By Full Compass LiveHow an art degree gave Keith Post a new perspective on corporate success.
Keith Post has always been drawn to the arts. Much of his childhood was spent drawing and painting, and after high school he earned a Fine Arts degree. So how did his creative passion and talent lead him to Full Compass and the role of VP of Operations?
After college, like many Fine Arts majors, he was stuck looking for a job that could simply pay the bills. In that quest, he found Full Compass, but soon realized it was a company where his background would be a blessing, not a hindrance.
“Artistry and creativity are at the core of our company,” he explains. “It was the spirit of innovation and a singular vision that inspired our founder, Jonathan Lipp, to create Full Compass, and our mission is to provide our customers with the tools and service they need to achieve their own artistic goals.”
Indeed, our commitment to finding innovative ways to equip customers for success is the engine that has fueled Full Compass for 40 years. And Keith rose in the company as time went on, always employing what he learned in art school, and applying new lessons and perspectives propelled him to new levels of success.
“Like art, this work is not a linear process,” he says. “There is so much exploration, dialogue, mistakes and adjustment. Just like when you’re starting a painting, you have to identify your tools, and create your masterpiece one layer at a time. That’s how I approach every project.”
It’s the creating that keeps Keith motivated to push his work even further.
“Every project begins as a blank canvas. You put one idea onto the canvas, and then another and slowly build that up. By taking a step back and looking at the piece overall, you can see where you’re missing information, major gaps in processes or the next steps you need to take.”
And just as important as the tools and processes are, Keith also relies on the people around him to make everything work.
“In art, as in business, you have to be able to collaborate,” he says. “Giving and taking feedback, you have to think creatively, work with different egos and personalities. Art is never finished, and we’re always looking for ways to improve how we do business here. I’m always collaborating with my team, and other people around the company. And I 
love to see when someone has improved a process so that they’re doing it better than I could have. That’s when you know you’re going in the right direction.”
Even though he is now VP of Operations at Full Compass, the artistic side never left him. He owns a small studio in downtown Madison, where he continues to work on paintings, and other forms of art.
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