Ottawa Design Club's Off Course event pairs creatives with honesty

Ottawa Design Club hosted an evening called Off Course that centred on the moments when life throws you somewhere completely different than planned — not in a "everything happens for a reason" way, but the real stuff: burnout, health scares, guilt, toxic workplaces, identity crises, and the weird in-between when you don't yet know what's next.

The event drew a mix of familiar faces and first-timers. By the end of the night, the room felt less like strangers and more like a community.

Rémi Thériault, founder of House of Common Studio, opened with a talk that was hilarious, emotional, and deeply human. His story revolved around life constantly rerouting him — from dreaming of California and a creative career, to falling in love, moving across the country, and returning to Ottawa to slowly build his studio. He spoke openly about burnout, mistakes, and the pressure of building a successful creative life while showing up properly for the people around you.

The moment that quieted the room came when Thériault shared a time someone called him a jerk. Instead of getting defensive, he sat in the discomfort. Throughout the talk, warmth and generosity threaded through difficult moments — creativity, community, family, growth, and the messy process of becoming better while life keeps changing.

Nini Noun, founder of With Nini, gave a talk that was funny, touching, chaotic, and deeply personal. Her story started with wanting to become a K-pop idol and unfolded from there. The room stayed engaged because both speakers refused to polish their stories into neat lessons — they just shared the real mess of uncertainty and kept going anyway.

Design Club events fill quickly; the room gets fuller each time. If you're a creative wrestling with what comes next, this is where that conversation lives in Ottawa.