Follow Your Fire

Sheen Daniel, Social Marketing Director at That Good agency, has built her creative marketing career through grit and trusting her instincts. 

By proactively building her network and delivering fire social media strategies for clients and the agency where she leads creative vision regarding social strategy, Sheen has made leaps and bounds in the world of marketing and events, working with world-class brands and celebrities. 

We had a great discussion about what it takes to pursue a creative career.

Kaley Ross: How did you set off on this adventure of pursuing a creative career?

Sheen Daniel: After I graduated from university, I got a job as a technical web admin, and it was a very corporate environment. I had shied away from a creative job because there had been so much discussion in uni about the erratic nature of creative roles and that really intimidated me. 

It wasn’t easy for me to identify what I wanted to do. Eventually, I realized that I'm in charge of my own happiness and we spend so much time of our week at work, so, it's worth the pursuit of joy. That’s when I decided that I couldn't take that job anymore. I need to do something else.

KR: Was there a mentor who aided your calling to get you on the creative career path?

SD: Yes, so actually, it was one of my exes. I didn't know anything about working at an agency, and he owned an agency, and had a lot of high-end equipment that he would let me play with. 

I learned how to build websites and I started taking on freelance clients. 

KR: Was there a serendipitous moment that felt fated to you, and helped you move in one direction? 

SD: Yeah. I was working in a corporate marketing role when the pandemic started, and I really didn't like the job. 

I realized that the things I liked most about that role involved me going into the office and when we had to work from home I realized very quickly how much I hated this job and how quickly I began to not care about it at all. 

And one thing to know about me is that when I don't care about something, the needle's not moving. 

My parents encouraged me to quit the job and take a couple of months to figure out what I wanted to do because I would never have that time again. 

I had seen a post go up for Halo & Co hiring for an Account Coordinator. 

I had no idea what an Account Coordinator did but I'd made friends with Cleo and I had been following Coco for a year or so at this point and I had done a couple of freelance jobs for Halo like through Cleo first. 

And then they interviewed me and there was absolutely no way that I was qualified for the role. I had no PR contacts. 

But then they made a role for me because they liked me so much.

I remember getting that email from Halo - it started by saying Unfortunately you're not a candidate for this job. But we like you so much that like we're making a new role just for you.

That felt so fated and serendipitous, to finally be recognized in a space by women that I admired a lot.

KR: I love that. 

What was a hard lesson that you learned by way of sacrifice? Something that you had to let go to move forward and continue on your journey?

SD: I took a pay cut.

KR: Ohhh.

SD: Yeah. I took a pay cut.

That was a sacrifice that I chose to make because I wanted access to the network and those clients that they had, and learning from the people that I've worked with has been so invaluable. So like it was a sacrifice, but I was more than willing to make that sacrifice for the long game.

KR: Mmm, okay. I love that. Did long-term thinking occur in that moment?

SD: Yes it did, because I realized that the only professional experience I had at that point was for personal clients, and I needed to build up my skills and resume. 

KR: What elixir have you discovered in overcoming the challenges you’ve conquered in your career? 

SD: If it's not a hell, yes, it's a no.

KR: Love it.

SD: Yeah.

KR: As a creative marketer, what lights you up the most? 

SD: The people pleaser in me would say when I feel seen by the people that I look up to. 

Words of affirmation mean a lot to me so it brings me so much joy when I get positive feedback on my work - then I feel like I am on the right track. 

But I would actually say that brainstorming is my favourite part of the creative process. It's very fun when there are no rules because as a creative person working in corporate, you can sometimes get boxed in with a checklist to hit so it can dwindle the creativity. 

So having those brainstorming sessions is the most fun. Then the next thing I would say is watching something you ideated come to life. Those are the most fulfilling things.

KR: Yes absolutely. I feel you with the recognition aspect too. 

And where do you think your greatest strengths lay - the one thing that you love to share with the world more than anything?

SD: Visual storytelling. 

KR: Oh, love it. 

Okay, so in about 7 years you’ve climbed from a technical web liaison to Social Marketing Director at That Good Inc creative agency, working with your mentor and agency founder Catriona Smart and brands such as BMW and lululemon.

How does it feel to looking back on all that you’ve accomplished so far?

SD: The Aries in me has not looked back.

KR: Ahh, spicy. 

SD: So it's only looking forward. 

I haven’t really processed it all retrospectively. I know a lot of people could be like Holy, how did you go from that to this in like seven years, that's crazy and I'm like I need to be further ahead and I need to grow more.

KR: So you’re standing on the mountain that you’ve climbed so far, what does your view look like?

SD: What my view currently looks like is…

Working towards accelerating my growth, having more autonomy on creative decisions, and overall becoming a better creative. 

Adversity builds strength. And I had no shortage of adversity in my life - beyond being a person of colour - and I think generally speaking we don't realize how much adversity we overcome in life. 

When you reflect on other life challenges outside your career, you realize that you can absolutely harness the will to persevere in your career and reach these big goals you’ve set for yourself.  

KR: So inspiring. Thank you for chatting with me!

⚡️ Bonus Round