Anyone who knows me knows I love a good experiment; especially when an unconventional hypothesis is validated. For example, can a creative who isn’t African American successfully run a high-profile African American account? Or, can a non-Spanish speaker lead a winning boutique Hispanic agency? Well, according to the data: Si and si.

Now I’m not saying I could (or even should) run a big-time Hispanic or multicultural shop— but I do believe I have the chops to be a solid test subject—especially when it comes to providing a bit of creative momentum. But don’t take my word for it. Let’s look at the science…

DATA POINT 1. The Winner Effect:

Having won 9 of my last 10 pitches (3 of them Hispanic), I’m currently smack dab in the middle of the neuroscientific and biological phenomenon known as The Winner Effect where repeated success leads to a positive feedback loop of increased confidence, risk-taking behavior and, most importantly, a greater likelihood for future wins.

DATA POINT 2. The 10,000 Hour Rule:

With a rat’s lifespan being a mere 3 years and me currently on the wrong side of 1, I’ve been ideating most of my adult life— far exceeding the 10,000 hours of dedicated practice needed to achieve “mastery.” Of course, in advertising, time can often have the opposite effect (ie, being out of touch, hack-dom, etc) but rest assured, whether I was a Lab Rat for Hire or CCO in a major network, I’ve always continued to rollup my sleeves, own assignments and remain game-ready at all times.

DATA POINT 3. Increased Cognitive Flexibility:

A phenomenon where repeated exposure to new environments and cultures force the brain to adapt, increasing its cognitive flexibility (the ability to switch between different ways of thinking and problem-solving) and cultural learning (the ability for the brain to reorganize neural pathways in response to experience). Research shows this is a key driver for enhanced creativity and innovation, as it helps approach challenges with a more open and unconventional mindset. And having worked in four continents and 9 major international cities, I believe I carry this mindset wherever I go.

DATA PONT 4. Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change and reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. So when someone repeatedly succeeds in high-risk, high-reward tasks (for example, in my case, having 30 days to save a marquee account or being intrusted to reinvigorate new business efforts or help turn around a struggling agency), neuroplasticity reshapes the brain to improve those specific abilities.