Students of Design

Ash Phillips – Scarcity Mindset, Setting Boundaries, and Planning for Creative Standstills – Ep12

Episode Summary

Ash is a Co-Founder and Creative Director of Six Cinquième, a Montreal-based Strategic Brand Consultancy. She's created work for organizations like The National Black Canadians Summit, On Est Là!, a BIPOC-focused talent agency, and The Centre for Canadians of African Descent. Many design agencies say they're selective about the people they work with—but Six Cinquième proves they are. Their work uplifts Black creativity. It represents and has the power to inspire young, underrecognized designers to enter the design industry. Tune in for a talk about shifting your mindset, setting boundaries with clients, and trusting everything will work itself out.

Episode Notes

Ash is a Co-Founder and Creative Director of Six Cinquième, a Montreal-based Strategic Brand Consultancy. She's created work for organizations like The National Black Canadians Summit, On Est Là!, a BIPOC-focused talent agency, and The Centre for Canadians of African Descent. Many design agencies say they're selective about the people they work with—but Six Cinquième proves they are. Their work uplifts Black creativity. It represents and has the power to inspire young, underrecognized designers to enter the design industry. Tune in for a talk about shifting your mindset, setting boundaries with clients, and trusting everything will work itself out. You can find more of Ash's work on her agency's website, follow Six Cinquième on Instagram, and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Questions for this interview.

• What is your agency, Six Cinquieme, proof of? At this point in your career, what have you proven to yourself?
• You started your agency because you didn't feel like the design industry was a space made for you. What was missing from it? Why didn't you feel like it was a space for you?
• Do you feel responsible for encouraging and attracting young, underprivileged people to the design industry?
• What does operating with a "scarcity mindset" mean to you?
• Can you tell us about the moment in your career when you realized saying yes to everything wouldn't be sustainable?
• Do you think your clients' perspectives (of you) have shifted since setting healthy boundaries?
• How have you and Miro grown since establishing those boundaries?
• How do you encourage clients to think about design on a deeper level when they're stuck on the surface?
• How do you make sure you don't get consumed by your work?
• You said you no longer fear hitting a creative standstill or mental block. Why is that?
• What do you think design leaders, seasoned creative directors, or people who own a design studio can do differently to help young designers feel like the industry is a space for them, too?
• What can people attending Circles Conference and Creative Works East expect to take away from your sessions?
• Can you share some thoughts on the visual touchpoints you experienced in Paris before the 2024 Olympic Games started?