About Me

I help creative people of all kinds identify opportunities, plan projects, overcome obstacles, and build more sustainable careers.

About me

I used to think creative career success was all about accomplishment. After 20+ years of accomplishing things, I realized I was wrong.

Accomplishments matter, but to get off the career rollercoaster creative people need the business skills, financial resources and guidance required to sustain success.   

I’ve spent decades working with artists and creative folks from all walks of life, at every level of career success, from students to Margaret Atwood. Everyone is struggling with something, but I’ve learned that the people who are crushing it year after year all have one thing in common: They had the right support.

I can give you the support you need to:

I’ve been lucky to witness Chris’s talents and collaborate with him. His passion for art and creative is inspiring.

Get a Free 30 Minute Call

I want to hear about the challenges you’re facing, and I can usually provide some clarity right away. Let’s talk.

1-On-1 Business and Career Support That Meets You Where You Are.

Work with a trusted career partner who understands the unique challenges and obstacles you’re facing, has experience across a variety of creative and business disciplines, and can help you design a way forward.

Make a better living

Stabilize your income, earn more, or overcome financial restraints in your work.

Develop critical business skills

Set rates & prices, negotiate contracts, find new opportunities, and anticipate economic change.

Cultivate emotional resilience

Avoid burnout, and overcome criticism, rejection, failure, self-doubt and societal pressures.

Meet your own artistic needs

Navigate artistic compromise, deal with blocks, close skill and experience gaps, and discover the work that matters.

Reach the right people

Face increasing competition, market yourself more effectively, or gain recognition in your industry.

Download your FREE copy of
Welcome to the Golden Age (And Other Bad News)

The Top 10 Economic, Social and Psychological Trends Standing in the Way of Creative Career Success Today (And What to Do about Them)

Download your FREE copy of
Welcome to the Golden Age
(And Other Bad News)

The Top 10 Economic, Social and Psychological Trends Standing in the Way of Creative Career Success Today (And What to Do about Them)

Creative Career Resources Delivered To Your Inbox

Sign up for my FREE subscriber-only monthly email packed with the best creative career tips, insights, resources and writing on the web.

Creative Career Resources Delivered To Your Inbox

Sign up for my FREE subscriber-only monthly email packed with the best creative career tips, insights, resources and writing on the web.

My story

Hey, I’m Chris. I’m a business and career strategist who’s been setting and meeting creative career goals for over 30 years.

Like a lot of creative people my career path has not been straightforward. I’ve been a terrible novelist (sorry Doubleday), successful newspaper writer, digital content pioneer, PDN Award-winning photographer, celebrated short film maker, occasional reality TV judge, miracle-working commercial director, and Ethan Hawke’s stunt double.

In 2016 I made a major career transition, joining a small full-service agency as their first creative director and strategist. Since then, I’ve led creative teams across a variety of disciplines, and helped build brands and campaigns for arts organizations including Harbourfront Centre, Soulpepper, Buffer Festival, and the Toronto International Festival of Authors.

I’m the former creative director at Henry’s Canada where I mentored employee creators and led editorial and creative strategy on The Lens, a quarterly magazine for photographers and content creators, and director of strategy at Jacknife Design, where I led brand thinking and planning for some of Canada’s highest-profile companies.

What’s common to all my experiences is the realization that creative careers are all on hard mode, and it’s only getting worse. As technology and corporate governance continue to transform creative labour markets, it’s more important than ever for creative people to be able to earn a stable income, negotiate fair salaries and contracts, build emotional resiliency, and stand out in a sea of endless competition, all while creating artistic work that’s rich, meaningful and satisfying.

I’m exceptional at identifying the critical factors in a problem and designing a way through. The question my work seeks to answer is What should creative people do? As a creative business and career strategist I answer that question by helping you identify opportunities, overcome obstacles, navigate change, and build a more sustainable creative career so you can thrive, grow and contribute.

I believe in the value of what you’re doing, and I’m looking forward to talking about it.

Certifications and Credentials:

Ready to take the first step?

Start getting the help you need to identify opportunities, overcome barriers, navigate change, and build a more sustainable creative career.

Ready to take the first step?

Start getting the help you need to identify opportunities, overcome barriers, navigate change, and build a more sustainable creative career.