12 saint francis magazine | spring 2025 Ten years ago, Shane Starr (BA ’00) stood at the crossroads of his career with a major decision to make. He knows he made the right choice, but at the time it wasn’t easy. Starr had reached an elite level in the advertising world. He was working as a creative director at GSD&M in Austin, Texas, handling national clients such as L.L.Bean, Walgreens, Chipotle and Marshalls. National agency. Coveted brands. Escalating demands. “I’ve been fortunate to learn from some really, really smart people,” Starr said. After seven years in Austin, however, family ties beckoned. Starr and his wife, Erin, are both from the Fort Wayne area. They had embraced parenthood— they now have four children—and their extended families were back in Indiana. Starr could stay on the advertising track—the sky was the limit. But that would come with a cost. “Working as a creative in a big agency of record is great. There’s no better place to learn, because you’re being pushed every day. You’re competing with other teams who are at the top of their game,” he said. “But that nonstop pace is tough to maintain with a family—nights, weekends, and lots of travel. I love advertising, but I knew it couldn’t be my long-term plan.” Fortunately, Starr’s skills were ample and his options extensive. He joined One Lucky Guitar in Fort Wayne as a creative strategist and worked there for seven years before deciding to branch out on his own as an independent creative director and brand strategist. Working independently has made it possible for him to serve clients across the country while working from home. “We homeschool, so it’s nice to be around when everyone is home during the day,” Starr said, referring to his desire to spend time with children Eleanor, Maya, Andrew and Lucy. Starr now works primarily with nonprofits and startups, helping organizations connect with their audiences and build brands that inspire. Some of his clients include CatholicVote, Illinois Right to Life, Run with Saints, Last Day Music, Catholic Gigs and the National Catholic Bioethics Center. “I take everything I’ve learned at places like GSD&M in helping to build these big, well-known national brands and apply that to organizations that don’t necessarily have access to big agencies,” he said. “I help organizations tell their story more effectively, in a way that resonates with their audience and evolves.” Starr also serves as a member of the board of Chesterton Academy of St. Scholastica, a classical high school in the Catholic tradition, where the Starrs’ oldest daughter studies as one of the school’s first students. “Our diocese is already blessed with great Catholic schools,” he said. “We’re excited to offer families another option that’s classical in nature, with small class sizes, minimal technology and a focus on critical thinking and fine arts. We launched this year with 15 students in grades 9 through 12. When fully established, the school will be limited to around 80 students.” Chesterton Academy of St. Scholastica is fully accredited, and part of a nationwide network of classical schools whose graduates are sought after by top colleges. Starr, who grew up in DeKalb County, chose to study art at Saint Francis for two primary reasons: his mother, who also studied at Saint Francis, had inspired a love of art in him from a young age, and faculty members Rick Cartwright, Maurice “Maury” Papier and Alan Nauts drew him in with their charisma and expertise. “It was fun being around people who were driven and talented and trying to make great art,” he said. “I have found that creativity, branding and design are just things that I love doing,” Starr said. “I’ve never tired of it, and it never feels like work. I feel like I’m doing my most important work. It’s an honor to be able to make a difference for causes I believe in.” After spending much of his career in the ad agency world, Shane Starr now runs his own small, independent brand studio, helping clients build compelling brands and tell their stories more effectively. Photography by Jeffrey Crane (BA ’97) 12 saint francis magazine | spring 2025
