Michelle Collins never followed the script. Born in Korea and adopted into Japanese and American roots, she grew up navigating culture and identity through a lens shaped by heritage technology and an unyielding sense of curiosity. That mix became her compass as she forged a path as a female entrepreneur who refused to walk the well-worn road.

In 2016, she turned that conviction into A\N/A A Non-Agency, a proclamation of individuality and a belief that great work begins with amplifying the power of one. Under her leadership, the firm has become an award-winning experience design consultancy trusted by C-level leaders for first-of-its-kind initiatives that demand speed, ingenuity and cultural fluency.

Collins approaches every project as a creator and an agent of creativity, blending business strategy and tech insight with an artful instinct for what transformation requires. She adapts while others adopt proving that real innovation comes from risk and a relentless pursuit of authenticity.

What first inspired you to pursue a career in this industry?

I didn’t plan a career in this industry—it evolved from curiosity and a passion for storytelling. I’ve always loved observing how people connect, how a shared story or experience can shift how someone feels or behaves.

Early on, I realized creativity could be both art and strategy—a way to move culture forward while helping businesses see themselves differently.

That’s where A Non-Agency® was born: from wanting to build something that didn’t fit the traditional advertising and marketing model, and from a desire to create opportunities for a different generation of technology and design discipline.

How would you describe your leadership or management style?

Collaborative, focused, and human. I like to create spaces and opportunities where people feel seen, free to experiment, and find joy in the process. I don’t believe in leading from a podium; I lead by example—with consistency, accountability and pursuit of excellence.

I’m drawn to people who are self-starters, problem solvers and have life experiences which demonstrate growth, honesty and high emotional intelligence. Management is not about hierarchy but a clear understanding of respect and communication.

What’s one lesson you learned early in your career that still guides you today?

Don’t chase what’s popular—invest in what makes you unique. It’s easy to get caught up in trends or validation, but authenticity always outlasts attention. Whenever I’ve made decisions from instinct and integrity, the work has resonated more deeply.

How do you define success—personally and professionally?

For me, success feels like alignment—when personal pride and the joy can be shared with clients and teams. It’s when the work, the people and the purpose all move in the same direction.

It’s not only about scale; it’s about meaning and impact. If something creates a spark of innovation, motivates connections, challenges stagnant perspectives or shifts perception. That’s success.

What’s been your proudest moment on the job so far?

I’ve never really felt like this is a “job”—it’s who I am. Honestly, every time someone tells me our work made them feel represented or inspired, I feel proud. Literally, I feel giddy.

However, my proudest moment was also my riskiest: conceiving, investing in and delivering the three-city Kimpton Hotel Escapes, our BCSS Hospitality Retail Platform, during the height of the pandemic. We won nine industry awards for a design and experience we pitched and executed independently—to solve a problem and, in doing so, create what’s now described as “third spaces” in spatial trends.

What challenges have shaped your approach to problem-solving or innovation?

Building something nontraditional means constantly explaining your “why.” Early on, that was frustrating. Now, I see it as part of the work—to redefine what creativity and strategy can look like when you remove the rules, hierarchy and lack of transparency. That challenge shaped my resilience and deepened my trust in vision.

Who has been your biggest influence or mentor, and what did they teach you?

I’ve had mentors who taught me the value of investing in people authentically and the importance of emotional intelligence. My first tech client who was a successful entrepreneur and investor showed me that a business built around human talent and relationships would weather the storms.

Most importantly, their trust and belief that you champion their expertise and reputation is how you build the best teams who will make themselves available to you when they might otherwise say no. This is how I was able to pitch, design, win and deliver award-winning projects as A Non-Agency. We didn’t need massive offices and costly overhead. We invested it into the talent and the work.

How do you keep your team motivated and engaged through change?

I remind them that being uncomfortable is where growth and innovation happens. Culture never sits still, so we have to stay open and adaptive. We trust each other and when one of us struggles, the others rally to support and encourage.

We don’t engage in the blame game, but do hold ourselves and each other accountable. I try to keep our work grounded in purpose—when people understand why something matters, motivation follows naturally.

What trends or technologies are you most excited about in your field right now?

I’m fascinated by the balance between technology and human centric designs, environments and the converging spaces which accentuate human wellness. It’s beyond health clubs, wellness facilities.

I see a rapidly growing integration of these principles in the design of residential and commercial. Advancements in wellness tools, personalized climates and biometric data driven, kinetic spaces intrigues me.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this industry?

Be curious. Don’t wait for permission. Find your perspective and nurture it. Learn how culture moves and build your creative muscle by living life fully—travel, read, observe, ask questions.

Ask questions and expose yourself to people and subject matters which might be outside your realm of comfort. The best work comes from paying attention and diving in.

How do you balance the demands of your work with your personal life or passions outside of it?

Fortunately, my work and passions align. Experience design and consumer strategy requires a wealth of knowledge, interests and experiences in all areas of travel, food, music and social movements. My work for the next generation of creators and culture communities keeps me grounded and sensitive to heritage, legacy and the challenges outside of work.

I need those things to refill my creative energy. My best ideas often come when I’m not “working,” but meditating and immersing in the moment.

If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what would your dream job be—and why?

I’ve always fancied the idea that I could work alongside investors as they identify potential opportunities, but assess and propose solutions which would afford me an opportunity to take part in the project or organization as an equity partner.

An ideal project would probably be something that combines creativity, connection and culture—a development design project like a residential social space, art house and culinary institute that nurtures emerging sensorial artists which leverage data patterns and human engagement.

One-on-One with A Non-Agency’s Michelle Collins

Describe a typical day.

There’s no such thing as a typical day. Unlike traditional agencies or consultancies, my vocation is my personal passion. I personally conceive and develop concept-to-execution plans based on inspiration. I love discovery—challenging myself to understand why people make choices and what they might do next.

I make it a point to engage with art, social topics, new technology and the stories behind them. My philosophy is simple: there’s always something new to learn or explore. In a culture that evolves daily, I push myself out of my comfort zone through research and continuous learning.

What was the best advice you ever received?

“When in doubt, double down on yourself.”

A former colleague and client said that to me when I was questioning whether to create A Non-Agency®. It was a simple but powerful reminder to trust my vision.

What’s the best thing a client has ever said to you? What was the job and why?

The CEO and Special Projects Lead for Lalique once paid me a tremendous compliment, acknowledging my ability to bridge creativity and business strategy:

We’ve worked with some of the most creative and top talents in the industry. You have a distinctly rare ability to push creativity while delivering strategy with the mind of an MBA.

The Lalique Maison d’Artiste project was one of the most challenging and rewarding of my career—defined by tight timelines, cultural nuances, unique hybrid role, high expectations, and pandemic-related delays. We had just 75 days to execute work that normally takes six to eight months, but we delivered something truly special and worthy of the heritage brand.