Ryan and I first met two years ago while working at a local advertising agency. Having a tight-knit team was always important to us — mutual understanding and trust were what kept us close, even after we both parted ways. They were also the same reasons why he brought me on board to take on this journey with him, Joe and of course, Faire Leather Co..

Truth be told, I didn’t know what to expect with Faire.

Sure, I’ve dabbled a little in the fashion industry but I’ve never quite been this involved in anything outside the design — by design, I meant graphic design — realm of it. I started out at Faire as a freelance graphic designer tasked with branding. The timeline was by no means a frolic in the park. If anything, we were all on an intensely tight deadline. Through all the all-nighters and tears, I’ve always had them with me — on WhatsApp no less — during the entire process. Whether it was to overcome an issue or straighten out any miscommunication, it’s always been so easy to reach out to the team no matter the hour.

Fast forward a month later and I’m no longer just designing. Ryan and Joe have always wanted to foster long-term working relationships within the team and I was no exception. On top of designing, I now work closely with Ryan to produce content — this includes our blog posts — for Faire. My hours are flexible and I’m allowed to telecommute. I’d simply been told it was so I could pursue other interests in my spare time, which is fantastic and quite honestly, a rare commodity considering how difficult it is for the average working person to maintain a healthy work-life balance. I’m always given the option to choose what I want to do at Faire and voice my opinions on topics discussed at the table. Sometimes, I’ll even have Ryan asking my opinion on something he’s working on. Every team player is involved and given a voice — qualities I highly appreciate in a working environment.

Of course, every company has its flaws and Faire is no different. However, their pro-opinion and open culture makes for a positive and inclusive setting. No person is bigger than the other, nor is any opinion lesser than the next. There’s always room to grow and I’m absolutely thrilled to see just how far we can all go.

Best,
J