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5 of the World’s Best Female Designers Share Their Advice

Today we’ll hear from Paula Scher, Debbie Millman, Amy & Jennifer Hood, Robynne Raye, and Danielle Evans. Let me know if you like these kinds of episodes, and if so, we might do more of them.

So without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with 5 of the world’s best designers.

“What conversations could I have forever and never get bored?” This was the question that I asked myself constantly as I developed the concept for my new podcast, Obsessed With Design. From the time I heard my first podcast—ironically enough, Design Matters with Debbie Millman, a woman I would later interview for my own podcast—I knew I wanted to host my own someday. The tricky part was figuring out my subject matter.

That’s when I looked inward. I spent the past 14 years running a branding agency in Indianapolis, and the idea of talking to the world’s best design minds across multiple disciplines was fascinating to me. I wanted to get inside their heads and figure out what makes them tick.

Still in its infancy, my podcast has allowed me to interview dozens of great designers, including several of the most influential female designers in the world. Surprisingly, this wasn’t intentional. I didn’t go out of my way to find the best women in the industry. I didn’t even think about how I could get a mix of men and women. I just wanted to talk to the best designers I could, and it turned out that many of them were great, talented women.

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Val Head

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Val Head

July 31, 2017

74 - Val Head - Design Evangelist of UX Innovation for Adobe

Val Head is a design evangelist of UX innovation for Adobe. Check her out on her website, newsletter and twitter @VLH.

Val Head launched into design when her rock band was in need of a website. Quickly, she realized how much she liked web design and that it payed the bills. From there she put her rocker past behind her and began her career in design.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Her origin story 
  • Adobe
  • Adobe XD
  • Being an author

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

ADOBE EXPERIENCE DESIGN (XD) RESOURCES:

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

 

 

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Maurice Cherry

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Maurice Cherry

July 24, 2017

73 - Maurice Cherry - FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL OF LUNCH

Maurice Cherry is the founder and principal of Lunch in Atlanta, Georgia. Check him out on his website, Twitter @mauricecherry, Tumbler and Linkedin

Maurice began coding at an early age and with every new technology he refined his skill. Captain of the math team turned designer, his passion for design grew in college when he began freelancing web design for miscellaneous clients. After working for the State of Georgia and a few start-ups he decided it was time to create his own company, Lunch.  

In this episode, we discuss:

  • His story
  • Lunch
  • What makes a great client
  • Revision Path 

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Chris Do

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Chris Do

July 17, 2017

72 - CHRIS DO - FOUNDER AND CEO OF BLIND 

Chris Do is the Founder and CEO of Blind, in Santa Monica, California. Check him out on Twitter @theChrisDo , Instagram @thechrisdo, and Facebook Chris Do: Business Designer

In high school Chris was known as, "the guy that can draw anything."  In the 80s he worked at a silkscreen shop where he was introduced to graphic design. From there, he found his "calling" and entered into a four year art program and would later start his agency in 1995, Blind.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • The Futur
  • Blind
  • What makes great clients and bad clients 
  • What he's most obsessed with 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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Tom Ross Part 1

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Tom Ross Part 1

July 10, 2017

71 - TOM ROSS - FOUNDER AND CEO OF DESIGN CUTS

Tom Ross is the founder and CEO of Design Cuts in London, England. Check him out on Instagram @tomrossmedia.

By the time Tom was twelve he had already begun to dabble in the realm of graphic design. He entered his designs into online contest where he began to make a name for himself. After what he calls his “right of passage,” he found an amazing community of designers from all different backgrounds and formed his company, Design Cuts.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • His story 
  • Starting Design Cuts 
  • Honest Designers Show 
  • What he most obsessed with today

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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Brad Flowers

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Brad Flowers

July 3, 2017

70 - BRAD FLOWERS - CO-FOUNDER OF BULLHORN

Brad Flowers is the Co-founder of Bullhorn in Lexington, Kentucky. Check him out on Twitter or email him at brad@bullhorncreative.com.

Before Brad discovered branding he discovered the power of reading. As a teenager he became an avid reader which led to his degree in literature. From there, he went to manage a bicycle shop where his love for bikes grew into the formation of an agency, Bullhorn.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • How he became a writer
  • Starting Bullhorn
  • What makes a great client
  • What he's most obsessed with 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Bullhorn  

Broke Spoke

Elon Musk

Elon Musk Biography

Bike Lexington

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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Season Two - Coming Soon

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Season Two - Coming Soon

May 29, 2017

GET READY FOR SEASON TWO OF OBSESSED WITH DESIGN. 

Long-time listeners know that I interview designers of all types: architects, graphic designers, product designers, interior designers, process designers, and anyone with designer in their title, who are a little obsessed with their craft and industry. Our show explores the common threads that tie designers together, how they got started in the design world, and what makes them tick.

I've had the honor of interviewing some of the best in the business: Debbie Millman, Michael Bierut, David Carson, Paula Scher, and Armin Vit just to name a few. 

Tweet to @obsessedshow or @joshmiles and let us know who you'd like to hear on season two.

Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time!

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Michael Jefferson

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Michael Jefferson

May 22, 2017

MICHAEL JEFFERSON - DESIGN DIRECTOR

Michael Jefferson is a Design Director at Fjord, located in the Bay Area.

Michael found his love for design as a curious kid, being interested in making things and taking things apart, and photography. To quote Michael, he has an "engineering mindset without the math skills." Find out more about Michael and view his work on his website: www.earthtomj.com

In this episode, we discuss:

  • What does "service design" really mean? 
  • His favorite client challenges

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Fjord

Fjord Trends 2017

Living Services: Fjord

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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Chase Turberville

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Chase Turberville

May 15, 2017

CHASE TURBERVILLE - BRAND DESIGNER

Chase Turberville is a brand designer at Focus Lab in Savannah, Georgia. Check out his work on Dribble and Instagram.  

Chase discovered his love of design and branding as a teenager playing in a grunge cover band. From there, he began his official design career at Realtree, where he learned that anything can be wrapped in camo. He then spent time interning at Hatch Show Print and credits those three months as being some of the most transformative in his career. 

In this episode, we discuss:

  • How he got his start in the design world
  • What makes a great client
  • What he's most obsessed with today

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Focus Lab

SCAD

Creative South

Hatch Show Print

Kern and Burn

Sidecar

Song Exploder

CHASE'S DESIGN HEROES

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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Matt Stevens

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Matt Stevens

May 8, 2017

Creative Tinkerer

Matt Stevens is a designer, illustrator, speaker, and creative tinkerer from North Carolina. His work has been featured by the biggest names in sports, tech, and even fast food. Matt's biggest goal is always to do thoughtful and unforgettable work for amazing brands and make the whole process a pleasure. You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • How he got his start in a middle school logo design contest.
  • His experience working with big brands, and advice he'd give to young designers starting with big brands.
  • The importance of "side gigs" and how they have spurred his professional development.

Mentioned in this Episode

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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Amy and Jennifer Hood

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Amy and Jennifer Hood

April 24, 2017

Amy and Jennifer Hood - Founders of Hoodzpah

These two are not only brilliant creatives and founders of a branding firm, they're also twins.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Hoodzpah Design

Odds and Sods

Amy and Jennifer's CreativeMornings Talk

Creative South

Amy and Jennifer's Design Heroes

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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James Biber

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James Biber

April 10, 2017

Partner, Biber Architects

James Biber is an architect and partner in the firm Biber Architects, based in New York. James is responsible many of his firms most notable projects. 

Biber's most recent project is the USA Pavilion for Expo Milano 2015. Biber’s career has also included the design of the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, 2008; oceanfront houses in Montauk, NY; a restoration of the 1934 Sten-Frenke house in Santa Monica, by Richard Neutra; along with projects at Celebration, Florida; store, suites and lounges in the Arizona Cardinals Football Stadium (by Peter Eisenman) in Phoenix, Arizona; Headquarters for the Muzak corporation in Fort Mill, SC.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • His background
  • How he got into the world of architecture with a background in art in science
  • What he's most obsessed with today

Mentioned in This Episode

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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Karen Kurycki

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Karen Kurycki

April 3, 2017

AKA CMYKaren

Meet a woman who shows her true (water) colors through her activism...

Karen Kurycki is a designer/illustrator in Jacksonville, FL. Design is her passion and she loves to combine illustration with design in her commercial work. You can follow her on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Her attraction to water color
  • Why she loves water color as a medium
  • Some of her recent projects in the social activism space

Mentioned in This Episode

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Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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    James Connelly

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    James Connelly

    March 27, 2017

    Emmy-Award-Winning Set Designer, Founder of JPConnelly

    He's literally setting the stage for "Bill Nye Saves The World"

    James has worked as a production designer, art director, and set decorator since moving to Los Angeles from New Jersey after he graduated college in the early 2000's. He founded the creative design company JPConnelly at the age of 30, where he serves as the principal creative force and production designer.

    JPConnelly boasts an eclectic resume that includes 48 TV shows, 10 live awards events, nine feature films and 50+ digital integrations. In addition to work in the entertainment industry, JPConnelly also produces events and activations for companies like Twitter, Snapchat, and Dubsmash, where the company uses experiential production design and storytelling concepts and techniques to creative innovative environments.

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    Todd Berger & Lucian Föhr

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    Todd Berger & Lucian Föhr

    March 20, 2017

    Founders of Ello, Berger & Föhr

    Their social network, like this interview, is uncensored...

    Todd Berger & Lucian Föhr are the Founders of Berger & Föhr, a graphic design agency based out of Boulder, Colorado. They also recently started Ello, a social network designed to be censor-free. 

    Ello is the only network designed for creators, by creators. A robust and growing community of artists, designers, musicians, illustrators, photographers, architects, GIF makers - creators, who understand that our process, practice, values and passions can push the world forward in a better direction.

    Unlike the status quo advertising platforms that masquerade as social networks, Ello is not in business to harvest as much of your personal data and sell you as many ads as possible. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Ello has a legal mandate to never sell ads or personal data to third parties.

    In this episode, we discuss:

    • Their social network, Ello.
    • Why they have their agency on pause.
    • All of the challenges and joys of creating a product in the startup environment.

    Mentioned in This Episode

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    Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

    You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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    Rick Valicenti

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    Rick Valicenti

    March 13, 2017

    Founder and Design Director, Thirst

    He was big in the 90's...

    Rick Valicenti is the founder and design director of Thirst, a communication design practice providing design and immersive environments for high profile clients in the architectural, performing arts, and education communities.

    His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), resides in the permanent collections of the Yale and Columbia University libraries, Denver Art Museum, and the Art Institute of Chicago, and has been published in The New York Times.

    In this episode, we discuss:

    • How he got started in design.
    • Connecting the dots from seemingly unconnected details about his career, to where he his today.

    Mentioned in This Episode

    Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

    You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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    Guy Geier

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    Guy Geier

    March 6, 2017

    President-Elect, American Institute of Architects New York

    Guy Geier is the Managing Partner of FXFOWLE Architects and was recently elected President of the American Institute of Architects in New York. 

    In this episode, we discuss:

    • His views on the architecture industry.
    • How architects can create more value for themselves in the marketplace.
    • Architects' responsibilities in the industry.

    Mentioned in This Episode

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    Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

    You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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    Michael Bierut

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    Michael Bierut

    June 27, 2016

    Founder of Design Observer, Principal at Pentagram

    If you've paid attention to the world of design and advertising over the past 20 years, you have certainly seen Michael's work. You have undoubtedly read articles from him. You may have even watched a documentary that he was interviewed on. On this special episode of Obsessed With Design, Josh sits down with Michael to learn more about his life, his career, and his inspiration.

    You can follow him on Twitter here.

    In this episode, we discuss:

    • How he got his start in the world of design.
    • The founding of Pentagram, and what the world of Pentagram is like today.
    • His favorite projects and stories from the last 30 years.

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    David Carson

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    David Carson

    February 20, 2017

    Design Legend

    Meet the man whose aesthetic defined "Grunge Typography."

    David Carson is an American graphic designer, art director and surfer. He is best known for his innovative magazine design, and use of experimental typography.

    After you've listened to our interview, check out his Ted Talk

    In this episode, we:

    • Talk about his view on design today.
    • Unpack misconceptions around his career.

    Mentioned in This Episode

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    Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

    You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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    Ken Hejduk

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    Ken Hejduk

    April 4, 2016

    CEO, Little Jacket

    How can startups leverage great design and branding to spur faster growth?

    Ken's journey has been as interesting as it is eclectic. His career started in a restaurant, but soon ventured into design. Today, he runs Little Jacket, a brand consultancy that focuses on helping high-growth startups leverage great design to take their business to the next level.

    In this episode, we talk about:

    • How he got started as a snowboarding, screen printing designer.
    • Taking a business from printing band posters to doing more profitable design work.
    • Pivoting to a world of working with high-profile startups and high-growth companies.

    You can follow him on Twitter here.

    Mentioned in this Episode:

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    Our theme music is a track from Kazi Jo called, "Matchbox Girl."

    You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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