The global licensing community is powered by an incredible group of professionals whose diverse backgrounds and creative energy drive innovation and excellence. Each week we profile one of these professionals in this ongoing series.

How did you get into licensing, or how did licensing find you?
Licensing found me in a very organic way. A few years ago, Stuart Pollock (Bridge Licensing Inc.) discovered my work on Instagram and saw that I had a signature style with a following. My art has always been rooted in iconic faces, nostalgia, and emotional connection, so there was already a natural link to recognizable properties and characters. Later, when Stuart began working with Archie Comics as their licensing agent, he reached out because he felt my style would be a great fit. It felt like a very aligned opportunity—one that brought together my love of pop culture, storytelling, and collectible art in a way that felt authentic to both sides.

What’s a typical day in your current position?
No two days are ever the same, which is one of the things I love. I usually start my day with a coffee, journaling, and reading my manifest, and somewhere in the day I try to fit in a walk and a short workout. After that, the day can go in a lot of different directions—painting in the studio; developing new portrait ideas; doing research; creating mockups; working on my email newsletter, website, and social media; thinking through business strategies or proposals; answering client or collector inquiries; fulfilling orders; and having conversations around licensing or partnership opportunities. There’s always a mix of creativity and business, which keeps it interesting.

What’s your biggest personal or professional accomplishment?
One of my biggest accomplishments has been building a business around my recognizable “Big Eyes” style—creating work that makes people feel joy, nostalgia, connection, and comfort. Having collectors invest in my work and trusting me with custom commissions that are so personal to them means a great deal to me. Professionally, stepping into licensing is a major milestone. Securing an official licensing deal with Archie Comics, with a few other iconic licenses on the horizon, feels like a very exciting next chapter and the evolution of my work into a larger platform with long-term potential.

What are the most significant trends or changes that you’ve seen in the business in recent years?
One of the biggest shifts I’ve noticed is that emotional connection matters more than ever. People want more than just a product—they want meaning, nostalgia, identity, and a story they connect to. That has always been true with my collectors, but now I think people are also craving more of an experience. They want something immersive and memorable: not just to buy something, but to connect with it. That’s part of how I think about pop-ups at retail: creating something interactive, story-driven, and personal where people can experience the work and meet the artist behind it. I think licensing fits beautifully into that, especially with a brand like Archie Comics, where people already have such a deep emotional connection to the characters and world.

What keeps you up at night? What’s your biggest challenge these days?
My biggest challenge is making sure growth stays aligned with the heart of my brand. As opportunities expand, I want to be thoughtful about what I say yes to. Protecting the integrity of my work while also growing strategically is very important to me. I care a lot about making sure each collaboration feels like a true fit.

In your opinion, what is the top skill every licensing executive should have in order to succeed?
I would say vision—the ability to see not just what a brand or property is today, but where it can go, how it can connect emotionally, and how it can evolve while still staying true to its essence. Strong relationships and communication are essential too, but vision is what makes the best partnerships stand out.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, or what’s your favorite quote?
Trust the work and keep going. Creative careers and businesses don’t always move in a straight line, so I think resilience matters just as much as talent. One idea I come back to often is that the more specific and authentic you are, the more powerful your work becomes.

What is your favorite licensing deal of all time?
My licensing deal with Archie Comics is my favorite. Not just because it’s my first, but because it feels deeply aligned. I love that I can work directly with their creative director on ideas and mockups and really feel like part of a team. To me, the most exciting collaborations are the ones where both sides elevate each other—where you can take a beloved property and interpret it in a fresh way without losing its soul. Those are the partnerships that feel the most memorable, and that’s exactly what this one feels like to me.

If you weren’t in licensing, what would you be doing now?
I’d still be painting. Everything I do starts there. Even if licensing were not part of the picture, I would still be creating artwork, telling stories through portraiture, and finding ways to connect people to the images and icons that mean something to them.

The last licensed product I bought was…
A Porsche die-cast toy car for my partner. He had dreamed of owning a Porsche forever and spent a few years looking at different years and models. When he finally found the one that was right for him, it turned out to be the same year and model as the toy car. It felt like a bit of a manifestation, which made it extra special.