I've always been drawn to the in-between spaces—where disciplines overlap, and the path forward is uncertain. This is probably because the trajectory of my career and the decisions I made would start with me standing at the crossroads and feeling so uncertain about both roads I could go down, and learning I could make my own. (I promise this story is relevant)

 

When I was approaching my junior year at Auburn University, I came to the realization that I really wanted to study both advertising and design. Knowing the traditional structure of double-majoring and/or minoring wasn't in the scope or budget, I was forced to pivot. I asked questions, emailed deans and department heads out of my comfort zone in search of a solution, and found one. That year, I became part of the first group in an interdisciplinary program and helped shape a direction that wasn't clearly defined, not just for me, but for a lot of students now. That became a pattern for me: if the framework doesn't exist, you can build it yourself.

 

I found myself at a similar crossroads a few years later that led to me becoming a creative lead for new business both at Edelman and Endeavor, two global agencies with a very small team of creatives who were shifting away from the traditional creative agency environments of working for clients. Our purpose was to get them to want to work with us in the first place.

 

Working in this type of environment naturally transitioned me from execution into strategy—where the job wasn't just to make things look good, but to take something undefined and turn it into a clear, compelling idea. I designed decks, pitched talent, positioned agencies to clients, and helped businesses articulate what they were and why they mattered, while working with teams across the globe. (Literally, I'm never on one time zone to this day).

 

Through that work, I learned how to step into ambiguity, ask the right questions, and bring clarity to early-stage ideas. I worked across perspectives and realized that the most valuable skill wasn't mastering one discipline—it was understanding how they all connect and using that to guide decisions.

 

These days, I work with founders and early-stage teams to do the same thing. I help them understand what they have, define their positioning, and figure out how to move forward. Not branding for branding's sake, but the strategic thinking that comes before it—the part that makes everything else possible. I honestly couldn't tell you what my title is or if I'm even seeking one anymore.

 

Here's what I know: I'm interested in the work that happens at the beginning, when everything is still taking shape. That's where I've always done my best work: connecting dots, building frameworks, and translating ideas into direction. More often than not, that happens at the crossroads.

 

My name is Sara Kate Bradfield, but most people call me Skate.