We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tori Waner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tori below.
Tori, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?
“I’m leaving to go sing in Italy…” I’ll admit, this was not the most eloquent way to tell my boss I was quitting my full time marketing job to perform across the globe and then “figure it out.” But fortunately, not only was he patient as I fumbled through my resignation speech but also compassionate. Who knew that Randy, the best boss I could have asked for, was a fellow entreprenuer running his own business, Chirp Nature Centers, in my hometown. While working with him, I learned the importance of servant leadership, of acknowledging that in a leadership position it is your responsibility to serve those who work for you, or in my case, those with whom I work. Working for him gave me the creative tools, and the courage, to eventually quit my job and start my own company. As a performer and creative entrepreneur, I recognized early on that the risk of leaving a full-time job in order to pursue a creative career was worth it if I wanted to build a life that was both satisfying and successful. Has it been an easy journey? No – no artistic endeavor should be. If it’s easy, you don’t grow. If you don’t fail, you don’t learn. “Fail faster.” Randy would tell me. The faster you fail, the faster you learn. Since starting my own company, I have had to learn to be ok with being vulnerable, trusting myself, and asking for help when necessary. Through my company, not only am I creating custom digital designs, but I am also creating a unique lifestyle, as well as meeting some incredible people along the way. Although sometimes terrifying, building my own business has been satisfying. And Randy, among many people, has been so supportive along the journey. As I rush from audition to client call, I remind myself that this risk has been the most challenging yet rewarding experience I’ve ever had. Aside from singing in the Pantheon in Rome…that was pretty memorable.
Tori, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My Services and Creative Solutions:
I am a Performer, Digital Designer and Creative Entrepreneur who serves others by creating compelling designs and visual assets that promote not just your unique value, but also provide a stronger sense of self-worth and authentic identity. Through my company TWCreations, I provide services in websites, video editing, and graphic design. My diverse offerings allow us to build custom creations that help you establish a distinct creative place in the world and better connect with others.
I understand that building a professional relationship of trust, communication, and kindness is just as essential as building out your dream website. Therefore, my design process is a collaborative experience. This means I work with you every step of the way to provide assets of which you can be proud. I help your visions become a reality, so you can market yourself with pride. I take care of the designing, so you can focus on the doing. I help you represent yourself professionally so that you can get that next job. I help you showcase your work and talent so that you can easily share it memorably in one place. I help you organize all of the design and marketing so that you can focus on what you LOVE to do, not the busy work you have been avoiding. I help free up your time so you can focus on that callback, that new client, or that upcoming sale. I am here to serve you, create collaboratively, and promote yourself professionally.
How it all started:
Because I have always sought creative solutions for everyday problems, building my own company was my creative solution for pursuing life as a performer and entrepreneur. I realized I have an innate passion to motivate and encourage other artists and entrepreneurs to see their potential and present themselves professionally. So after I quit my 9-5 job and spent a summer singing in Italy, I began designing websites, logos, and promotional content for others to best reflect their unique talents and services. Since I started in 2022, I have collaborated with professional artists, performing art studios, businesses, healthcare providers, and non-profit organizations to help them put their best foot forward with captivating visual designs. I LOVE it. Maybe it’s cliche, but I’ve found my calling – well, one of many. When not designing, you can find me in San Diego baking cookies, exploring the outdoors, and performing on stage.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The reward is the creative process. I have always loved people and believe that each person possesses unique talents and gifts. When I am able to help others showcase their work and services in a professional, captivating way, I am fulfilled. Because the work I do is a fully collaborative and creative process, I work with my clients every step of the way. Throughout the creative process, I get to know my clients (or fellow creatives as I like to call them) on a personal level, what they are passionate about, why they do what they do, and what makes them unique. Then, I get to create custom assets that visually reflect them as an individual. It’s an absolute dream. My favorite part of this process is the final reveal. This is the moment when I get to share my final design with them. I have had clients cry tears of joy, gasp, clap, and exclaim “This is exactly what I wanted”… I never know exactly what to expect, but I do know if I have done my job correctly, they are proud of what we have created together. I believe by helping others establish an authentic and professional presence, they are empowered to show up with pride and connect better with others.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Redefining my definition of “success” has been both a challenging and rewarding process. As both an artist and entrepreneur, I am constantly putting myself out there, auditioning, connecting with clients, building relationships, and refocusing my goals… the list goes on and on and the work never stops. It’s easy to feel like no matter how hard I try… I may never become “successful” so why keep trying? It wasn’t until I recognized if my only definition of success is “making it big” or “making big money” then I devalue all of the learning opportunities that come from making mistakes, working on passion projects, and designing for up-and-coming artists as opposed to well-established ones. Once I redefined my idea of success to be centered around significance, my work held more meaning and my efforts became rewarding. When I no longer focused on the perfect high-priced product, I could focus on finding custom creative solutions for the individual person in need. Fulfilling an individual’s creative need is significant and by helping them I am successful! As I allow myself to be vulnerable and face my perfectionist tendencies, I can embrace the significant learning opportunities that come from making mistakes. By building a business centered around collaboration, connection, and creativity, I hope to empower other entrepreneurs and artists to do the same and therefore have a significant impact in the artist community. And that may be the greatest success of all!
“It’s not about success, it’s about significance.” – Viola Davis; Unlocking Us with Brene Brown
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.createwithtw.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/create_with_tw/
Image Credits
Aulio Optic Photography @aulio.opticphotography