Meet Nick Fisch: Digital Media Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nick Fisch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nick, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
Early on in life, I was one of those kids that was inherently creative, and I was encouraged to be so by excellent parents and education systems. However, while other kids excelled at physical arts & crafts I didn’t quite find my stride until a bit later when I was introduced to digital tools where I could express my creativity. I realized the storytelling and problem solving potential behind these tools I had, and as a creative person it felt like my calling to use these new tools to tell those stories and solve those problems. In the early years this looked like “animations” in PowerPoint to replace Birthday cards for friend’s and family, or an in-camera edited VHS tape telling the story of adopting our family dog. I followed this early spark through grade school- keeping up with emerging and evolving technology and adding each development to my tool belt as a creative and finding deeper reason for pursuing a career as a creative. I was lucky enough to attend Olathe Northwest Highschool’s eCommunications program where my interests and ideas were validated and encouraged even further. I spent 3 years learning computer animation, breathing life in to products, telling stories, and even landing my first real world client. By this time it was apparent I would pursue animation as a career and chose to attend The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to further this dream. SCADs tagline is “The University for Creative Careers” and that is certainly what I got out of my time there. My 4 years in Savannah were surrounded by young adults that grew up the same kind of kid as me- problem solvers and storytellers with a spark of creativity and passion. SCAD delivered on their tagline, before I walked across the stage in cap and gown I had landed my own creative career with Orange Sparkle Ball, Inc.- the company I am still proudly with today, using my creative thinking to tackle problems and tell stories. 

Please tell us more about your career. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
My biggest take-away from my career so far is that a creative doesn’t have to ‘make’ anything. I often felt early on that if I wasn’t cranking out a new portfolio piece, I wasn’t a creative. Creativity is a way of thinking, you can create a thought or idea that is just as valuable as an award winning animation. If I had been so married to the idea of my hard skills and portfolio pieces defining my creativity, I would have said no to many of the opportunities in my career- opportunities that positioned me as a thought leading creative. I am not tied to any medium or style of execution that defines me as a creative, I show up as me and let my creative thinking lead the way, and that has led me to amazing things.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Having worked in Old Fourth Ward for 4+ years, I really love that area and tend to take visitors there first. Depending on how willing a visitor is to walk, the Beltline opens up all sorts of possibilities. My favorite is to start people at Krog St. Market for the food hall experience and then walk them down the Beltline toward Ponce City Market. There is a lot of great local art along this path, some great coffee shops to stop in to, the skatepark, and so much people watching potential. Ponce City Market can be a bit overwhelming even for a local, but it’s an experience worth sharing especially if you take advantage of those rooftop views.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am so thankful and appreciative for all the educators along my journey as a creative. From my parents to the teachers I had all through school, I was always encouraged to keep going. As for my professional journey and successes, I owe a large shoutout and thank you to my boss, mentor, collaborator, and friend Meaghan Kennedy. Meaghan is the founder of Orange Sparkle Ball, and quite possibly the biggest believer in me. When I met Meaghan, I was interviewing for a role as a motion graphic designer/animator but that interview became about so much more. As a creative your portfolio often does the speaking for you, but in this interview my thoughts, ideas and unique creative personality carried me to a job offer. I was told if I just wanted to set keyframes this wasn’t the job for me, that this job would lean on all that makes me a creative, that my mindset and ideas were as valuable if not more so than the hard-skills in my portfolio. I have spent the last 6 years developing my soft-skills and honing my creative thinking and ideation alongside Meaghan and the Orange Sparkle Ball team, this leadership and opportunity has truly shaped me as a creative professional, and in many ways as a person.

Instagram: instagram.com/nickfisch.tv
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickfisch/
Youtube: youtube.com/nickfisch