1) What are you currently doing with your life?

I am a creative professional and strategist running an independent creative consulting business. I am passionate about identifying and creating honest, simple and unique storytelling and concepts with a great impact! Very close to my heart is working with innovative designers, culinary stars and fashion projects with a unique narrative.

This means helping other creatives, designers and gastronomic stars release their full potential and achieve the recognition they truly deserve through really listening to the client, making sure the strategic foundation stays honest and unique with a commercial appeal, creating a clear and creative concept and a communication plan that can be executed either by themselves or an agency.Many creatives aren't necessarily the best in communicating to the world what they do best and knowing how to create the proper strategic foundation for moving forward with a concept or a product that you have designed is really difficult.

2) What did you do before this?

I worked for a design firm for 5 five years in the Brand Management department. First as Product Manager Assistant but I was quickly promoted into International Product Manager and later Market Relations Manager. I was planning and executing product launches, communication plans, events, recruitment strategies and also worked with social media a lot.

Eventually it became clear to me that I was probably placed in the wrong department or at least didn't really agree with the approach to branding that the company believed in - I wanted more creative freedom, more social media and more involvement in the design process to be able to create the best communication and concepts. I though the company needed a set of fresh eyes on the approach we took to launching a product and a designer...

3) What was your moment of truth?

For a year or two I had been playing with the idea how I believed the future within branding and creative work ought to be approached differently, instead of the different departments working separately I though we should join forces to create branding with more substance. This combined with the rise of social media and financial crisis all over the world made you consider if I was really doing what I loved or just tagging along...

My moment of truth or should I say when I was pushed me over the edge was one year before I quit. During a re-organization of my department one of my co-workers became my manager. Shortly after that my old manager left and I knew then that I wouldn't be prioritized within the company and that it would be much harder for me in the future to get my ideas and visions across.

4) How did you plan for it?

I started planning my escape that same weekend, but I also have to admit it took me a year to get there... from anger and frustration to being constructive and able to plan. During that year I applied for a few jobs, got the interviews and each time got really for in the process and every time I felt somehow relieved when I didn't get the job. Two months before my escape I wrote my letter of resignation to prepare myself mentally. A weekend in a cabin with a good friend of mine helped me build up the courage to actually hand it in. That same weekend I wrote a letter to a creative business I had worked for on the side and made them an offer for a part-time position allowing them to afford it and me to have half my days to pursue my dreams...

5) What have been the best and worst things about making this happen?

I actually ended up quitting without knowing if I had any future income, but I also have to admit that was one of the most liberating things I have done in my life - to actually take a risk. Fortunately I didn't wait long before the part-time job was secured...

So... here is my list of pro's and con's so far:-)Pro's:- the sense of freedom- being your own master- the positive support I have experienced from friends, co-worker, family and other relations- no fixed workday, full flexibility- the inspiration and excellent support/documentation that exists online- realizing that my favorite co-workers are now friends instead of just someone I see during work hours

Con's:- lack of financial security (no extra shopping sprees for now:-))- people's lack of understanding for how you can leave a job during these difficult times...- missing good colleagues/company during the dayAs you can see the Pro’s list is much longer so I can only recommend the escape!

6) What was the best advice you have received

I confided in one of my older co-workers at some point and told her my thoughts and ideas - she listened and then told me that when I spoke about my new ideas she recognized the energy and passion that she thought I had lost.

I know right then there that there was no way out:-)

7) What resources or information have you found really helpful?

Fast Company's blog: http://www.fastcompany.com/

the 99 percent: http://the99percent.com/

Creative pathfinder: http://lateralaction.com/pathfinder/