10 Creative Keys from Indiggo: The Art of Expression Conference

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@7AMMAG

7 min readApr 6, 2018

Jamaica’s inaugural Indiggo creative conference was a major success.

Some of the most brilliant minds on the island gathered in Kingston for a full day of inspiration, insight and innovation. Here are some of the most memorable takeaways, with photos by the top creative shotta himself, Romario Lynch (@lebosslynch on Twitter & Instagram).

“Master your craft. Talent cannot be hidden.” — Protoje

International reggae artiste & founder of InDiggNation Collective

Pace is an important thing. Many people want success, but have not taken the time to actually develop their talents and skills to attract the success they desire. That’s why it’s important to master your craft first and foremost. You can go hard all you want to, but if your craft is mediocre, it nuh matter. If you have average work, don’t be surprised as to why you aren’t standing out. Talent cannot be hidden. Ask yourself what would the greats do. Want to be a big reggae singer and yuh nuh fit? Bob Marley wasn’t just a great artiste, he ran daily to keep himself fit and on top of his game. Learn all that it takes to become a master at what you do, and success will flow.

Find one thing and focus on it. — Kerry-Anne Clarke

Entrepreneur, Fashionista, Managing Director of The Collection MoDA

The more food you’re stuffing in your mouth, the harder it is to swallow. And you probably won’t enjoy it that much. The same can be said for your focus. One bite at a time, one step at a time, one project at a time. And never be afraid to commit your life to what you love, even if it means giving up what others expect from you. If you aren’t able to follow your passion and work the family business or that 9 to 5, it may be time to take a leap of faith. To follow your heart, and focus.

Get people to have faith in you. Deliver. — Andrew Bellamy

Councillor, Publisher & CEO of Sleek Jamaica

When people know they will get guaranteed results from you, they will become increasing loyal and return to you time and time again. Build faith by being consistent in what you do. Go that extra mile. Go above and beyond what people expect. Think about how much effort you are putting into your product and service, into building your empire, and the results that come from that. Make sure the result is not only guaranteed, but great. Distinguish yourself. Deliver.

Even if you don’t have money, you have friends. — Damion Crawford

Educator, Entrepreneur and Radio Host

The creative industry is one of the main industries where your friends become your chief promoters. They believe in you and will spread your works on social media, tell friends about how great you are and are typically happy to boast on your behalf. So take some time to think about and thank your friends for being ambassadors of your creativity. And if you don’t have any friends, consider this motivation to be a tad bit more social and make a few. You never know who knows who, and your next opportunity could be one friend away.

Don’t be afraid to exploit your connections. — Tyrone Wilson

Entrepreneur, Advisor, CEO of eMedia & iCreate

The number one lesson in funding your creative vision? Networking. Your next investor may be at your next conference. Sign up for events and meetups, and register for conferences. The return on investment for your ticket could be an introduction to someone who can write a cheque for your creativity. Think of how you will monetize your idea. Have your financials ready: how you will fund it, what are the costs involved and how you are going to grow it. Next time you’re at a function, try holding a conversation instead of holding up the wall. You never know who’s in the same room.

Share your ideas. Build a team. — Michelle Chong

Co-founder & CEO of Honey-Bun, President of Jamaica Export Association

Creative people are not afraid to get other business people into our ideas. Cultivate a nice blend between creative-minded and business-minded people to bring your vision to life. Don’t just have ideas, but have records. Know your targets, your sales, your plans to make your sales. Get people involved who balance out your execution.

Translate awareness into activity. — Rasheed Girvan

Digital Marketing Manager of Yello Media Group

Start with awareness by getting your brand in front of people. Just remember to translate that awareness and move it toward action. Is being aware of your work enough to motivate someone to make a purchase? To research, sample or buy? Awareness alone doesn’t cut it. Social media is great for awareness, but recommendations are also done in the outside world, outside of Instagram and Facebook. There are billions of photos and hours of content uploaded at any given moment and over sharing is a real issue. So before you post, step back and think it through. What is the next step beyond engagement? Think of the bigger picture.

Creating something that you can identify with. — Diane Plummer

Founder & CEO of Your True Shade, UTECH lecturer

What do you do when you aren’t able to find the product or service you need? Go to the drawing board and creative something. Not only will this help you stand out, but it will ensure that you are always in touch with your target audience. As the ideal person who would use your product, you will always know your clients from the inside out.

Be willing to sacrifice some of your time. — Corey Hamilton

Photographer, Visual Artist, Creative Dirctor at Hamilton Multimedia

When you are full of creativity and have many ideas, it may seem difficult to find time to balance everything. Especially if you have family and any sort of personal life. So you have to be ready to sacrifice something, maybe your “me” time. Your passion will find its way to become a priority when you take it seriously. That might look like driving with a camera in your lap so you’re always ready to capture that perfect picture, or getting out the car to fly a drone on a drive to Ocho Rios. Maximize each moment.

Hone in on what you’d dedicate your life to. — Kamila McDonald

Founder of Kamila Fitness, Author of Wake Up and Live!

Which one of those passions could you see yourself committing your life to? Which one of those passions brings you so much joy you would do it for free? Roles change, but purpose is everlasting. Your purpose is far greater than you there is a reason you are alive and you have a huge responsibility to see that through. Life is so much more than what we create in our heads, or the jobs we keep. So hone in on the one thing you know that you would enjoy doing for the rest of your life.

Wise words from creative leaders. Hope you grabbed a notebook and jotted a few down. Our full event recap will be in the upcoming issue, and we are looking forward to introducing our new writers, contributors and co-editors, many we connected with at Indiggo. Flourish!

In the meantime, enjoy more photos from le boss, and be sure to check out our Instagram for more: www.instagram.com/7ammag.