Licensing International is powered by an incredible group of licensing professionals hailing from around the globe who take time to serve the industry they love. Each week we’ll be profiling one of these professionals in this ongoing series.

How did you get into licensing (or how did licensing find YOU😊)?
After graduating from my graphic and media degree I started designing for London fashion designer, Daniel Poole. One of my first projects was creating a DP collaboration capsule collection with “Star Trek,” and it was then, without realising at the time, I had discovered licensing! Little did I know that was the first stepping stone into my creative career. I then started designing fashion ranges directly for manga, and a year later I was the first-ever graphic designer for Warner Bros. Consumer Products, based in London. I designed across the entire portfolio from Looney Tunes to Harry Potter for all style guides, licensing assets, and partner collaborations specialising in insight and trends to deliver kickass creative programs that got partners, retailers and consumers excited. Nine years later I decided to flex my wings outside of corporate and work for myself, which ultimately led to setting up my own design agency PowerStation Studios.

(Note from the editor: Earlier this year, PowerStation Studios did a beautiful re-design of the Licensing Hall of Fame trophy, which you can see here.)

What’s your biggest personal and professional accomplishment?
Without a doubt the biggest personal achievement is having built a design agency from the ground up, which was a dream since being a kid. PowerStation Studios is my real passion and I get to do what I love every day whilst constantly incubating incredible creative talent from all walks of life and working with the hottest hit list of brands and amazing inspirational people from all around the world!

The company turning 10-years-old this October was a professional accomplishment and one I am immensely proud of. It has been such an incredible journey and (pinch me) we are now a decade young, the first of many decades to come. We set out to do things differently in the licensing industry, and we continue to adapt, evolve and move with the times. Our global Fortune 500 client base is a real reflection of the outstanding creative we deliver time and time again.

What is licensing’s biggest challenge now?
Licensing’s biggest challenge is past-specific practice, as the market conditions evolve at an accelerated pace. For example, retail landscape and content distribution channels are changing and the industry needs to adapt more rapidly than ever before. As the world becomes increasingly homogenised, creativity and creative assets are becoming the USP for many brands.

What is your favorite quote?
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist”
-Picasso

It applies to my design process.