We were lucky to catch up with Rebecca Carmen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Rebecca thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?

There is often a misconception with being in the creative industry that an idea or concept can magically appear or be extremely simple. I find this in other industries too, but often creative jobs are viewed as hobbies or not legitimate in comparison to “normal” jobs. Educating your peers, and even your leadership regarding the time and effort that goes into the ideation and execution of something I think is extremely valuable, especially as creative teams are being created in-house at more companies.

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 background and context?

I come from a creative background, my mother’s parents were both creative, they met while modeling in New York. Her father went to Ringling art school and designed window displays at Gimbles, and went on to be a painter while her mother worked at Riches for forty years styling for celebrities in the Regency Room. My Dad’s mother was a hobbyist painter.

I grew up being creative and always into making something (messes included!). I went to SCAD and majored in Fashion Marketing and Management. While in school designing projects, I freelanced in trends & forecasting, design and signing licensing agreements for my own print and pattern design. In my spare time, I enjoy researching, networking, and looking for ways to sharpen my skills.

I interned for The Walt Disney Company in product development then worked in R&D doing trends and forecasting, ideation, company culture innovation, and creating holistic immersive retail experiences. While at Disney I worked on collections like vintage Star Wars, 90’s Mickey, and fashion design for an original dress shop; I also worked on large-scale projects like Pandora: The World of Avatar and Galaxy’s edge, creating immersive retail experiences. Working for a large company like Disney made me immensely proud, especially at my age, but that did come with the difficulty of doubters.

While working for Disney, I found opportunities after hours to work on my photography and design skills. I created content for brands as well as photographed for both Disney and Universal.

Once I moved back to Atlanta, I got into social media management and content full-time while maintaining freelance opportunities in design, social, and photography- including my line of lapel pins, sneaker sketches, and commissioned multimedia pieces.

With that long story, something that has always set me apart is that I understand both the creative and business sides of a company. By thinking not only from a creative aspect, but the business side, I am able to identify gaps and strategize for brands in a more effective way.

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

I think at times, people struggle to understand that being creative doesn’t mean you have to be in one “lane”. Society loves putting titles, lanes, and categories on whatever they deem fit- including people’s passions. While I am involved in multiple disciplines, they all are interconnected and work together.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

One of the most important things is authenticity, both professionally and personally. I am the same online and IRL. I love making connections through my network to help others in their pursuits, especially in my hometown Atlanta. The reward for me is making an impact by helping others. I’m often reminded of a phrase “Work in silence and let success be your noise.” Many may not know what I’m up to or what I’m working on because I want the noise to be on the purpose and those who made it happen. I want whatever I do to impact others and myself in a positive way.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://rebeccacarmen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccacarmen/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccacarmen/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RebeccaCarmen
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccacarmen.sneakers/ https://www.instagram.com/rebeccacarmen.work/