5 Things You Need To Learn from Creative Director, Katrina “Cooley” Lenzly”
TLDR summary from IN BTWN ARTIST podcast Season 1 episode 2.
Music Artist, Creative Director and Owner of ELEV8ED USC, Katrina “Cooley” Lenzly is a featured guest on podcast IN BTWN ARTIST Season 1 Episode 2. You can watch the full episode here or listen to it here. In the event that you do neither here is the TLDR, or “L” for Listen, summary of what you should defiantly take away from Katrina’s creative career and journey so far.
#1 Lean into your competitive Spirit
Some people wait to be challenged by outside forces and then perform accordingly and actively well. However, practicing to challenge yourself can lead you to be more self-motivating and self-sufficient.
#2 Know Your Value
One of my favorite things about Katrina’s journey is that she has always known her value. Even if she didn’t believe it for herself she advocated for herself and her skill sets and assessed every work environment with a willingness to walk away when necessary. How many of us are still in jobs that we said we needed to leave months or even years ago? Katrina is a lovely example of what it means to show up for yourself no matter the circumstances. Even if she ever felt doubt, fear, or uncertainty she always kept her options open because she knows what she brings to any table.
#3 Shop Yourself to Continue Upskilling
This is a nice segway to the next thing you should learn from Katrina. There is no shame in shopping yourself on the job market to collect data, assess your value, or keep your options open. I would especially like to encourage people who are doubting their own inherent value or feeling stagnant in their current role to just put out some feelers. The act of interviewing alone can be a confidence boost to feel a sense of desire, respect, and excitement from a new potential employer. Even if you don’t say yes or even get an offer, it’s a way to assess your current value on the market based on salary offers or new titles you explore applying to. It may also inspire you to advocate for change in your current role if you feel they are worth the extra effort.
In Katrina’s episode you’ll hear her mention a loose 18 month rule she committed to for a lot of her early career. I believe this rule helped her upskill, gain experience in several industries over several years as well as increase her financial value on the job market. Yes, degrees hold weight, however relevant work experience is king especially in a job interview. You need to be in different creative roles to figure out what you like, especially when starting off. It’s important to seek professional environments that encourage you to learn, sponsor professional development opportunities, and/or present opportunities to scale within the company. When your employer lacks those things, it’s an easy recipe that can leave you feeling stuck or on a plateau. I encourage everyone to commit to being a lifelong learner in your personal and professional life. This may give you an advantage against other candidates for future roles.
#4 Don’t let a title deter you from applying.
That thing you love to do has a title. Remember what I said about being a life long learner? Take notice of your areas of interest and become a little expert in the field. Figure out what your skills are and how they are described or titled across sectors. Don’t like words like senior, associate or executive deter you from applying to a role. If you embody a lot of what that role is seeking then simply go for it! Unfortunately this is often difficult for women or people of color who self-eliminate by not even applying because the title seems out of reach. Lean into the possibility of rejection and apply anyway. You will likely be surprised with the result.
#5 Committing your early years can reward you later
Katrina poured into the early years of her career in her 20s working multiple jobs, trying out a variety of roles and industries. This afforded her a senior job title by her early 30s. That salary and title now affords her the ability to invest into other creative and personal goals in her life. We are so much more than our jobs.
Take the time to consider your personal and professional goals and determine what is worth sacrificing in the early parts of your career or “now” so that you can reap the benefits “later”.
You can meet Katrina online on Tuesday April 29th for a live Q&A. Send in your questions or tune in live to ask them. You can join us on YouTube, LinkedIn or Instagram.
IN BTWN ARTIST is a podcast about navigating sustainable creative careers hosted by me, Stephanie Brown, and presented by Next Chapter Podcasts.
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