You might say I've been:
Brave to dream of being a creative director having never studied advertising, or design
Brave to be a vocal woman in a sea of men
Brave to have been making and coding innovative work for 20 years
Brave for starting SheSays and CANNT Festival.
Brave for sticking to my principles.
More recently, brave for starting my own agency in a climate where networks are squeezing the life out of the indies.
But it doesn't feel like bravery when you love what you do, and have a powerful and visceral vision of the future.
I'M BRAVE BECAUSE I'M IMPATIENT FOR CHANGE, and believe you MUST be the change you want to see in the world.
This drive to make things better is the principle that has driven every decision I've ever made. The reason I started my first agency while still at uni and the reason I've thrown myself headfirst into the unknown, over and over again. It's the reason I still actively make work rather than just bring home a mega salary for sitting in meetings about meetings.
Creating positive change is my own personal measuring stick of success. Be it for a client's business or for the people on my team, my mentees or for a greater social good.
It's the process through which I've learned to trust myself and my decisions, and push so hard for bigger, hairier challenges.
When I was diving into my own experience for tips to share, I realised that all of my successes came down to pushing forwards with this open, positive attitude, and not closing myself of through ego or insecurity. But stepping forward with some feeling of bravery instead. So if I had one key piece of advice to share it would be:
DON'T BE A DICK
Be brave.
Get off your high horse.
Don't ask anyone to do anything you wouldn't do yourself.
What is that about?
Roll your sleeves up and get working.
You can do better.
DON'T BE A DICK
Scare yourself every day.
If you're reaching every goal then you've set the wrong ones.
Be vulnerable. Fuck up. Learn.
Fuck up again. Learn some more.
It makes you strong and interesting.
Don't rest on your laurels or your celebrated work from 2006.
DON'T BE A DICK
Never compromise your ethics.
A principle isn't a principle until you lose money on it.
That knot in your stomach is telling you something and you need to listen.
You all have your own moral compass, but you know in your gut when you're doing the wrong thing.
You know when you've crossed that line.
Stop. Leave. Set up your own thing.
Or just speak up.
DON'T BE A DICK
Be a rainmaker.
Build a culture of creativity and trust.
Set a vision for the future with the people you work with.
Make stuff happen. Be an open door.
Collaborate.
Inspire a little bit more bravery in everyone you meet.
DON'T BE A DICK
Trust yourself.
Have an opinion.
Let go of the self doubt.
You're certainly not the best, but you're not here by accident either.
You won't be found out as a fraud.
Make decisions - anything is better than limbo.
Do the hard things first and create some space to make work better.
DON'T BE A DICK
Make brave work.
Not work that's measured on awards but work that creates change.
Not work for your own gratification but things that move people to action.
Things of value. That make life better, funnier, easier, more joyful, more interesting, more curious, more clear, more simple.
DON'T BE A DICK
Be human.
Don't put something out into the world that stereotypes, objectifies or debases, for the sake of a smirk or a cheap gag.
You are responsible for setting the vision of the future for others.
What they aspire to, who they admire.
Don't make people feel ugly, worthless or empty for the sake of trying to fill that hole with a product.
DON'T BE A DICK
I'd love you all to finish reading this a little bit braver.
Trusting in yourself a bit more.
Collaborating.
Working with compassion.
You just need to say it as you see it.
DON'T BE A DICK.
Laura Jordan Bambach was recently named as one of the fifty most inspiring women in the European technology sector by Inspiring Fifty. Inspiring Fifty is a
pan-European programme that identifies, encourages, develops and showcases
women in leadership positions within the technology community. The aim is
to inspire a new generation of female leaders and entrepreneurs across
Europe and indeed worldwide, leading the charge to affect meaningful and
durable change.
http://www.mr-president.co.uk
http://www.weareshesays.com
@laurajaybee