Balancing Two Worlds: Account Direction vs. Experiential Hustle

What do you get when you mix the steady structure of a branding studio with the chaos-meets-magic of experiential marketing?

A career that feels like juggling fire… and somehow loving it.

I’ve been living in two very different professional universes.

On one side: my role at WD/D Inc., where I lead accounts for brand strategy, identity, and design. On the other: the freelance experiential world, where projects move fast, teams shift constantly, and activations have to hit with instant impact.

Both worlds demand different parts of me. And together, they’ve shaped the way I work, create, and keep chasing the “why” behind it all.

The Branding World

At WD/D Inc., I’m the architect.

Projects unfold slowly—sometimes over months, sometimes years. It’s about digging deep into who a brand really is and shaping something that lasts. I’m the translator between clients and creatives, the one making sure vision and execution line up.

It’s patient work. Careful work. And it’s incredibly rewarding to see a brand sharpen into something that feels inevitable and true.

The Experiential World

Then there’s my other life—the magician’s stage.

Freelancing with agencies means moving fast. One day it’s balloons in Times Square, the next it’s a branded coffee cart at a tech summit. Timelines are short, expectations are high, and the measure of success is simple: did we make people feel something?

Unlike brand strategy, where impact takes months to unfold, experiential is instant. If the audience gasps, laughs, or pulls out their phone—you’ve done your job.

It’s scrappy, unpredictable, and kinetic. And honestly, that’s what makes it so addictive.

Where They Meet

On paper, branding and experiential look like opposites. One is methodical, the other is messy. One plays the long game, the other thrives on immediacy.

But the truth? They feed each other.

Brand work trains me to think big picture, to ground everything in strategy. Experiential keeps me nimble, ready to react, and always thinking about the human side of the brand—the way it makes people feel in real time.

Together, they’ve given me range. I can sit with a CEO to talk five-year vision and the next day troubleshoot helium tanks on site. That weird mix is my edge.

Why I Keep Going

Freelancing between agencies isn’t always easy. The pace can be brutal, the uncertainty draining. But there are things that keep me coming back every time:

• The people. The collaborators, the vendors, the clients who trust me.

• The moments. That rush when the lights go on, the doors open, and the activation works.

• The challenge. No two days are the same—there’s always something new to figure out.

• The thrill. That blend of stress and satisfaction when it all comes together.

Living Between Worlds

So yes, I straddle two very different paths—branding’s steady ground and experiential’s moving target. But the balance is what keeps me going. One teaches me to plan, the other teaches me to improvise. And somewhere in between, creativity feels alive.

At the end of the day, account direction—whether in a design studio or an activation site—comes down to the same thing: leading teams and clients to success while getting sh*t done.

It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.

Because whether I’m building a brand that lasts or an experience that sparks, it all comes down to creating moments that matter.