My SXSW Talk

Here’s my SXSW talk in which I speak on my path of becoming a designer in Switzerland, making the transition moving to New York and establishing my various businesses. I speak on my 11 rules and values I live by, both in my professional and personal life. In fact, I speak on the fact that I barely distinguish between the two and that my kids have been my biggest career catalysts. Enjoy!

Also, here’s a Recap Rap by Saul Paul.

39 Comments leave a comment below

  1. very impressed, Sis!

  2. Thank you. Thank you. So often it feels as if, as a women, I will have to forgo a lot because I want to have children, your belief that your children have been your biggest career catalysts is so inspiring. Thank you!

  3. That was fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing. You are an inspiration to me!!!

  4. Tina, you are truly inspirational. I am also a Swiss graphic designer who lives in the United States. I have been following you blog and work for years now and it is so amazing to hear all of your great advice and life rules and see just how much can be accomplished. I will definitely remember everything you say and adopt many of those rules myself.
    Merci!

  5. ^ agree with clio. It’s such a refreshing perspective that you need to become who you want to be since your children look up to you. Thank you so much for what you do; I’m filing you under “makes me smile.”

  6. THANK YOU for giving this talk. It’s inspired me to finally stop complaining and pursue my dreams. Why not change careers in our 30’s to pursue what we love!

  7. I’m sitting at my desk in College Station — a mere 100 miles NE of Austin — and just “attended” your SXSW talk. Thank you for thinking of those of us who couldn’t be there. Love your philosophy on life + work. Looking forward to following you. Do report back on the yoga … maybe you can inspire me there, too!

  8. I seriously took notes on all 11 rules & plan on hanging them up in my office :) Your talk was very motivating, so thank you. Also, one of my greatest fears in having children and losing sight of my dreams. I love seeing people like you, Sheryl Sandberg and other women finding their children as a one of their biggest influences in their career. Also, I just started Jillian Michael’s power yoga. Way less intimidating doing it from my living room ;) Anyways, thanks for being such an inspiration to women and creatives. Cheers!

  9. As a creative type and as a mother who is finding herself a little lost lately, your talk was truly inspiring. I took notes on all of your rules and the amazing quotes. I feel I have gained so much from your talk. I cannot thank you enough. I am so glad you shared this and I watched it. Please keep sharing your enthusiasm in all the outlets you use, its contagious… in a great way! Thanks again!

  10. Great talk. Any chance on sharing the slides?

  11. Needed to re-hear a lot of these “rules” I’ve subscribed to in my professional past. Thank you!

  12. Watching. Good stuff!

  13. Great talk but the slow internet here in Cape Town makes it almost impossible to watch as it won’t buffer on the sxsw site. Anyway you could upload to youtube or vimeo? Thanks!

  14. You are an inspiration! Thank you Tina!

  15. Very inspiring. Thank you for sharing this.

  16. Wonderful talk. I’ve been following your blog for quite some time, but seeing you speak and share quotes, gifs, and thoughts in person will make reading your blog that much more exciting.

    And thank you for being open and upfront about your children and their place in your life and how they have affected your work. I live in New York and have two children as well (and an amazing sister and soon to be husband who are very supportive) but sometimes I feel like I have to hide the fact I have kids to be taken seriously as a writer that is dedicated to producing good work. Listening to your talk today helped so perfectly in how I have been feeling lately (I took notes on all 11 rules). Thank you, thank you.

  17. this is great tina – really enjoying listening to this while i work – i think i’ve said this before but your site was one of the biggest inspirations for me to start my own. keep going!

  18. You’re like a natural spring of inspiration, thank you for your incredible speech.

  19. I’ve been following your blog for a long time and was lucky enough to attend this talk in person (and really loved that you put up your daughter’s drawing).

    As a 30 year old woman pregnant with her first child, working a job that I find less than satisfying, experiencing many of the same retrospective thoughts that you reference in your talk, it was wonderful to hear your story. With all of the debate regarding work/life balance and whether or not women can “have it all”, knowing that this life-altering event coming up in a few months can be a catalyst for positive change as opposed of the end of my career, or the beginning of an unwinnable battle between my professional life and family, was truly encouraging. Thank you.

  20. Tina,
    Thank you for your inspiring words!
    They mean a lot to me since I’m moving abroad.
    Catarina

  21. So inspiring!
    They mean a lot to me since I’m moving abroad.

  22. Great talk! Anyone know where to find that llama gif in the early part of the talk?

  23. Thank you so much for the great talk. It left me so inspired and motivated!

  24. Thanks for the friday afternoon inspiration. I’m sure I will watch this over and over again!

  25. So inspiring! thank you.

  26. That was really a beautiful speech Tina : )

  27. Motivating. Inspiring. Enthusiasm-inducing. Thank you, Tina, for putting it all out there. And congratulations on all of your successes!

  28. Awesome speech! Ich han’s wirkchli gnossä! Und diin Englisch isch meggaa!

  29. Funny. I always dreamed of moving to a small Swiss village.

  30. I don’t understand the Experience > Money argument. I mean I kind of get it, but at the same time, I have so much debt from college, I can’t earn less than X amount and be able to even buy food. I’ve lost knowing even what I love to do because I am stuck doing what I get paid the most to do. (Still design but not on my terms that I think I would enjoy) How do people do this? I’m inspired but super depressed that I feel like I’ve lost even knowing what my passion is because I’m a slave to money. Thoughts?

  31. LOVE LOVE LOVE your talk! the staff photo is fantastic! also love the photo “out your [Swiss] bedroom window” :)

  32. Tina – thank you so much for your fantastic talk at SX. I didn’t make it in, but watched it a couple of days later in a post-SXSW lazy day marathon. Your 11 points are spot on. I especially like the Don’t Complain mantra. I would shout this from the Swiss Alps! Thank you thank you thank you!

  33. You are such a wonderful combo of humble and inspiring. Been following swiss miss and it adds to my life in such intangibly wonderful ways.

    Started using teux deux yesterday. I feel connected to you somehow just by reading your blog and interacting with the interfaces you design.

    Thankyou.

  34. Absolutely inspired by your talk. i have written down and printed off all 11 points and will put them above my desk :) thank you.

  35. Thanks so much for putting this up Tina, very inspiring and reassuring that even when the money might not be what you hoped or expected, the value of the combined experiences, connections and opportunities far outweigh monetary concerns (I know, others may not be in the fortunate position of being in little debt etc. so in that respect I’m very lucky). Plus, like others have said, if you do something for love first then the finances more often than not will work themselves out, right? :)

    PS you should come to OFFSET in Dublin next year, this year’s event just finished and I’m super inspired to keep going :)

    PPS yes I know CreativeMornings is coming to Dublin, I’m hoping to be involved in that too :)

    Thanks so much for everything you’ve done, keep rocking :)

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  37. Thank you for putting this up. I love how you consistently spread the energy you receive from others and your enthusiasm, keeping your perspective fresh like a baby!
    You are bold to talk about money the way you did. I’ve always felt that way too.”I’m not a trust fund baby.”<3 I think it will help some(not saying everyone) to realize the selling of their soul in order to get a certain amount of money which they made themselves believe, will eventually reach them happiness. Bottom line, they don't think about others. I feel like you "work" to enrich others around you which in return enriches yourself and it's a powerful cycle.

    you're awesome!

  38. sketchnote recap of your talk (drawn by gerren lamson) — really good!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/25552033@N06/8553244564/in/set-72157632957060062/

  39. Great stuff Tina!