Interview: Franziska Parschau

Foto: Sophie Wanninger: https://sophiewanninger.com/

1. What inspired you to start this business? Was there a personal experience that sparked the idea?

I’ve spent the last 15 years working at the intersection of creativity, business and community building. Through my work at Adobe and Monotype, I have had the privilege of supporting creatives around the world – whether through funding, mentorship or strategic guidance.

What I saw time and time again was that emerging creatives need a platform and someone who believes in them to help them get their work seen. At the same time, established creatives often struggle with the overwhelming amount of administrative work – client negotiations, emails, social media and all the operational tasks that take them away from creating. That’s what inspired me to start Oddly Wise – to support creatives at different stages of their careers and help them focus on what they do best.

2. Can you share a bit about your own background? Were you a creative yourself before stepping into this role?

Yes, I started my career in graphic and web design and later moved into event curation and community building. At Monotype, I helped organize and curate major design events like TYPO Berlin and TYPO London, bringing together some of the most inspiring voices in the industry. Later, at Adobe, I ran the Creative Residency Program in Europe and launched initiatives that directly supported thousands of creatives. While I don’t work as a designer anymore, my deep understanding of the creative industry and my hands-on experience in building opportunities for creatives has shaped everything I do.

3. What is the core mission of your business? What impact do you hope to make for creatives?

At its core, Oddly Wise exists to empower creatives to build sustainable businesses and communities. My mission is to provide creatives with the tools, knowledge and confidence they need to make a living from their work – without feeling overwhelmed or lost in the business side of things. Through administrative support, social media & content creation, strategic direction, and workshops & training, Oddly Wise creates space for creatives to focus on their creative practice without getting caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running a business.

4. Why do you believe so many creatives struggle with the business side of things?

Creatives are naturally driven by passion and craft, but traditional education rarely teaches the skills needed to run a business –  things like pricing, negotiation, positioning and strategy. On top of that, working for big brands and large marketing teams can be overwhelming and incredibly time-consuming. The constant back-and-forth, endless revisions, and managing expectations often takes more energy than the actual creative work. 

5. What do creatives need most, and how do you help them shift their mindset?

It really depends on where they are on their journey. Emerging creatives often need visibility, opportunity and someone to believe in them. They struggle with positioning themselves, getting their work seen and navigating the industry. Established creatives, on the other hand, are often challenged by too much overhead – client management, administrative work and the constant pressure to promote themselves.

But what they all need is the space to develop their art, break through creative blocks and stay inspired. That’s where we come in – helping emerging creatives find their place in the industry and giving established creatives the structure and support they need to focus on their craft. We help them shift their mindset from “I have to do everything myself” to “I have built a system that works for me”. In this way, they can continue to grow as artists, overcome creative blocks and create more freely and sustainably.

6. Have you noticed any industry trends that creatives should be paying more attention to?

There is a massive shift happening in the industry right now. AI is changing the way creative work is done, in-house teams are growing and larger creative agencies are taking on more projects that used to go to independent creatives. It’s definitely getting harder to stand out and break through.

That’s why relationships, a strong and recognisable visual identity (YOUR STYLE!) and community are more important than ever. The creatives who build genuine connections with their clients and develop a distinctive voice will find it much easier to get hired and secure opportunities.

At the same time, it has never been easier for creatives to expand their business models beyond client work. Platforms like Kickstarter, Patreon, paid courses and memberships allow artists to generate income in new ways and create more independence. The industry is changing, but there are still plenty of opportunities – it’s just a matter of adapting and being intentional about where you invest your time and energy.

7. How do you hope to expand your impact?

We want to work with brands to create great opportunities for the artists we work with. In the long term, our goal is to understand what creatives really want and need, and to provide that for them. We want to build a network that not only supports individual creatives, but also fosters collaboration and visibility on a larger scale. By bringing together a diverse community of artists and brands, we hope to create more meaningful connections and opportunities that elevate the creative industry as a whole.