Mandy Barker founded Sail Creative in 2016 with the primary ambition of starting an activist design studio that would make a difference in society. She started out with no money in the bank or definitive plan in place, but she had the drive and vision to build a studio that resonated with her beliefs. The personal sacrifices she made at the beginning – juggling everything to build the business and create a network of clients she really cared about – was demanding but rewarding. Five years on, Sail’s diverse portfolio of brilliant work shows it was all worth the risk and hard graft. Building a business from scratch has given Mandy a wealth of experience and in Sail she has shaped a successful studio that has never lost sight of its core values.
Sail’s ethos from the get-go has been to make, ‘real world change through creativity’. Mandy describes herself as “a creative activist through and through”, something which is fundamental to the strength of the studio’s values and the way it approaches client projects. Its approach is participatory and often involves co-create work with clients and collaborators, a process which they believe develops forward thinking outcomes that push boundaries. Making the most of networking opportunities, Mandy has built meaningful connections and has found that surrounding herself with like-minded people, whether colleagues or clients, fosters an environment that produces the best creative work.
The experience of being a woman founder has impacted Mandy’s career in both positive and negative ways. She’s been able to use her experience and reputation when speaking at events and championing other women in design. However, at times she has also felt like the only woman in a board room and noticed the lack of women in senior positions. Mandy recognises that there is a lot to fight for in terms of diversity and inclusion. She believes educating others is crucial; allowing time for difficult conversations around the dinner table and supporting change are all things that will help to make a difference. As she tells us, “There is a lot to fight for, but we can’t give up. We have to take responsibility as individuals and do what we can for real change on a micro level.”
We talked with Mandy about her experiences founding her own design studio, her advice, and tips that she’s picked up along the way, thoughts on counteracting the gender imbalance in the design industry and lots more…
What made you decide to start your own studio and where did the name Sail Creative come from?
In 2016, age 29, I left my agency job and founded Sail. I wanted to launch an activist studio, do work I cared about, and collaborate with diverse people for organisations that are making a difference. I didn’t want to sell my soul for my career or be a ‘cog in a commercial business’ — I knew there must be a better way. I wanted to be able to disrupt the familiar by following unknown paths and challenge myself by trying something new. I also have an appetite for risk and love change – entrepreneurship is the perfect role for that impulse!
I had no money in the bank, no support, no assets, no real plan. But that meant I had nothing to lose, and all I needed was passion and drive to make it work. I followed what felt right. I am in no way advocating this as the sole right way to do things, but for me; it worked.. And if it wasn’t going to work, I would get a job. Any job.
Choosing the name was a big decision. I chose Sail because I am from a seaside town and the beach is my go-to place for reflection. I also love the connotation of ‘sailing’ – it’s about a journey, you need a crew and a team, logic and emotion and a love of the natural world. It keeps me grounded in many ways.
Can you tell us about your experiences of setting up a design studio, what challenges you faced and how you attracted clients?
It was very stressful and demanding. Sail’s first three years involved lots of personal sacrifice as I had to prioritise the business. It took long days and nights, building a network and doing pro bono projects for organisations we cared about. Resilience is key. I nearly gave up a few times along the way because as you know, the industry can a be brutal, what with deadlines, expectations, the blood, sweat and tears of creative work. And then on top of that you have to earn money to survive.
During that time, my friends were all settling down and buying houses, whereas I was leading a classic entrepreneur lifestyle and loving it. I think a mindset of intentionally stepping backwards to step forward is key. Financial sacrifice and time sacrifice will not last forever and the rewards in terms of autonomy, creativity, control outweighed the risks for me.
I didn’t have a real ‘plan’. I am a typical creative and followed my heart. But I work very hard. It isn’t for everybody. I’m also lucky to have an element of business awareness which has definitely helped me on my journey. A studio is 20% design and 80% admin and business development, which is a good thing to be aware of if you are thinking about making the leap. I have never read so much, learnt so much, and juggled so much. It is not always easy. Some days I can be juggling 4/5 projects whilst doing social media, proposals, bookkeeping and meetings. However, important advice would be to know your limits and be kind and gentle to yourself – you are only human, and you can’t pour from an empty cup.
“We have grown organically because our ethos hasn’t changed since day one; social impact is at the core of everything we do.”
Finding clients is a constant, but it’s easier if you know the type of clients and sectors you want to work with. We have grown organically because our ethos hasn’t changed since day one; social impact is at the core of everything we do.
How has the studio evolved to its current form and have there been any pivotal moments?
Our approach and ethos hasn’t changed, neither has my role. And they won’t. I am a creative activist through and through, always challenging what’s right. I am involved in creative thinking, direction and design, as well as working directly with clients and communities. We have a core reason for being and our approach works. We do as much participatory and co-creative work as possible – all of which, informs our creative process and ideas. Our approach isn’t just about the design, its about experimentation, immersing ourselves in projects, and creating communities: shining light on new ways of doing things for clients. This makes the best creative work – work that is meaningful and has impact.
Pivotal moments were joining a business programme in Newcastle for two years. This helped to grow my network, confidence and skills and I made some long-term friends and supporters. Family and friends don’t always understand the world of business so it’s important to surround yourself with like-minded people who can pick you up on the challenging days and celebrate with you on the wins.
One of the main game-changers for us was project IWeigh. We won that project through introducing ourselves, having some really good connections, being bold and having belief in our work. I got to go out to LA and meet the team, leading workshops which influenced the design and brand. It helped to build our confidence as a team and it has been a real pleasure being part of such a significant journey. IWeigh are making real change through advocacy and speaking out.
What is the ethos behind Sail and how important is this when finding clients and approaching a new project?
Real world change through creativity. This drives everything we do. If the project doesn’t align ethically, we say no. If there is an opportunity to positively challenge an organisation to be better, we say yes. But the client has to have a level of creative ambition and be willing to be guided, heard and challenged. People know what we stand for, and this really helps our brand. Our clarity and consistency are important.
Tell us about a standout project that Sail has worked on, the process you went through and why it’s important to you.
I think Curious is one of my favourites because I believe in it through and through. It was one of our first projects back in 2016 and we have worked with the client ever since, feeling like real extensions of the team. Curious is an LGBTQIA+ organisation pioneering inclusion and pushing for real change in the Northeast. They deliver training, festivals, and commissions in the arts and culture industries. We got to design a brand for them in which we had full creative freedom and could be as bold as we needed to be. Curious validated a lot of what Sail stood for and helped us find a community. We still work with Curious and attend events because we are now embedded in their community.
How do you maintain a balance between working on creatively satisfying projects and profitability?
Time tracking is important to understanding project scope and to deliver on time and in budget. We now have 4/5 years of data that we can analyse to see how long a similar project took us. That is gold. We have to keep ourselves on a leash too. In an ideal world we would spend months on each project but that’s just not realistic. It’s all about balance as we have to have a life, too!
If you want to work on creatively satisfying projects, self initiated ones are perfect. You get to choose a topic you are passionate about, experiment and explore with no constraints. We recently did one for International Women’s Day, where we got to work with women in our lives to explore objects that represent their individual identities. We love projects like that – no money involved, just passion and curiosity. Whether you are employed, a student or not working anyone can do a self-initiated project, that’s the beauty of it.
Has being a woman and a studio founder impacted your career?
Finding work is hard, and especially for all the graduates/designers looking for roles right now. It isn’t easy. Six months into setting up Sail I had a wobble and started applying for roles. I couldn’t even get an interview. Being represented by a PDF portfolio is brutal – you have to get in front of people. But we must be bold and have courage. What’s the worst that can happen? The reason I’m telling you that is because I applied to two well known agencies back in 2016 and couldn’t get an interview. Then, 15 months later, I am on a panel with two said agencies (white, middle age, male) answering questions about Sail being a ‘small giant’. What are the chances? Life has funny ways of sending you in a full circle. There was a reason I couldn’t get a job. I wouldn’t be where I am now.
Being a female founder has had both positive and negative aspects. I’ve been able to champion gender equality and speak at events aiming to inspire other women. Many of our clients are women, which is interesting and raises questions. Maybe another self-initiated project coming on! There have been times in board rooms that have felt very masculine, which I feel contributed to why we lost a project; but, on the other side, our nurturing, compassionate approach has sometimes won us projects. It’s a big question and one that I will now be pondering!
“There have been times in board rooms that have felt very masculine, which I feel contributed to why we lost a project; but, on the other side, our nurturing, compassionate approach has sometimes won us projects. It’s a big question and one that I will now be pondering!”
As a successful creative business owner, do you have any thoughts on how we can counteract the gender imbalance in the design industry?
This is such a huge question. Power structures are endemic; systemic barriers are often the cause of this, both of which lead to inequality and under representation. The current climate is gloomy. With activist movements such as Ending Violence Against Women, the Gender Pay Gap, Black Lives Matter and Extinction Rebellion pushing for change, there is clearly a lot to fight for. But we can’t give up. We have to take responsibility as individuals and do what we can to make real change on a micro level. Can we educate ourselves, our children, our nieces, nephews, parents on equality, equity, and leadership? I stress leadership because imagine if this was taught in schools. Leadership builds confidence and aspirations and I think that would solve a lot. Inequality starts so young and leads to the under representation of women in leadership roles. There are many practical factors here too, women being the main carers in the family. I see it with my sisters, both are parents who take on most of the home and childcare roles. We have to be prepared to speak out around the dinner table about these topics even if its uncomfortable; it’s the only way things are going to change. When young girls and boys are encouraged to be themselves and when we stop pushing these ridiculous stereotypes onto them, that’s when we will start to see movement. The next generations offer hope.
There are so many potential things that can be done to support women in leadership roles – flexible working, childcare support, mentoring and wellbeing support. I face imposter syndrome all the time, but I know this is not exceptional. Everyone feels it, it’s part of life. Our minds are powerful things and will try their best to talk us out of something or tell us we are not good enough. Let those thoughts. We must have courage. Surround yourself with mentors, reach out and say hello and if you are an experienced person in industry, offer mentorship and support. Share your story, you might just inspire budding creatives.
“Can we educate ourselves, our children, our nieces, nephews, parents on equality, equity, and leadership? I stress leadership because imagine if this was taught in schools. Leadership builds confidence and aspirations and I think that would solve a lot. Inequality starts so young and leads to the under representation of women in leadership roles.”
What do you hope to see in terms of design’s role in influencing societal change?
I hope to see non-traditional ways of employment. Death to the CV and traditional degrees! I understand however there must be ways of assessing whether someone is appropriate for a role. But why not push the boundaries and try new ways? We should be prepared to look at some positive discrimination and new ways of doing things. We have rested on our laurels and become complacent. The industry would benefit hugely from diversity, lived experience and different mindsets.
This year has brought so much systemic change across the world. Hopefully this is the start of redesigning old systems that are no longer relevant. Start at a local level, work with grassroot organisations but most importantly – no matter your role – take responsibility. Educate yourself, read different authors, viewpoints, ask questions and most importantly – listen. Think about what you can relate to through your life experience and what you can contribute to helping change. We need to cultivate safe spaces that allow for discussion and decisions from diverse voices. We are all very much a work in progress, nobody has all the answers; but passion and curiosity will go a long way towards asking the right questions.
“Educate yourself, read different authors, viewpoints, ask questions and most importantly – listen. Think about what you can relate to through your life experience and what you can contribute to helping change.”
If you could start your career all over again, what would you do differently?
Listen to myself. When I started I set up Sail as a collective for various reasons. I wanted to work with diverse people, not just designers. I wanted to work with scientists, psychologists, academics, people with lived experience. I wanted shared economic wealth, personal growth, autonomy and freedom. I then went on a business programme and was employed for a few years. I tried it. It was fine, but not for me. Now I have done a full 360 and I am back at the reason why I started: to build a collective. Listen to your heart, it doesn’t lie. Remove yourself from social expectations, the status quo. What has been done before isn’t necessarily the right path for you. Don’t be scared of creating a new one.
Do you have any words of advice for emerging creatives considering a career in the design industry today?
Trust yourself. Know your value. Don’t let the fact you don’t know the software put you off. You can learn software; thinking, attitude and curiosity is what makes you unique. Don’t be scared of failure. Society pushes this on us to stop us going out and trying new ways of working. It’s time for change. Failure and mistakes are the best way to learn. Do not let perfection hold you back. It’s no longer about clean, Swiss design and speaking like ‘a brand’. It’s about human design, imperfections, and flaws. Clients are starting to see this. People want real.
The industry is growing, we cannot replace creative thinking. It’s an exciting time to contribute to change. Be patient, work hard and get back up when you fall. Being bloody minded can go a long way.
Have down time, too. Work is just a small part of life – we have to be kind to ourselves.
“The industry is growing, we cannot replace creative thinking. It’s an exciting time to contribute to change.”