Why I Started Gray Scale

Gray Scale was born out of curiosity and a need to find answers for myself, and for others who’ve spent decades in design.

After 20+ years in the design world — agency roles, freelance stints, creative leadership, late nights with clients — I hit a strange point in my career. Not a dead end, more like a fog — a sense of uncertainty around what comes next.

I had built up a set of skills but had lost the excitement of what was still to come. If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone.

I’d built the portfolio. I’d earned the titles. I’d led the teams. And yet, something wasn’t clicking anymore. Not in my skills — in my story. The industry was changing. My priorities were shifting. The design world seemed to get younger by the minute, and in the middle of all that noise, I asked myself:

Where do designers go when they’re not young anymore?

The Uncharted Middle of a Design Career

We talk a lot about how we got started in design. We glorified the hustle, the grind, the all-nighters we used to pull, we idolized the prodigies. But we rarely talk about what it feels like to be a veteran in a field obsessed with “what’s next?”.

We are the first older generation in these uncharted waters of a career in 21st century design, and there’s a unique set of challenges that come with that experience:

• You’re good — maybe great — but overlooked in a world where your social media following dictates your worth as a designer.
• You want to evolve, not retire.
• You’re not burned out, but your creative fire feels… off.

And maybe most of all:

You realize the old map you started this journey out with doesn’t tell you where to go next.

So what is Gray Scale?

It’s about experience — and how to leverage it.

• It’s a platform for content that speaks directly to mid-career and senior designers — those of us who still care deeply about the craft, but are navigating a new season.
• It’s a lens through which to examine design, work, creativity, and relevance after the portfolio days.
• It’s a conversation about what it means to stay sharp, stay valuable, and stay relevant in a shifting creative world.

This can be about nostalgia, but it’s also about strategy. It’s about gaining clarity on our current position and future in the industry.

What You’ll Find Here

Gray Scale isn’t trying to be everything for everyone. It’s not a course, a lecture, or a self-help seminar. It’s a space for people who’ve already built something — and are now asking what comes next.

You’ll find:

• Essays on creative evolution
• Frameworks for staying relevant
• Conversations about value, burnout, and identity
• And hopefully, a reminder that you’re not the only one feeling this shift

A Few Things I Believe:

• You don’t need to go viral to stay valuable.
• Design careers aren’t linear — and that’s a strength.
• Reinvention isn’t a crisis.
• And most of all: Creative experience is an asset.

Gray Scale is for those of us who aren’t done growing, we just want to grow on our own terms.

Thanks for being here. This is just the beginning.