CREATIVE EDGE: Consciously and unconsciously humans crave well done aesthetics and beauty. Carefully crafted curves, colors chosen well and textures are important for our well being. It is my mission to join the movement of neuro design and bring artistry, aesthetics and beauty through a variety of products. It is proven to positively impacts our biology and mood. All that with a dose of sex appeal.

Growing up in the countryside of Austria, my parents ran three businesses. Me and my siblings worked in the lakeside café/restaurant from an early age on while also helping with the agricultural land from time to time. There was always a lot going on and I took every moment in between to be creative, draw and paint and accepting commissioned craft projects as a teenager. 

When I went to graphic design school, everyone in my village thought I was studying fashion since they saw me in clothes that looked a bit different. I couldn’t find what I was looking for so I imagined what I wanted, and made pants, tops and jackets. My mom had pretty good style too and still is always dressed to a T. She would make clothes for me as a kid, but when she saw me cutting into fabric eye balling the pattern she would loose her cool. Well this iconic jacket is still in my closet - more as a memory piece.

Working as a graphic designer in advertising for Jaguar, Porsche, Renault, Garnier and more – almost around the clock in the 90’s required a break with the opening of my brothers discotheque. I was hands-on, first, painting a mural on the 3000 square-foot ceiling and then, designing the logo and doing the decoration and finally being the host and bartender. It was great to have so many opportunities to reimagine. “Check In”was fun! Serving guests from near and far and making their evening a bit better, was a pleasure and delight.

In between I went on many travels and adventures including an Ayurveda trip to Sri Lanka, which taught me how food can work as medicine. I discovered mountains of spices and how to use them while supporting one’s well-being and nourishing my interest for wellness.

In 2010, I moved to New York without a job or a network, and little command of the english language, but learning along the way. I was trying to find work. It was tough as the 2001 recession hit, and I was offered renting half a bed in an apartment in the east village with a woman that had just lost her job. I knew her so the queen size bed ended up working out till I had my feet on the ground with steady branding freelance work.

Soon after I freelanced for big name branding firms on packaging and innovation projects for Pepsi, Starbucks and Dove and later on my own projects for Organic Avenue and other print and web applications for various clients.

When the 2009 recession hit and jobs fell through, gone were the vibrant exuberant times, replaced by stress for survival. In search for stress release and a serendipitous text message prompted me to start a chocolate venture called Antidote and before I knew it I was a decade into the CPG industry with 16 products that I created with unique flavors, formulas and designed inspiring packaging together with stories on each Antidote package that are inspired and named after Greek goddesses and Aztec gods.

Design and creativity brings me back to my heart. I love to visually surprise and delight with aesthetic and meaning. Now that Antidote is well on its way I can return to my core of being a creator for other companies and products while enjoying some chocolate that feeds my superpowers.