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.

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, 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.

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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.

It started over a burrito, and now here they are...

This week, Josh sits down with Alex Wier and Daniel Stewart, Creative Director and Studio Director of Wier/Stewart in Augusta, Georgia to catch up.

You can follow them on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why they decided to open an agency together.
• What they love about design and branding.
• Where Wier/Stewart is today. 
• Good and bad clients.

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

Joseph Kalinowski, better known as JK, began his career in Cleveland by cutting his teeth in production and printing. Later in life, at a PTA bowling event, he struck up a conversation with the owner of Content Marketing Institute, Joe Pulizzi, which led to his role as creative director for CM. When he’s not searching for the latest Star Wars action figures he’s busy at work planning for the next Content Marketing World.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His background
• Content Marketing Institute
• His design hero
• His favorite action figures

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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.

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 paid 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
• What makes a good client
• Being an author

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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. He 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 

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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 most obsessed with 

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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.

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

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

In this episode, I sat down with Amy and Jennifer Hood. These two are not only brilliant creatives and founders of a branding firm, they're also twins. You can follow their agency on Twitter here. In this episode, we discuss:

• How they collaborate with their team.
• The importance of producing their own products.
• How their team opens up recurring revenue opportunities.

You can find show notes on our website at ObsessedShow.com.

Von Glitschka (or "Vonster" on Twitter) is revered by brand designers around the country as one of the brightest in the industry. He has worked with everyone from some of the largest brands in the world to small tech startups in the Pacific Northwest. In our chat, we discussed:

• What it's like working with such a diverse client base.
• How he does brand research, allowing him to "learn a new industry every 30 days."
• Where he finds his design inspiration.
• How he utilizes process to get the best results for his clients.

You can find show notes on our website at ObsessedShow.com.

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

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

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.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

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.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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. Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

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.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

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.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Don't call it a rebroadcast. In this episode, I sit down with one of my most popular guests for a second time.

In this episode, I talk to Prescott Perez-Fox. Prescott is well-known for his creative work, especially in the realm of package design. You can follow him on Twitter here and subscribe to his podcast here.

You can find show notes on our website at ObsessedShow.com.

Matt is the CEO and Founder of Verge, a tech startup community throughout the Midwest. He's also the host of the Powderkeg Podcast, a podcast focused on helping startups learn from established entrepreneurs.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His early beginnings in the Orr Fellowship
• His failed attempts at a startup
• How Verge was never supposed to be a business
• His lessons learned from the inventor of voicemail

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

This episode is a bit different. In the spirit of the holidays, with a new year approaching, Josh sat down with himself to do a little reflection on the year that was. In this episode, he discusses:

• #ObsessedChallenge on Instagram - A side-project he's working on to re-ignite his creativity. 
• How he got into design and started his own branding agency.
• His inspiration and influences throughout his early career.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Aaron Draplin is a graphic designer, author, and founder of his own design studio, Draplin Design Co. Because of his incredible, inspiring work with some of the world's best brands, you've probably seen him on a million videos and podcasts already. That's why we went out of our way to find some fresh stories and fresh perspectives on his design career.

You can follow his design studio on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The grind of his speaking schedule and book promotion tour
• What he's learned in the last five years of his career
• Why he's chosen to keep his agency small and nimble when he could easily grow

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Based in Brooklyn, Douglas never intended to go to college. Today, he's the author of Creative Strategy and the Business of Design and he teaches online courses on design and business strategy.

During our interview, we talk about his book, his educational series, and how he went from not intending to go to college to educating college kids himself.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His inspiration for his book.
• How he started a digital department at his first agency.
• What he's most obsessed with now.

You can get show notes at ObsessedShow.com.

James White, the founder of Signalnoise, is a visual artist, designer and speaker living in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. He makes posters, prints and all kinds of cool stuff. He is, among other things, obsessed with the 80's and visual synthwave art.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His origins,
• The importance of drawing,
• His current setup, and
• How he finds some of his best clients.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Khoi Vinh is a graphic designer, blogger, and former Design Director for The New York Times, where he worked from January 2006 until July 2010. Fast Company named Vinh one of "The 50 Most Influential Designers in America" in September 2011. Today, he is the Principal Designer at Adobe, Design Chair of Wildcard, and co-founder of Kidpost.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Julian Stubbs is an international brand strategist and has worked with brand and identity projects for clients such as Stockholm, where he was involved with creating the positioning of the city as The Capital of Scandinavia. His book Wish You Were Here documents this work as well as the issues involved in major place branding projects.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His decision to launch a "cloud-based" agency.
• How his agency continues to succeed with zero employees.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Lauren Hom is a California-born, formerly Brooklyn-based designer and letterer who's currently traveling the world. Known for her bright color palettes and playful letterforms, Lauren has created work for clients like Starbucks, Google, AT&T, YouTube and TIME Magazine.

You can follow her on Instagram here.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

After our last discussion with Brian Collins, Chief Creative Officer of COLLINS, we couldn't wait to have him on again. Brian is our first ever repeat guest and this episode is full of fun stories, great advice, and more than a few name drops.

Brian Collins is one of the world's leading voices in branding. He is a former professor and international speaker, and today he runs his own branding shop, COLLINS, which has worked with brands such as Coca Cola, Spotify, and FourSquare.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Joseph Szala is a restaurant brand strategist and the host of the design podcast Grits + Grids. We interviewed Joseph awhile back, and we liked him so much that Josh decided to go on his show and share his scariest client horror stories, just in time for Halloween.

Please, go follow Grits + Grids on Twitter and subscribe to them in iTunes! It's a great podcast for designers of all skill levels.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

We recorded this episode with Samuel a few months ago, but he just released a new line of bags in partnership with the J2 Collection, so we figured we would give him a plug and run back one of our favorite interviews.

You can purchase one of his bags below...

http://thej2collection.com/t/brame

Today, Samuel E Vázquez wears many hats. He is an artist, a designer, and an educator, to name a few. In the early days, however, he was known by a different name - "Brame," his graffiti tag. Today, his art has evolved past the street and into some of the most recognizable spots in the Midwest. His work has lived in the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and the NCAA Hall of Champions.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Samuel's path from Puerto Rico to New York City and, eventually, to Indianapolis.
• His view on "street art," and why he rebels against the word "graffiti."
• How a week-long suspension in high school set him on the path to becoming a widely-respected artist.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

Ken and Jenn Visocky O'Grady are designers, educators, speakers, and co-authors of the book The Information Design Handbook.

Jenn is an Associate Professor at Cleveland State University. Her design work has been recognized in numerous international publications, including Print and HOW magazines, and several books.

Ken is an Assistant Professor at Kent State University. He has won numerous awards in international design competitions. His work has also appeared in several books, and was featured in HOW magazine's Business of Design Annual.

You can follow them on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Jenn's work with the AIGA "Get Out The Vote" campaign
• Their work within books.
• Their client work.
• Their best tips and advice for design students.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Brian Collins is one of the world's leading voices in branding. He is a former professor and international speaker, and today he runs his own branding shop, COLLINS, which has worked with brands such as Coca Cola, Spotify, and FourSquare.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His origins.
• How to win every major award.
• One of the original brands to cut through the clutter.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Stephan Ango is the co-founder and Head of Product at Lumi, a Los Angeles-based company that provides packaging for online brands. He also is the host of the Well Made podcast, and has interviewed several of the same guests as our show.

 You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Cardboard
• Logistics
• Charles and Ray Eames

You can get show notes at ObsessedShow.com.