“My Creative Mantra: Be a Factory, Not a Warehouse”

There’s a mantra I live by when it comes to creativity: I’m a factory, not a warehouse.

Factories produce. Warehouses store.

It’s a simple distinction, but for me, it defines everything about how I approach ideas, inspiration, and execution. In a world that often glorifies hoarding “the next big thing” or waiting for the perfect moment to share, I’ve chosen a different path. I believe in moving ideas through me—not just collecting them.

Creativity, at its core, is motion. A true creative doesn’t just hold onto ideas like trophies sitting on a shelf—they build, shape, ship, and sometimes scrap. That’s what factories do. They work. They refine. They output. And then, they do it all over again.

My creativity was truly unleashed during my time as VP of Marketing at VisitLEX. We’d regularly brainstorm wild, unexpected ways to market horses—and Lexington, Kentucky—to the world. There was no ceiling. We weren’t waiting for permission or perfection. We just kept producing. That energy taught me that the best ideas don’t live in isolation—they thrive in motion.

I’ve learned that creativity multiplies when it’s shared. One idea sparks another. One perspective sharpens the next. That’s why I say, “Iron sharpens iron.” If I keep my ideas locked away, they rust. But when I share—whether it’s a half-baked thought, a concept sketch, or a finished product—I give others something to react to, improve on, and be inspired by.

Not every idea will land—and that’s okay. Factories don’t measure success by perfection, they measure it by consistency and momentum. The point isn’t to get it “right” every time. The point is to keep producing. Because the more you create, the sharper you get.

So if you’re reading this and sitting on something brilliant, I’m encouraging you: shift your mindset. Be a factory. Keep the ideas flowing. Make the next thing. Ship the next project. Your creativity isn’t a vault—it’s a gift meant to circulate.

Because the world doesn’t need more hidden brilliance—it needs your output.