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

Kerri, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

For me, vacations are necessary for idea generating. Travel is a top passion of mine – I love walking the streets in foreign cities…. Architecture, store signage, open markets, book stores and packaging all are food for ideation. I find I am most inspired when I am out of my home – the change of scenery and lack of distractions at home help creativity flow.

As a one-woman design shop, it’s easy for me to close the doors temporarily. I have a brother who owns a soft-serve shop and another who runs a seafood restaurant, Their busiest times come in the summer, so it’s understandable they would need to stay put during that season, they get creative and build-in time off during the off-months. So I’d say while it’s important to heed the needs of your business, it’s also important to set aside time to vacation and revitalize yourself to avoid burnout can have unexpected results.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Kerri Mahoney is a Clio award-winning multidisciplinary designer who has developed film and television, print, digital and product design projects for clients such as NBC/Universal, Sony Music, HBO, ePix, Ace Hotel, MTV/Viacom, Third Man Records, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Fat Possum Records, Sundazed/Modern Harmonic Records, Big Legal Mess Records, Bible & Tire Recording Company, Electraphonic Recording, Pfizer, Delta Airlines, LEGO, and National Geographic. Kerri is a member of United Scenic Artists USA 829 and IATSE Local 492.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

As a graphic designer, these items have impacted me more than anything else:

The work of Alexander Girard
Ghanaian Movie Posters
Sign Painting
Speedball Lettering and Poster Design for Pen and Brush
The films of John Waters
Wayne White, Gary Panter & Ric Heitzman (set designers and puppet builders for “Pee Wee’s Playhouse”)
Mid-Century Ads (Taschen)
Susan Sontag “Notes on Camp”

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

My brother-in-law, an attorney in the bioscience and immunization industries, recently asked me if I was “happy doing what (I) do for a living”. He did not exactly understand what it was that I did as a graphic designer, or my journey to get where I am in film and television. He equates success with financial reward, and was told as a young child ‘you don’t need to like your job, a job is to make money’. He is concerned because his preteen daughter is showing an interest in the arts (film and theater directing), and while he wanted to be able to guide her toward her interests, he needed to understand what seeking a career in the arts might look like, because the idea terrified him!

I told him that I have worn many hats in the creative arts, held different positions in varied industries, and have always found the arts to be a space where I am challenged and inspired daily. While the trajectory of financial earning is not as predictable as other industries, for me, this is a great reward in itself. I also gave feedback on what her arc might look like, and the various sectors in which her talents could be used.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kerrimahoney.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmahoneystudio/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrimahoney/