Creative Direction for Human Connection
Kim Berlin
I don't have a brand– I create them– but I do have a mission: To stand in service to courageous companies and individuals who truly seek to understand and express themselves with integrity, authenticity and a difference only they can bring to the world.
My passion is people and my profession is design. We’re all creative beings, designing our businesses, yes– but also designing our lives, our society and the world in which we live. Creative Direction for Human Connection™ builds the bridge between ideas and perception is my mantra. This is the territory where personal and professional overlap, transcending the limiting silos of B2B or B2C. We're now in the era of responsibility to each other. H2H– human-to-human connection– is what’s required.
What was the inspiration to start this business?
Like many of us, I had to experience a zillion glaring examples of how NOT to live, lead, work and be in the world.
I was laid off from my big NYC agency role and took the loss like a death. Little did I know behind the scenes part of me was actually dying, and giving birth to a version of me much more aligned with my truth at that moment. If I'm being completely honest, my business evolved organically out of necessity, not some big huge plan I hatched to achieve a specific goal.
My job is to stay focused on WHY I do what I do, which is twofold: to remain true to myself, and to serve and empower those around me. I'm continually renewing the deal I made with myself to trust the process as it unfolds. If I’m able to do that, I will never be lead astray.
When you started your business, did you ever envision that you would be where you are now?
Not in a million years. I always assumed I'd land a leadership role in the design industry, climbing the ladder, winning awards, working for someone else, making the big bucks– achieving, achieving, achieving.
If six years ago you told me I would quit my agency job without another lined up, spend a month living in Nicaragua, become a solopreneur with a boutique design consultancy, look up in the sky and see a fleet of 737s painted with my handiwork, be providing support, guidance and mentorship for individuals seeking to embrace their unique paths in life, be certified in integrative healing modalities, and be offering donation-based biofield therapy sessions to help people integrate the trauma of these past few years, all while earning more than I ever have, working a less-than-full time schedule, and taking really good care of myself– I would have laughed in your face!
I’m on the brink of 51 now. Looking back I thought I was having a classic midlife crisis (without the Porsche 911, sadly). I was commuting 3-plus hours a day, running a whole department without support and suffering from multiple autoimmune conditions. I was always highly self-aware, but had little time for self-reflection and nary a spiritual bone in my body.
It was shocking to discover the only way I could show up in the world as my best and most integrated self was to turn inward and for the first time, truly LISTEN. I learned every little thing present in my life is there due to a choice I had made, and I can choose the specific environments, conditions, clients and people with whom I collaborate. I learned the difference between confidence and self esteem, between impermeable walls and healthy boundaries, between pushing harder and working softer, between comparison and inspiration, between doing and being. I learned I don't have to cram all that I proudly am– and let me tell you, I'm A LOT– into the one tiny box that is my profession.
Was there ever a time that things didn't fall into place, struggles, or challenges? What were they and how did you get passed it and grow from the experience?
All. The. Time. Whether it's a rejection, creative dry spell, illness, financial uncertainty or general fear of the unknown, getting comfortable with what is remains a daily practice for me. I do my best to walk through the world with my heart open, even if that means it'll get broken a million times a day– and sometimes it does. I try to remember as humans we are here to have a wide range of experiences, and no experience is inherently good or bad until we assign meaning to it. What we resist persists, and more often than not, resisting is more painful than allowing. What we allow seems to flow through pretty easily, even the "bad" stuff. So rather than “get past” difficult experiences, I'm more interested in staying curious about them, hearing what they have to tell me, integrating their learnings and reuniting with the parts of me I inadvertently left behind in the process. It's all a revolution of homecoming.
What was the biggest lesson you learned while starting and growing this business?
To live with integrity. I am the only one who truly knows whether my life and business is working for me. No matter how many highly credentialed professionals or well-meaning friends I check in with, looking outside myself for answers never helps. It’s true what they say– compare and despair.
What would you tell a FEM that is struggling in her business and feel like it's too difficult?
It's not easy to do what you’re doing and you’re doing great! Look how far you’ve come, how much you’ve grown. Where can you be a little kinder to yourself? Where can you stop pushing and soften? What is your body trying to tell you? Is now the best time to be making this decision, or do you need a pause? Are you staying in your own lane?
What continues to inspire you to keep on growing your business?
Knowing I bring something utterly original that no one else can. That I am the product as much as the service I’m offering. Recognizing my definition of "growth" may not look like someone else's– and shouldn't. Though rarely praised, sometimes the decision to not scale, but remain small and nimble is the right one. My mission to leave the world better than it was before I was in it. Serving my fellow humans as an integral part of who I am, embedded within every interaction– not just when I'm formally “in service”.
Final advice for those thinking of starting a business or looking to grow their current business?
If you listen to yourself, trust your inner guidance, feel into what feels good and proceed moment by moment, you'll find there’s plenty of space for everyone to play, including– and most especially– space for YOU.
To connect: Website: https://www.hellokbd.com
Instagram: @hellokbd and @k_berlin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlin
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