Meet Annemarie Meyers | Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Annemarie Meyers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Annemarie, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson my career has taught me is actually a balance of two key traits: confidence and humility. Learning to navigate the dynamic between the two has been both a challenge and a major source of growth.

Learning to be confident in the face of imposter syndrome has been a long-time struggle for me. I started working as a designer and freelancer at just 16, which meant negotiating rates, presenting my work, and standing my ground with clients far older and more experienced than me. Each step forward required convincing myself that I was talented enough to take it. Over time, I realized that your age, your college, your degree, or even your title matter far less than your drive, passion, and resilience. Those qualities are the true markers of success in this industry. Facing new challenges with confidence in your abilities doesn’t just help you succeed; it also transforms how others see you.

Even now, more than a decade into my career, I have to remind myself of that lesson. But there’s another equally important lesson I’ve learned: the value of surrounding yourself with people who are better than you. While self-confidence is essential, so is self-awareness and the ability to acknowledge your weaknesses. I’ve made it a priority to build relationships with coworkers, contractors, and mentors whose strengths complement my weaknesses. This approach has not only pushed me to grow but also has helped create stronger, more dynamic teams.

The real challenge—and what I’m working on now—is finding the balance between these two lessons: having the confidence to believe I’m capable while maintaining the humility to acknowledge where I struggle. It’s a balancing act, but achieving that sweet spot of confident humility is my current goal.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What sets me apart most from other designers is the business side of my brain. I am the daughter of two architects, one of whom got his MBA and switched over to the corporate business world. With that being said, I’ve always felt equally pulled to both the business and the creative side of the industry.

As the Creative Director of Fireside at Five, I luckily get to stretch both of those muscles. Some days, I may be doing market research for a new brand and other days, I could be providing feedback on an event poster illustration. I love how no day ever looks the same, and as a small agency, we are all wearing many hats. Before working for Fireside, I had always dreamed of starting my own agency (again with the business entrepreneurship bug), but after being with the company for 2 years, I can’t imagine starting something better than what we already have going. Founded by Gertie Harris and Connor Holmes in 2020, we are a community-driven creative agency that largely works in the hospitality, placemaking, and CPG spaces. We empower brands to authentically engage with their audiences, amplify their stories, and create experiences that foster connection. When I joined the team two years ago, I helped develop branding and design into key services of the company, and since then, we have created award-winning packaging for a local electrolyte beverage company, developed comprehensive identities and strategies for over 5 brands, and even redefined the brand strategy for an international pharmaceutical company. The evolution and growth have been gratifying, and I am incredibly excited about what is yet to come with Fireside at Five.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have at least 3 itineraries I’ve sent close friends outlining this very thing, but Denver is so constantly changing that it’s hard to keep up! If we are talking about summer months (my favorite time of year in Denver), there’s really no better way to start the day than Yoga on the Rocks. The views are incredible and it’s truly an experience like no other. You then, of course, would have to do brunch. I am a huge fan of Golden, and with it being closer to Red Rocks, Buffalo Rose would probably be my go-to spot. After a quick post-brunch reset, adventuring through RiNo would be next on my list, hopefully, lucky enough to happen upon one of their art markets. Happy hour with the amazing people at Blind Tiger would be a must, and then we would make our way over to the Source Hotel for dinner at Safta. Finally, the cherry on top would be nightcaps at Gold Point!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Choosing one is so hard, but I have to give this shoutout to Spencer Derrico. He was one of the first people in my career who really believed in me. He trusted me with work that I thought I was significantly unqualified for, and in doing so, he helped me make a large leap in my career. pretty early on. He is an extremely talented CMO who taught me invaluable lessons about brand strategy and the process of uncovering a brand’s core. He managed by example and exemplified what it meant to be a positive force for your employees even when things get tough. Without Spencer, I would not be where I am in my career today.

Website: https://firesideatfive.com

Instagram: @annemariedesigns

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annemarie-meyers/