have been integral in laying down the blueprint for how to bet yourself and make things that have a lasting impact. I am inspired by individuals like Donald, Issa Rae, Nipsey Hussle, Salehe Bembury, Joshua Kissi, and Quinta Brunson, who have leveraged their artistry and entrepreneurial spirit to start their own businesses with the intent of putting out meaningful work.

From observing their respective journies, I’ve developed the belief that producing something that can contribute to culture or influence how people experience the world is one of the most gratifying things a creative can achieve. The ability to challenge perceptions, subvert expectations, or captivate someone’s attention to the point that it becomes canon is aspirational.

With these things in mind, I hope that my own journey can be an example to other creatives of color and show them that we belong in this space. To be resilient and steadfast in your goals regardless of what challenges arise.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

My approach to leadership is about cultivating an environment that allows your team to have a voice and be their fullest selves. Similar to any sports team, a coach must learn the strengths and weaknesses of their players to figure out how to best set them up for success, for the sake of the whole collective. It’s been said before, but leadership is truly an act of service. It’s not about who sits up at the very top, rather it’s about how to empower those around you to elevate and succeed past you.

When it comes to maintaining high morale, I think it’s important to give people opportunities to flex their chops, grow, and make mistakes. Having faith in your team that they will get better through experience helps to cultivate trust and it becomes a learning experience as they slowly discover their unique point of view and style.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jayethompson.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wishyouwellstudio/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaye/

Image Credits

Tim Westover, Vianny Guillen, Eric Rogers