Can you be a taste-making generalist? 💅

📸 Photo: Justine Anweiler of a Burberry ad from a large format print-sample magazine (2013), 2025

I think so.

Today I asked ChatGPT: How do I get paid for my taste?

And while 98% of it was useless, I enjoyed the prompt: What does my taste do?

That’s simple, because whether it’s being my brother’s personal stylist (for over a decade), previously designing award-winning book covers, curating wellness-defining experiences, or working with clients in literally ANY capacity — the response is the same…

My taste makes people see the world differently.
Feel intentional and on purpose
See possibility and a new perspective
Joy, cohesion, wit, and curiosity

It helps people live in the moment
Feel safely bold,
Enter into a relationship with the inanimate.

11:11

Experience sentimentality with themselves and fall in love with their own lives and moments.
It makes them feel seen and witnessed -> considered: This was made for you. For this moment. The moment of discovery.

They feel special.

It helps people feel seen
The expression or sentiment of “I am here on purpose.”
I am here in purpose.
It creates confidence.

Article FAQs generated by AI:
1. What is a taste-maker? And what are the traits of a taste-maker?
A taste-maker is someone whose personal style, opinions, or aesthetic preferences influence what others perceive as desirable, beautiful, or valuable—often before the mainstream catches on. They are early adopters or curators who shape culture, trends, and public opinion through their choices and creative direction. They usually have an innate ability to sense what's next, curate what feels resonant, and communicate it in a way that others want to emulate or experience.

Traits of a taste-maker include:

• Curates across disciplines (music, fashion, art, etc.)

• Trusts their instinct before trends are proven

• Makes people feel something through style or design

• Often multi-hyphenate or generalist in skills and focus

• Creates a signature world or feeling others want to enter.

2. What makes a generalist particularly well-suited to being a taste-maker?
A generalist is often someone who sees patterns across disciplines, connects dots others might miss, and synthesizes information from a wide array of sources. These are the exact capacities that make for powerful taste-making: the ability to draw from multiple references, cultures, eras, or styles and arrange them into something cohesive and compelling. Rather than being bound to one niche or tradition, a generalist can shape taste that is nuanced, layered, and unexpected, often feeling both innovative and deeply familiar.

3. How does taste translate into tangible value for others—and how might someone charge for it?
Taste, when applied intentionally, becomes a transformative service: it shifts how others see themselves, their environments, or their brand. As the post suggests, good taste can make people feel seen, elevated, confident, and inspired. This is valuable across industries, from styling and branding to hospitality, publishing, and even product design. The key is articulating the outcome their taste creates (e.g. clarity, confidence, resonance) and charging in proportion to that impact.