The Creative Touch

A collaborative approach brings ideas to life

From well-known methods like painting and movement to contemporary expressions such as digital design, branding, typography and more, artistic expression takes many forms. In the marketplace, many companies do not have the resources to bring a creative vision to life. That is where Artisan Talent comes in.

Chicago-based Artisan Talent is a staffing firm that matches workers of all types with clients who need creative, digital and marketing expertise. Specializing in both temporary placement and direct hires, this small but mighty boutique firm serves companies of all sizes across the nation, with a presence in major cities such as Chicago, New York and San Francisco. Founded by Bejan Douraghy in 1988, Artisan has grown steadily over the years and now has 24 employees, many of whom have been with the company for over a decade. This long-tenured team didn’t happen by accident — Douraghy has intentionally built a culture that balances both collaboration and independence, where employees feel supported, valued, encouraged to share ideas, and free to take ownership over their work and schedule.

Leading by Example

Vice President Haris Silic credits Douraghy for modeling the emotionally intelligent leadership qualities that flow throughout Artisan, such as empathy, vulnerability and creating a safe space for open dialogue and risk taking. “It is that level of caring,” he says, “that makes us want to do more and succeed as a team.”

Silic shows that same care to his own team by meeting with them regularly, comparing his role to that of a team coach. He is there to provide direction and guide the path forward while allowing the natural talents and abilities of the players shine through. And beyond just encouraging collaboration, Silic explains, Artisan’s commission structure incentivizes it by following a collaborative model. Staff members talk openly about their projects and pipelines, which allows for creative ideas to flow and makes it easier to connect multifaceted talent with the right opportunity. While this is a different approach than other quota-driven recruitment models, it is not the only way that Artisan Talent differs from traditional staffing firms.

The Creative Difference

According to Caroline Imhoff, director of recruitment at Artisan, one of the biggest differentiators of creative staffing is the level of recruiter involvement throughout the process due to the visual nature of the work. “To match talent to the right opportunity,” Imhoff explains, “we rely on their portfolio of work as well as their personality and culture fit, which is not something we can easily automate and still maintain our high standards of quality.”

And it’s that level of involvement that drives employee engagement with the firm, Silic notes. “A client may ask for something ‘edgy,’ but the interpretation of that word can differ greatly by region and by client. We need the client to train our eyes on what they want to see, and that nuance is what makes this job so fun.”

Advocating for Employees

Artisan’s level of involvement with its talent is rooted in how the firm cares for its own internal staff and promotes a close-knit team atmosphere, even though the staff works 100% remote. Like many companies, Artisan quickly pivoted to remote work in March 2020, and according to Silic, the change provided “a fun learning opportunity that has made them closer as a team.” He credits this to having clear structure and definition of roles. When everyone is clear on what they are responsible for, it frees up the team to find natural connection opportunities. Silic shares that the leadership team “fosters connection, and it trickles down throughout the organization.” This outpouring of humanity is truly felt and appreciated by all the employees at Artisan.

For Cordelia Seckler, director of talent strategy, one of the most rewarding aspects of her work is seeing ideas come to life. At other points in her career, Seckler shares that she felt like she was just one of the crowd. After starting at Artisan, she was surprised to find that Silic, her manager, wanted to get to know her and what she enjoys doing outside of work. That strategic investment in relationship building has paid off, she says: “Having a leader who has true vision and is genuine makes all the difference.”

Beyond feeling seen and valued as an individual, Seckler also appreciates Artisan’s commitment to career development. “They really care about my personal and professional development,” she explains. “I am encouraged to grow and develop my skill set … to follow my natural passions and pursue work that excites me.”

In addition to investing in professional development, Seckler adds that Artisan advocates for employees to find “rhythms of rest and a healthy workspace.” She expands, “At Artisan, we are flexible in letting people take the time they need.” This work-life balance gives the team freedom to pursue an active lifestyle, travel and other interests, which feeds fresh creativity and increased productivity in the workplace.

In agreement with Seckler, Imhoff appreciates the ability afforded by Artisan to explore her interests. In fact, it was an artistic interest and a chance encounter that led her to Artisan. Taking the train home from a Vivienne Westwood exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Imhoff found herself engaged in conversation with a stranger who complimented her punk-inspired outfit, an homage to Westwood’s trademark style. That stranger turned out to be a director at Artisan, who had both an eye for fashion and for spotting talent like Imhoff. The two stayed in touch, which eventually led Imhoff to a job opportunity that changed everything. Reflecting on her journey, Imhoff shares, “It was fate that I ended up at Artisan. I am grateful that I found something I love doing, and I look forward to going to work every day.”