Debbie Millman’s ongoing project “What Matters,” an effort to understand the interior life of artists, designers, and creative thinkers, is now in its third year. Each respondent is invited to answer ten identical questions and submit a nonprofessional photograph.
Brandon Ralph was given the gift of life through personal loss and has succeeded through failure for over 20 years. From founding two acclaimed advertising agencies and serving on the C-suite of multiple industry-leading companies, Brandon’s constant pursuit of renaissance and reinvention led him to pursue an award-winning and globally recognized fine art career and hold two patents on the translation of sound to vibration. Renowned for his collaborations with visionaries and brands like Anna Wintour, Tina Brown, Lenny Kravitz, Bottega Veneta, and Equinox, he delivers transformative, human-centered work across industries.
What is the thing you like doing most in the world?
It has to be making people laugh. In both my personal and professional life, I try to maintain a certain amount of levity in everything I do. I’m not out there saving lives on the front lines. I try to create great work every day. It is hard and takes time, constant trials, revisions, and uncertainty, but if you can laugh at the process, failures, learning, and successes you can laugh through it all.
What is the first memory you have of being creative?
My memory is from my late teenage years, but it is profound to me because it was the moment I truly realized I was a creative. I was given an assignment in college and was incredibly inspired by an idea that I had. I submitted it to the professor and received my first F. I went up to the professor after class to discuss my ideas and supporting arguments, and without missing a beat he said, you didn’t follow the MLA format, so the rest doesn’t matter. My defense to him was, “Isn’t it about the ideas? Anyone can follow a format.” It was such an interesting lesson that made me realize I was creative, raw, unadulterated, and void of process. I knew the rigid educational system wasn’t right for me, and eventually dropped out.
What is your biggest regret?
I don’t have many regrets. If you know me, I live my life in a style and manner where I do and say the things that I want to do. I don’t know how long I have left on this earth, and I do not think or spend much time thinking about the way things should have been. Things that happen do not define me, they are just fuel that keeps me going.
How have you gotten over heartbreak?
Different wounds require different healing processes. Heartbreak from loss is much different than heartbreak from love. For loss, I found that creating, being in nature, and living through the memories was helpful. With love, new distractions never hurt. But ultimately, time heals all.
What makes you cry?
Absolutely anything and everything while being on an airplane
How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?
There is a truly special and intense joy when I have an idea, get it down on paper, and bring it to life. There is this personal moment, although a brief and powerful high, where I think to myself, “It f*cking worked,” before anyone else really sees it, likes it, or shares it.
Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?
I have no choice but to believe. My world and my journey have been so crazy and nuanced that I am forced to believe that I have a group of loved ones looking over me, guiding me with certain challenges and obstacles to push me to be the man, husband, father, friend, and creator I can be.
What do you hate most about yourself?
My constant realization that my spelling and grammatical level is that of a 2nd Year English-As-A-Second-Language student.
What do you love most about yourself?
I am a full-grown child. I am fortunate that my life revolves around art & creativity and I don’t have to have this level of seriousness in my day to day. It allows me to create like a child, (curious, playful, imaginative) but deliver like an adult.
What is your absolute favorite meal?
Changes from time to time but as of late, sushi.
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