Today’s Notable Young Professional is Amin Today, Chief Creative Officer of Toronto-based creative crew OneMethod. We caught up with him to find out what inspired his design work and what advice he would share with other young professionals…
[ad_bb1]
Elevator Pitch: Describe your job in a nutshell.
As the Chief Creative Officer of OneMethod, I help lead a crew of creative people come up with creative solutions. We navigate through a number of industries including design, advertising and marketing. We also tend to experiment a lot, with our latest effort being OneMeth Creative Goods, a streetwear line of sorts.
Why did you start working at your company? What was the inspiration for this career route?
Street culture and design culture tend to influence everything we do. It’s almost inescapable. This unique blend of these two elements is built into the foundation of OneMeth Creative Goods, and even its logo.
A career in design was never really an option in my family. So I thought, if I started a company myself, maybe I could sneak in through the side door. What started as a small operation in my old apartment is now a 40+ person digital & design shop that’s told some interesting stories over the years.
What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
Making stuff I’m proud of means a lot, stuff that has a level of conceptual thinking at every step. And, making stuff for people who appreciate thoughtful work and look beyond what everyone else is up to.
What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
The challenges never end. Right now the biggest challenge has been understanding the fashion and clothing worlds. But overall, it’s always a challenge to have a really good plan and somehow not be restricted by it.
Sorting through the production side of the clothing line is also a challenge. Finding printers and manufacturers has been a challenge that we’re still working through as we tread the fashion waters. We never want to sacrifice quality, which has put us in some difficult situations. But so far nothing we haven’t been able to tackle in one way or another.
What is one sign that you’ve seen over the years to suggest that your work/life balance is off?
It’s not so much a balance as it is a fusion: they’ve become one and the same. I’ve found a way to make my interests, like food and fashion, part of my work life. I’ve also put lots of effort into making our workspace look and feel like a place you’d actually call home, which again goes back to the fusion idea.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
That’s a secret.
What does success look like to you?
The evolution of OneMeth Creative Goods. Our clothing line as it is now, mostly a t-shirt collection with a few hats and hand-finished art prints, is just the beginning. We have big plans in store.
What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
Opening the first La Carnita. One of our previous experiments was a pop-up project in our MethLab that grew into a phenomenon in the city. It’s since turned into two locations with a third one the way.
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Hustle.
[ad_bb2]