Explanations tell you what someone does. Stories show you who they are. So here's a bit of both.
Start with the right questions
She's browsing a shop window. Third time this week.
You could ask what she wants for her birthday. She'd probably say "I don't know, surprise me."
You could also assume she loves to cook, so… a soup mixer?
Or you could pay attention. Watch what she lingers on. Notice what she's been listening to on repeat. Ask one more question than feels necessary.
That's the difference between a gift and the gift.
That's my approach to every project. I don't start with solutions, I start by questioning what most people don't think to ask. Because assumptions are convenient, but really understanding and empathising is where the real answer lives.
Boxes within boxes within boxes
I came back from months in Malaysia and Thailand, met my old boss over coffee, and somehow walked out with a job. My first task: do the inventory of "the collection."
I didn't realise what that meant until I walked in. Around 3,000 pieces, Art Deco furniture, tiny gold-and-diamond Cartier vanity boxes, modern art pieces by Joseph Kosuth and so on. I stood in that temple of art asking myself one simple question: where do I even start?
The answer wasn't to work harder. It was to work in boxes. I boxed the time, then boxed the rooms, the shelves, the safes. Boxes within boxes within boxes. Every finished section became a small win.
That's still how I work today: structure isn't about controlling every minute. It's about turning something overwhelming into something manageable.
Panic helps no one
The evening starts calm. Doors open, a few early guests, everything under control.
Then rush hour hits. Fully booked, kitchen running behind, and the table that should've left ten minutes ago is still laughing over coffee while new guests wait.
Panic helps no one. So I smile, invite the waiting guests to grab a first drink at the bar to unwind, then walk over to the lingering table and ask genuinely if they'd mind finishing their last round there instead, because they've been such great company tonight.
Nobody feels pushed out. The table turns, drinks are already flowing, and the room keeps smiling through it all.
pressure doesn't disappear it just doesn't have to show.
Team is everything
I've learned that team is everything and that a team runs on communication, not assumptions. Check-ins, feedback sessions, making sure everyone's on track…
but also making sure everyone actually feels good about the role they're playing.
Because a project can be perfectly organised and still fall apart if the people behind it don't feel heard.
A bit of healthy risk-taking
I try to build spaces where people feel comfortable enough to experiment, where the slightly weird idea gets a real hearing instead of an eye-roll, with just enough challenge thrown in to keep things interesting.
The best ideas rarely come from playing it safe. They come from a bit of healthy risk-taking, and a team that isn't afraid to look a little silly first.