Full original interview → https://valiantceo.com/june-escalada-illustratorhow/
Discover how June Escalada is reshaping leadership for a flexible workforce through open communication and trust at IllustratorHow. This approach fosters a thriving remote team culture.
June Escalada is the innovative founder and lead graphic designer at IllustratorHow, a premier platform offering comprehensive Adobe Illustrator tutorials and courses. With over 12 years of experience in brand design and creative direction, June has a proven track record of delivering impactful visual solutions and tailored learning experiences. In 2021, June ventured into the edtech sector by establishing IllustratorHow in San Francisco. The platform is dedicated to offering personalized learning plans for design enthusiasts, featuring step-by-step guides and resources to master Adobe Illustrator. June actively engages with a vast community of learners, sharing her passion for design and empowering others to refine their artistic skills.
Company: IllustratorHow
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company
June Escalada: Thank you for the warm welcome! I’m truly excited to be here with ValiantCEO Magazine today. My name is June Escalada, and I am the founder and lead graphic designer at IllustratorHow. We are a forward-thinking platform that specializes in providing in-depth Adobe Illustrator tutorials and courses aimed at a wide array of learners, from beginners to advanced designers.
With over a decade of experience in brand design and creative direction, my career has been a colorful journey through visual storytelling and impactful messaging. I graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Advertising and spent the early years of my career leading creative teams for various expo companies. This gave me invaluable experience in managing large-scale projects and turning concepts into reality.
Later, as a freelancer, I had the distinct pleasure of working with a variety of start-ups, where I offered tailored branding and graphic design services. This period was pivotal as it allowed me to deepen my expertise in Adobe Illustrator and other key design software—paving the way for my ultimate passion project, IllustratorHow, which I launched in 2021.
Based out of San Francisco, IllustratorHow is the culmination of my experience and my desire to give back to the creative community. Our platform is not just about passive learning; it’s about engaging with students, creating personalized learning journeys, and empowering them at every step of their design education. I’m proud to have a hand in helping others explore and express their creativity, pushing them closer to achieving their artistic aspirations.
As someone who is deeply invested in the worlds of Adobe Illustrator, brand design, and education, I look forward to sharing insights and stories with your readers. Thank you for having me!
How has your approach to leadership evolved to meet the changing expectations of today’s workforce, especially regarding remote and hybrid work?
June Escalada: As my approach to leadership has evolved to adapt to the changing expectations of today’s workforce—particularly considering remote and hybrid work environments—I have placed a greater emphasis on flexibility, open communication, and trust.
When we transitioned to remote work at IllustratorHow, I realized that the traditional methods of oversight and in-person team management were no longer effective. I quickly understood that for my team to thrive, I needed to foster a culture where each member felt valued, heard, and supported, regardless of their physical location.
Flexibility became a cornerstone of my leadership style. I’ve implemented asynchronous work policies to accommodate different time zones and personal work preferences since our team is scattered across the country. This shift has required a delicate balance of providing structure through clear deadlines and project milestones while allowing individual autonomy in how those goals are met.
To ensure seamless collaboration and maintain a sense of community, I’ve also increased the frequency of our virtual touchpoints. We have regular team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and digital brainstorming sessions. These are designed not only to track progress but also to provide a platform for social interaction and collective problem-solving.
I’ve focused on improving our communication channels. Leveraging various collaboration tools and ensuring everyone is proficient in using them has been crucial. I have created guidelines to help my team understand the best practices for remote communication, and I always encourage openness and transparency.
Building trust has been another significant aspect of my leadership evolution. In a remote setting, micromanagement can hinder productivity and dampen morale. I’ve learned to set clear expectations and then trust my team to deliver, offering support and guidance rather than supervision. This approach has empowered my team members and led to higher job satisfaction and a stronger commitment to our collective goals.
Finally, I’ve prioritized the personal development of my team members, understanding that professional growth is a key motivator. At IllustratorHow, we provide various opportunities for learning and advancement, even in a remote setup, which resonates with today’s workforce that values continuous development.
What specific strategies have you implemented to foster Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within your organization?
June Escalada: I have fully embraced the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within our operations. To foster an inclusive environment for our team and learners, I implemented several specific strategies:
Hiring Practices: We prioritize diversity in our hiring processes. It’s not just about filling quotas—we look for talent from various backgrounds to enrich our team’s perspectives and creativity.
Continuous Education: We regularly conduct workshops and training sessions to educate our team about unconscious bias, cultural competence, and the value of diversity. This ensures that DEI remains at the forefront of everyone’s mind and operational practices.
Inclusive Content: As a platform, it’s crucial that our tutorials and courses reflect the diverse audience we serve. We strive to feature a range of artistic styles and cultural influences in our content.
Open Dialogue: I foster an environment where team members can openly discuss DEI topics. Creating safe spaces for dialogue allows us to address any issues proactively and ensures everyone feels seen and heard.
How do you keep your team engaged and motivated in a workplace culture that increasingly values flexibility and work-life balance?
June Escalada: Engagement and motivation in a workplace that values flexibility and work-life balance is equally important. Here’s how I keep my team driven:
Flexible Work Arrangements: Recognizing the diverse needs of our team members, I encourage flexible work hours and remote work options where feasible. This enables our team to attend to personal responsibilities while still meeting professional obligations.
Regular Check-Ins: I have one-to-one meetings with team members to discuss their career goals, challenges, and ideas. Personalized attention helps to keep them engaged and invested in the company’s success.
Professional Development: I allocate resources for professional growth opportunities, such as conferences or courses like those we offer. Investing in our team’s skills keeps them at the cutting edge of design and pedagogy and maintains their drive for knowledge and innovation.
Recognition and Rewards: Celebrating achievements, no matter the size, is part of our culture. Whether it’s a team success or individual accomplishment, I ensure that hard work is acknowledged and rewarded.
Work-Life Projects: We also engender projects that are related to our team’s hobbies or outside interests. Integrating personal passions with professional work keeps the creative juices flowing and maintains a high level of job satisfaction.
What do you see as the biggest challenges in preparing for the future workforce, and how are you addressing them?
June Escalada: One of the biggest challenges I see in preparing for the future workforce is staying ahead of the rapid technological advancements and shifts in industry demands. To address these challenges, we continuously adapt our curriculum to ensure it includes the latest design trends and software updates.
Foremost, we’re fostering a culture of lifelong learning. Understanding that the landscape of graphic design and digital tools is constantly evolving, we encourage our team and students to embrace a mindset of continuous improvement. This includes offering regular training sessions, workshops, and access to online resources that enable our learners to keep their skills razor-sharp and relevant.
We’re also leveraging data analytics to understand the learning patterns and progress of our users. This allows us to tailor our content and learning plans to better suit the individual needs of each student, thus preparing them more effectively for the industry’s demands.
Collaboration with industry professionals and experts is key to keeping our finger on the pulse. By partnering with those who are active in the field, we gain insights into emerging trends, which we can then integrate into our offerings. This ensures that our students not only learn the fundamentals but are also adept at using cutting-edge techniques and tools that the future workforce will require.
How has the shift toward digital and remote collaboration affected your company culture, and what adjustments have you made to maintain a strong, cohesive team?
June Escalada: The shift toward digital and remote collaboration has been both challenging and enlightening for our company culture. Our work was already rooted in digital platforms, given our focus on Adobe Illustrator tutorials and online education. However, the transition to fully remote collaboration required careful consideration to ensure our team remained united and productive.
To maintain a strong, cohesive team, we’ve implemented several adjustments. First, we’ve increased the frequency of our virtual meetings to ensure clear and consistent communication. While emails and chat messages are handy, they can lack the nuance of live conversations. Regular video calls have helped in maintaining a personal touch and ensuring everyone is on the same page.
We’ve also adopted new collaborative tools designed to emulate the interactive dynamics of working in person. These allow us to brainstorm, provide feedback, and work simultaneously on design projects as if we were in the same room. For instance, online whiteboards and in-app commenting have become indispensable in our workflow.
Another significant adjustment has been prioritizing a culture of empathy and flexibility. Recognizing that each team member has a unique home environment and possibly different work hours has been key. We’ve encouraged transparent conversations about when and how individuals work best, leading to a more accommodating work schedule that respects work-life balance.
