Tess Gadwa
CEO, Yes Exactly
I started Yes Exactly six years ago. Before that, I thought of myself as an artist and a writer who just happened to make websites on the side. What I realized over time was that the process of collaborating with people with a vision and a dream—entrepreneurs, artists, activists, and many others—to build something new was one of the most rewarding and creative endeavors imaginable. As we head toward 2017, I am reminded of the many amazing people we’ve had the privilege to work with, and I am eager to see where our work takes us next.
Tree of Life, Digital Collage by artist Noel Nunez. Copyright 2016.
Creative is a distinctly overused and underrated buzzword. Since it is also our stock in trade, I thought I would take a moment to share my own definition.
Creativity means risk. It means looking at the problem and the variables at hand, instead of simply copying the most popular solutions. It means being unafraid to trust your gut and then cross-examine your own gut.
Creativity means results. The stereotype of the artist may be someone whose head is in the clouds, distracted and distractable. The reality is that artists, artisans, makers, and programmers all revel in building stuff. The joy is not in the thought, participle, or adjective of “being creative.” The joy is in bringing something new into the world.
Creativity is interdisciplinary. Being able to combine visual design, usability/ux, and web and application development in a small shop has given us some professional opportunities, to be certain. Because we are intellectually curious and open to working with people with expertise different from our own, these types of projects come very naturally to us. See risk-taking.
Creativity disrupts. Creative people tend to see past established orders and hierarchies. They are willing to try something new, without the fear of being laughed at. That’s how tools emerge to challenge the status quo. I wrote about how much these attitudes and skill sets were needed at all levels of our industry back in September of this year, in connection with the latest iPhone release. In the world we inhabit three months later, I suspect they are needed even more.
Creativity is far from the only important trait in the world. I believe that simple human kindness goes a whole lot further. But creativity is a powerful force.
Every entrepreneur is creative. We work to help your creative vision succeed.