Obsessed Show

SOLOPRENEUR OG Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting in person with one of my best friends of all time, Torrey Dawley. This is my second in-person interview in a row, as well as another amazing creative professional from Indianapolis. Torrey started his own brand and design business back in 2006 called Sandpaper Studio. Today he's scaling down client work with the aim of helping others harness the power of solopreneurship. Torrey and I discuss the early challenges we both faced with scaling our businesses, the decision to go solo, and ways other solopreneurs can thrive. Without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Torrey Dawley. Mentioned in this episode: https://www.duffy.com/ https://twitter.com/torreydawley https://www.torreydawley.com/ https://www.sandpaperstudio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/torreydawley/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/torrey-dawley-0bb3673/

Today on Obsessed Show we have a long-overdue part II episode with my friend, Sam Vázquez. You may remember Sam from Episode 15 of the show. Seven years later, we're catching up with Sam about his work in graphic design, fine art, music, and now, teaching. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Sam Vázquez.   (I was trying a new thing on this episode, recording in-person with a multi-camera setup… If you tune into the YouTube version you'll notice my camera dies after the first few minutes, but fortunately, Sam's camera carried the weight.)

Today on Obsessed Show, I'm excited to chat with the Principal Designer of Focus Lighting, Brett Andersen. Focus Lighting is an award-winning professional architectural lighting design firm located in New York City. The Focus Lighting team's creative process is informed by a combined experience in theater, architecture, and design and they create lighting design solutions for hotels, resorts, retail, restaurants, museums, nightclubs, offices, and private residences around the world. I'm excited to learn more about Brett's role in the firm, and to chat with the first-ever lighting designer on the show… So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Brett Andersen

Today on Obsessed Show, I'm excited to chat with the CEO and Co-owner of Mancini Duffy, Bill Mandara, Jr, AIA. If that firm sounds familiar, it's probably because we interviewed the other co-owner and “anti-architect” Christian Giordano & Jessica Mann Amato. I'm excited to learn more about Bill's role in the firm, a massive project they're working on in the heart of Times Square, and his music. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Bill Mandara Jr., AIA.

CARLOS MUSQUEZ, EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, CATALYST MARKETING AGENCY Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with  Carlos Musquez, Executive Creative Director at Catalyst Marketing Agency bringing his brand of creative excellence to the B2B branding space, something that is near and dear to my heart…  You may remember Carlos from episode 143, when Carlos was the Executive Creative Director of ELA. Since then a lot has changed… we're going to catch up on what's new, what's the same, and what he's looking forward to next. So without further ado, please enjoy this second conversation with Carlos Musquez.

On January 13th, 2018 at 8:08 am, an alert was issued to the 1.4 million citizens of Hawai'i, ‍BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Today on Obsessed Show, I'm excited to chat with the creative team behind the immersive and creative new VR film, “On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World).” On the Morning You Wake uses innovative documentary storytelling and virtual production techniques to viscerally recreate the lived experiences of people who, for 38 minutes, had to react and make impossible decisions in the face of nuclear violence. Steve Jamison is an Emmy Award-winning, BAFTA-nominated Director-Producer, and the co-founder of London production company Archer's Mark., and Co-Director and Cowriter of the Morning you Wake… Michaela Ternasky-Holland is the Emmy, Webby, and Sheffield Doc/Fest award-winning storyteller and Impact Producer for the film… Lovely Umayam is the founder and chief creative producer for Bombshelltoe, an arts collective pushing for an active exploration of arts, culture, and history to promote nuclear nonproliferation, arms control, and disarmament and impact fellow for the film. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with the creative team from On the Morning You Wake.

Fredrik Öst & Erik Kockum Today on Obsessed Show, I'm excited to chat with the founders of creative agency, SNASK, Fredrik Öst & Erik Kockum. "Freddie" was adopted from South Korea and raised in Northern Sweden after being found outside a police station. Erik is a confused and misunderstood misfit genius who believes that the feeling of freedom and allowance of making mistakes is the key to creativity. Today we're going to talk about how they formed SNASK 14 years ago, in the face of conventional wisdom, and the meaning behind their mantra – "Make Enemies & Gain Fans." So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with SNASK. #snask #branding #designpodcast If you prefer audio, you can find all of the places to tune in at: https://kite.link/obsessed

Today on Obsessed Show, I'm excited to chat with the president and co-owner of NYC tech-first architecture and design firm Mancini Duffy, Christian Giordano and co-owner and design principal, Jessica Mann-Amato. Christian has dubbed himself and his podcast "The Anti-Architect" and I'm excited to dig into that statement alone…and learn more about the 105-year-old firm. Drawing inspiration from some of the tech-forward companies Mancini works with—like Peloton, Disney, and Soho House—Christian and Jessica focus on technologies that propel the world of design forward. Mancini launched the Design Lab, which brings together designers, technologists, and clients to leverage VR, 3D Printing, Drones, Generative Design, and AI to break barriers limiting traditional design capabilities. I'm excited to chat with them about how they recalibrated and modernized Mancini, sparking industry-wide change. Infusing Technology into all Facets of the Design Process The Creation of their software, The Toolbelt, and its impact on the industry AND the Future of Workplace Design So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Christian Giordano and Jessica Mann-Amato.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with interior designer, writer, and TV personality, Kimberley Seldon. Based in Los Angeles and Toronto, she founded Kimberley Seldon Design Group in 1991. Kimberley is also the Founder of Business of Design - an online learning platform for independent designers, as well as a recurring on-air design expert for Cityline, previous Host on the HGTV series Design for Living with Kimberley Seldon. As you may well be aware, a new trend emerged in 2020 amidst the pandemic - RV travel. #Vanlife on Instagram passed 7 million in 2020, and has continued to rise to over 10 million in 2021. What's more, an October 2020 survey reported that total RV shipments increased 21.4% year-over-year. And we're going to talk with Kimberley about her new interest in designing for #vanlife… I mean, I'd really like one myself… So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Kimberley Seldon.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with the founders of modern home furnishings and design brand, Blu Dot: John Christakos & Maurice Blanks. Based in Minneapolis, Blu Dot has 12 locations across the US (with new stores in Miami, San Francisco, and more on the way). You may know Blu Dot from their gorgeous mod pieces that are all over Instagram, or if you're like me and don't have a Blu Dot location in your backyard, Blu Dot may occasionally grace your mailbox with a catalog. In 2020 and 2021 their focus became updating the home office for continued work from home and the need for flexible indoor/outdoor social spaces. Today we're going to be chatting with John & Maurice about how they've continued to innovate and push their design forward in the last two years, meeting these new demands without sacrificing the integrity of their products, so without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with John Christakos & Maurice Blanks.

Today on Obsessed Show, we're continuing an unexpected trend of interviewing another lead singer. Today I'm chatting with A/J Jackson; songwriter, director, and perhaps best known as the lead singer of the international platinum-selling rock band Saint Motel… they've played Coachella and toured with Imagine Dragons, but imagine my surprise that their song “just my type” has nothing to do with typography. A/J is also the founder of AVIEW, a new sunglasses brand, and the role color theory plays in his product line. I'm excited to explore the thread from film to songwriting, to launching a product.  So without further ado, here's my conversation with A/J Jackson. ::::: Today's episode is brought to you by The Perfect Match—a game where designers submit mood boards created with Adobe Stock assets and earn the chance to play on a live game show to win big. As designers, we pitch great ideas through visuals, all day, every day. But how well does our design communicate? Do clients and higher-ups really understand the work we put in front of them? Well, let's find out. Test your skills by assembling a brand-inspired mood board with Adobe Stock images to The Perfect Match, and if your skillful project is chosen, you could be featured on Adobe's monthly live streaming game show with other groovy designers, art directors, and creatives, where the winner goes home with $750. It's free to participate in The Perfect Match, and just submitting an entry gets you a coffee for your time. Visit https://theperfectmatch.co/obsessed to learn more, and get ready to bring your design skills to win. Thanks Again to The Perfect Match for sponsoring today's episode.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm honored to be chatting with John Flansburgh, ½ of the dynamic duo that is They Might Be Giants. As you can only imagine my response when I received the email… “Hey, this is John F. from TMBG, and we'd like to share our Book with you in hopes that we can figure out a chat on your podcast.” Well spoiler alert, I was pretty excited to make that happen. Of course I said yes! Like I, many of you may know them from songs such as Istanbul (Not Constantinople), I Palindrome I, Particle Man, Birdhouse in your Soul, or even the theme song to Malcolm in the Middle… but today we're talking to John about their latest project. Their new book & album, which is fittingly entitled, “BOOK,” is a collaboration between the band, past Obsessed Show guest and Designer Paul Sahre, and photographer Brian Karlsson. I was lucky enough to get a preview copy a few days ago, and as I understand, this is only one of two copies of this gorgeous book that exists… so far! I'm excited to learn more about John, the book, and They Might be Giants. So without further ado, here's my conversation with John Flansburgh.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with industrial designer, Vikkal Parikh. Influenced by his unique background in architecture, Vikkal has spearheaded breathtaking, mixed media narratives for some of the world's top-tier brands. These include the likes of Facebook, Adidas, HBO, Microsoft, White Castle, and more. With the increasing surge in animation due to the limitations and inaccessibility of live-action filming, he predicts that COVID may have signaled the end of what he calls "hipster content" -- expensively produced imagery designed with an ironically bad or archaic aesthetic -- and the return of more character and storytelling-driven compositions. He's most excited about the potential for the tight integration of real-time CG with live-action. In his free time, Vikkal can be found playing for the Hoboken Cricket Club, goofing around with his three kids, and listening to some high-energy Bollywood music. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Vikkal Parikh.

We're back with Vigor Branding principal, host of the Forktales podcast, and author of the new book, The Bullhearted Brand, Joseph Szala. If you're a long-time listener, you may recall Joseph from all the way back in season one. Today we talk about his latest evolutions, including how the Grits & Grids podcast led to his new show, Forktales, and what led his to launch his latest book, The Bullhearted Brand on Kickstarter. So without further ado, please enjoy the latest conversation with Joseph Szala.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with greeting card designer and founder of the Kate Smith Company… you guessed it, Kate Smith. According to her website, Kate and her husband Ryan launched their first company, From Frank, together in 2012. We quickly grew the line of 50 greeting cards into a full-fledged character brand — which we won't spoil all the details in the introduction. In 2018, they decided to expand their repertoire of fart jokes and created Kate Smith Company — making From Frank the official animal arm, or paw if you will, of the brand.  But that's not all… Kate was the very first intern candidate I ever met with in my first business, so we've got some catching up to do. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Kate Smith.

Today on Obsessed Show, we've got a special treat. This episode is supported by Wireframe, a podcast all about creativity and design. I checked out an episode of Wireframe, and today I get to share this episode with you in its entirety. Like our show, Wireframe is a show made for creative professionals: graphic designers, UX designers, illustrators, and typographers. Wireframe is hosted by Khoi Vinh, Principal Designer at Adobe and one of Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business. Today's episode touches on the small world of design, through the lens of package design. We'll go from Adobe, to Twitter, to iPhone boxes, to olive oil, and our old friend Stefan Ango, who joined us for season One of Obsessed Show. So without further ado, please enjoy this full season 4, episode four, of Wireframe. Search for Wireframe in your podcast app (like the one you're using right now). We'll also include a link in the show notes. My thanks again to Wireframe for their support.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with industrial designer, Neil Ferrier. Neil Ferrier (who previously worked in advanced product development at Oakley) is a mechanical engineer by degree and the owner of industrial design firm DISCOMMON, which specializes in left of center bespoke goods. Aside from reinventing classic accessories like impact protectant watch wallets made with space-grade foam that hardens upon impact, to fully machined aluminum whisky tumblers, Neil's company was responsible for securing a Boeing cargo plane to land in Hong Kong, pick up millions of PPE masks and deliver them to the healthcare system in South Carolina. His portfolio of projects ranges in both scale and industry; he's designing custom Air Jordans in collaboration with BOA and The Shoe Surgeon one day, and building portable iPhone-powered ultrasound carrying cases + accessories the next. Dynamic is an understatement. As a fan of Jordan 1, I'm curious to hear more about these and other projects, and of course, to get to know Neil better. Okay kids, all the way from Greenville, SC, please welcome, Neil Ferrier.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with the founders of Artifox, Dan and Sarah Mirth. You may know Artifox from their Instagram drool-worthy workspace furniture and clever artifacts, perfect for a world where so many of us are struggling to find inspiration, while working from home. According to their website, Artifox was born from their founders’ needs for a desk that was both aesthetically pleasing and provided a more functional and efficient work environment. And it turns out, they weren’t alone. If you aren’t familiar with their products, you should definitely check them out, because they are gorgeous.  I’m curious to hear more about their company and what’s next for them, so without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Dan and Sarah Mirth.

Theron Skees—Designer’s Creative Studio Nate Naversen—Themedattraction.com Jason Surrell—Author Josh Polk Lecturer, Department of Computer Information & Graphics Technology Chris Rogers, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Computer Information & Graphics Technology

No, not that Snowden… also, we’ve had a ton of snowfall at Obsessed Show HQ this week… coincidentally, not that “snowed-in” either. #dadjoke Eric Snowden is driving the future of mobile creativity by leading a global team of designers to bring to life powerful new tools like Illustrator on the iPad. I’m curious to hear why he believes mobility is the key to the future of design, as well as his perspective on where mobile is headed for professional and amateur creatives alike. I’m very curious about this topic of bringing our core design tools to our mobile devices, so without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Eric Snowden.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with co-founder of Handsome, John Roescher. John Roescher is a former military vet who started the company because of a passion for the potential of the internet to explore new ideas and make connections - a similar urge that originally led him to join the military right out of high school. Once COVID hit, though they had worked with major global brands, they had somewhat lost that love. Looking down the barrel of the pandemic and on the verge of closing, he made the hard choice to tear Handsome down and rebuild from scratch, culminating in a complete rebrand and restructuring, embracing the weirdness he loves about the web. He brought on R/GA veteran Jennifer Allen as COO to help lead the change. The resulting success was reflected not only in his renewed love for the digital but growth even during the pandemic: We’re going to dig into John’s story of 2020, and more, so without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with John Roescher. Okay kids, all the way from Austin, Texas, please welcome John Roescher.

Today on Obsessed Show we've got our first ever (I mean, I think it's the first-ever... once you're past 150 episodes, you have the right to forget stuff) - so I THINK it's the first-ever letterpress designer and printer, and his name is James Lewis Tucker. You guys may not know this, but I got my start with very print-oriented design roles, and I've had the pleasure of producing a few letterpress projects, and it's just one of my favorite design touches. Today we're gonna nerd out with James about all things letterpress, and why we might still be thinking about letterpress going into 2021. Side note: I was (strangely) about to lose my voice during this recording, so apologies in advance for when my voice gets all wonky. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with James Lewis Tucker.

Prescott Perez-Fox is an art director, brand strategist, speaker, podcaster, and teacher, recently transplanted to Phoenix, AZ. Now a Lecturer at Arizona State University, he brings his knowledge, passion, and a few hard-fought lessons to the next generation of multidisciplinary designers. In addition to his brand-focused design work, Prescott is the founder and host of The Busy Creator Podcast, a popular discussion show dedicated to creative productivity, workflow, culture, and technology. He speaks at workshops and conferences on topics relating to creativity and workplace dynamics, and regularly consults with agencies and teams on improving their practice and work systems. Prescott completed his BS in Mechanical Engineering at Drexel University before heading to England's University for the Creative Arts for an MA in Graphic Communication. Prescott is also the founder of the NYC Podcast Meetup, an avid swing dancer, and veteran rugby player. Without further ado, please welcome our third conversation with Prescott Perez-Fox.

Valerie Aurilio, General Manager, and Phyllis Murphy, Executive Creative Director Today on Obsessed Show it's a two for one sale... I'm chatting with Valerie Aurilio, General Manager at Landor & Fitch, and Phyllis Murphy, Executive Creative Director, at Landor & Fitch. If you're doing any design work in the branding space, there's very little chance you haven't heard of Landor, and as we record today on the evening of November 3... spoiler alert, we didn't know who won yet. But Valerie and Phyllis are literally branding America’s future. Together, they are leading a partnership with the America 250 Foundation to execute a multi-year campaign that builds Americans’ awareness and understanding of the nation’s 250thanniversary in 2026. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Valerie Aurilio and Phyllis Murphy.

Throughout his career, Gomez has regularly shifted between live-action, animation and graphic design, cross-pollinating between the mediums to inform his design aesthetic with outside influences. While it may be common practice in the design space to stick to one lane and perfect a given discipline, Jose has found the most growth as an artist by switching it up. He's worked for some impressive clients such Gatorade, HBO, Mountain Dew, Ford, Adidas, Slack, Mercedes, Cleveland Cavaliers and AT&T. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Jose Gomez.

Howard has a unique design point of view. Over the past 25 years, he has served scores of Fortune 500 companies, including Pfizer, CVS/Caremark, Hewlett Packard, Motorola, and SAP, by leveraging the concept of simplicity to activate customers and employees. He challenges design teams across the world to bring humanity to brands. You could say Howard was born to design. Maybe we'll dig into that story in a moment.  After founding a NYC-based design company at the age of 28, which was purchased by Omnicom in 2001, Howard joined Siegel+Gale in 2004. Since then he’s brought simplicity, a global perspective and systems thinking to designing brand programs for some of the largest companies on the planet. As many of you may know, I'm a total branding geek at heart, so I'm incredibly excited to chat with Howard about the future of branding, and to learn more about Siegel+Gale.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with Illustrator & Package Designer, Abraham Lule. Born and raised in Mexico, Abraham Lule describes his body of illustration, typography and packaging work as design with a human touch. His spectrum of skills is flexible and ever-changing, bringing a truly unique crafted flair that is undeniable in his work. He has worked for clients such as Facebook, Capitol Records, Jose Cuervo, and Diageo. He is also a Typography Excellence Medallist and the Type Directors Club recently chose him to be an Ascender. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Abraham Lule.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with Ben Solomon, Creative Director of Conran Design Group U.S. Ben brings over a decade of brand-building experience to the Conran team. From full identity development, socialization, and activation, Ben has helped brands develop their own unique, impactful expressions. Prior to joining Conran, Ben was a Creative Director with Interbrand Health in New York and a Design Director with Interbrand in Shanghai. Ben holds a BA from Lehigh University and an MS from Pratt Institute. Ben and I are going to dig into his story and talk about branding in the healthcare and wellness branding space. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Ben Solomon.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with Pinar Guvenc Managing Partner of SOUR studio, which stands for Social + Urban. She and her company have helped companies like Twitter, Google, P&G, Lego, Mercedes-Benz, the UN and many others solve problems through the power of workshops. SOUR is the recently rebranded name of the former Eray/Carbajo, an international award-winning architecture and design firm. We talk to lots of graphic designers and creative directors in the commercial design and ad world, so I'm excited to chat with someone on the architectural side today. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Pinar Guvenc.

Show I'm chatting with Jonathan Courtney, the CEO & Founder of one of the most well-known innovation agencies in the world, AJ&Smart, and author of the Workshopper Playbook. He and his company have helped companies like Twitter, Google, P&G, Lego, Mercedes-Benz, the UN and many others solve problems through the power of workshops. So here to tell us about his secret to better design projects, and his journey from the classical agency to AJ& Smart, please enjoy this conversation with Jonathan Courtney.

Today on Obsessed Show we have a bit of a part two, with just one of the co-hosts of the Biz Buds podcast, Michael Janda Mike Janda on the line, who is not only the co-host of the Biz Buds Podcast, but is also a coach, and the author of Burn Your Portfolio and The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing. So without further ado, please enjoy this part two conversation with Mike Janda: Thank you to Yellow Images for sponsoring today’s episode: https://bit.ly/obsessed30    More on Yellow Images: Hey guys, I’m really excited to share with you our latest sponsor, Yellow images. There are a ton of places on the web right now to find ready-to-use solutions, but let me tell you why I’m excited to be the first to introduce you to Yellow Images: It's the number-one marketplace with more than 40 thousand premium mockups, fonts, 360 images, and a ton of other graphic assets to make your job EASIER. Not to mention all of the textures, patterns, presets, and UX/UI kits…  But there are two things I’m REALLY excited about. #1 are their mockups… you know how some clients are “I’ll believe it when I see it?” Well, Yellow Images mockups are high resolution with great lighting and shadows that will really help you sell your latest design or branding pitch, by helping your clients really see what it’s going to look like.  #2 is, Yellow isn’t just here to provide you with amazing assets... They want to help you out too. If you are seeking to create some passive income, become an Author, put your work up for sale at Yellow Images, and start getting paid for your own mockups, Images 360, and fonts!   Lastly, like any good podcast sponsor, Yellow Images has come through with a great offer. Get the discount now, https://bit.ly/obsessed30, use my promo OBSESSED to get a 30% discount on your purchase. Don’t miss out! These coupons are limited, so first come, first served. Become an Author! Make your artistic talent work for you. Do what you love, put up your work for sale at Yellow Images, and convert your skills and connections into a monetary value https://bit.ly/osauthors So head over to yellow images.com today and show them some love. I think you’re gonna dig what they’re up to. 

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with the co-hosts of the Biz Buds podcast, Tom Ross and Mike Janda For those of you long time listeners, Tom Ross may sound familiar, because he's amongst the small number of guests who have been on the show more than once, and today is #3 for Mr. Ross, who is a coach & cheerleader for creative entrepreneurs and the CEO of Design Cuts, and incredibly popular Design Inspiration site with digital resources for designers. And he's also one of the hosts of the Honest Designer's Podcast who we featured two years ago on our list of the best design podcasts. And we also have Mike Janda on the line, who is not only the co-host of the Biz Buds Podcast, but is also a coach, and the author of Burn Your Portfolio and The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Tom Ross and Mike Janda: ::::: This episode is sponsored by the new season of Wireframe, from Adobe XD. ::::: If you’re listening to Obsessed Show, there’s a pretty great chance that you love design and technology too, so I think you’re really going to dig Wireframe. It’s a show about how UX can help technology fit our lives. You may remember when I interviewed Khoi Vinh, Senior Director of Design at Adobe a few years back. Well, Khoi is one smart dude, and he’s the host of Wireframe. This season, Wireframe digs into how the pandemic has changed our habits and lives, and how design intersects with these changes. I got a sneak preview into a few upcoming episodes, and I loved how they were digging into real-life design issues, like why can’t dad unmute himself on Zoom, and how COVID-19 is changing how designers think and solve problems. Also, they’re going to be featuring design leaders who have built UX and UI experiences for companies like Headspace, Patreon, Kickstarter, and more... So check it out! Search for Wireframe in your favorite podcast app. Subscribe here: https://link.chtbl.com/wireframe?sid=podcast.obsessedshow  Thanks again to Wireframe from Adobe XD for sponsoring today’s episode. Mentioned in today’s episode: Subscribe to Wireframe here: https://link.chtbl.com/wireframe?sid=podcast.obsessedshow  Tom’s first episode of Obsessed Show: https://www.obsessedshow.com/episodes/tom-ross-part-one Part II: https://www.obsessedshow.com/episodes/tom-ross-design-cuts-episode2 https://www.instagram.com/tomrossmedia/ https://mailchi.mp/842e03392c0a/ultimateguidetoniching https://www.designcuts.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/biz-buds/id1496156524 https://www.instagram.com/morejanda/ http://michaeljanda.com/

Today on Obsessed Show, we're chatting with Brett Zucker. ::::: This episode is brought to you by Yellow Images. ::::: Brett Zucker, CMO of Monotype shares how brands can best champion creativity to navigate and succeed during and coming out of a crisis. Specializing in design, tech and expertise, Monotype has helped strategize branding for Southwest Airlines, Alibaba, Google, Dominos and many others. • How a creative identity will better equip brands for the shift from shareholder value to social value • Why investing in branding and advertising is needed now—especially for those brands deemed outside of “essential goods” categories like auto and beauty  • The power of design and visual communication in authentically building brand trust as we look at what comes next

Today's episode is brought to you by the new season of Wireframe, from Adobe XD. Be sure to subscribe to Wireframe here: https://link.chtbl.com/wireframe?sid=podcast.obsessedshow 

Today on Obsessed Show we’re chatting with Carlos Musquez. ::::: This episode is brought to you by Yellow Images. ::::: Carlos Musquez, Executive Creative Director of ELA, is the creative lead for the agency. His deep agency roots at Omnicom under Alcone Marketing, saw him developing and designing best-in-class campaigns for major brands such as The California Lottery, Warner Music Group, Nestle, Logitech, LG Mobile, eBay, Sony, Diageo, and Coca-Cola to name a few. Carlos lives by the philosophy that an idea is only as good as its execution, and passion and craft are what turn good ideas into award-winning ideas.  His work has been recognized by the Addy’s, Creativity, Effie’s, New York Festivals, Communication Arts, Art Director’s Club, and the Clio’s. In his free time, Carlos extends his love of craft to the world of homebrewing, crafting ales, and designing labels. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Carlos Musquez.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with Daniel Scrivner, CEO at Flow. Investor at Blackletter. Creative Director at Made by Scrivner. Daniel was previously the Head of Design at Digit and Square. He's worked for some of the most respected brands in the world including Apple, Nike, Disney, and Target. Daniel advises world-class teams at companies like LendingHome, Empower, TrustToken, Designer Fund, and Notation Capital. He’s an early-stage investor in businesses like Superhuman, MixMax, Notion, Good Eggs, Burrow, Madison Reed, Stance, Almanac Brewing, and many more. He's a designer turned CEO, investor, and creative director... and I can't wait to dig into all of those roles. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Daniel Scrivner. Not sponsored, but… Daniel offered 25% off their first year with Flow – on any plan (monthly or annual). Sign up for free at https://www.getflow.com/ObsessedShow and use promo code OBSESSED to get 25% off when you subscribe.

Join the Obsessed Show Community here: https://apple.co/3d3rr5x Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with Steffen Christiansen, creative director at design and experience agency, Jam3. Steffen was born and raised in Denmark and is currently based in Toronto. He specializes in Digital Products & Experiences, as well as Branding & Illustration across all platforms. Steffen strongly believes Great work should always be well made, have that human touch, and hopefully, make you smile. So without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with Steffen Christiansen.

Today on Obsessed Show I’m chatting with Jessie McGuire. Jessie McGuire is the Managing Director at brand design studio ThoughtMatter, leading a team of artists, writers and strategists to create daring designs and identities for everything from art museums, communities and brands to a range of institutions and organizations. She has been integral in shaping the purpose and creative vision of ThoughtMatter, spearheading projects and campaigns that reflect the agency’s culture and mission, including protest posters for the 2017 Women’s March, a modern redesign of the U.S. Constitution and the recently launched For The People docuseries. Jessie has also worked to raise awareness and support for socially progressive causes such as March for Our Lives, Girls Write Now and The Joyful Heart Foundation as well as on community-minded projects for The New-York Historical Society, Downtown Staten Island and The Center for Arts Education. Jessie holds a BFA in Communications Design and Advertising Art Direction from Pratt Institute and a MPS in Branding from The School of Visual Arts. Before joining ThoughtMatter, she managed and worked on projects for billion-dollar brands owned by Kimberly-Clark, P&G and Colgate Palmolive. In addition, Jessie formerly served as the Advocacy Chair on the board of directors of the New York chapter of AIGA, and is a regular speaker at conferences across NYC. When Jessie is not designing, she can be found running in Brooklyn—alone, in a race or after her two kids.

Eric Thoelke, President, TOKY Eric Thoelke (pronounced “toky”) brings more than 30 years of real-world experience in brand strategy and design of complex projects. Eric is responsible for leading a team of designers and brand strategists who create new names and visual brand identities, design print and online experiences, and solve branding challenges. His work has been recognized by Communication Arts magazine, won platinum and gold awards in Graphis, has been featured in design annuals from the AIGA, the Type Directors Club, Print magazine, HOW magazine, Brand New, and many others. Eric has served as a judge for design competitions across the country, including the Communication Arts Design Annual, and has presented ideas on design and culture at conferences from San Diego to Pittsburgh. Eric was selected as one of St. Louis Magazine’s “Great Minds” of St. Louis, and a “Buzz List” recipient from ALIVE magazine for co-founding the Midtown Alley Design District. Eric is a co-founder of St. Louis Design Week and co-led it for its first two years.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with principal consultant at Illig, Ed Illig.   Ed is a Marketing & Brand Design Strategist + Outsourced Fractional Marketing Lead | Problem solver, revenue driver, creative leader, experience creator, strategist, marketer, integrator, designer, inventor, thinker, writer, director, illustrator, producteer, adventurer. Dreamer.   SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, Please enjoy my conversation with Ed Illig.

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with co-founder and creative partner of Oh Hello Design Co., Sara Seal. Sara has over a decade of experience creating and cultivating both boutique and large-scale brands. She’s passionate about making strong, authentic voices heard above the crowd and wants her work to empower others to pursue their biggest dreams. According to their website, Oh, Hello Design Co.’s purpose is to reverse the negativity in this world, and help to encourage you that you matter and what you have to contribute to this world is valuable. We're going to talk about Oh Hello Design Co's focus on their purpose, and how they help woman-owned small businesses. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, Please enjoy my conversation with Sara Seal.

Designer & tinkerer-in-chief at Humphreys Studio John rebuilt the South African camping chair using argentine leather and pecan, featured in GQ and sold at Neiman Marcus. John also does custom projects and helped in the building of intelligentsia coffee in Austin and the newest shop from the Intelligentsia legacy called The Meteor. John grew up in a small town in Texas and learned woodwork in design while traveling through the US and South America.  So without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with John Humphreys.

Anna Brozek was recently named CEO of Big Cartel, the leading independent platform that's helped enable more than 1 million artists and makers sell over $3 billion of their work directly to consumers via easy to open online shops. Since its inception in 2005, the independently run company has been instrumental in empowering talented artisans to do what they love. Anna and I discuss her roots of owning an indie record shop with her husband, and her rise to the C-suite. This is an inspiring conversation for anyone who’s dreamed of working their way to the top with an amazing company. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Anna Brozek.

On today’s episode, I chat with John Benzick, who has provided innovation expertise to Procter & Gamble, McDonald's, Best Buy, The Hershey Company, Arm & Hammer, LensCrafters, Chase Manhattan Bank, Kimberly Clark, S.C. Johnson, Water Pik, Philip Morris International, Outback Steakhouse and other companies. Today he uses his powers to coach would-be entrepreneurs through the launch of their own products. If you’ve ever dreamed of joining the ranks of Shepard Fairey and Aaron Draplin in the quest to launch your own product, this episode is for you. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with John Benzick.

Heidi Luerra is the Founder & CEO of RAW Artists, the world’s largest independent arts organization. Over the past decade, Heidi has grown RAW to a worldwide operation in over 80 cities with almost 200k artists in the RAW community.  She's publishing her first book "The Work of Art" this September. "The Work of Art" covers topics from personal branding, budgeting, and mental health, to guidance on clearing the hurdles that come forth as you rise to steady success. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Heidi Luerra.

David is a high-functioning eccentric who thinks in stories, speaks in aphorisms and wields a passion for storytelling that’s unorthodox approaching idiosyncratic. Hired at Google as a 22-year old, David held an objectively unjustifiable amount of power. He built a content team at Google Maps and established a global production strategy that covered the Canadian Arctic, Taj Mahal, and Pyramids at Giza. Then he left to turn his side project, a wedding video company named Bokeh, into a marketing agency. David now develops campaign strategies and content for brands like Google, Instagram, Airbnb, WeWork, DoorDash, Visa and more. David is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz, and currently lives in San Francisco. So without further ado, please enjoy this interview with David Bates.

99designs may be a controversial guest to some listeners, but we connected with their CEO, Patrick Llewellyn, all the way from Australia to talk about their latest research report, Design Without Borders.  You can learn more about the report here: https://99designs.com/design-without-borders And without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with Patrick Llewellyn. 

Today on Obsessed Show we're finally airing a conversation for last fall with Abby Downing, Partner & Creative Director at The Superfan Company. The Superfan Company works with top entertainers, musicians, and brands to create programs and products to engage their superfans. From VIP packages at concerts, to limited edition products, to collectible album packages. Their clients span from Mumford & Sons and Ace Comic Con to Jimmy Buffett. So without further ado, please enjoy this conversation with Abby Downing. 

Aaron's specialty is communications and visual experimentation — he brings a shot of humanity to otherwise cold tech experiences, and helps folks get to know and love tech a little more. Aaron's work has been featured at the Saatchi&Saatchi New Directors Showcase and the MoMA’s archive for The Art and Technique of the American Commercial. He was named a top 10 director by CreativityOnline, featured in the Adweek Creative 100 and was named number one in Business Insider’s 30 most creative in advertising under 30.

Although he went to school to be an industrial designer, Aaron fell in love with photography, and later founded PHLEARN, an online photoshop, lightroom, and photography platform to bring free, creative education to anyone around the world.    SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, Please enjoy my conversation with Aaron Nace.    

Today on Obsessed Show I'm chatting with photographer, video producer, and author, Marc Silber, of Silber Studios.   His new best selling book is one that I wish I would have already written, called Create: Tools from Seriously Talented People to Unleash Your Creative Life   SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, Please enjoy my conversation with Marc Silber.