In our AI-infused world, it seems as if every meeting comes with a transcript, a lengthy torrent of words that all too often is a chronicle of boredom and misunderstanding. A Sunnyside neighbor who used to work in tech is now helping to spare companies and employees from that kind of wasteful torture, one magic marker, one sense of empathy and one cartoon at a time.
Williams left a career in user experience design to become what’s called a graphic recorder — an artist who distills meetings into illustrations and graphics in real time to help work teams prioritize and clarify their discussions. He’s confident that the company he founded, Seltzer Party Studios, will not only survive but will thrive even as artificial intelligence becomes more ubiquitous.
“I act as a filter,” Williams said: hearing what’s being said, digesting what it means to him and translating it into a visual metaphor or writing it out. “That pipeline of thought to action takes practice.” And it calls for the kinds of skill, humor and understanding that are hard for an AI bot to replicate.
From cartoons to graphic recording
In a way, Williams has been preparing for this work his whole life. As a 10-year-old, he wanted to be a daily newspaper cartoonist. But the industry was shrinking even by the time he graduated high school. Still, the dream stayed with him, even as he transitioned to user experience (UX) design after graduating college with a fine arts degree. Williams spent the next 15 years in UX.
The pandemic drove Williams to return to visual storytelling. He wanted to approach his work in user experience as an artist, but that’s not what he was paid to do.
He wondered how to shift careers without losing the benefit of his experience or financial stability his job brought. A friend who had moved from graphic recording to user experience pointed him back to her old field.
From forum to full-time
Research led Williams to the International Forum of Visual Practitioners (IFVP) and its 2021 conference, where he felt immediately at home.
Through connections he made at the conference, Williams began his first volunteer practice gigs as a graphic recorder. He honed his skills by graphic recording during podcasts, meetups and live presentations.
In 2023, Williams left his job to focus full-time on graphic recording and related projects, such as a graphic novel he has in the works. He officially launched Seltzer Party Studios in July 2024. The company primarily works for healthcare or management consulting firms to translate complex ideas in group conversations into clear, engaging visuals as the discussions are happening.
Human connection in a world of AI
Paul Williams at work, translating group discussions into hand-drawn visuals that capture both ideas and the energy of the room — something AI tools can’t replicate. Credit: Kelly Williams.
Emerging AI tools promise to generate similar mind maps based on transcripts of live meetings. But as someone who has long worked at the intersection of art and technology, Williams doesn’t fear artificial intelligence. He believes that even a system that can organize a high volume of information can’t interpret it through the lens of lived experience. Others in his profession agree.
While in the short term we’re adjusting to the reality of AI, Williams said, over the long term, “the value of the human experience is going to be more and more premium.” He likens it to receiving a handwritten note instead of a form email or forest bathing with others instead of watching influencer videos of a forest.
Williams, who was recently elected to the IFVP board, is looking to help more organizations see what he calls the “commercial value in live, hand-drawn material created by a human hand, synthesized by a human mind.”
He added that participants in meetings he’s recorded have told him that the visuals improve the teams’ comprehension, collaboration and consistency. While little research has been done on any cognitive effects from this relatively new field — which dates back to consultants in 1970s San Francisco — a 2023 study of cooperative learning with visual thinking tools found a link between their use and a greater number of ideas generated, greater empathy and better attention to different viewpoints.
Valleys and peaks
When Williams launched Seltzer Party, he thought the most challenging part would be the management side of the business, including paperwork. Marketing turned out to be tougher. “It can feel personal,” he said. “You’re putting yourself out there. If you’re not able to describe or sell your product, it’s not just someone else’s business — it’s something you care about and it feels like a part of yourself.”
During these lows, Williams leans on a friend who’s also an artist, a financial expert who keeps him focused, and his wife, who cheers him on.
A stay-at-home dad, Williams finds that his kids are some of his best mood-boosters. They inspire him: His 9-year-old daughter draws manga-style characters, and his 13-year-old son pitches and holds him accountable for creative projects such as Halloween costume designs. Williams echoes advice from a graphic artist he admires: make things your kids think are cool.
“They used to have no idea what I did,” he said. “Now when they ask, I say, ‘I’m an artist — I make drawings for people.’ And they’re proud.”
Paul Williams at work in his Sunnyside home studio, where support from his family helps him navigate the highs and lows of running his own business. Credit: Reiko Yoo Yanagi (reikoimages@gmail.com)
Lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs:
Find a professional organization that fosters community: Even before Williams became such an active member in IFVP, he was getting encouragement and learning practical tips from peers, including using bags on his hips to manage the many markers he uses while working.
When you hit a rough patch, find others who can relate and those who can support: “People who start businesses go through this chasm where it can get desperate when you’re trying to get the word out. Find other people going through the same thing. I [also] have a team of supportive people.”
Don’t buy the myth: “I don’t think running a business is as different as people think from having any other job. You need a team because we’re social people. And the myth of success — those world-changing businesses — those things happen day by day. Even Jeff Bezos. You’re stringing together days. Every day, try to do something that adds to what you’re working on. That’s the only way to build anything: one brick at a time.
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Call (347) 633-5590.
Email Paul@Seltzerparty.com.