At 15, we had a school assignment to choose a place for a two-week work experience placement. At the time, art was my favourite subject – the one lesson I genuinely looked forward to. The creative freedom made it the best part of the school week. It got my brain working in the right way.
I was already experimenting with design software back then, messing around with early (cracked!) versions of Photoshop and getting pretty familiar with how it worked. So, for my placement, I applied to a local design studio.
Those two weeks were incredible. I started with tiny design tasks, but since I already knew my way around the software, the work quickly became more involved. By 16, they’d taken me on as a “Very-Junior Designer“. My routine became school until 3:30pm, then straight to the studio for a 4pm start, working a couple of hours each evening. Branding, layouts, assignments – I loved every second. This was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I felt so lucky to find it so young.
At 16, I happily left school and skipped A-levels. The only other students leaving that year were four boys who weren’t allowed to stay on (!) but there I was, off to Leeds College of Art to study a two-year Graphic Design course. I’d found my calling. Funnily enough, during this time I actually went back to tutor the design software to my former art teacher on my days off, how tables so quickly turned!
Those years flew by, followed by a degree in Graphic Design. Throughout university, I interned at as many places as possible, eager to get into the working world. I was itching to graduate. Those five years solidified my passion for design. The balance of creativity and social aspect of working directly with clients felt just like those first art lessons – nothing had really changed.
By the time I graduated at 21, I had already been a junior designer for five years and knew I was ready to take the plunge. I set up my own design practice on day 1 of graduating, then working with incredible clients from all over the world which then happily merged with my other lifelong passion: music.
Now, back to being 15 again with a different spin.
I’m walking down the high street in Leeds and was handed a CD promoting a local club night at Gatecrasher (a huge club brand at the time – who remembers?). At 15, I was way too young to set foot inside any club, but I put the promo CD on anyway. And wow. My ears exploded. I had never heard anything like it before—house music. That was it. I was hooked.
I soon got myself some DJ decks and, I’ll admit another cracked piece of software (!), and started figuring it all out. A familiar story.
Once again, I found myself drawn to something that blended that creativity and social experience again. Just like with design, I threw myself into it. I DJed at house parties throughout college and university, then in clubs around the city after graduating.
My life has since always revolved around two things and become a confluence of music and design. Over the years, I worked on projects that combined both, taking me to some of the world’s biggest dance music hotspots – Ibiza, Tulum, Amsterdam, Manchester (the latter of which is where now call home). Sorry Norway, I love you, but your dance music scene needs more!
Design and music give me the same sense of purpose. Weekdays, you’ll find me deep in design work. Weekends, I’m in the DJ booth – either playing or supporting friends. Two parallel journeys that have led me exactly where I am now 15 years later, at 30. I feel incredibly lucky where I am right now: working with the amazing Project Neon team, working on awesome projects, all while listening to beautiful beats all day!
The company values of Proactive, Engaged, Vibrant actually align perfectly with everything that’s me.
- Proactive – I’ve always created my own opportunities. At 15, I taught myself to design. The same drive got me into music—learning, practicing, and putting myself out there.
- Engaged – Whether in design or music, I’m all in. From late nights designing to late/early(!) mornings DJing at clubs, I’ve always immersed myself in the creative world, constantly learning and listening.
- Vibrant – Energy and passion fuel everything I do. Whether designing for global clients or listening to music in top dance spots, I thrive in fast-paced, creative environments.
And here’s a song from that CD that in kicked it all off:
