Back to School

My creative partner, Mindy, and I recently had the opportunity to return to SCAD for a fireside chat as part of their Macro Media lecture series, sharing our journey and how we came to build Dowell & Co. together. We talked about the twists and turns of our careers, Mindy’s transition from Interior Design to Art Direction and Production, and my shift from exclusively assisting other photographers to taking on my own clients. It was humbling (and a little surreal) to be on the other side of the student experience, seeing wide, intent stares and even a few chuckles as we shared our insights.

One of the biggest themes of our talk was the value of every experience—whether or not it seems relevant at the time. When we were just starting out, it felt like every job had to be the job, the one that would define our careers. But in reality, it’s what you make of the skills and relationships you gain along the way that truly matters. We also got real about side jobs, not as a setback, but as a way to build something sustainable without feeling like everything is on the line. We also talked about how no one has work-life balance completely figured out, but we emphasized the importance of setting boundaries and making space for creative projects just for the sake of creativity. Without that, burnout is inevitable.

After the discussion, we had some great one-on-one conversations with students, and it was especially rewarding to help someone uncover a career path they didn’t even know was possible. More than anything, we just wanted to be the kind of mentors we wished we’d had at that stage in our careers. Walking away, we felt inspired ourselves—reminded of what it’s like to be just getting started, full of curiosity and potential.