My personal jouney
My story, much like everyone else's, is an ever-unfolding journey. The following provides a glimpse into my identity, the driving forces behind Elkli & Hart and the Beyond Creativity initiative, along with some of my core beliefs and guiding principles. The accompanying photographs capture the moments and locations that have shaped and influenced my personal narrative.
My journey began with a spark of curiosity ignited by my first SLR camera, a Nikon FM, at the young age of 12. The camera was a window to the enchanting world around me, transforming how I perceived reality.
I was fascinated with the diversity of the natural world, often finding myself lost in the mesmerising documentaries by Sir David Attenborough on the BBC — I meticulously recorded and categorised hundreds of episodes on VHS tapes.
Parallel to my burgeoning interest in photography, my affinity for coffee began to percolate. At 15, I started roasting my own coffee beans in a popcorn maker, a rather unconventional but effective method. This interest was so strong that I carried a stovetop espresso machine during family holidays to Australia and New Zealand. Today, the popcorn maker has been replaced by a gourmet coffee roasting machine nestled in my shed, a testament to my enduring love for coffee.
Today, the popcorn maker has been replaced by a gourmet coffee roasting machine nestled in my shed
The vibrant thread of creativity runs deep in my family, shaping my perception of the world. My mother, a trained medical Herbalist and Waldorf sculpture teacher, exposed me to the raw beauty of artistic expression and the power of nature from an early age. My uncle, a revered ceramic artist and teacher, introduced me to the transformative power and elegant beauty of clay. My wife, who journeyed from stop-motion animation to textile design, showed me the fluidity of creativity. And my brother, a creative game engine designer, emphasised the beauty of merging creativity with technology.
My academic path, a mosaic of varied disciplines, began with studying electronics and photography during Sixth Form. I later ventured into media and multimedia at University. After graduation, I embarked on a career as a web designer and developer at a creative agency. Here, I had the privilege of working with clients mainly from the science, education, and charitable fields.
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Simultaneously, my zest for adventure and exploration remained undiminished. Mountain biking became a favoured pastime, with the rugged trails of New Zealand, Europe, and the UK offering exhilarating challenges.
This passion for exploration extended beyond physical landscapes, leading me to Zambia. During my time there, I was deeply moved by the community's resilience and strength, inspiring me to fund the construction of a new school.
The vibrant cultures of various countries have left indelible imprints on my personal and professional life. I spent months traversing the mesmerising landscapes of India and realised a personal dream of trekking in the Himalayas, on a month-long tour of the Annapurna Circuit.
In my early 30s, my journey took me to New Zealand, where I co-founded a digital agency, Digital Sausages Limited, and worked with many well-known NZ brands. This period was a turning point in my appreciation of landscape photography, as the breathtaking landscapes of New Zealand offered endless inspiration.
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A yearning for a fresh cultural experience then led me to Japan, where I balanced managing my NZ business remotely with full-time Japanese language school schedules. The rich culture, unique art, and the beautiful simplicity of Japanese design aesthetics deeply moved me. It was in the bustling streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo, that I met my future wife. We tied the knot in Hiroshima, her hometown, and soon moved back to London.
Back in the UK, I launched a digital consultancy, working with global brands such as Vodafone, Polestar, Nestlé, and Sky. Despite the success, I felt a void — something was missing. I embarked on a quest for fulfilment, which led me to various books and educational resources. I discovered the transformative insights of authors like Steven Kotler, whose 'The Art of Impossible' provided a blueprint for achieving my maximum potential. The Japanese philosophy of Ikigai shed light on the harmony of passion, mission, vocation, and profession, while Sir Ken Robinson's 'The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything' validated the profound power of art within personal and educational contexts.
This exploration fundamentally reshaped my understanding of 'intelligence.' I had mistakenly believed that intelligence was strongly tied to academia and the STEM disciplines, relegating artistic or creative intelligence to the sidelines. However, the combination of Kotler's scientific context, Robinson's emphasis on the towering importance of artistic intelligence, and the clarity of Ikigai, led to an epiphany.
This exploration fundamentally reshaped my understanding of 'intelligence.'
I realised that my 'element' was to build a business utilising my skills in design, software development, and photography. This venture provides a platform to generate sustainable income, which empowers me to dedicate more resources to my core mission: illuminating the transformative power of art, education, social responsibility, and technological innovation. The prosperity of the business is intrinsically tied to this mission, thus every print sold is a stepping stone towards achieving these broader goals.
My ultimate mission is to revolutionise our modern educational system, a system still tethered to an old-world industrialisation model. I, along with many pioneering educators, believe that every child possesses a unique gamut of creative and traditional STEM-based intelligence. We need a balanced and interconnected teaching framework to nurture these skills, producing individuals capable of tackling the challenges of our modern society. I highly recommend watching the late Sir Ken Robinsons’ TED lecture: Do schools kill creativity? — it’s full of passion and articulates all I’m trying to say in a clear and compelling way.
The primary embodiment of my purpose: Elevating the importance of art, nurturing creative development, and advocating for creative education for both personal development and societal progress — is the Beyond Creativity Magazine and forthcoming Community.
To learn more, then my introduction journal post is a good place to start, and for a comprehensive overview of my vision, mission and goals for the initiative, I invite you to read and edit The Beyond Creative Manifesto.
The journey towards realising the vision for Beyond Creativity is in its infancy and I wholeheartedly extend an invitation for everyone to partake in this mission — please contact me directly on my personal email [email protected] and let's see how we can collaborate.
My stance is rooted firmly in the solidity of science, evidence-based research, and consistent data, as this forms the bedrock of our credibility and integrity. The message we send forth must not be mere conjecture or opinion; it must be underpinned and anchored in verifiable, quantifiable truth.
Two cornerstones of my personal philosophy are personal growth and self-education. I believe in measuring one's own growth, often reflecting back on who I was one, two, and five years ago. If I feel too comfortable with the person I was in the past, it's a signal that I'm not growing enough, not acquiring new skills nor developing my mind effectively.
I'm an ardent advocate of not comparing oneself to others. We are all unique, with our own strengths and weaknesses, and it's crucial to chart our own path rather than emulate someone else's. The line between being inspired and comparing oneself to others is thin, but I believe it's worth making the conscious effort to distinguish between them.
My journey is an ongoing one, filled with continuous growth, self-education, and, above all, a commitment to affect meaningful change. Thank you for joining me on this journey. Together, let's make a difference.
— Jake Hopking
My Guiding Principles
Just as our company's core values are diverse and continuously evolving, so too are my personal guiding principles. While they encompass a broad range of tenets, the following are the cornerstones that inform the majority of my life's decisions.
Embrace Holistic Intelligence
Champion the harmonious blending of creative and STEM-based intelligence. Understand that intelligence is not confined to traditional academia but expands to include artistic and creative talents. Every individual has a unique blend of these intelligences that should be nurtured and celebrated.
Pursue Continuous Growth and Self-Education
Foster a lifelong commitment to learning and personal development. Regularly reflect on past selves to measure growth and set goals for future development. Encourage this mindset in others, promoting self-improvement, mindfulness, and the broadening of skills and abilities.
Advocate for Sustainable Innovation
Support sustainable practices in business and personal life, recognising the importance of preserving our natural world. Push for innovative solutions that are both environmentally friendly and economically viable, upholding our responsibility to future generations.
Build Meaningful Connections
Strive to foster a community of like-minded individuals who value art, education, and social innovation. Actively cultivate relationships that are not based on competition, but on mutual growth and shared aspirations. Understand the power of collaboration in affecting change, and make openness, accountability, and inclusivity the cornerstones of all community interactions.
My journey is an ongoing one, filled with continuous growth, self-education, and, above all, a commitment to affect meaningful change.
Jake Hopking
Founder