Parliament | Thanks Universe (15 years of Hoot Design Company)
the cover to our 15 year anniversary party held on March 13th
As I hit this wild milestone of 15 years, I've been thinking about all those moments where the universe seemingly tossed me a bone.
You know, those "Thanks, Universe!" moments that, from the outside, look like falling ass-backward into something great.
But as I was thinking on each one of these moments — I realized the “ass backward” part is usually unrelenting grit (or what some in my office have called “oppressive grit.” — potato/potata).
"Thanks, Dan!" (Aka How Getting Fired Became My Power Move)
Remember our infamous "Thanks, Dan!" moment? When our biggest client fired us on that fateful Friday afternoon?
In the moment, it felt like the universe was giving me the middle finger. But here's what actually happened next:
I had a panic attack
I ugly-cried in my kitchen (just once, for exactly 7 minutes)
I called every contact I'd been "too busy" to follow up with
We signed our biggest client to date (while maintaining much healthier concentration)
That "catastrophe" forced me to reinvent Hoot in ways I never would have if things had stayed comfortable. Today, we're stronger, more diversified, and frankly, creating better work than we ever did when we were complacent.
So genuinely: Thanks, Dan. Best firing ever.
"Thanks, Roommates!"
When we outgrew our space and couldn’t come to terms with our old suitemates, it pushed my husband and me to look at purchasing a building instead of continuing to rent.
This was intimidating but it has given us diversified income and more growth as we add a second building for hosting workshops.
I don’t think we ever would have taken that leap if we had been allowed to stay comfortable and tow the status quo.
After five years of ownership, I can honestly say real estate might be the ONLY true passive income.
The Entrepreneurial Superpower: Aggressive Optimism
If there's one thing I've mastered in 15 years, it's the art of forgetting how hard things were and convincing myself I can do even harder things next time.
This is my entrepreneurial superpower. It's a hard-earned delusion that comes from:
Getting punched in the business gut so many times that my reflexes are impressive
Building a team that thrives in the constant change of SMB + Agency life
Using our nimble nature as an asset, not a liability (hello AI)
Maintaining the absolute conviction that if things go sideways, I'll figure it out because I always have
The Science Behind Looking Lucky While Actually Just Being Stubborn
People who seem "lucky" actually just:
Say "why not?" more often than "why me?"
Notice opportunities because they're actively looking for them
Have already failed enough times that they're not afraid to try again
Have mastered looking calm while paddling frantically underneath the surface
Moving Forward: Creating More "Happy Accidents" That Are Neither Happy Nor Accidents
As I look ahead to the next 15 years, here's how I plan to continue manufacturing my own "luck":
Embracing Controlled Chaos: I'm building a business that can bend without breaking, because flexibility beats stability every time.
Weaponizing Optimism: I'm cultivating a team that sees obstacles as "spicy opportunities" rather than problems.
Playing Chess While Others Play Checkers: I'm trying to think three moves ahead, because today's inconvenience is tomorrow's case study.
Taking Big Swings: I'm continuing to make moves because playing it safe is the riskiest move of all.
To celebrate hitting the big 1-5, I took our team and their partners to Sager Reeves Gallery for happy hour and then to Barred Owl for dinner. There's something powerful about pausing to mark these milestones – to look around at the incredible humans who've joined this journey along the way.
Here's to 15 years of stubborn persistence, to the next chapter of Hoot's story, and to all of you who make this journey worth every moment – even the ones that required an ugly cry — thank you.
Artwork by Nya McClain, article by Senior Art Director, Bri Thomas
Consistency Doesn't Mean Boring: Why brand consistency is about intention, not limitation
The Persistent Myth
"We need to be more creative, let's break away from the brand guidelines." "Brand consistency is holding us back." "Our guidelines are too restrictive for social media." "We need something fresh - let's ignore the system just this once."
These are the justifications used every time someone wants to prioritize short-term creative impulses over long-term brand building. But here's the thing: consistency isn't your enemy - it's your secret weapon.
The Reality Check
The most innovative brands in the world are also some of the most consistent. Think about:
Apple's product launches - always minimal, always powerful
Nike's advertising - decades of "Just Do It" finding fresh expressions
Coca-Cola - evolving within their brand world for over a century
Google - playful while maintaining clear system principles
These brands aren't consistent because they lack creativity. They're consistent because they understand that consistency creates recognition, and recognition builds trust.
The Freedom of Framework
Strong brand systems work like music – they're built on a fundamental structure that enables meaningful improvisation, not restricts it. Think of your brand guidelines as a musical scale: once you truly understand the rules, you can play with them in infinite ways while still creating something recognizable. The structure isn't limiting your creativity; it's giving it direction and purpose. When you have a clear framework, you don't waste energy wondering if something is "on brand" – instead, you can focus your creative energy on finding fresh, innovative ways to express your brand's core truth.
The best brand systems don't wall you in; they give you a foundation to build upon. They provide the tools and principles that enable teams to move quickly and confidently, ensuring that every expression of the brand adds to its equity rather than diluting it. It's about creating guardrails that focus innovation rather than barriers that prevent it.
What Actually Matters
Real brand consistency isn't about mindless repetition or rigid rule-following – it's about strategic intention and purposeful choice. It's understanding that every brand expression is either building or eroding brand equity, and making conscious decisions about how to move forward. True consistency comes from having a deep understanding of your brand's core principles and using that understanding to guide evolution, not prevent it.
This means looking beyond surface-level consistency like colors and logos to ensure you're creating coherent experiences that build meaningful recognition over time. It's about understanding that your brand isn't just a set of visual rules – it's a tool for creating lasting impressions and building trust with your audience. When you approach consistency from this perspective, it becomes less about what you can't do and more about how you can use your brand's established equity to create more powerful work.
The Bottom Line
Remember: The most powerful creative work doesn't come from ignoring your brand - it comes from understanding it deeply enough to push it forward with purpose.
