JOSHUA TREE, CALIFORNIA
COACHING FOR PEOPLE WHO CREATE THINGS,
AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO
LEAD THEM
Over thirty years in creative operations leadership, creative direction, and commercial photography. All of it in spaces where relationship and transaction interact. Those two forces are vital to the work in most places, and destructive in others. That’s where I sit in my practice: between them, helping talented people parse the difference and move forward with ease and confidence.
ACCENTURE
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APPLE
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AMAZON
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AT&T
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BILLBOARD
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NARA/GRAMMYS
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NIKE
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PLAYBOY
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PLAYSTATION
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ROLLING STONE
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STITCH FIX
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TARGET
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TAYLOR SWIFT
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THE NORTH FACE
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TIMBERLAND
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TIME INC.
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TRI-STAR PICTURES
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UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP
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WALMART
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WARNER BROS. RECORDS
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ACCENTURE ● APPLE ● AMAZON ● AT&T ● BILLBOARD ● NARA/GRAMMYS ● NIKE ● PLAYBOY ● PLAYSTATION ● ROLLING STONE ● STITCH FIX ● TARGET ● TAYLOR SWIFT ● THE NORTH FACE ● TIMBERLAND ● TIME INC. ● TRI-STAR PICTURES ● UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ● WALMART ● WARNER BROS. RECORDS ●
MOJAVE DESERT, CALIFORNIA
WHO I WORK WITH
04
Creative Leaders
Not only the people who lead creative and production teams, but anyone building something that matters to more than just themselves.
01
Seasoned Creative Professionals Who Want to Level Up
Long careers, real craft, and probably even some awards ... and the private sense that there is another gear you haven’t found yet.
02
Professionals in Transition
From Freelance to Full-time. From Contributor to Leader. From Leader to Executive. Moves that don’t come with a clear map.
03
Teams, in Workshops and Offsites
A day or two of plain talk about how a group actually works, and what it’s spending energy avoiding.
A time and space held just for you. No charge, no pitch.
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL
IN THEIR WORDS
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“A creative heavy hitter with world-class street-smarts in the business, and a professional pedigree that speaks for itself. Any investment in Tony’s offerings is one you can be sure shall pay great dividends.”
Libero Antonio Di Zinno
Photographer, Director, Educator -
“Tony Baker’s counsel is simultaneously gentle and profound, challenging colleagues to reframe their thinking and address the questions beneath their questions. I endorse him without reservation.”
Everard Williams Jr.
Photo Chair, Art Center of Design, Pasadena -
“Working alongside Tony in both client and studio operations roles has been an exceptional experience. He demonstrated insightful critical thinking and leveraged his extensive hands-on experience to create substantial transformation.”
Andy Catterick
Accenture Song · Managing Director -
“He supported me through mentorship, truthful observation, and thoughtful questions about my goals, values, work, and hopes for the future.”
Bryan Call
Amazon · Creative Production -
“I was impressed by Tony’s leadership style from the moment I met him. I call it a Hollywood-heist-movie leader with a heart of gold approach. He’s meticulous, empathetic, and provides valuable clarity for his teams.”
Daniel Jester
Amazon · Creative Force -
“Tony has a wealth of knowledge about the industry. He’s one of the best in the business. One of the things I appreciate about him is his ability to open up space and really listen.”
Kelly Elaine Garthwaite
Red Bull · Photo Operations Lead
JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA
ABOUT
THE ONLY THING THAT EVER WORKED WAS GOING FIRST
My career started in commercial portraiture, where the job was to get strangers to drop their guard in minutes. That instinct followed me into corporate leadership at Amazon, Nike, and into agencies running creative production teams for client such as Apple, Walmart, and The North Face ... and now into the coaching space.
Celebrities, executives, athletes, leaders. All capable people, all very successful, often quietly uncertain. I learned to tell the difference between what holds up under pressure and what only looks like it does, and that the hard part is rarely the craft. It’s focus, flow and constantly navigating between relationships and transactions.
I live in the high-desert now. The work is simpler here, the answers stand-out more clearly. If that sounds useful or inviting, reach out.
“I had to show up fully as myself before I could ask anyone else to.”
books by tony
A collection of short, honest books. Each one a complete conversation on a single idea.
An extension of the same work. A bookshelf, not a system. Read in any order. Not self-help, not a framework.
AVAILABLE NOWAVAILABLE NOWAVAILABLE NOWAVAILABLE NOWAVAILABLE NOWAVAILABLE NOWNewsletter
NOTES BETWEEN BOOKS.
Short letters sent directly to you. A mix of my thoughts on creative work and leadership, what I’m reading, and whatever the high desert is doing that week. Sent only when there is something worth saying, and easy to leave whenever you please.
GET IN TOUCH
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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When clarity starts to slip. When you’re in a career transition, facing big decisions, feeling overwhelmed in a leadership role and facing burnout, or just sensing that your current pace or direction isn’t sustainable. A coach helps you step back, refocus, and move forward with alignment and Purpose. If you’re stuck, scattered, or simply ready for what’s next, it’s probably time.
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Broadly, leaders and creative professionals. Specifically, two kinds of client: high-capacity leaders and professionals in transition, those who are in-between roles, or realigning their core Values to navigate toward what’s next. Leaders in demanding roles who are burning out or feeling off-track. Both need the space and Clarity to reconnect with their innate, well-earned Wisdom.
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I don’t give generic advice or surface-level strategies. I help you re-center around your Values, Purpose, and unique voice, and we build outward from there. I coach the person, not the position. The goal isn’t to do more. It’s to do what matters most, with Clarity and consistency.
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Most clients work with me for six to twelve months. That’s enough time to build trust, identify what matters, and create lasting change. I do offer single sessions, but real transformation usually takes consistent, focused work over time.
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No. Coaching is not about treating mental health challenges. It’s about helping capable people gain steadier footing on where they are now, become aligned, and get to (or get back to) performing at their best. That said, many clients tell me coaching gives them mental and energetic space they didn’t know they needed.
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One of my favorite things to do is help organizations navigate change smoothly, peacefully, and with renewed energy in the right places. If you’re moving locations, building new facilities, or shifting between in-house and agency operations, I can make sure those changes are handled without disrupting the work that’s already running smoothly.
Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA
BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL
A time and space held just for you. No charge, no pitch.