"It Was Always About The Craft And The People." Mike Dowling Reflects On 34 Years At Paulsen
It is an understatement to say that Mike Dowling has played an instrumental role at Paulsen over the past 34 years. Mike's influence on the agency's creative work was significant, and that's in addition to the contributions he made as a leader, mentor and friend to so many throughout his tenure. He officially retired earlier this year, but we caught up with him for a conversation to reflect on his career and share a bit about what he's up to now.
Conversation edited for brevity and clarity.
Paulsen: When you think back to when you started in this field, so much has changed. In what ways did you evolve as an artist? In what ways did you stay the same?
Mike Dowling: You know, I got into this because I liked to draw. I've always enjoyed that. Things obviously changed when we started using computers and design software in our work. And I knew several people who left the industry as a result. They either weren't interested in learning the new technology or didn't want to move away from what they saw as their craft. And I get that. For me, it was kind of fun learning how to use new tools, and they expanded what we were able to do.
But, you know, I kept drawing. My work on the computer would often start with a hand-drawn design. And, with some projects, I'd even incorporate drawings into the final creative, which was always fun. The tools obviously changed, but the craft stayed the same for me.
Thirty-four years is an incredible run, but you've pointed out that you worked in design for a dozen or so years prior to coming here. Why did you stay at Paulsen as long as you did?
It's funny, because when Thane called me back in 1991 about coming over to Paulsen to replace Mike Sorgdrager, I was really happy where I was at Panther Graphics. But I had also told a friend that if there was ever a place I'd leave Panther for, it would be Paulsen. Thane had me draw a gummy bear before I started — that was my big test — because their biggest client at the time, The Foreign Candy Company, needed to make sure we'd be able to maintain Mike's unique style and quality. Fortunately, I passed that test.
Once I was here, it was pretty clear I had made the right choice. I had a lot of fun getting to work on projects for the clients we had at the time. We did some great work for The Foreign Candy Company…you know, Warheads and some of their other brands. Later on, Kubota came along, and that was just all-consuming, but I loved every minute of it. It was really cool being able to help build their brand in North America. There were a lot of other great clients I got to work with across the years as well.
Becoming a partner obviously gave me additional reason to stay, too, but it was always about the craft and the people I got to work with.
What do you think you'll miss the most?
I would say the people. I made so many good friendships during my time at Paulsen. I'll miss the collaboration, the connections you build while working on a project. A lot of good memories working with people at Paulsen.
What has it been like developing relationships with other creatives in the Sioux Falls area?
It's a close community, you know? And while we were often competing for the same clients, I've always had a deep respect for creatives at other agencies in the area. It was always fun to see their work, how they excel at their craft.
How will you fill your time in this new season of life? What do you look forward to most?
I'm still keeping pretty busy. There are a lot of projects around the home that I've been able to work on. And we've done some traveling, which has been great. But I still work out, still spend time with our grandkids, all of that.
There's an article that I read about retirement, and one of the things the author mentioned was increased clarity. And I've definitely found that to be true. It used to be that I was home on the weekend, and I would find myself thinking about that client work that was due on Monday or how to approach an upcoming project. That's not the case anymore, and I feel like that's given me more clarity as I approach each day.
Another piece of advice I got was to take at least six months before jumping into something new. Sort of embrace the new season and find out how you want to spend your time. So that's what I'm doing right now.
