Who says that a husband and wife can’t work together?! Well, I’m not saying that it is easy, but it sure is inspiring to see it when I do, especially when it’s done right!
I absolutely love this adorable husband and wife team [Travis + Elise Yetton]. Elise is a dear friend of mine and while I was making a list of couples who inspire me….these two were at the top of my list!
Travis is a manager at Sensibility Music and Elise is a freelance writer, stylist and blogger.
Collaboration can exist between friends, strangers…and even your spouse! Grab a cup of coffee and get to know this young couple who are making big waves in our world!
How does Travis inspire you?
That incredible man is constantly inspiring me! Every day I am amazed at his knowledge, patience, generosity and selflessness. He is not only a gifted marketer, writer, speaker and all-around music man, but a caring husband who is willing to dedicate time to my business and creative endeavors as well.
Where do you find INSPIRATION?
Sometimes in the most random of places – a long walk around the neighborhood, a drink at a restaurant, a phone call with a friend. I am constantly blown away by the inspiration online, but sometimes I feel so oversaturated with content that itʼs hard for me to feel creative and inspired. My go-to sites are All The Mountains,The Coveteur, Destined to Design and Closet Visit to name a few.
How often do you get to COLLABORATE with Travis? Other creatives? Is this something that you intentionally seek out?
Being that Travis works so closely with family, I feel very much involved with what he is working on and things that are going on with the sensibility brand (management, record label and beyond). Itʼs very normal for him to bring home new songs or projects for my thoughts, or for us all to grab dinner and chat about the latest happenings.
With others, it usually is an intentional thing. A rough idea is born, I jot out my hopes and plans, think about who could help me make it bigger and better, and approach it from there. I love collaboration and am always excited when others reach out to me to collaborate on a project. Itʼs so much bigger than myself!
You’ve done a lot of styling for photographers….but where do you see your creativity heading in the future? What are you passionate about?
Iʼve lost a bit of my passion for styling, which is not to say I wonʼt continue it from time to time, but right now Iʼm focused on my Pennyweight blog and freelance writing/curating. I love working with other creatives to create a bigger picture, whether that be for a magazine, photo shoot, video shoot or the like.
Who would you love to COLLABORATE with that you have yet to meet in real life?
What a tough question! There are so many amazing people out there that Iʼd love to join forces with. I always love meeting new people and discussing dreams and ideas, so I hope to collaborate with several new people over the next year.
How do you balance being a wife, business owner, blogger ect….
This is something I am constantly striving for, learning and adjusting. Honestly, it looks really different week to week, but thatʼs the fun of it! Itʼs important to make time for myself, away from the computer, to gain inspiration and feel relaxed and refreshed. Travis and I try to ʻshut downʼ and unplug every night at the same time from the phone, computer, TV or any other distractions.
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Being a super creative husband and wife team… how often do you two get to work together?
Elise and I are constantly speaking into each other’s creative lives. When she needs an extra eye after a photo shoot, or a sounding board for feature ideas, or even just a human spellchecker – I’m the first one to ‘get the call.’ She knows she can get an honest yes or no from me, and frankly, I probably understand her aesthetic and vision more than anyone else.
For my work and writing projects, I’m often just asking her for the freedom to brainstorm. Having an open forum for discussion is invaluable to me, especially when so much of my job is about making snap decisions based largely on gut feel or instinct.
How does Elise inspire you?
Elise inspires me to look beyond myself, to constantly expand my horizons. I’m the type of person who would be content to stay the same – to read the same kind of books, order the same food, visit the same places. It’s like I’m an old man sometimes, stubbornly set in my ways… But when I look at her, at her blog, she’s always craving what is new and exciting. It reminds me just how much of the world is out there waiting for me to discover it. I need that.
Where do you find inspiration?
A lot of nerdy places like books and fantasy movies! Seriously though, the cliché about finding inspiration everywhere is true. It’s kind of like those 3D art posters from the 90s. I can’t just stare straight at the world around me and hope to take something away. There isn’t always a direct correlation, as there is with learning.
Inspiration is more like happenstance for me. If I stay aware, and keep a notebook within reach, maybe I’ll see something out of the corner of my eye.
How beneficial do you feel collaboration is for artistic growth? Can you share an example?
There’s this perception about art that it’s bred in solitude. Thoreau had his cabin, Justin Vernon his woods. I think there’s a lot of value in finding alone time to create, to separate from the world at large. But at some point, you need other people to inspire you and to sharpen you. An idea can always be improved upon, and collaboration gives artists the license to experiment and grow.
Just recently, I hit a snag in a story where it felt like I was banging my head against a wall. My mind could perfectly envision points A and B, but the thread from one to the other eluded me. Graciously, while at coffee, a friend asked if I wanted to talk about it. So we did. I can’t say for sure that I walked away with the answer just then, but without that conversation, I don’t know how long it would have taken me to find a solution on my own.
Do you enjoy working with family? How do you balance work and family life…and not talk ‘business” all the time?
I love working with family. It’s tough and I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, but it’s also terribly rewarding. You get to share in big moments with those closest to you, and there are few substitutes for being able to trust wholly within a work environment.
You hit the nail on the head there about one of the main challenges. We have to learn appropriate boundaries, and hold ourselves to them. Otherwise it can be all too easy to just talk shop all the time. Thankfully, I live in an environment that cherishes balance. If we’re getting carried away, there’s usually someone there to call us back.
What drives you? What are you most passionate about?
Big questions! I think I just want to accomplish something with my life. Not even in a corporate “climb-the-ladder” sense, and hopefully not in a way that is driven by tangibility, like with money or things.
Mostly, I’m just one big idealist. I’m passionate about relationships and all their vagueries, about the connections between what is real and unreal, about suspending disbelief. I love music, and stories, especially if they challenge me in unexpected ways. I guess that’s why I’m drawn to art – to help spread the word about other’s creations and maybe make some of my own along the way.
