John Sharpe was the last of four rascally Sharpe kids, born and raised in Farmington, New Mexico by an insatiably curious, creative and driven mother and Dr. J.H. Sharpe, one of two general surgeons serving the locals. A happy and healthy childhood left no skeletons in the family closet and led to a happy and healthy adulthood. Now married (you guessed it—happily!) for 24 years with 2 children, John has put his early years as a waiter and his love of art and psychology to good use, first on the agency side as an account executive working on brands like Frito-Lay, LaBatt's Beer, Taco Bell and Van de Kamp's, and finally, for the past 20 years, running Sharpe + Associates, a repping agency for commercial artists.
10.15.08
The King of Papier-Mache
If you have a degree in what field is it? A BS in marketing from Texas A&M University.
What career path brought you to your current position? After six years in the account management trenches at three different national agencies (Bozell, Tracy-Locke and DMB&B), I realized that despite different work on the walls, the ad business was the same everywhere—much of it disagreeable. I decided to leave the agency side of the business so I could be more independent and closer to the creative side, which I loved (and still do). My first year I worked on commission as an associate for an established rep (who has since left the business). I bought him out the following year and I’ve been on my own ever since.
What’s the most unusual creative job/project/position you’ve ever heard of? Our photographers are known for their conceptual work and, as a result, we do a fair amount of editorial assignments requiring illustrative photos on a huge range of topics. One of the most interesting that comes to mind is the “Ideas Issue” that the New York Times Magazine publishes annually and Zachary Scott did a couple of times. Zack worked in close collaboration with the magazine to come up with images that illustrated things like bomb sniffing plants, yawn contagion, medical maggots, sub-adolescent relational aggression, billboard foreheads and Clocky, an alarm clock that moves on its own once its snooze button has been activated. Assignments that give photographers more freedom always lead to better imagery.
What’s consistently the most challenging creative position to fill? Production coordinators get my vote. Especially in light of the difficult environment in which we’re operating; with declining budgets, little time and high expectations from our clients, it’s difficult to find people who are great at managing all aspects of production and solving the inevitable challenges that arise, with a light enough touch to not tick off our photographers or clients but strong enough to steer them towards reality. Fortunately, we have found a small pool of talented people we love and continually use.
What’s the most unexpected response to an interview question you've ever received? Unfortunately, most of the responses I get ARE expected. That’s a problem!
Where have you found some of your best candidates? My best candidates have always found me.
What advice do you give someone ill-suited to the career path they’ve chosen? Choose another one! That’s easier said than done, I realize, but there are a lot of ways to make a living in this world and time is short. Figure out what your passions are and how your skills might be applied to them, and go from there. Most people don’t attempt to go beyond what is asked/expected/demanded of them. Those who do, stand out. Be one of them.
What is the most consistently recognizable trait of successful creative people? See above.
What’s your approach to balancing work and life? My upbringing instilled a sense of value for me in non-material things over material ones, making it easier to make the choices necessary to keep a balance between work and the rest of my life. In addition, I’m an early riser—that helps. However, one of the greatest benefits of leaving the agency world and going out on my own was the ownership I gained over my time. Balance is a heck of a lot easier to achieve if your time isn’t spoken for by someone else.
What music are you listening to? Whatever my associate, Annika Vogt, is streaming from the Web.
You’re peripheral to, but certainly a part of creative industries, do you have any creative hobbies? Yes! I’m a musician (guitar and drums) and the self-proclaimed “King of Papier-Mâché.” I also juggle and do stupid human tricks...is that considered creative?
What’s your favorite quote? I don’t have one favorite, though my dad is famous for his “Sharpisms,” which include gems like, “Hasten slowly.”; “If you're going to cut, make sure you have a sharp knife.”; “Self-praise is like a circle, it ends where it begins.”; and, my favorite, “It's great to be alive.”
Do you have any advice for people just entering their professions? Read the book, They Call it Work for a Reason, by Larry Winget, and apply its principles.
What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started your career? That it was desirable to have a senior mentor and that contacts and the right exposure are almost as valuable as sweat equity.