About Me
What inspired you to pursue a career in your industry?
I went to Humber for Advertising and Graphic Design.
I knew I wanted to do something in an artistic field, and design and advertising had a strong career path available while also being able to do creative work.
How did you overcome the biggest challenge you faced in building your business?
We launched Humanity in the summer of 2020. So, timing was a huge challenge in terms of being able to get out and network and meet people and even just knowing what the day would bring.
Everyone was very cautious with budgets and not being able to forecast the future. So there was just the uncertainty to navigate, on top of being a new business in a fairly crowded industry.
We also felt like it was the best time to start a human-centric agency like Humanity though. I would say overall, the other big challenge was building a network.
Going through my career as a creative, it was always about the work. What I have come to realize is that your network is so very important.
Not just a transactional network, but a real reciprocal network of connections, supports, mentors and champions.
I basically had to start building my network from the ground up when we launched. Which was a challenge especially in the first year and a half or so when we were in constant lockdowns, and building connections was so difficult.
What is one key factor behind your company’s success?
It’s not a straightforward or easy path. There’s been a lot of testing and learning along the way.
I think that is part of the success – allowing ideas to be put forward and a learn from failure or what didn’t work attitude. For us as well, right from launch we’ve had a very unique and defined point of difference.
We aren’t just about our vast analytics or our creative, we really are about both, based on super human-centric insights and our proprietary Wellbeing Framework to help brands understand where they can authentically support the brand community’s wellbeing.
For any organization, you need a brand that clearly defines your ‘why’.
How do you stay motivated and focused on your goals?
Personally, I love what I do, and I’m deeply motivated by the vision we have for Humanity and what we’re building together.
Every day, I get to work with an incredible group of humans who bring joy and energy to the work we do, even when things get tough – because, in business, challenges are part of the journey.
For me, staying focused comes down to having a clear vision, knowing our purpose as an organization, and truly living by our values.
At Humanity, we’ve implemented a system where everyone knows our goals for the year. These goals are then broken down by quarter and, ultimately, by each team member, so everyone understands the role they play both operationally and developmentally in helping us get there.
“Everyone was very cautious with budgets and not being able to forecast the future. So there was just the uncertainty to navigate, on top of being a new business in a fairly crowded industry. ”
What advice would you give to young professionals starting out in their careers or entrepreneurial endeavour?
I like to talk about this one a lot, now that it has been four years since launching Humanity, taking all of the things I’ve learned in those four years and looking back at my career overall.
Build Your Network. Step away from your computer! It's easy, especially for creatives, to get absorbed in doing the work, but networking is crucial for building a career. Surround yourself with people who inspire and challenge you.
Have a Plan. Your plan will likely evolve over time, and that’s okay. But having a vision gives you direction. Even if your path changes, knowing where you want to go helps keep you moving forward.
Find Mentors and Champions. No one succeeds alone. Build a network of mentors who can guide and push you. And remember to pay it forward—become a mentor and champion for others along the way.
How do you handle setbacks or failures in business?
It does take time to build that ‘thick skin’ as they say.
Resilience doesn’t come naturally, but it can be learned. It’s learning from the setback, taking time to process it, and either adjusting or moving on from it.
This is where your network really comes in as well. As I said, no one can go it alone, and no one person knows everything. When you have a true reciprocal network, you have others to lean on and get advice from.
In turn, you can do the same for them. Everyone has setbacks and failures in life and in business.
What do you think makes a great leader?
I love this topic as I think there is not one definitive answer.
There are a lot of aspects and why it’s important to have leadership teams where each person’s strengths complement the others. Good leaders are always curious and learning.
You don’t just hit ‘great leadership status’ and then you are done. You are always learning, and always listening.
Empathy and deep listening are hugely important for creating a psychologically safe workplace for teams. And great leaders lead through inspiration, not fear.
I love a good Simon Sinek quote, and I’ve had this one on a post-it for a while now “Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in our charge”.
How do you maintain a work-life balance while leading a company or team?
To be honest, this is a learning opportunity for me… one area of improvement I’m working on right now is really scheduling my calendar to help me focus.
So each day is as planned out as possible to help keep me focused on what needs to be done so it doesn’t all become night time or weekend work.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
It’s not so much specifically career advice, but a great quote I heard one of Humanity’s clients say that can apply to career and all aspects of life, “If you have the power to create barriers, you have the power to remove them”.
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