Creative Crush: Jonathan Stiers

There's nothing better than getting a love letter, so when Jonathan Stiers of Stiers Aesthetic emailed me to tell me he liked my work, I felt wonderful! I clicked on the link in his signature, and was blown away! I felt so complimented and couldn't wait to chat more with this talented guy. stiers aesthetic on sugar and type WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS : Getting to share what I love and what inspires me - OH - and total creative control. :)FAVORITE CANDY/TREAT : Ferrero Raffaello Almond Coconut TreatsWHAT'S A RECENT FAVORITE FIND : I love food photography so I’m currently obsessing over “Donna Hay: The New Classics,” cookbook. It’s beautiful. The Kate Spade Melamine collection from Macy’s. And I may have sipped on some of the Taylor Swift, “1989” Kool-aid. I think it’s laced with kittens and rainbows. Don’t judge.WHY DO YOU BLOG : Working in the graphic design industry, design and photography have always been a passion. And while I've always loved food photography, I never had the opportunity to art direct many shots, where the sole focus was FOOD. I’d drool over issues of Bon Appétit and Food & Wine, wishing I had shot this and that, so a blog made sense. This allowed me to share the things I love, from restaurants to recipes to design AND would provide me with a creative outlet, outside of my day job. The only problem: I didn’t have a camera and I had never actually been the guy with the camera in his hand!ANY ADVICE FOR FELLOW ENTREPRENEURS : Be a sponge. Learn all you can. Do the research and avoid taking shortcuts, just because “it’s easier.” Have a plan! Flying by the seat of yours pants is fun and all, until it isn’t. Map out your path, setting goals that give you something to work towards. Most importantly, be authentic.