The launch of Spring Street has been a good ten years in the making. I have observed first hand that when a business fosters a creative culture, innovation and employee engagement explode. And I’ve seen that where a creative culture is absent, narrow thinking, negativity and apathy corrode. My mission is to help companies ignite greater motivation and passion among their teams to achieve their goals.

I feel an urgency around this mission, too. With the accelerated rate of change, infusion of technology and tight labor market, getting creative is essential. Creativity means the difference between landing a great new hire and losing one. It makes people want to stay to build a company rather than move on to the next gig. Creativity drives how I approach problem solving, collaborate with colleagues, and push myself to experiment and take risks. With creativity engaged, ideas flow and the seemingly impossible can become a reality.

My own aha! moment - the catalyst I needed to finally launch this business - came during a non-profit board retreat. While we brainstormed about rebranding the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, we were asked to think back to the moment we first observed creativity in our kids - or ourselves. I reflected on my two creative young children, as well as my own creative journey from artist to business entrepreneur. How do we honor and cultivate the creativity that once flowed freely? Why are we not in the regular habit of developing this competency, particularly in the face of increased automation?

I also reflected on my experience as part of a high-growth start-up in NYC, working on Spring Street, bursting with newfound creativity. We embraced the role of underdog and challenged the status quo. We disrupted a stale service vertical and created a new category of firm. It was in those creative and collaborative moments that the strong culture, trust and shared commitment enabled intense productivity and innovation.

We all work hard. And we work a lot. Why shouldn’t work be where creativity is consciously developed? Why not nurture the parts of ourselves that make us come alive, lead us to discover new insights, breakthroughs and improvements? And why not structure our companies to share the benefits of this joyful creativity? If given the option, who wouldn’t choose to spend their precious hours where creativity is valued and cultivated?

I want other people to experience what intentional creativity did for me. And I want your business to experience what it did for mine.