How you would describe what you do and what being a creative means to you?
I think the word "creative" sets a tone that has got to do with something that is in the art business, or in the design business. I do feel that being creative is actually more about being able to look at problems and being able to have empathy. A lot of people don't usually connect these two together, because having empathy will allow you to understand feelings more, hence we are able to tackle more human problems.
Most of the time creative problem solving has to do with very human things.
What do you have to say about the idea of glorifying the act of overworking?
My team that works with me, I’m sure they know that I love my work very much. But I have always taught them that how much time put into work is really up to an individual. So if you’re someone who loves to do more without feeling burnt out, then do more. But if someone needs to take constant breaks, I don’t stop them (from taking breaks) as long as they finish what is required from them.
Our office is not a sweatshop, everyone has freedom to manage their own time.
“I've never found problems balancing family and work. Because again, it comes down to understanding human emotions. So if I know that my wife and my kids like a particular thing, or if they enjoy certain things, I will make sure not to miss those things. So even if I have very little time, I’ll make sure that time spent with family is valuable and means something.”
The video we filmed of you, we titled it “The Obsessive Creative”. How do you feel about that title?
It’s not far from the truth. I'm quite straight forward with things that I like. I’m obsessed with my wife, my kids, but in a way where I want to love them more as a father and a husband. I’m not doing anything wrong because I think about work all the time. In the first 10 years of my career, I’ll be at a gathering, but my mind was at work. The only person who could really tell was of course, Claire. So I’m always thinking about how to make an idea better, or how to make a particular piece of work more interesting. I can’t help it, it just keeps going in my mind.
After a while, energy levels change when you age. Now I’m always planning ways to make this whole journey sustainable, how do I pace myself in a way to continue running?
What do you personally want to be known for?
I think I want to be known as a person where I'm approachable and we can always work on things together. I think that's all for me. I don’t want to be that person that no one wants to go out for lunch with. Some people go out for lunch, and they siam (slang for ‘avoid’) their bosses, I don’t want to be that person. It’s quite sad, you climb up to the top, it’s very lonely, I don’t like that.
“What you don't want is to go home from a bad day at work to a family that you can’t relate to. That’s the worst.”
What advice would you give to young people who are just starting out in the workforce/
I always believe you need to put in the time when it comes to pursuing your craft. But putting in the time to hone your craft doesn’t mean you have to give up on work life balance. It cannot be construed in a way where it’s just zero to ten.
This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.