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This Design Leader Took HBS Online Courses to Strategically Lead Creative Teams

Jess Forgue standing in front of paper installation
  • 23 May 2023
Michele Reynolds Author Staff
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  • Design Thinking and Innovation
  • Disruptive Strategy
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Negotiation Mastery
  • Student Profiles

Sitting at her desk at a global sports footwear and apparel company in the Portland, Oregon area, Jess Forgue is proud. She recalls the moment in her hometown of New Bedford, Massachusetts, when she realized that art could be her career.

“I was watching cartoons when I was about eight years old, and I noticed in the credits that there were a lot of art jobs, like art director, illustrator, and animator,” Forgue says. “It was so exciting to know that the thing I loved most could be my job.”

Forgue loved to draw, and she incorporated art into her life whenever possible.

“I found a way to bring art into all of my school projects,” Forgue adds. “I did a science project about gravity and inertia and made a full comic book about a girl on roller skates and the pillars of gravity.”


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She started community college after high school and secured her first job in the arts, managing a tattoo studio.

“My favorite part of managing the tattoo studio was helping customers with their ideas,” Forgue says. “Through leading the creative thought process, I was able to take customers’ ideas to new levels.”

A few years into the job, the tattoo studio’s owner passed away, leaving Forgue questioning her next step. Wanting to tap into her operational skills, she accepted a role with the retail store Hot Topic, leading New England’s regional operations. Her responsibilities ranged from managing staff and leading annual inventory to rolling out new technology. Forgue began freelancing on the side to keep her creative skills sharp, designing apparel graphics for professional wrestlers and local businesses.

Forgue wanted to immerse herself deeper into the arts and considered full-time freelance design. Yet, she didn’t like managing all aspects of end-to-end design work. She wanted to focus on the early stages of the creative process and believed she could find a role that combined her love for the arts and team leadership.

Forgue began researching cities with strong creative cultures for a fresh start and more opportunities. She says the decision was easy: Portland, Oregon, offered several world-renowned design agencies and apparel and footwear companies.

She began applying for roles at large sportswear companies, but the competition was fierce. She took a position as a production artist at a design agency specializing in e-commerce design for brands on Amazon, working with roughly 60 companies overall. She was promoted to production manager, providing a great opportunity to manage a design studio and learn about business operations.

“My team and I worked to create the playbook of how brands represented themselves creatively for Walmart+,” Forgue says. “It was exciting to learn about the needs of the Walmart app and figure out how design would fit into that framework. It was fun, but ultimately my dream was to work in sportswear, and my boss understood that. So, when I got the call for a creative manager position, he supported me.”

Her new role was much like her agency work, acting as a liaison between the product design team and customers. It was a perfect fit for her experience. Yet, it was a 10-month contract role, so when the term was up, Forgue returned to an agency. At the same time, she decided to upskill in business and discovered Harvard Business School Online’s Design Thinking and Innovation course.

“I knew my creative skills were what got me in the door, but if I wanted to move to the next level, I needed a business education to change the way I approach problem framing and solution finding,” Forgue says. “Design Thinking and Innovation inspired me to return to sportswear even before the course was over.”

Forgue then took HBS Online’s Disruptive Strategy course to learn about creating new marketplaces and Negotiation Mastery to better advocate for her creative ideas. Soon after, she secured a job at the same sportswear company—this time in brand marketing production, managing outside agencies.

Forgue earned a Certificate of Specialization in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from HBS Online by completing three courses within a Learning Track. She’s working on her second Learning Track in strategy.

“I’ve become an unofficial evangelist for HBS Online and have inspired many creatives to pursue Negotiation Mastery,” Forgue says. “The courses felt like how I learned in real life, so the course material works well for me. I believe Negotiation Mastery is great for designers to help them articulate their creative ideas and execute them cross-functionally.”

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Forgue is now a design operations manager and envisions continuing to focus her career on the intersection of design and business strategy. She’s also interested in public speaking to coach people to have confidence in their unique perspectives and experiences and sees this as a potential business opportunity for her in the future.

“I love mentoring,” Forgue says. “Junior creatives often approach me and ask about my career path. I tell them, above all else, that they need to have courage and determination. Spend time on LinkedIn to find people in your dream roles and build relationships. Find what you love and follow it to the end of the earth.”

Are you interested in strengthening your business skills and innovating within your organization? Explore HBS Online’s entrepreneurship and innovation courses. Download our free flowchart to determine which course is the right fit.

About the Author

Michele Reynolds handles brand marketing and PR for Harvard Business School Online. Prior to HBS Online, she led communications for TripAdvisor and Gazelle and has been widely quoted in national media outlets, including CBS News, Reuters, and The New York Times. Michele earned her bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University. Outside work, she spends time with her teenage daughter, plays tennis, and visits her enormous extended family.
 
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We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

Are HBS Online programs available in languages other than English?

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We expect to offer our courses in additional languages in the future but, at this time, HBS Online can only be provided in English.

All course content is delivered in written English. Closed captioning in English is available for all videos. There are no live interactions during the course that requires the learner to speak English. Coursework must be completed in English.

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No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

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All programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly from program to program, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

After submitting your application, you should receive an email confirmation from HBS Online. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk email folders and double-check your account to make sure the application was successfully submitted.

Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your Dashboard. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

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No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

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We accept payments via credit card, wire transfer, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

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After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

 

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