Chris Riley

When I was younger, I always believed having ADHD was a curse. While other kids were paying attention in class, I was traveling to new dimensions in my mind, worlds I created. Getting in trouble because my notebooks would be full of stories or sketches instead of answers. And for so long, I felt like something was wrong with me because I'd let teachers who didn't understand me tell me who I was. But no matter how loud the outside noise got, my soul was louder. And it told me to never stop writing — so I didn't. Instead, I dived headfirst into my imagination. Realizing that it was never a curse...it was a gift.

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Now, as an adult, I've solo-traveled to almost 30 countries with nothing but a backpack, Google Translate, and of course, a pen and pencil. I've shared meals with people I couldn't fully understand but connected with deeply. I've done things that had friends and family questioning my sanity, but wanting every detail when I got back. Those experiences shaped me, giving me cultural knowledge and the ability to connect across languages and borders.

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Over the years, I've written for startups still figuring out who they were and global brands that already had the world's attention — and everything in between. Commercial scripts. Rebranding campaigns. Social content. Work that made people feel pride in being from the city. Tech. Automotive. Food and beverage. Education. Ford. Pepsi. Freedom House Detroit — where the work wasn't about a brand. It was about people who deserved to finally be seen.

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​I don't think in products. I think in people who need them. In stories waiting to be told. And I won't stop until someone sees the work, feels something real, and thinks: damn…that was good.