At J.O., we firmly believe that creativity drives success. That being said, keeping a work environment creative does not happen without being intentional about the workspace and its inhabitants. We believe design should be fresh, alive and exhilarating. We are not in the business of recycling ideas and using stale campaigns to communicate our clients’ needs.
I have always said I could never work in an office. My idea of this was all gray everything with dull lighting, claustrophobic cubicles, and the smell of stale coffee. When I walked into J.O., I saw quite the opposite. Jennifer and the team completely flipped my view of what that was. What I have come to realize is that the connotations I had with the word “office” were based on the idea that I did not want to feel stagnant or bored at work. I have been lucky enough to find a place that is flowing with new projects, brainstorming sessions, and vibrancy. From the walls filled with new artwork each month to the collaborative open space that makes bouncing ideas off of each other easy, it is difficult to feel uninspired.
I discovered the value of creativity when I started with the J.O. team last summer. Though everyone in the office is working for a common goal, we all have different outlets to spark creativity. Our Office Manager Debbi and our Graphic Designer Kenny both mentioned that they played uncommon instruments. Kenny (pictured on the left) plays the upright bass while Debbi (right) has mastered the art of the hammered dulcimer. Debbi said that she enjoys the hammered dulcimer because, “It uses both sides of my brain to play, and best of all, the sound is so pretty that even mistakes don’t sound too bad! There isn’t much in the way of dulcimer music out there, so I create my own arrangements from hymns and other songs.” Kenny mentioned that “Playing bass gives me a creative outlet separate from what I do day-to-day. Music makes me happy and keeps me thinking.” These are just a few examples of ways we stay inspired around here. We all know that creative communications and design is like sweet music to the ears! And that’s what we promise you here at J.O.
