Episode 50: Lisa Hennessy - Designing a Love-Based Life of Purpose

0:07 Hello, beautiful humans. Welcome to role models podcast. Where I have to see conversations with beautiful humans for your weekly dose of inspiration, I'm Jennifer, Norman founder of the human Beauty movement and your host. It's my life's work to show you how radical self-love and radical self-acceptance will lead you to manifest your most fulfilling life and these days It's very common to hear the words Purpose Driven now. More than ever, people are striving to align their own personal core values. With their professional work to leave the most fulfilling lives. My guest today has a fascinating story to tell Lisa, Hennessey is a creative director and designer from Berlin.

0:48 Germany now living in Los Angeles and Kauai Hawaii for over 16 years. Lisa worked in the world's top ad agencies and her work. Brought her numerous industry Awards but She felt a calling, and she's here to talk about what happened. Next, welcome, Lisa. Hi. Thanks so much for having me. It's a pleasure to have you and from Hawaii. No less. I love that. Yes. Yes I'm sure you'll hear a chicken, at least once throughout our conversation. I Can't Nobody Do. That's fantastic for now, I'd love to win it back to the start of your career. Can you tell us what it was like, in your early days of advertising? Oh my, it was exciting when you're in your early twenties working.

1:29 All the time and flying around the world. Working with the coolest directors and photographers. It's super exciting. It took me a moment. I think to realize what was actually happening. I was into it. I was really good at what I was doing. I had so much fun. Everyone was just working nonstop and lots of parties were had and lots of travel and then it a while and I think I realized that I'm missing all my friends, birthdays and weddings and I'm sick. And I still pushed through because I feel like if I don't do it, One can do it. It's just this dance of, they got me with the exciting stuff and then they don't you don't realize how the agency owns you basically and takes over your whole life and you think it's everything you do for your career.

2:14 But it's it's just not sustainable for human said, not quite the way work should be, I think. Yeah, you know, I can relate so much because I remember being in my late twenties and was working in the beauty industry, and you develop this obsessive, Of kind of behavior when it comes to work because you feel that there's like the tie to glamour, you feel yourself worth associated with doing well, in your career and you're working hard and you're playing hard burning, the candle at all sorts of ends and not necessarily being as healthy as you can be. I at that time was living in New York City. And I just remember there was very, very little sleep to be had. Definitely. That was a thing.

2:54 Yeah, I think it was cool to have yet another all-nighter at the agency. Mmm. And so tell us what kind of ads were you working on? What kind of campaigns were they? It was a lot of the big car companies that worked. I was head of art internationally 4vw for four years and after that worked on a bunch of other car companies and then moved from Europe to LA and worked on Apple and Netflix and Sony and other big companies Target. So a lot of those big players for sure which sounds really exciting, but when it comes to the work, once you start looking behind the curtains, not as fulfilling as it. Might sound interesting. Now you've traveled all over the place for work and London and also the United States over in Berlin and Amsterdam. And I'm just curious, was it the same everywhere or were there differences depending on where you might be in the world? I think the industry is, is much smaller than it sounds. So yes, it is pretty much the same. I think, the major difference I felt was while I was studying at an internship in Vienna, and that was the first My experience agency life, what people didn't come in on the weekends and instead he talks about skiing and the theater and what they would do on the weekends, it was super strange to me. Yeah, looking back.

4:11 I think that was the only time I experienced that in advertising and then comparatively, maybe Europe. Versus Allah I think the biggest difference is size there in l.a. agencies are just much much bigger than in Europe, right? So I think a big difference was in Europe. My skills would really appreciate it. I have a design background But I'm creative director, so the Strategic and conceptual thinking plays into that. And when I came with that skill set, there was highly in demand in Europe, to La, people wanted to put me in a box and they wanted to know how you design director, creative director and it became clear why. When I saw the size of teens, it felt very unreasonable to me to have 50. People sitting in a room, working on the same pitch, or the same product and then when it comes to the production of that concept, money was super tight so it didn't add up for me. Interesting.

4:59 Interesting. Now, we're along the way because I know that you started to feel a bit disheartened about the nature of advertising itself. Maybe not necessarily just the fact that you were burning the candle at every end but also the fact that there seems to be a bit of exploitation involved. And so I'm just curious like we're in the process or what was it? That really all of a sudden was like, you know what, this is the straw that breaks the camel's back. I really need to rethink, you know how I am working in my life. Yeah, I think it was many many moments over time. Time. But certainly the realization that internally was always treated like we're saving the world and you can't miss this deadline, it's so important. Just the fact that it's called a deadline for really started to feel that disconnect more and more with how people were treated internally and pushed past their limits.

5:48 And then externally, when you look at it, why is this so important? What we're doing essentially is lying to people to buy more things in the world that clearly doesn't need more things. So much of what's happening on that side felt wrong. To me the fact that you like most concepts are based on the fact that you make people feel inadequate if you make them feel not good enough unless they buy this thing, or they belong to this club, whatever it is that felt said like such a big disconnect and I was really frustrated with it to a point where I thought. All right, I'm just going to walk away from it, become a starving artist or do something completely different and then a friend of mine, convinced me to go to a festival. Like, an advertising Festival one. Last time I was very reluctant But I ended up going and saw a wonderful human speak. And they used to Stage to only talk about their side project, not their phenomenal career.

6:37 They kept saying, we have the superpowers creatives and we have to just learn to use that super power for good because what we can do is change behaviors and educate people in a way that shifts behavior, that shifts Productions and all Industries. If we do good with that skill. And I think that was my big. Aha moment of, oh wow, I can do this. I can use all those big brand knowledge that I've And over the years and apply it for good with people who are set out to make a difference in the world with the planet with their communities with the way they work and treat each other. So I think that was my big moment if you want to bring it down to that one. Wow, and that's fascinating too. Because after having worked for years in the industry selling products and using your creativity to sell more products, to actually hear you can actually use this as good. I mean, it seems like it's so simple and something that they would teach you or that you would like Learn early on but it's not.

7:31 And that's the the surprising and perhaps sad thing about it is that sometimes, you know, people can go their entire careers thinking like no, no, I work for business and we're in business to make money and I need to figure out how to make more money for the company. And this deadline is here because if we miss it, then we missed the launch or we miss this opportunity and then I'm you know, that'll be the end of my career you know. And so we put all of this pressure on ourselves because we're chasing, you know, results from previous years or trying to get to these goals. We have, which almost always fiscally based in many, many companies, unless you're a very different kind of company, which is the Purpose Driven company, or the business that chooses not to be. So that leads us into the next phase of your life. And so, can you tell us what you did after that? Yes, I am left advertising industry that the agency world for good and started my own company. Van v where I built ethical and sustainable Brands. And I do this from a place of love and empathy. The rather than when the agency always felt like this is all happening from a place of ego.

8:33 It was all about, we know best. We are so cool. This is what we now do is we always start from a place of knowing nothing. And I believe that the people we work with, the founders pulled all of the magic, they hold all the knowledge. So, our job is to just chip away at almost like the rock that holds the sculpture on the inside, right? So with that empathy and with that strategic thinking understanding people, and what's going on, World at that particular time a cultural moment, if you create from that place, you can create something that's connected on an emotional level with people. So, instead of selling you see, how can I be of service, how can I make someone's life? A little better today and it doesn't have to be like life-changing can just be a little added smile, a little educational piece, a little bit of service that can help someone in that day.

9:23 Yeah, and I think that that is really very telling when you boil it down and you're thinking about that, Decisions that you're making when you walk into a store or anything in your life, is it fear-based or is it love based? And it really can boil down to those two very things. And you can feel in your body, the difference between making a decision, which is fear-based versus love basis, typically constriction or this tightening in your body. And then, when you're making this decision based on love, you feel more open and flowing and sometimes it's a very small thing that you can just pay attention to. But it's fascinating, how we Then and trained in advertising, and in business to put together campaigns based upon fear, not necessarily based upon love based upon ego of.

10:11 Oh, if I don't look this certain way, or if I don't have the car, or if I don't have the brand, or if I don't have this, then people will think less of me. And I fear that I want to be socially accepted, and a lot of times it gets confused because you're like, okay, I want to be accepted. I want to be loved, but it's different from me. Making a decision first and foremost gung-ho about who I want to be accepted versus I'm doing this because I love it. I'm buying this because I love it. There's a very different kind of emotion that comes out. And so, yeah, the advertising shift is one that I think is interesting, how it's starting to happen, but it happens more slowly because it's not as manipulative, you know, you don't get that deadline, like, time's running out.

10:54 You got to buy this or else and so, you know, that's what usually gets people to buy. And that's where the exploitation come in. And so if you move away from that, yeah, it's a long game, isn't it? It's a little bit different when you make those sorts of decisions as a business owner, definitely a long game and a never-ending game. I think that's sometimes the scary pot. We can't just do brand and be done with it, right? You'll always have to evaluate. You always have to see what's going on in the world right now. What's going on? I always see brand more as like The Guiding Light of that North Star that you can use as a check. Checklist for every decision that you make going forward. And that's never done, right? You always have to realign a little bit and like, but you can only do that when you get clear to begin with about why you do what you do and what the goal is like, what is the mission?

11:42 The vision, the values that drive this business and then Translating that into visuals and language that really connects with people on an emotional level I think is so much better than following Trends and telling stories that are made up. I'd rather tell truths. It's rather find what really is already there. And uncovered that in the most beautiful way possible. Hmm. It is interesting. How advertising has shifted course? And I would say over the course of your career, thus far, where I mean it's like people barely read magazines anymore, there's so much online, and there's so much fast-paced, you know, scrolling scrolling scrolling. And so it becomes one of those things where it's like, okay how do you catch somebody's attention then? Do you find that struggle when you're dealing with people and Brands and Trying to get those values across when you only have a nanosecond to do.

12:33 So, yes it. No, I believe that if you really get clear on the values and you align behind them, it doesn't feel as pressing anymore. So, what we usually do, we stay away from the fast content, the Disposable content, we try to create something that's really meaningful life, stories, that really matter. And I think if you do that, as a company from that place of care, and from that place of the shared Mission like if you think about that and you re The about out in the world, people who care about the same thing will find you and they will want to be connected. And I think what's even more important in such a fast pace mass-market World. They want to tell their friends about it and that's so much more valuable than any AD spend.

13:14 You can have have. Yeah, because that's what people need these days, they want trust. They want curation in a sense and they get that mostly nowadays. I believe from friends from micro influences, from people who they feel connected to rather than the big guy. Glamorous Kardashians or whoever it is, who just do it for different purposes. I want to say, right? Okay. So then with your business when you say that you're doing things differently. Can you describe like what would be the main characteristic differences? Between what you as a creative director, in your company is doing versus what ad agencies or what not have done in the old model. Yeah, love to we usually describe our process as valuates branding, or circular branding sometimes. So In the sense that it's never done, right? That you always one piece influence the other, the biggest difference, I think to an ad agency from my experience, is that a client comes in, as a briefing, as a big thing, it's all exciting and then the client gets sent away and the agency works on something for three months and then comes and presents the thing.

14:17 And sometimes that's a hit and sometimes it just doesn't connect. What we do instead is we see ourselves as the partner of a Founder. It's a really scary time to launch something. We want to be there for someone and do something together. Like I said, I leave that we start from a place of empathy of not knowing anything and really trying to uncover together that common truth that emotion that value. I think it's such a beautiful partnership. I've truly believe in collaboration and the beauty of that and adding to something playing with something and sharing that Vision. So we usually always start with strategy for no matter what we do. If it's a brand campaign, a launch of a new brand. So if someone comes and says, I just needed logo, I want something that looks like this because it's beautiful.

14:59 I'm Before German on them and say I'm sorry but no I'm just saying I don't want to waste anyone's time on money and I don't enjoy doing something that someone else has done already because I don't believe that it'll work for that particular other brand than I think, unless you really get clear on your why and your values and who you connecting with and what's going on in their lives, you don't need to start, you don't need to do anything because there's so much like you said, there's so much content out there ready, so that strategic understanding, I think sets us apart. Because once that is really clear, it's easy to then visualize that and it's less subjective to write. I don't just say well I like this or I like pink or like green, but instead we can check back with. What do we want?

15:42 People to feel? If it's Safety and Security, then we're probably going to go with the blue tone because that's why Banks and insurance companies are blue, blue evokes, the feeling of safety and all of a sudden, it becomes psychological and very logically clear. And of course, you still want to feel excited and proud about the visuals that we create. Put out in the world but it's so much easier to do it from such a place of a common understanding of. Here's what we're creating is what we set out in the world to do. Let's visualize that hmm how fascinating. So now you decided to have found was certified as a b Corporation, can you tell me what is it B Corporation and what would compel an ad agency or a company like yours to become one? Yes, I'd love that we're failing. You become certified.

16:29 I'm very proud of it. So I'm always thrilled to talk to your fellow B Corp and to talk about that subject for us. It was just a matter of we've been talking about care. We've been trying to be more sustainable. We've pushed every client. We had to look at Alternatives and packaging to look at their brand as an all-around circular thing. That doesn't get communicated out, really only but also reflects internally and how they treat their employees their production, where they manufacture and how so that the crop was just the stamp of approval. Rule that we actually series about what we're talking about and to ask a wonderful way to connect with fellow, Be Cops with other people who care. And it's just this wonderful network of humans where it finally feels. Like we all have this common goal, right? We all want to support our planet and our community. So why not work together on that? There's a wonderful book that Unity is to share knowledge to share.

17:22 Best practices to learn from each other that I value so much as a small company. We often it feels like your style. Load, especially now that we're on Kawaii, most of the time, there's not that many other people who built businesses in this way. So it feels really nice to be a part of this big movement of striving to be better and to find ways to improve and to care for this beautiful planet and its people right. Right. And so what are some of the action points that your company has instilled in terms of your commitments to the planet or two people? Can you give us some examples? Yes, absolutely. And it was It's funny because we didn't have to change it a lot. Actually, we just had to get serious about quantifying it again. And when I left advertising agencies, I thought I'll never write a single time sheet in my life. But one of the main things we do now is we dedicate 5% of our billable hours to nonprofit organizations and we've been doing that ever since we started we just like I said, never Quantified it.

18:22 That's one big thing. We also part of 1% for the planet so we donate 1% of our profits or more sometimes too. Two local organizations, very keen on supporting a local community here, especially during covert. A lot of people move to this magical Island and not a lot of them are trying to integrate in the community in the way that supporter for not just an extended vacation. And I was really trying to go to community work days to support some of the organization's here. There's a lot of fantastic things happening in regenerative agriculture and practices in creating more awareness around traditional. Knowledge we call it permaculture now but I think they've been doing it for a really, really long time.

19:04 So building that bridge of how can we support. But also amplify these voices and tell these really important, stories means a lot to us. And I think that's what we build our b-corp nests around and overall, I guess best practices. And how can we produce something? That's more sustainable. So, that's mostly for our clients do as an advisor in that space because we don't make anything worse service based company. So, when we work with, we have one client who we're really excited to start become certified as well with a sunscreen brand. That was a really long process and researching the best packaging for that brand because the planet and sustainability, and reef regeneration was so important to them. We had a really hard time to be honest finding the right materials because it's not as good as you would wanted to be out there.

19:50 And for most people, what happens then is that decision weighs a lot, because doing the right thing is usually not as easy and more expensive. So, doing that dance, and Heading in the right direction. It's a guest. Something we try to do as much as we can. Excellent, excellent. Well, congratulations on being a certified, B Corporation, not an easy feat whatsoever. Yeah. It's definitely notable because there's only I want to say about 6,000 companies worldwide roughly about that. They are continuing to add more but not very many but these are companies that have met the highest standards in terms of Social and environmental impact, and it's not just a seal that people pay. Pay for and some units, there are plenty of seals that people just pay for, but you really have to prove yourself through auditing and through paperwork and through all sorts of substantiation, to make sure that you're living up to the standards that are set forth. So it is rigorous and it is something that is a commitment. So I certainly applaud you for that and you won't. Yeah, thank you, thank you.

20:53 You know, I would say more than ever people are really starting to get a little bit Jaded by Big Business by building Corporations and by the fact that, you know, they're longing for more purpose and longing for more fulfillment, having gone through that process, are there any words of wisdom that you would impart to anybody that is interested in, you know, searching for either greater meeting within their own lives or something that aligns more closely to what their own personal values are mmm. Yes, always. I'm a big fan of lots of lots of questions. I think that process of investigating your own. Why? Why is really, really important and meaningful thinking about what got to where you're at now?

21:34 What gets you excited like, what sparks the most joy in your life? And then, if you combine that, with a sense of care and sustainability, not just outwardly and like, how much plastic do you waste and produce every day? But also, for yourself that whole, we talk about love as a seat for our business or every decision that we make every action that we take. But it always starts and especially with love, I feel like it always does. With yourself to, it's that analogy of the airplane oxygen mask, right? Unless you give it to yourself first, you can't serve other people. You can't serve the planet. You can't sustain yourself one of my favorite really silly points of advice. I got long time ago, was the first rule of business, it's to stay in business, which I think means to be profitable. But to me it means to not burn out to take care of myself and now if and that excitement that got me to this place to sustain that for me as a Creator, that's a lot of it. His play like, I have to come back to, what gets me excited, what does that creative process?

22:34 That inspires me so much, I love beauty. I love beauty. Not in the sense that you've spent so much time in a beauty in the sense of like uncovering, what's beautiful in the situation in a person that's not maybe, not beautiful to everyone else, but finding the beauty within that I got some, you really excited in my work and a lot of that requires us to step away from work. I think, when I started my own company, everything all of a sudden Like, it has to be for a purpose because you need clients to pay bills, but I get lit up when I get to work with people who really make a difference. And a lot of that means telling me stories, without thinking about work, telling these stories and working with these people and collaborating with people in ways that will never be profitable for us.

23:18 So finding that balance I think is really important. And first of all understanding, what is it that lights you up personally? That gets you so excited and allowing a little bit of space for that and your life. Beautiful Elisa Hennessy. Thank you so much for joining me today on this episode of role models and best wishes for great success and what you're doing because you are fulfilling a purpose and you have a very strong mission in what you're doing with your business. So thank you very much. Thanks so much for having me. It was a Joyce. Talk to you.