The one thing I wish I'd known: "you don’t need everything figured out"

Art and design leaders discuss why it's the people that matter.

Creative Bloq | April 20, 2026

by Izzy Ashton

What do you wish you'd known about the industry when you were first starting out? That's the question we posed to a range of creatives recently, and we got a range of answers.

To discover answers discussing openness and technology, see the first in this 'one thing I wish I'd known' series. For more tips on thriving in the workplace, see our time management tips and piece on the importance of saying no.

For now though, here's what our design leaders said when asked the question, 'what do you wish you'd known about the industry when you were first starting out?'

 

It's all about the people

 

 

I think we can all safely say that we wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of someone – boss, mentor, colleague -– along the way. Most of our leaders agree, including Justin Bajan, co-founder of Familiar Creatures, who posed a series of questions that he felt were vital to finding yourself in the right place. Spoiler alert – it’s not always about the sexiest shop.

He says: “I wish I had known that the people you work with and for can lead to the best work of your career. Are they inclusive? Do they hoard work or are they generous? Do they feel threatened by you or will they champion you? Is there space for mentorship or are you on your own? Do you have to work hard to fit in or can you be yourself?

“Of course you want to work at a ‘hot’ shop. But if the vibes are off, you might be on the struggle bus and that's hard to deal with after spending $$$ at a ‘hot’ portfolio school.”

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Read the full article on Creative Bloq.