By Design - October 2022

AN UNEXPECTED OUTCOME COVER STORY

me. I started to feel proud of Zine. Instead of looking at it as a burden, I saw it as a valuable asset, a source of income and limitless wealth, a place where people come to prosper. Things did start to turn around in 2018. In 2019 we were indeed prospering. I needed to hire two new positions. And I knew I had to raise the bar to attract the kind of talent I needed. So I created what I thought was a core values document. It was good, but it was wordy and complicated. It did help evaluate what kind of people would thrive at Zine, but it read more like a culture document than a core values statement. So I kept those as a culture document, and went back to my original set of core values and adopted them into Zine. As the founder, those core values are what built Zine, so it made sense to transfer them. They are perfect and perfectly describe us. What’s the difference between a culture document and a core values statement? Our culture document is long, the core value statements are much shorter. I think each company needs to define that for themselves.. In our culture document, I just wrote down the things that were important to me and to Zine as a company… like what excellence meant, how

to be and act like a professional, taking responsibility, being proactive, solution-focused, growth-minded and so on. It was just wordy. But in the process, I realized that what our culture and our values produced wasn’t amazing marketing or beautiful prints or even a great company…those were by products. Our values produced excellent designers, writers, artists, marketers, and more. And that’s when the vision became even more clear: the purpose of Zine is to elevate and empower creatives. Fast forward to today. Has that vision stood the test of time? Absolutely. I would say it has made us even stronger. We doubled our team in 2022 and are continuing to grow. When I want to hire a creative director, a marketing strategist, or a writer, I explain Zine's vision to them, that this is a place where creatives can discover their true worth and cultivate their skills and talents. It’s a place where they can have big visions, where their creative contributions are valued, not just in the marketplace, but in co-creating

better, bigger outcomes. In a world that seeks to commoditize them, we want to elevate them and empower them to do what they were born to do….create things that make a difference in people’s lives. That is inspiring. Anything else you want to add? Final thoughts to the readers? Yes. Having a big team used to scare me. Not in a fearful way, but in a “I don’t want to spend my days managing people and dealing with HR issues.” It was a limiting belief that kept me stuck and stunted Zine’s growth. But when I discovered Zine’s true purpose, to be a place where creatives are victorious, where they are elevated and empowered, I welcomed people, knowing that those who embraced the same vision would not need to be “managed.” They simply need a place to thrive. Vision is powerful. And whatever journey you have to take, whatever cost you have to pay, do it. Go after it. It wants to be found.

If you enjoyed this interview, let Kia know. You can contact her directly at arian@zinegraphics.com. Or scan the QR code to stay connected. If you are a creative professional looking for a place to prosper, Kia wants to hear from you too.

www.thePowerzine.com 21