Sometimes you get so caught up in the day-to-day of working in your business that you forget to look at the big picture. Well, at one of my monthly EO Accelerator meetings, I was encouraged to look at Rhyme & Reason and craft a core values speech, what you see below are my words, unedited. Hopefully they provide not only insight into R&R, but motivate you to give context to those core values you see on the wall everyday. Enjoy!

We strive to create shiny, happy designs

People don’t hire R&R because we offer the standard fare or staid designs. They hire us because we bring creativity to the forefront, we make colors pop and fonts dance, but most importantly we bring out the warm, friendly and amazing personality of each and every one of our clients.  From a simple postcard to a multi-level website, we have the opportunity and privilege to make a lasting impression on not simply our clients, but their customers. Therefore, it is important that we stay cognizant of this gift and use our skills to create materials that positively impact those people who come in contact with them. Together we have the power to create designs that make people smile, establish brands that people love and impact the success of businesses who aren’t afraid to color outside the lines.

There’s always time for a little fun

All work and no play makes for a lousy bunch of creatives. Sometimes the day just calls for a King of Pops break or a TMZ update – you never know when Beyonce and Jay Z might break up. In other words, staring at a computer, pounding away at the keyboard isn’t always the best way to be productive. Creativity comes when you least expect it and usually when you are having fun. So if you need to throw your hands up in the air and wave them like you just don’t care, do it. If you need a mini dance party, throw one. Whatever it is that do to have fun, do it and bring all that creativity you gained with you.

Always look for the silver lining

Some days, clients suck the life out of you. There I said it, now there isn’t an elephant in the room. But you know what, there’s always a glimmer of light at the end. Because 9 times out of 10, that really tough project is the one that everyone is raving about. Things get better, they always do. Just don’t give up on yourself, your team or your project – we’re in this together and we promise, that silver lining is worth the hard work and the late nights.

Become part of the family

You aren’t an Island, R&R isn’t an Island, our client’s aren’t an Island – no one is alone in this. They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Look around the room, you’re going to become the average of us and that’s a good thing, because we’re the average too. Take the time to learn about the person who sits next to you, not just what they do at the office, but what they do after they clock out. Your clients aren’t just random names at the end of email signatures, they are people that help the R&R family grow. Get to know them. They are as much a part of the family as each of us. Take the time to listen, to share and be a part of what makes R&R a better place.

Eat some humble pie every once in a while

We were wrong. It’s happened and that’s okay, because we’re human. What’s not okay is pretending you didn’t mess up. Also not okay, having an ego so large you can’t fit through the door. When we can admit our faults, tell someone else they are right or simply let another person take center stage, we grow. We become better at what we do, we become better people. Whoa that’s deep. Think about it though, we learn from our mistakes because we can see beyond our noses, we can see what other people see. So let’s not be too proud to work together, be a team and pick ourselves back up when we fall.

Wear your passion on your sleeve

If you don’t love what you do, do something else. Life’s too short to settle for kinda/sorta. We want you to love what you do, maybe not every day, because you aren’t a robot, but the majority of time. If typography makes your heart flutter or copywriting makes you swoon don’t hold that stuff in, share it with everyone. We want to help you foster that passion, so that you can see it bloom. Show who you are and what matters to you, find out what drives you and use it to propel yourself forward.

The peanut gallery is expected to share their wit and wisdom

We don’t work in a cavernous office where hundreds of employees clock in unnoticed every day. We work in a small place where big ideas matter. Your big ideas to be exact. If you have a great idea share it, if you think our idea is bad, tell us. Together we create a better company, a better product for our clients. Which means you can’t just sit there in silence, never offering feedback or melting away into the background. We want your thoughts to matter, to change the way we see things and even how we do things.

Be, create and do awesome!