10 Questions.
Sarah Dunn and Stephen Judge - 13th March 2009
10 Questions...
Stephen Judge / Bonfire Creative Intelligence
1. Tell us what you do.
I am the strategic development director and co founder of Bonfire Creative Intelligence, an accredited branding and design consultancy based in Ampthill, Bedfordshire. My background and experience comes from a strong, sound creative base and I now work as account director for a number of key accounts and work on business development and the forging of strategic business alliances for Bonfire.
2. Describe your best career moment so far?
Personally, being awarded a professional Diploma in corporate identity and branding from the Chartered Society of Designers CSD, two years early, as a result of my professional experience and the extensive research carried out during my MA in Visual Communication at BCU.
For Bonfire, it was being, the first consultancy in the UK to be accredited by the Design Association, an initiative of the Chartered Society of Designers, on grounds of industry best business an creative practice.
3. Describe your worst career moment so far?
The lowest points of my career have been when working in design environments where the focus was solely on profit rather than providing the best rationalised creative outcome. We have always had this at the heart of our business and it is this focus that leads to a more satisfying, sustainable, rewarding and successful client relationship.
Oh, and I once sent a flyer to print with the number 01234 567890 on it oops!
4. What is your best career tip for others?
Work in a way that fits with your own personal and professional ethics and values. Be brave.
5. If you were not doing this as a job what would you be doing?
Full time dad!
6. Describe an average day at work...
Hmmm ...average days, do not really exist. I have a lot of client contact so every day includes conversations with my clients. We have always felt that direct client contact works best at Bonfire so both myself and my business partner Jason make ourselves directly available where ever possible. Much of my work is now strategic which means I get to wrestle with big ideas and campaign plans on a daily basis. My, and Bonfires, goal is that clients get the best possible creative service and clear, honest and expert advice. I am passionate about the creative industry and also giving back, and am also currently working on a number of creative community projects.
7. Tell us what motivates you...
My team. I know that our success is due to their dedicated hard work and I feel that I owe it to them to keep Bonfire moving onwards and upwards. I am becoming more conscious of our ethical stance too. We have always done charity work but we have recently streamlined our efforts so that we now offer dedicated and meaningful support to two charity partners, The Marston Vale Trust and Keech Cottage, as part of our wider corporate social responsibility policy. Knowing that we can align our personal and professional goals is a powerful motivator.
8. Where do you see yourself and your company in 5 years time?
We will certainly have grown, and moved premises, although we will always stay local to Bedfordshire. I would like Bonfire to be known, not only for proving an excellent service, but also as a great place to work and as a leading force in the support of new designers and ethical business practice. As we grow we are conscious of keeping the values we originally set out with at the heart of our business; that is to work with creativity, honesty, passion and to exceed expectations.
9. Who or what inspires you?
I get a buzz from making a real difference for our clients. Our work gets results and it is wonderful to be given the opportunity to wrap your brain around interesting projects as opposed to just design work per se. One current example of this is the brand audit, review and development we are working on for Hainsworth, a 225 year old British manufacturer and a world leader in their field. Both the work and client have been very inspirational and we are now developing tools and activities as a direct result of the branding workshops we ran for their board and management staff.
10. How do you spend your time off/away from work?
With my wonderful baby son Jimmy and my wife Kayte. He is a constant surprise to me. I also snowboard when time allows but my knees are starting to get creaky so I think it may be sandcastles and rock pools from now on, which is not necessarily a bad thing.
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