Kevin: Choosing What I Actually Need
CREATING A NEW NORMAL
Interviews and original transcription by Loisse Ledres | Co-written with Elise Blauuw
“I couldn’t do it anymore. I felt like we weren’t doing the right thing with the time and talent we had.”
According to every rule in the book, Kevin had “made it” by the time 2020 started. He had a high-paying job in the creative industry, doing work he loved. But when the pandemic started, he found himself with extra time. Time he spent thinking about how much of his energy went into selling tequila, and how many people that was helping.
“I spent years creating liquor ads and experiences for luxury cars. I had been applying my passion to things that really didn't even need my help to sell.”
Quarantine became a training session for Kevin, where he learned how to live with a smaller budget and realized how much time he had spent working and commuting.
“I felt some grief about how much time I lost with my son. Time that I would never get back.”
Kevin realized that his passions had never changed from what they had been years ago: helping other people and spending time with his loved ones.
“Growth came in just having the time to rediscover what I used to love—helping people. It’s kinda a backward growth. Like a yo-yo. I was thrown out and spinning at the end of a string, but finally made my way back to the beginning. A place where I can help people.”
As Kevin’s COVID-training session came to an end, he took his final test and quit his job.
“I shifted who I do my work for. Not how I approach my work. I still want to make work filled with positivity and winks. But I can't do it for brands or organizations that don't have a mission to help everyone.”
Now he’s at a nonprofit, working with less pay and more purpose. He harnesses his creativity, his humor, and his experience to advocate for other people.
“I have an urgent, unapologetic, drive about the needs of children. I’m not out to give them a future, they already have a future. It’s our job to provide the best possible future.”
His new job provides him work that gives back to others and time that gives back to his family. Now he hopes to inspire others to harness their creativity so they can do more for the world and more for themselves.
“I can do a better job. To be more creative. To be more persuasive. It’s rewarding to see people see the power of creativity. Nothing makes me happier than to see how other people grow. The most rewarding part to me is helping people do better.”
- KEVIN
Kevin’s upcoming projects
kevingosselincreative.com
BUILDING THE CREATIVE TEAM AND MARKETING STRATEGY AT HIS NEW WORKPLACE
READ MORE ABOUT CREATIVES CREATING A NEW NORMAL:
This project is part of the Creative Wildfire project, an artist grant funded by Climate Justice Alliance, Movement Generation, and New Economy Coalition.
