Meet Erica Sade | Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Erica Sade and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Erica, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
This might rock the boat, but I personally hate the idea of ‘fake it til you make it’. While I’ve seen it so some good, I think it’s one of the most toxic ideologies out there in the creative field because I’ve seen it often push people into complacency instead of an honest pursuit of their art form. I’ve seen clients hurt by this philosophy because they think they’re getting someone they’re not, and the experience/skill doesn’t match the expectation.
Be honest about where you’re at. Own what you don’t know. I have taken on the mantra “Nothing to prove, everything to learn”; I’ve been so grateful for the opportunity and insight that’s opened up for me along the way when I’ve embodied the position of a learner.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In high school, my sweet mom grabbed me a $12 digital camera that I used to cure my boredom during a hurricane; I had no idea it would change my life forever. I work hard to have my art stem from the place of innocence and discovery. That approach has helped me to stay fresh over the years and to walk into each creative endeavor with eyes that aren’t jaded by repetition. In this era of my life, this has looked a lot like a shift to documentary style photo and video, which a heightened focus on medium format and 35mm. The mystery of the final result has brought so much enrichment and excitement to an expression I already love so deeply.

Professionally, I’ve had to walk the road from being a punk kid that that she knew it all to an adult-ish kid that realizes I’ll never know enough. This shift has been humbling, hard, but so ridiculously rewarding and has shaped me into a much more accountable and aware leader and friend. I’m grateful for every person that has had a hard conversation with me along the way, and those who took the time to get the diamonds in me out of the raw and into a place that allows me to develop future leaders.

The best lesson I’d scream from the mountaintops is to just be yourself. This is so cliche to say and I’m cringing even writing it out (lol) – but in a world that’s constantly selling you the idea that you’re not good enough and that you need to add so much to be a tolerable version of self – I think it’s the message a lot of people need to hear. You are amazing, just refining. Refining hurts, refining takes time – but the reward of the process is worth the pruning.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love the fact that South Florida is home to so many live event venues. I’m a concert girl through and through – so I always tell people to see what shows are coming to the Hard Rock/Kaseya/Kravis/basically any live event venue from West Palm Beach to Hialeah. My favorite dining spot has to be Ceviche 105 in Downtown Miami! I also always send people to the Wynwood District for all of the hidden artful goodies in every crack and crevice of the area.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to shoutout my mentors Carmen and Ian Achong – who’ve always pushed me to be my best self and encouraged my creative gifting. I’ve been refined over and over through their leadership, their passion, and their love for me.

Website: ericasade.com

Instagram: instagram.com/espv.co

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-sade-paul