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:

• Design Cuts

• Honest Designer Show

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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.

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.

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!

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.

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

• Herb Lubalin
• Erik Marinovich
• Matt Chase
• James T. Edmonson
• Elmer Stefan

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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.

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

• Matt Stevens Design
• Facebook Brand Storybook
• JJ's Red Hots Brand Identity
• Nike Project
• The Rookie Handbook

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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.

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

• Marc Hemeon
• ShawnaX
• James White
• Dann Petty
• Dan Cassaro
• Simon Walker
• Nick Slater

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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.

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

• Pentagram
• Harley-Davidson Museum
• Needle and Button kiosk

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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.

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

• CMYKaren.com
• Jerry Kalback
• Karen's Instagram

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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.

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.

Mentioned in This Episode

• JPConnelly
• Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party
• Bill Nye Saves The World
• The Kids Are Alright
• 19th Annual Art Director's Guild Awards

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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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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

• Berger & Fohr
• Ello

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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.

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

• Thirst
• Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt, National Design Award for Communication Design
• Society of Typographic Arts
• Columbus Art District
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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.

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

• AIA
• FXFOWLE
• Passive House Design
• AIA Convention 2017
• AIA New York

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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.

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.

Mentioned in This Episode

• University of Cincinnati Graphic Design Program
• Pentagram
• Design Observer
• Helvetica
• Massimo Vignelli
• Bob Gill
• The worst logo designs in the world

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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.

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

• David Carson's work with Apple
• The End of Print
• Ray Gun Magazine

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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.

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:

• Little Jacket
• Open Doors Academy
• SpaceX
• Tesla
• Elon Musk

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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.

Kristian Andersen

Febuary 6, 2017

Designer, Founder, Investor

Kristian is currently a co-founder and partner at High Alpha - a Venture Studio that conceives, launches and scales enterprise technology companies. Prior to High Alpha, he founded Studio Science - a leading design + innovation consultancy that works with high-growth technology companies.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How his design firm launched a startup studio.
• His experience launching multiple tech startups. 
• His perspective on the current state of startup technology, and where it's headed.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• DK New Media
• Marketing Tech Blog
• High Alpha
• Studio Science
• Gravity Ventures
• Kristian on Twitter

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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.

Jonathan Hess

January 30, 2017

"Rock Star Architect"

Jonathan Hess is a Principal and the President of Browning Day. Many landmarks in the city of Indianapolis are a testament to his ability to translate clients’ vision into one of a kind innovative design solutions that exceed expectations and stand the test of time. He is recognized for his design work on the International Orangutan Center at the Indianapolis Zoo, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and additions to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His experience becoming a professional architect.
• His work on an amazing orangutan exhibit at the Indianapolis Zoo.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf
• Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center
• Eiteljorg Museum
• Indianapolis Museum of Art

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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.

Tim Hickle

January 23, 2017

Author of The Future-Proof Marketing Playbook

Tim Hickle is an author, marketer, and a singer of very silly songs. For the past two years, he's been leading our digital marketing efforts at MilesHerndon, as well as producing this podcast. After a year's worth of podcasts, we look back at some of our favorite episodes, learn about his new book, and sing some silly songs. Tim writes about personal storytelling and its impact on your personal brand. To stay up with his thoughts, you can sign up for his free email course here. 

You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Producing the Obsessed With Design podcast, including lessons he's learned and his favorite episodes.

• His book, and his best digital marketing advice.

• The MilesHerndon hold music, which he recorded.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• The Future-Proof Marketing Playbook

• PERQ

• Verge

• Matt Hunckler

• Samuel E. Vazquez

• MilesHerndon Hold Music

• The Lean Startup

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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.

Sean Higgins & Nicholas Rezabek - AKA "Higgins and Rez"

January 16, 2017

Co-Founders of The Bubble Process

In 2006, Sean and Nicholas set out on a mission. They wanted to create their dream jobs, because no one else had created it for them. That's when they started The Bubble Project, a two-man design and illustration firm built on this foundation: good food, good music, good time.

You can follow them on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How they got their start in design.
• How they develop their ideas and aesthetic.
• Their most recent projects.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• The Bubble Process
• Iron & Wine

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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.