40 Under 40: Recent Alumni Explore How Failure Breeds Success
L to R: Justin Taylor, Richard Sarrach, Cesar Kuriyama, Paul Mayakovsky, President Thomas F. Schutte, Todd Bracher, Amanda Clelland, and Jennifer Chun.&In conjunction with the recent publication of the Prattfolio issue, 40 Under 40: Pratt’s Rising Stars, young alumni from greater New York met at Pratt Manhattan for a panel discussion and networking event on January 14. A group of six young alumni and faculty compared war stories, accounts of failure that, in turn, made them the successful professionals they are today. The panel discussion was moderated by Paul Mayakovsky, editorial director of Metropolis magazine. Mayakovsky found some resounding themes among the panelists.
Perseverance Breeds Success
Product designer Todd Bracher (B.I.D. ’96) believes that you have to give it your all despite the fact that your efforts may very well come to nil. “When I spot a manufacturer I really want to work with, I spend a lot of time researching these companies. We do a ton of back-end research before we put together any kind of proposal or any kind of pitch. We spend a lot of time developing our idea into a really clear business plan,” said Bracher. “And a lot of times we miss it. I guess 60% of the time, which I think is still pretty good odds.”
Amanda Clelland (B.F.A. ’07, Communications Design), creative director at advertising agency Droga5, is also familiar with the pattern of researching, pitching, and then failing. “You work around the clock, you work super hard, you dive into a project and whether it's your boss or a client, they tell you we don't like it, we hate it, you lose. It's a game,” said Clelland. “So failing totally breeds success in advertising because you totally have to get back up and put on your happy face and do it again and again and again.”
Unintended Benefits
A number of panelists found that the dearth of work during the recent recession forced them to think creatively about how to get their name out there. Richard Sarrach (B. Arch. ’01), principal of architecture practice form-ula and director of the Digital Futures program within Pratt’s School of Architecture, launched his practice in 2008 just as the recession began. With commissions scant, Sarrach and his partners took the tack of underemployed architects throughout history and entered ideas competitions.
“One of the competitions that we did was Metropolis Magazine’s Next Generation Competition. We did not end up winning it, but the winning scheme was somewhat close so it was extremely reassuring to see that we were on the right track,” Sarrach recalled. “And after that we were awarded a prize by The Architecture League, asked to do a TEDx talk, and got coverage in the Huffington Post,” said Sarrach. “When you participate with your work on such an intimate level, it will find venues to land within. I really believe that's applicable, no matter what the creative field is. It also forces you to think and act much clearer.”
Staying On Track
While the panel spoke of all-nighters and working hard, the importance of work/life balance resonated as well. Animator and self-avowed “creative human being” Cesar Kuriyama (B.F.A. ’04, Computer Graphics) recalled after turning 30 he was burned out from 100-hour weeks and decided he needed an escape plan. He travelled for a year, visiting family and working on his own personal project. “After a year I decided I wasn’t going back to work for someone else and I started my own firm,” Kuriyama said. “And I gave a TED talk,” he added, recalling that the invitation to speak for this prestigious series confirmed that he had made the right decision.
Writer Justin Taylor, who teaches writing in Pratt’s Department of Humanities and Media Studies, sees down time as essential to his craft. Writing for a speculative audience is by definition a solitary act, he explained, “One of the things I think that you have to be able to do is put up with yourself and sometimes that means self-discipline and sometimes that means self-indulgence and I really mean it. In Moby Dick Ishmael asks for time, strength, cash, and patience. There's a couple of those things you can give yourself, the rest have to come from somewhere else,” said Taylor. “I don't know, some people may wake up and write for 12 hours every day. I don't do that. To me, I think the four hours I blow playing video games puts me in a decent enough mood to actually sit down and work later. To me, those are billable hours as far as the writing process goes. There's no one to bill, that’s the thing.”
Asking For Help
Others echoed the need to avoid isolation: collaborations, the ability to enhance their work by bringing partners in or by simply following others’ advice are critical to success. Seeking out a mentor, or even several, and regularly consulting with them also enhances one’s confidence.
Jennifer Chun (B.F.A. Fashion Design, '02) recalled her hesitance to take advice. “I was such a behind-the-scenes designer. I had to learn that, especially with clothing, you have to put yourself out there. I knew public relations were super important, but my shyness was hard to overcome. My mentor said I needed to be photographed wearing something of mine. I thought: ‘That is so vain!’ But I got over that.”
In the end, the panel concluded that if you are not able to wear multiple hats, it is essential to be able to find others who will wear some for you.
Text: Bay Brown
Photo: Peter Tannenbaum
Gateway Editors
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