Re:branding

When I started this blog it was as an outlet for my creativity, a place for me to find inspiration and share it with others. It was a workspace to develop a side of me that did not get much attention. Sort of like setting up a workshop in the garage to work on your bike after work or planting a garden on your loft rooftop. 

My job, while I found it creative in certain ways, was not an "artistic" path so I kept these two identities separate. I didn't believe someone would take my advice on strategic planning or a financial pro forma I built as seriously coming from "an artistic type". Likewise, I didn't believe people would take my art seriously coming from "a finance guy" **. So I built an alter-ego - my creative masked crusader, my artistic superhero identity: Tanner Hasse. Tanner is my middle name and Hasse is my mom's maiden name and the side of the family the "artists" come from. Through this I could create my art and remain mild-mannered Chase at work. Sort of branding each product of mine.

Recently, however, I got to talking with several friends and close personal advisors. People that knew me from work found it so interesting I was also an artist. When I met people outside of work they were often surprised at what I did in my career. Both ways it made the other more interesting. I realized that the story for my art comes from who I am as a whole as does my approach at work. 

The artist in me teaches the analyst; and the analyst in me teaches the artist. 

So I felt it was important to re-brand myself as the weird unique blend that I am. One clear, consistent message. 

Hopefully the art is more interesting now understanding the place it comes from and the balancing act that produces it. 

-Chase

**most people viewed everyone in a suit at our office "a finance guy" even though I never worked in finance at that job