Have you ever written something that you wished you could self-publish? What about your child, niece or nephew? We are all born creative as per Picasso. However, staying creative is the tough part. This week’s guest once worked with me at Ogilvy & Mather in NYC. Amy provides an amazing perspective on creativity. She worked on both the agency and client sides as she explored her own creativity. Listen to how Amy has followed her curiosities when it came to her creativity, decisions on where to live in the world, and how to lead her entrepreneurial journey.

About Amy

Amy Wong is a proud Canadian, the mother of two rambunctious young daughters, and someone who has turned their love of marketing and entrepreneurship into a 20-year career. This passion has taken her from Toronto to New York to Beijing to Hong Kong. After graduating from the Ivey School of Business in Canada, Amy moved to the Big Apple to break into the advertising industry, an area of study that fascinated her at school. Luckily, a small Asian American agency gave Amy an opportunity to work as an Account Executive where she covered brands such as Citibank and Hennessy. Amy moved to Ogilvy one year later, where she met some of the most brilliant minds in the industry and worked on some of the most high-profile campaigns at the agency, including the launch of IBM Watson on Jeopardy! During those years in New York, Amy became curious with Asia, a place that was experiencing tremendous growth. She convinced my husband to move across the ocean where they spent half a year learning Mandarin at the Beijing Language and Cultural University before moving to Hong Kong. Amy landed a marketing role at Lenovo where she created and launched campaigns for their portfolio of products that ranged from ThinkPad and Yoga Laptops to MOTO smartphones to Star Wars: Jedi Challenges AR devices. Recently, Amy decided to fulfill her lifelong dream of starting a business. Her company is called Dreamwriters, a self-publishing platform for young creative writers and artists. It’s a place where kids of any age (or kids at heart) can write and publish beautiful books of their stories. Amy’s hope is that the platform becomes a foundation for lifelong creative fulfillment.

Please share this episode with three parents who wish to cultivate their child’s wonder and reignite their own. If you want to learn how easy it can be to self-publish writing or works of art then tune in! Amy’s platform is a great option!

Highlights 

• Learning Methods: Rote learning methods, pressures we place on our kids, and other ways our creative ambitions dwindle.
• Generations: Millennials vs. Gen X-ers; is there ever a final answer on what to be?
• Knighthood: We spoke about giving yourself permission to be creative.
• Creativity: Any nuances between working in an agency as a “suit” vs. being the client.
• Myth-busting: Outsourcing creativity? Is this what happens when hiring agencies?
• Types of creativity: Must it add value to society or can it harm society?
• Dreamwriters: A new business venture Amy is leading. What is it exactly?
• Education in Asia: Learning for a test vs. inspiring creativity.
• Story: How Amy followed her curiosities from career interests to living in a new country.
• Impact: What’s behind the power of a story?
• Mission: Creating a safe space for kid’s creativity. Why safety matters?
• Business Plan: What’s next for Dreamwriters?
• Expression: What does it take to express yourself fully?
• Entrepreneurship: How does it feel to see your own logo for the first time?
• Corporate vs. Start-up: Wearing many hats. What’s the difference?
• Best Practices: The art of writing creative briefs.
• Being a Mom: Our kids are watching us.

Follow the links to learn more:

• Amazing illustrations on their Website
• Dreamwriters on Instagram
• Never miss updates on their Facebook

Other episodes mentioned:

From Teaching Art to Being Featured In Gary Vaynerchuk’s Crushing It!, Hear How Luis-Miguel Caraballo Is Accelerating His Goal Of Making Art History, Episode 13

Gabriele Corcos, Creator, Host, and Producer of Extra Virgin and NYT Bestselling Author, Talks About Continuing to Dream, Technology and Agriculture, and Why It’s Never Too Late to Change Course , Episode 47

Paul Musho, Former GE Executive Turned Franchisee Talks About His Career Pivot, the Benefits of Cryotherapy, and Running a Small Business During a Global Pandemic, Episode 20

Want to continue the conversation?

Find me on Instagram! You can read my daily mini-blogs centered on the same three topics that my podcast features: creativity, courage, and curiosity. I believe that without all three it would be impossible to solve the challenges we were each uniquely made to solve. Wouldn’t you agree? I’m easy to find on Instagram @careeroutcomesmatter

Rather keep it professional?

Let’s connect on LinkedIn. I encourage every single podcast listener to connect with me.

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