During our employee training, I dig out a PowerPoint stack I was asked to present at a past Innovate Montana Symposium. It was an honor–and somewhat intimidating–telling the story of 5518 to a room full of uber successful entrepreneurs, CEO’s, and presidents, from all around Montana. A portion of that presentation feels extra special, extra emotional, each time I come to one slide.
The photo is of me lying in a hospital bed in Iowa, my dad and brother in chairs next to me. It was taken right after major surgery I needed to rid myself of cancer. The photo always hits me right in the feels.
It prompts me to share a little bit about my fight with cancer. How confusing the medical world is. How complicated and truly difficult it is to fight that diagnosis. How–if the illness, and bills, and medicine doesn’t overwhelm you in a thousand ways–everything else might.
I share where my head was one afternoon while sitting in the chemo chair. I opened my laptop, poison literally dripping into my veins, and I found escape.
My mind traveled to a past camping trip. I was with people I love and look up to, sharing stories and time around a campfire. Simple. Vibrant. Perfect.
So, I made that scene in my head. I created geometric shapes for the tent and trees, added vibrant colors and contrasted them with clean, bold lines. Little did I know at the time; it was the birth of our signature 5518 art style: SimplePlaces.
The places all of us escape to when you need to feel alive.
For me, I love/hate telling this story. I don’t like reliving the most difficult time of my life, despite being on the other side of cancer now. But it’s also important to share what shaped much of what 5518 Designs stands for and how we operate.
Also, to be reminded that meaningful and beautiful things can emerge from some of the hardest places.
