We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marc Thaddaeus Suess a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Marc Thaddaeus thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I remember the moment my creative entrepreneurial journey started. I was 8 years old, and after spending days working on my first comic book – a 12-page masterpiece – I wondered what to do with it. It was the first time I didn’t just play, but were proud of something I had done creatively, and wanted to share it with the world. I smashed my piggy bank and took my pocket money to the copy shop. I remember the excitement and how nervous I was, the smell of the printer ink and the stack of warm paper in my arms.
So I went door to door, selling the issues to my neighbors. And boy, that thing was sold out in an instant … Later I sat back at my room, and I was very proud. More than that, I felt contentment. Not only because I doubled my pocket money. More important: I knew that night all my neighbors would actually read what I had just imagined and put on paper. My ideas were out there in the world!
That moment basically was the kick-off to what I am doing to this day. In my teenage years, I tried different creative outlets like music, painting, making films until I decided to study media design. Today, I work as an interdisciplinary creative in different fields – but basically I still come up with ideas and share them with people.
Marc Thaddaeus, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am Marc Thaddaeus Suess, and I am a storyteller. In words, images, and sounds.
I work in different creative field which cross- pollinate.
I run the brand-building and design studio „Sweetspot Studio“ where I help brand-owners and entrepreneurs find and share the sweet spot of their brand. I offer workshops, coaching and strategic consulting, as well as implementation in design, storytelling and media products. Often times, I take the people I work with on short trips to get the best results – away from every day office and work life, we venture into new environments to get the best results.
As an artist, I am part of the collective Maison Douce. Our goal is to create artistic interventions, exploring the transformative power of ritual through immersive performances, artworks, set design, music videos, and brand collaborations.
I produce and host podcasts (about design, the cultural impact of media and pop culture, and art).
Together with a Hamburg-based distillery, I have created an astrology gin „Höhere Mächte“ (German for higher spirits).
I also teach Brand Communication and Design at the School of Popular Arts in Berlin.
You find links to all these projects on my website: www.marcsuess.com
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
To me personally, the most rewarding aspect of living a creative life is a sense of meaning and connection. Since I chose to work in different creative fields, I have the freedom to channel my thoughts and energy into projects I find most suitable.
I want to explore my own ideas and put them out into the world as artworks and performances, or share deep thoughts in one of my podcasts. As a creative, my sense of meaningful work emerges from the audience’s feedback and the stories I help bring to life.
I also love to work with people, share knowledge and help them find and express their very own stories. With my studio and as a lecturer, I provide spaces that allow creatives and entrepreneurs to open up and explore their creative potential. Developing ideas, and working closely together, forms a strong bond between me and the people I share that process with.
To ensure that, I strictly curate who I work with and openly talk about my values such as optimism, equality, and fairness when it comes to partners and collaborators.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I studied design and innovation management, learning a lot about strategic fundamentals and economic theories that drive brands today. But later I found that what sets you apart – both as a creative and a brand – is incorporating your own sources, ideas, and concepts from various fields into your work. I draw inspiration from all kinds of things, like musical theory, art history or sociology. When I teach students or work with entrepreneurs on their purpose, their re-invention of their brand, I encourage them to dive into all walks of life that excite them! Because you can always look up the business theories and models your competitors are using. But your own eclectic collection of values and ideas will shape a unique brand. That being said, I what to recommend three books that serve to me as an inspiration:
Designers should read “Man and his Symbols” by C.G. Jung, to get a deeper understanding of symbolism and the archetypes often used in storytelling.
Creatives should read the “Questionnaire” by the Swiss author Max Frisch. He collected profound and inspiring series of questions about life that will also help you to shape a unique brand.
Last, but not least, all entrepreneurs should be familiar with the theory of interpassivity by the Austrian philosopher Robert Pfaller. With this theory, emerging from arts and culture, he laid a foundation for a deeper understanding of consumer motifs and the role brands and products play in people’s lives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marcsuess.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marc.suess/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-thaddaeus-suess/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sweetspot.studio
- My design studio: https://sweetspot-studio.com/
- My art collective: https://www.maison-douce.com/
- My gin brand: https://hoehere-maechte.de/
Image Credits
Copyright of all photos: Marc T. Suess | Sweetspot Studio