Obsessed Show – Details, episodes & analysis

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.