What makes us tick

In this spirit of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s Oregonian op-ed, Harnessing the holiday spirit to help our homeless, Coates Kokes held a donation drive to benefit Clackamas Service Center. Founded in 1971 by three women who pooled their bingo winnings to make a difference in their community, CSC is dedicated to providing basic life assistance, transitional support and resources to individuals, families and children who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. In addition to the donations that CK staff brought in from their own homes, we went on an excursion – via the Portland streetcar – to Goodwill for a supersized shopping adventure.

After two and a half years of working on our B Corp application, certification has finally become a reality.  As we celebrate this milestone, I’m reflecting back on the journey we have taken.

I have had the same employer for more than 33 years. (Crazy, right?) I feel like I have to phrase that really carefully. I can’t say I’ve worked at Coates Kokes that long (I’ve been through 3 name changes). I can’t say I’ve worked at the same place (5 different offices). And I can’t say I’ve had the same job. I’ve had…well, I don’t know how many jobs/titles I’ve had here, but it’s a lot (receptionist to partner and VP of Ops, however many that is). How did I manage to stay with one employer so long? I suppose there are as many reasons as “hats” I’ve worn. Or maybe there’s just one…

In 2016, Coates Kokes helped the Oregon Health Authority launch a marijuana youth prevention campaign. The research indicated teens wished to hear from adults who had used marijuana in the past. We conceived of a video to test in focus groups that featured a former pot smoker who questioned his marijuana use as a teenager.

As a designer/brand manager, one of the greatest privileges of my job is learning. To make an ad, you have to understand the customer. To make an infographic, you have to understand the process. To open a 5-star luxury lodge on the Oregon coast, you have to understand a lot more than business cards. It’s a learning process.