#065 Creative Jargon ft. Lola Adewuya
"I would describe my visual style as balanced, soft, and open."
Hello, hi!
A few weeks ago, I mentioned it was time I finally introduced my good friend to you: Lola Adewuya. Lola and I started chatting in early 2021 after following each other on Instagram for a few months. We bonded over shared feelings and opinions regarding the design industry, often joking about how our Instagram DMs had the potential to change it all. Come summer, I joined her agency as a senior designer, and I've been part of The Brand Doula team ever since. "She had a feeling about me," she said, and it turns out it was mutual.
Lola has taught me a lot these past two years — from what brand strategy should look like to how friendship and mentorship intertwine. She is always down for a good conversation and never complains about going down a spiral with me. So, after over a year of proofreading nearly every newsletter I’ve sent (big, big shoutout to her), it was about time I formally invited her to the newsletter. I hope you enjoy it!
— Wilda <3
Creative Jargon ft. Lola Adewuya
Introduce yourself
Hello hello! I am a multidisciplinary creative focused on designing tools, systems, and spaces that lead to meaningful cultural shifts. I spend most of my time running a brand development studio called The Brand Doula, where we help companies and leaders activate bold missions through strategy, design, and creative leadership.
I started The Brand Doula as a junior in college. In the year before that, I had been working as a freelance designer, hoping to gain the skills and portfolio to work at a “big-time” agency after college. In the process of working on small businesses that friends, family, and creators online were starting, I became more interested in the dynamics within business and entrepreneurship that Black women were especially facing. The disparities in resources and knowledge for women of color who wanted to pursue business ownership compared to the typical entrepreneur profile (white, male, and/or from rich backgrounds) were so apparent. One of those resource gaps was access to branding and marketing experts that could properly set up their businesses to not only compete, but set new standards in their industries.
A year and a half later, instead of applying for those agency jobs, I set my sights on building a studio that would primarily serve women of color business owners instead. I wanted these founders to be able to go to a studio that truly understood its clientele and their audiences, one that would take the time to actually educate them and bring them along the process, and one that would ensure those grand ideas that needed to be brought to life were given the chance to reach their fullest potential.
When I’m not working, you can find me…well…working! My idea of fun is identifying problems, uncovering the challenges, and then dreaming up solutions to them. Recently, I co-founded a social company called Promenade to try to redefine the “social calendar” for young adult women. Outside of that, I love going to cafés, exploring little neighborhood shops, trying a new restaurant, or (most likely) taking a nap.
Tell us about your creative process
I very recently started paying deeper attention to my creative process and what defines my style. As an agency owner, it’s easy to lose sense of your own voice when managing other creatives and also being of service to the tastes and preferences of clients. The past few months have been a concerted effort to find my way back to myself.
From a process perspective, I would describe myself as a pattern finder. I find the throughlines between seemingly disparate, conflicting, and complex ideas. I’m most thrilled when people brain dump everything and I get the chance to help them make sense of it all and oftentimes create new meanings. My process also requires a certain amount of procrastination, which is actually my thinking time. It’s when I’m just about to take a nap or washing dishes or taking a shower that my brain is doing the actual work of making those important connections.
I would describe my visual style as balanced, soft, and open. I strive to create experiences that feel comfortable but also inspire confidence and the desire to elevate. I also love to explore opposites and contrasting aspects. I’m always straddling multiple lines and seeing many sides to things. The latest addition to my design universe is the Lana 23 Colorblock purse by Coach, which I think exemplifies my style!
Share a thought or reflection
If I could start another company, it would be a jungle gym/play place for adults. Since graduating college, where I lived a naturally active life gallivanting across my school’s campus by foot, I’ve had to confront the physical realities (and consequences) of being an adult with a desk job. I now have to remind myself to get up and move my body. The only problem is that going to the gym is not at all fun for me. In fact, it’s incredibly boring. And I suspect this is the problem for millions of other adults. I get that there are some things in life we “just have to do”, but I see the lack of options for adults to be physically active as a solution gap, not just a fact of life.
These days, I play pickup volleyball twice a week, which I love. I really wish there were more activities that I was excited to sign up for and did the job just as well as running on a treadmill.
Share an interesting link
The Corporate Gossip podcast
One of the things I miss most about having a 9 to 5 is the corporate tea and drama!
Share a new resource
The StandOut Assessment
A great assessment if you’re into 16 personalities, enneagram, etc. types of tests that help you understand how you show up in the world. Mine was spot on and very encouraging!
Share a design favorite
Jacquemus!
Alanna Nicole
A few things from me
Last week, I hinted at a possible new segment of the newsletter, The Culture of You. If you have any ideas or suggestions on what you’d like to see in the newsletter next year, my inbox is open!
I've been obsessed with matchbooks for as long as I can remember and have recently toyed around with the idea of making my own. Maybe 2024 will be the year I finally commit to launching a product. Keep an eye out!
I absolutely love all of the spaces featured in
, but especially this home in Laurel Canyon. I hope to do a lot more casual traveling this upcoming year (can you sense my excitement for 2024 from this section?), and these are the exact vibes I’m going for. Send your recs!
Thanks for reading!
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