7 Things Our Design Team Learned at The Y Conference

When we’re young, curiosity comes naturally, but as adults and creative professionals, we must challenge ourselves to be as curious in both our professional and personal lives. At Mthº, one of our core values is to “Never Stop Exploring.” In order to create work that is courageous and remarkable, we must tap into this youthful curiosity.
So a few of our designers—Aaron, Tyler, Wayne, Shane and Joy—attended the Y Conference in San Diego last week to spark their creativity and further their knowledge in design strategies. Here’s a look at what they learned at the conference.

1. See the “Yes” In the “No”
Clients hire us to solve problems instead of saying “No, that’s not possible,” it is up to us to say “Yes” and remove the barriers that get in the way of the best possible solution.
2. Don’t Sell Yourself Short          
Maybe you’re not as far, or maybe farther, than you expected, but where you are is a culmination of your effort. Never forget to take that in and embrace it. Use it to move forward and go where you want.
3. Get Back To Crafting With Your Hands
In an age of digital tools, it is easy to focus on perfection, but you must remember that handcrafted communication (like calligraphy), with its imperfections, can help tell the most authentic stories.
4. Everyone Is Creative
Creativity is not exclusive. It is inherent in every person and is not an aesthetic, but a way of solving problems. Everyone is capable of unique or undiscovered solutions and we should all seek to find our “creative” mindset that lets us tap into them.
5. It’s A Process
A design project is meant to evolve in its path to completion, but it’s crucial to never lose sight of the conceptual foundation that we lay in the beginning stages of the process—it is the fabric that drives every design decision along the way.
6. Brands Aren’t For Everyone
You don’t create passion for your brand by appealing to people equally. Great brands cultivate lifetime followers by appealing to a specific consumer market’s personal needs, desires and projections of their future selves.
7. We’re More Than Just Designers
Being a designer means being an innovator, planner and problem solver. At Mth Degree, no matter what our titles are we work, create, think and solve together every day with one purpose and goal—to move people.

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