Conventional wisdom says there's no substitute for experience. True, as far as it goes. But the flipside of experience, of fully mastering the various tools and techniques of one's craft, is that inertia can creep in. That each job gets done the safe and sure way it's always been done.

Preston defies inertia.

Every day, Preston walks into his edit suite with a mission: to draw on the skills and knowledge he's gathered over his career and apply them to doing the job at hand—your job!—differently. In other words, to use his experience to work efficiently and productively while suffusing the work with a creative twist or tweak, with the next, the fresh, the untried thing. That's what keeps Preston so stoked. And his work so distinctive. And his clients so happy. After all, who wouldn't be happy with such above and beyond results.

Then again, don't think he'll add flourishes where they're not wanted or necessary. No, Preston's "other life" as the bass player for the band The Screaming Mimes has taught him the value of focused, collaborative creativity. Of keeping it fresh for the group, but making it fit for them, too. Funny, though, isn't it? That a bass player is so dedicated to seeing to it his work always hits the high notes.