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2025 Cut/Paste Publication Feature

Bri Heu ’15 never thought of herself as a business person until she understood, “Business is actually creative, and creative is actually business.” This insight has guided her from her beginnings in St. Paul to a thriving career in brand strategy, and more recently ownership of a new Brooklyn pizza shop that has garnered rave reviews.

Throughout her childhood Heu moved frequently, never feeling a deep connection to any one place. It wasn’t until a college recruiter introduced her to communications and advertising that Heu started to see where she belonged—as an entrepreneurial studies major within an art and design school. Her decision to attend 51���Ϲ��� wasn’t easy, particularly when it came to the financial risk and not knowing anyone in a creative career. But her mother encouraged her: “It’s SO you!” This vote of confidence from an immigrant parent made a lasting impact, she explained.

At 51���Ϲ��� Heu looked up to faculty giants, like Nancy Rice ’70, who helped open her eyes to career possibilities. Upon graduation, Heu made the bold decision to move to Portland, Oregon, sight unseen, to join a top creative agency. Despite the discomfort of living with a complete stranger in a less-than-ideal neighborhood with no friends, Heu had made the right decision; she developed a deep love for brand strategy.

One year later, Heu was laid off, but rose to the occasion by using her severance to move to New York. Once there, “I networked my butt off,” Heu recalls. That hustle paid off. She found herself working at some of the most respected creative and branding agencies, collaborating with major companies, including Steve Madden, Walmart, and Coca-Cola. The key to her success was knowing how to collaborate with designers, who can help shape the brand’s vision. Today, she is thriving as a strategy director at Farrynheight in New York, where she is not only building a career, but also enjoying the role of coaching others.

Within the last two years, she and her boyfriend opened La Flor, a popular pizza shop in Brooklyn. Heu turned to her 51���Ϲ��� network, enlisting the help of fellow alumni, including Frank Mondragon ’16, to contribute design to the project. The result is a true collaboration with her 51���Ϲ��� family.

One of Heu’s professors, Boriana Strzok ’08, once told her, “In your career, you should always be uncomfortable.” Heu took those words to heart. But building community along the way matters too. Her unexpected school spirit, having once felt disconnected, has been a moving force behind her success.