Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google: Gartner Symposium/ITxpo Orlando 2009

Today, I was watching this video of an interview with Eric Schmidt, the CEO of Google, whom I happen to believe is a very dynamic design thinker. Now, the fact that I watched the video, is deeply obscure in comparison to the idea that Eric Schmidt conveyed throughout the interview, both directly and indirectly. I was compelled on many different levels, however; when he talked about real time search, I quickly began to realize that IF organizations are NOT getting involved in the conversation, creating real-time value (now that's a concept... "real-time value") - will soon find themselves  behind the search eight-ball. 

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Vincent Hunt 

"Errare humanun est, perdonare divinum."

Brand Camp University: Hajj Flemings

This video speaks volumes about Brand Camp University. Brand Camp University (Brand Camp U) is a personal branding experience designed by my friend and colleague Hajj Flemings - Enjoi

Design school does not define you as a designer

DISCLAIMER: I am composing this 100% on my beloved iPhone 3GS... I am not 100% responsible for typos...

"Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if before God designed you or I, or heck, the earth, He questioned himself because He did not have a design degree from a design school... I wonder. Maybe I shouldn't." V.A. Hunt 1972™

If I could count how many times I had to save designers from themselves,OR better yet, if I was given a one dollar bill everytime I had to do it, I would probably have a nice "stash" of money by now.

Let me say this for the record, for the fans of academics... "Schools are wonderful institutions, they provide designers with a tremendous platform to build from, and I am all for solid foundations..."

BUT just I say that, I am going to say this... Design schools do not "make" designers, they teach them fundamentals. Period.

Now with that said, an out of the way, let's get to it... If you are reading this, and you have one creative bone in your body, I suggest that you stop waiting on or better yet leaning on the idea of academics before design. I have worked with far to many brilliant designers who never even stepped through the doors of a university for design, who will "rock the socks off" of a institution trained designer. Any day. And I am glad that they never did get creativity taught out of them. They remained fearless, knew no boundaries and at the root of it all... Just believed that anything was possible. Anything.

If I had, 15 years ago, allowed academics to stand in the way of me exploring my creative interest, I can promise you I would not be where I am today, AND I dare to say that I would not even be a player in the game. I hated school. And the shocked stares I get from people who interview me from time to time, when they discover I studied business almost two decades ago, never stop amazing me.

I was born to do what I do, and if you are reading this, you might have been born to do this too. IN FACT I strongly believe that 100% of the humans on this earth were born with creativity and design in their DNA. We were all created by a creator, who was so mindful of us, He created us in His image and likeness.

So here is my argument...

Let your soul be your professor. Listen to your instincts, spend some time being in touch with the giftings on the inside of you, and stop thinking that true design is taught, it's not, it's inherited, it just needs to be exercised. I am NOT saying drop out of school, and I am not saying DONT go to school, what I AM saying is... Nurture the inner workings of your DNA, be fearless, and choose to design with no limits and no bounadaries. Period.