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Way of Being is a community-centered project created by ethik, inspired by our own mission to build a healthy, sustainable creative workplace that’s… well… the antithesis of what you’ll find in most traditional agencies.
Amy and Ida, the co-founders of ethik, both spent decades navigating (surviving?) the burnout, anxiety, loss of self-worth, and existential questioning that seem to be an inevitable part of being a creative these days.
While it can sometimes feel like there’s no escape besides leaving the industry altogether (we fully support that choice, too), we’re still holding-out hope that there’s a better way forward. And that maybe, we can figure it out together.
So, for now, we’re taking the first step: we’re launching Way of Being as a mental health community and mutual aid society to give creatives a safe space to talk about our challenges, questions, doubts, fears… and yes, to celebrate the things we’re proud of, too.
You’ll be joining a judgement-free, peer community where you can let it all out. That doesn’t mean that we’ll tolerate disrespect, discrimination, insults, obscenities, offensive behavior and/or anything else that’s generally considered rude. What it DOES mean is that you’ll be in a safe space where you can share your everyday challenges with other creatives, talk about the bigger career questions that are weighing you down, and give each other the support, and encouragement, to figure out what makes you happy.
You’ll engage real conversations about how to change the industry to become more equitable, more mentally and financially stable, more willing to take creative risks, and less exploitative of our time and talent. As a community, we might even come up with some ways to bring those ideas back to our companies and see if we can make miracles happen.
You’ll have access to a highly-curated library of resources for protecting your sanity, including courses and articles on building resilience, navigating tough feedback, and rediscovering your creative spark. And, it’ll be open for you to add any resources that you’ve found personally helpful, too.
You’ll be connected to an incredible group of coaches who’ve all been in the agency and/or creative world themselves, and know what you’re going through. They’ll host monthly consultation days or open-door group sessions for the community, and be available for booking 1:1 support whenever you need it.
And, with a portion of our “pay what you can” membership dues going to support our Mutual Aid Fund, you’ll be able to apply for financial support during layoffs, extended sick or caregiving leave, or tough freelance times.
If any of this sounds interesting to you, sign up for our newsletter below, and be the first to know as soon as our Mighty Networks community is up and running.
We’re planning on using a “pay what you can” monthly or yearly model to keep the community accessible, so you’ll be able to register, create a profile, and start poking around in whatever way feels most comfortable for you.
In the meantime, follow us on LinkedIn, and check out our newsletter for more WOB updates, perspectives, resources, and coaching connections.
We believe that healthier creative workplaces (like ethik!) ARE possible.
Way of Being consults directly with agencies to help design and/or improve organizational structures, policies, and practices, and build long-term foundations to help your creative teams thrive.
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Not convinced you need to take action?
Read our 2024 State of Mental Health in Advertising report, made possible with support from The One Club for Creativity, to learn more about what your team is REALLY feeling. Then, give us a shout.