Jessie Nagel shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Jessie, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I co-host a music and collage night that is called “Not Quite Ready” that brings people together to enjoy works in progress by musicians while they make collage-based art. It’s held in an interesting and historic space with a great vibe; we curate the music and provide the supplies along with drinks and snacks. It brings me joy for so many reasons: I love building community (especially around art) and I host the night with two friends, Veda Hille and Mauricio Pauly, who are both wildly talented musicians and wonderful humans.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am the co-founder of communications agency Hype, a boutique communications agency that provides brand-strategic PR, marketing and social media services to creative companies, individuals and non-profit organizations. I’m also the co-founder of Green The Bid, a non-profit organization, educational resource, and community dedicated to transitioning the global advertising and production industry to sustainable and regenerative practices.
When I am not working on Hype or Green The Bid, I am mixed media visual artist and find calm in the chaos of creating. I spend most of my time in Los Angeles and Vancouver, Canada: In the sprawling city of LA you can never be bored. There’s wonderment, history, and variety at every turn, awash in painterly light criss-crossed with power lines. I’m always inspired there, but it is in nature, with the sea and trees nested against Vancouver’s city of glass, where I find my escape and images and ideas wait for me.
Experiencing storytelling in any form is when I feel the most alive. And, luckily, there are stories everywhere.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was in elementary school, my mom – who never met an environmentally friendly project she didn’t embrace with gusto – led a project to build an adventure playground at my school. This was before plastic and safety concerns dominated schoolyard developments. Instead, using reclaimed wood, old tires, and other materials that would otherwise end up in a dump, parents, teachers – and yes, students – all built a creation of our collective design.
This was a concept rooted in what Danish landscape architect Carl Theodor Sørensen, imagined as “A junk playground in which children could create and shape, dream and imagine a reality.”
I wasn’t handy kid – preferring the company of books and board games to construction – but there was a place for my imagination and design ideas among those who loved to lift, haul, and hammer. And if I wanted to saw, no one said I was too young, or too weak. If nails were struck askew, we weren’t chided, but rather encouraged to try again. From a plain grassy field rose a thing of wonky and rough-hewn beauty. A place of our making – from trash to treasure – where we could play and dream. It inspired me to believe in re-use and the power of collective action.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Honor who you are, in every stage of being. Self-inflicted wounds of the imagination are your worst enemy. And the truth is, you are a wonder. Go forth, be brave, find joy, and surround yourself with people that make you feel incredible. Enjoy the wild ride, my beautiful one. Trust me, you’ve got this.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I remember being in a meeting and someone suggested I should host an event because “you love parties.” I was surprised that this was the perception, and I thought “Huh, do I?” Another time, a friend was talking to my sister and described me “quiet” — which made us both laugh in the retelling. So while I think the public version is the real me, I’m learning that it is impossible to know how others perceive you. My career centers on the outward expression — branding, PR, social media — and at Hype we have a saying, “Be It & We Will Promote It.” In other words, be authentic and amplify what you value. We live many lives (I can love parties and be quiet!) but most people have a defining aspect of themselves or an ethos that guides how they operate in the world. I hope mine is a combination of proudly weird and kindness matters.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
My wish is that people tell stories include some chicanery and lots of laughter, that our time together was well spent and misspent. But mostly, I hope people know how much I cared.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jessienagel.art/
- Instagram: @hypegirl
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessienagel/
- Other: hypeworld.com
greenthebid.earth
Image Credits
Profile photo by Tara McVicar
