From the Classroom to the Boardroom: What It Feels Like to Be Taken Seriously by Industry Pros

One thing about being a student, or even an early-career creative, is that it’s easy to wonder if your ideas are actually good. Like… is this something a real brand would actually use? Or am I just pretending?

This week in Paris flipped that imposter syndrome on its head. As part of the NYU Paris/Cannes GFI, my team and I had the chance to pitch a campaign at Orès Collective in response to a real brief from Honda Motorcycles. Not a mock assignment, a real campaign ask, presented in a real marketing agency, with real feedback from industry professionals. Getting to hear what resonated (and what didn’t) made it feel different . 

This wasn’t just a class project, it was real industry work.

Then at DSM-Firmenich, one of the biggest names in fragrance, we were asked to create a perfume concept from scratch. From mood boards to naming to the story behind the scent, every decision was ours. And the craziest part? They actually produced the fragrance based on our concept. Seeing a real bottle, a real scent, created from something that started as just an idea in my head… I don’t even have words for how validating that felt.

Our two scents, one of which was voted as the class favorite :)

For me, this was a reminder that my ideas belong in the room. That it’s not just “student work” or “practice.” It’s proof that when you show up with creativity, strategy, and intention, professionals listen. And that feeling? I’ll carry that with me for a long time.

It also shifted my mindset in a real way. Walking out of those rooms, I realized that the gap between “student” and “professional” is actually way smaller than it feels. The only difference is whether or not you believe you belong at the table.