Jack of all trades master of none? More like a cocktail.

I’m a creative planner. A creative (art director) who was introduced to planning during bachelors and fell in love with it ever since.

I’ve always been inconsistently consistent in switching hobbies, passions, habits, likes, houses and hair lengths. Since childhood, I’ve tried out drawing, swimming, tennis, karate, abacus, figure skating, basketball and have even made it to the Singapore national women’s cricket team! Professionally, I wanted to be a detective, but then later I realised I didn’t really like chemistry and mathematics so much.

When I came to know about advertising after college, I found my calling! I could work on different sorts of clients and brands everyday. One day I could be working on a charity brief, other day a sports brief and yet another day a luxury brand.

I’d like to quote Lenka here. “All I wanna be, is everything at once.”

Ateh Jewel’s career is an unconventional combination. She’s a freelancer, producer, beauty journalist and an entrepreneur. She’s one of those people who is a great delight to listen to. Ateh was a guest lecturer at Solent. From quoting Mean girls, SAS and Nicki Minaj and speaking the language of the audience she instantly had all of our attention.

She spoke about a problem she strongly believes in. Black women love make up but the beauty industry not loving them back. She pointed out few things that aren’t considered. There is simply not enough choice in basic things like shades of foundation. Black skin doesn’t crack. The texture and nature of the skin makes necessary to allocate special attention while producing any sort of products. And whatever little make up is available, is by the expensive labels.

Ateh answered few questions. Here are my favourite ones:

1) You mentioned magazines were the thing perviously and now blogs are taking their place drastically. What according to you will be next?

Answer: It is hard to predict the trend but from experience I’d say, information is the key. In whatever form, its gonna be the opinions and voice of the people.

2) What’s your advice to someone starting out in the industry?

Answer:

Be appropriate.

Be kind.

Be tenacious.

Be Switzerland. (Be trustworthy and don’t gossip or bad mouth people)

Be assertive. (There’s a fine line between assertive and aggressive.

Practice polite stalking and be shameless when asking for work.

3) I’m bad at taking rejection. How should I deal with it?

Answer: Think of how it can help you. The best way to prove them wrong is to be brilliant. Best productive way to do it is to compete with yourself because there is always gonna be someone prettier, smarter or more successful.

4) Tips from Ateh for blogging. If you are going to blog Thursdays and Sundays are the best times to blog as that's the time most people are most receptive. 1am to 5am is the best time to talk to working mothers as that’s the time its all done and quiet. A blog should inform me, entertain me, inspire me and want me to buy into things.

I went in the talk thinking I barely have any interest in beauty industry, how will this ever help me? My biggest take away was, inspiration comes in the most unexpected ways. The more your sources of information differ, the moe unique ideas will come to you. Advertising is all about people. People from contrasting backgrounds have extraordinary stories and those will come handy one day.

A link to her website http://jeweltonesbeauty.com