Drew Stone has pursued a career in the arts through various roles combining his artistic skills and interests with professional experience. He obtained degrees in media studies, ethics, and communication and has worked in IT, education, startups, and consulting. Stone emphasizes knowing oneself, being persistent, having boundaries, and trusting one's gut over just following money. He encourages connecting in interesting spaces and constantly building relationships to keep momentum in pursuing one's goals and dreams.

1. College to Confidence
My paths and better practices by Drew Stone

3. Certificate of Excellence in Filmmaking
-Seattle Film Institute 2001
Bachelor of Arts double-major in
Media and Communication Studies;
Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior
- UW Bothell 2014
Master of Communication in
Communities and Networks
-UW Seattle 2016

4. 1. It’s OK to Quit!
Get out while the gettin’s good.
When the circumstances are right,
feel free to exit on your own terms.
➔ New opportunities
It’s easier to have something lined up.
➔ Culture mismatch
You do good work when you’re happy.
➔ Be empowered to trust your gut
The person who you are is made of the
things you have done. You do you,

5. What career will you devote
your life to?
Name your dream job.

6. Jobs will change!
You will always have
your dreams, share
them with others.
Tip
There’s no promise that
anything will work out.
Sharing your vision for
your own future helps
others see you there as
well.

7. Tip
Being comfortable with
uncertainty is a useful
skill, personally and
professionally.
DAFUQ?

8. 2. Know Thyself
You’re still the expert on you, so if you have
questions, ask for help early and often.
➔ Take ownership
Owning what you know and don’t know
shows confidence, even if it doesn’t
feel like it.
➔ Show up without expectations
We have a tendency to imagine things
are better or worse than they actually
are. Decide with as much information
as you can.

9. Meet Drew.
He has always wanted to be an artist.
When adults would ask him as a kid, he
responded that he “wanted to be an
artist” when he grew up.
They would laugh, saying
“But what are you going to do for
money?”

10. He’s an artist.
He never stopped being an artist, and
channeled art into everything he did.
Because he knew that was what he
wanted to do.

11. He found ways
to have work
and do art
at the same
time.

12. UW Bothell IT
Lots of experience in a work setting
using Art tools for three years in the
DML and Production Services.

13. foundry10
Bringing it together as a contractor
for local edtech company,
doing painting lessons,
after-school art programs,
and mentorship of young
film students.
Tip
This is another
experience where I
learned that asking for
help early and often is a
great way to go to be
successful.

14. Pixelkin
An awesome startup focused on games
and gaming news for families.
It’s OK to move on
This is a great group, but
expectations I had about
the role were not the
reality, and I moved on.

15. Blueprint Consulting
My favorite office job to date!
Know Thyself
I was attracted to the
culture and core values
of this company, and
gave suggestions to
help make it even better.

16. cut2it
A media platform for
showcasing, collaborating,
and monetizing on
user-generated media content.
Have boundaries
This is a great startup
with a lot of potential,
and I learned to better
represent myself, and
establish contracts prior
to work, for engagement
to be successful.

17. Tasveer
Using communication and
understanding of the arts process
helps me be a valuable asset to the
team.

18. 3. Persistance
Keep at it, and always try new things.
➔ Hang out in interesting spaces
As things can change quickly, having
places to move your energy is helpful
in keeping momentum and a positive
attitude
➔ Constantly build connections
Showing up where you want to be
(whether or not if you feel you belong)
is a great way to connect with the
people who are where you are headed

19. What’s next:
Communications Manager
at a local VR company?
Product Marketing Manager
in online security education?

20. 4. Better practices
Know what works for you, and try new things!
These have worked for me:
➔ It’s OK to quit
Have boundaries about the things you
are most passionate, and stick to them.
➔ Know thyself
Avoid making decisions to just “follow
the money”. Trust your gut.
➔ Be persistent
It’s your future! Make it happen, even if
it doesn’t seem to be happening yet.

21. Thank you for your time
Let’s stay connected:
@stonedrew @stonedrew_

22. Questions?