Everyone Starts Somewhere
Why building the next generation of designers is one of the most important investments a creative company can make.
Animation: Sarah Valuet
Written by Nishat Akhtar
We all started somewhere.
Every designer has a story about how they went from laboring over a portfolio to landing their first full-time role. The interview they couldn't stop thinking about. The person who took a chance on them.
For emerging designers today, finding that foothold can feel harder than ever.
The creative industry has never been more accessible on the surface. Anyone can learn new tools, publish their work, and build an audience. But actually breaking in, finding mentorship, meaningful experience, and a team willing to invest in your growth, has become increasingly difficult. At the very moment technology is expanding what's possible, many organizations are pulling back from investing in the next generation of creative talent.
We think that's a mistake.
Creative companies don't just shape brands. They shape careers.
The best studios aren't built solely on experienced talent. They're built on a mix of seasoned perspectives and emerging voices that challenge assumptions, experiment with new ideas, and push the work forward.
That's why we've been thinking differently about our responsibility to help shape the next generation of creative talent. We came up with a new program in response: an emerging talent hiring sprint focused on our hub cities.
We started in our hometown of Portland, partnering with longtime community organizations like PSUGD and PNCA alongside our own local networks. Together, we reactivated an emerging talent pipeline rooted in the city we call home.
We reviewed portfolios, looking for strong thinking, craft, experimentation and potential. Then we invited designers into the studio for conversations and portfolio reviews with members of our design team, some of whom had started as junior designers many years ago.
Investing in emerging talent is about more than filling open roles. It's about giving someone their first opportunity.
It's about bringing fresh perspectives into our work. It's about building stronger teams today while strengthening the creative industry for tomorrow.
The best studios need a mix of experience and fresh perspectives. Emerging designers bring different references, new ways of thinking, and an instinct for exploring new tools and technologies as the creative landscape continues to evolve. Every person we hired brought something distinct to the table, and that's exactly the point.
Some of our Executive Creative Directors started as junior designers. Many of our clients began their careers on Instrument teams. We believe in growing talent from within because we've seen what happens when someone is given the opportunity to grow over time.
We all started somewhere. We believe our responsibility is to make sure the next generation has somewhere to start, too. Portland was first. New York, you're up next.
Interested in joining the team?Get in touch
