“Creativity is not just a job – it is a way of seeing the world”. At LIME Media & Entertainment, where each event concept is “breathed into life” with emotions and artistic perspectives, the Creative Director is not simply the one who “paints” beauty, but the one who connects art with strategy, emotions with the client’s message. Let’s talk with Trịnh Tươi (FRESTR) – Creative Director of LIME – a person with the heart of an artist and a holistic mindset, to better understand the journey of pursuing passion, as well as a realistic and profound career perspective.

From creative idea to reality

Not everyone can make a living from being creative – and even fewer can stick with it for long. Ever since she was a child, Trinh Tuoi – Creative Director of Lime Media & Entertainment – ​​had a special love for creativity and art.

“I often ‘romanticize’ my life with my imagination, so the world around me becomes much more colorful and interesting."– Tuoi shared. From that dream, she chose to step into the real world with an unshakable belief: art is not only beauty, but also something that makes people feel alive.

It was that pure love that became the compass, guiding Tuoi to enter the path of art seriously and enthusiastically. She clearly understood the path she would choose, with what she had, art was where she vowed to devote herself long-term.

The journey of a creative person cannot be without high and low notes. Those are challenging periods to the limit. October and November 2024 were probably the most memorable times for Tuoi, when she had to "balance work for 3 shows at the same time: The show "Heritage" of the band Ngu Cung Pentatonic, Roar30 and a few conference events". With a huge amount of work, tight deadlines and constantly changing information, she was forced to turn around and adapt to the cycle of work.

“There are days when I force myself not to sleep, because if I do, I will be behind schedule. I don't even dare eat for more than 10 minutes,” told by Tuoi 

Staying up late all the time, eating in 10 minutes, not daring to take a nap for fear of missing work. That is a period of time that not everyone can get through, and certainly not something that should be repeated.

But from that, she learned a valuable lesson: Creative people not only need mental resilience, but also need to know how to take care of their bodies like a tool for their work. Without health, ideas are just theories!

"Without health i could achieve nothing"

CREATIVE DIRECTOR – NOT ONLY KNOW HOW TO “DRAW”, BUT ALSO KNOW HOW TO “SEE FAR”

Even professional creatives cannot avoid moments of “idea drought”. There were times when Trinh Tuoi sat for hours but still had no ideas. But the most important thing is to never blame yourself.

“I never force myself to come up with ideas at all costs. If I force myself, the ideas will not be real,” Tuoi shared. Instead, Trinh Tuoi chose to refresh herself and her environment: Changing her workspace, wearing beautiful clothes, “beautifying” her appearance to be radiant, listening to music that fits her “mood” and especially spending time observing everything around her.

Observation may sound simple, but it is a “survival” skill for creative people. It is not just about looking, but also about interpreting, analyzing and asking questions. Because even a small detail in life can be the source of a concept that touches emotions, creates a difference and “scores points” with the client.

Besides the ability to inspire, Trinh Tuoi also emphasized: “A Creative Director does not necessarily have to be the best at every tool, but must be the one with the most vision – both in art and strategy.

You have to be able to lead ideas, guide the team, and clearly distinguish between beauty that is just for the eye and beauty that truly makes an impact. A Creative Director needs to have enough taste to choose, enough courage to make decisions, enough sophistication to maintain the artistic ego, and enough flexibility to adjust when necessary. It is a role that requires a passionate artistic heart, but also a cool and sharp head.”

For Trinh Tuoi, a Creative Director does not necessarily have to be the best at every tool, but must definitely be the one with the most foresight – both in art and in strategy.

“You don’t need to be good at everything, but you need to have a deep understanding of many fields. You need to have a strong aesthetic sense, communicate ideas clearly, know how to coordinate effectively, grasp trends, dare to make decisions and dare to take responsibility.”

“You don’t need to be good at everything, but you need to have a deep understanding of many fields. You need to have a strong aesthetic sense, communicate ideas clearly, know how to coordinate effectively, grasp trends, dare to make decisions and dare to take responsibility.”

TO become a creative director - it takes more than what we have learnt

At the end of the conversation, Trinh Tuoi sent a message to young people aiming for the position of Creative Director - with both experience and great love for the profession:

• Study in multiple fields: From art, psychology, pop culture to technology and business.
• Study in multiple fields: From art, psychology, pop culture to technology and business.
• Critical thinking: don't just follow the brief, always ask: Why is that? Is there a better way?
• Develop teamwork skills: Learn to listen, contribute and grow with the team.
• Develop your personal “taste”: But don't let your taste become a limit.

Listening to the sharing of Creative Director Trinh Tuoi, we can see that: creativity is not a smooth road, but it is definitely a worthwhile journey. When choosing to commit and keep the passion for the profession, it has - is - will silently inspire, not only for the team. LIME Media & Entertainment in particular and customers in general, but also for those who are nurturing a love for art and the event profession.