Why Join Bravely? Because I’m A Chicken.
Our Creative Director Kwame DeRoché explains the personal value of being brave.
As any of my friends will tell you, I’ve always been the cautious one:
1986: “Nah, guys, let’s not hop that fence.”
1992: “You all go ahead and underage drink. I’ll walk everyone home.”
2001: “That newer car would be nice, but I should put more towards retirement.”
And while that has kept me safe, out of jail, and secure that I won’t have to eat cat food in my old age, there are ways in which it has held me back. More than once I took a job I wasn’t completely sold on because it was “good enough.” Good enough to support my family, good enough to get me home at a decent hour, you get the idea. And every time it happened, I instantly regretted it — moreso the last time I ever did it, which was when I got laid off, and ultimately decided to go into business for myself.
Not to say there wasn’t a lot of hand-wringing, fear, and the gut reaction to “find another regular job before the severance runs out.” But with the support of family, friends, and an amazing network, I decided to go the freelance/self-employed/independent contractor route.
For the first time, I jumped without a net. I walked out into the street without looking both ways. I made a copy of that VHS despite the dire FBI warnings. And while it was scary as hell, it felt good.
That was 10 years ago this month. A decade of hustling, setting my own schedule, choosing my own challenges, and enhancing my abilities as a “hired gun” — to be the new set of eyes that comes in and turns a project around. In that time, I’ve worked with small startups and Fortune 500 companies. I’ve lectured at colleges and still had time for Career Day at my kids’ school. I’ve crafted brand voices, launched products, and created content for dozens of companies. And I’ll admit, I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time working in my pajamas.
I used to be scared. But I’m not anymore.
All because I took that leap.
So when my former partner and dear friend — who was at a crossroads of his own — started describing to me what would eventually evolve into Bravely, I took another leap, and said “yes” before he even finished his sentence. It’s an opportunity to apply my skills to bigger challenges. It’s a chance to help brands take the same kind of leaps. To help reformed chickens like myself step into the unknown.
Bravely is an approach to creativity, advertising, marketing, branding, media, and technology that’s different, scary, and anything but cautious.
And I couldn’t be more excited.
What does this mean for my career, my clients, my future? In a word, more. As Bravely is a collaborative effort across numerous skill sets, people, and locations, I’ll have more experts to work with, more people to bounce ideas off of, and more to offer.
Let’s do this. Together. (But without the suit, please.)
It’s different. It’s new. And it kinda gives me goosebumps. And that’s how I know that doing this — and doing it bravely — is the right move.
