Obsessed Show (Josh Miles)

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.

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.

In this episode, I sat down with Mark Palmer. Mark is an architect who has helped design dozens of buildings and public places, but more impressively, he's created multiple side projects designed to better society. We talked about:

• How he uses design to affect good in society.
• His side projects and their societal impact.
• What it's like to see people inhabiting something that you designed.
  

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

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 we're featuring my friend Steven Tyler's new show... no, different Steven Tyler... anyhow, it's called, "Know Indy." I think you're gonna dig it.

Aaron Scamihorn (AKA: Ronlewhorn) is an Indianapolis based artist. He has created artwork for musicians including Cake, Mayor Hawthorn and Bayside, and is known for his unique style of screen print portraits. In this episode, Aaron talks about what it was like to be raised by two artist parents, how he found his way to screen printing, and what drives him to create.

Check out Aaron’s work at http://www.ronlewhorn.com/

And be sure to subscribe to Know Indy over at: https://www.knowindy.com/

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.

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.

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.

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

• 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.

Today on Obsessed With Design I'm chatting with Andrea Orrego, Architect, founder, and CEO of Atelier. Her mission is to expand the horizon of Design and make it reachable in every community in the world.

Subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher // iheartradio // SoundCloud // Google Play // Spotify

"Jolby" isn't a celebrity couple, it's a design studio committed to collaboration and solving complex problems. Josh and Colby are the co-founders of Jolby & Friends.

You can follow them on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How they found their way into the design profession.
• The beginnings of Jolby & Friends, and how they went from a t-shirt company to a full-blown design studio.
• Their creative process and how they build a culture of collaboration for both their team and their clients.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

An interaction designer and recent graduate of University of Washington, Natalie Lew is passionate about the intersections of design and philosophy. Her interdisciplinary background in design has been the inspiration behind her Adobe Creative Residency project. 

Subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher // iheartradio // SoundCloud // Spotify

As a co-founder of Modern Dog Design Co, Robynne Raye has a lot of familiarity designing for big brands. Modern Dog is an internationally acclaimed design studio that creates imaginative, bold and playful design in interactive and print medias. Current and past clients include the Seattle Aquarium, Swatch, Coca-Cola, K2 Snowboards, HarperCollins, and Nordstrom. In this episode, we talk about:

• How Robynne got started in design (and starting her own company).
• How Robynne and her partner landed K2 as one of their first clients.
• Her career teaching design.

You can follow them on Twitter here. Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Today on the Obsessed Show Podcast, I'm chatting with the co-founders of O'Kelly + Kasprack Architecture, Belinda O'Kelly & David Kasprack

From tacos to motorcycles, to the proper pronunciation of Versailles, this is a widely-ranging conversation from two architecture firm principals. 

If you'd like to help support the show, you can check out our new page on Patreon over at https://patreon.com/joshmiles - even a few bucks an episode would make a huge difference. Thank you for checking that out!

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.

You can follow them on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why they decided to open an agency together.
• Their approach on design and branding.
• Why they inject their personality so heavily into every video they produce.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

One of our all-time most popular guests, Kristian Andersen, from venture studio, High Alpha, returns for a follow-up conversation. Kristian and I talk about the role of design in powering the most crucial decisions about how to make and launch new companies.

Subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher // iheartradio // SoundCloud // Google Play // Spotify

Paula has worn many hats throughout her career. Today, she's working on some incredibly cool projects. Get a sneak peek in this interview!

Mentioned in this episode: 

• Paula's Wikipedia Page
• Pentagram
• Paula's TED Talk
• Shake Shack Rebrand
• Snap Kitchen
• BQX
• High Line

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

Jude writes for Slate, Fast Company, Design Observer, and now she's doing some awesome work with the AIGA. Right now, she's working on a project that covers the best podcasts in the design world. This is a unique cast, because Jude actually interviews Josh! You can follow her on Twitter here.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

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'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 

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.

Today on Obsessed With Design I'm chatting with Michael Seum, vice president of design for Grohe. Regardless of the design challenge, Michael is driven to create meaningful experiences for end users. 

Subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher // iheartradio // SoundCloud // Google Play // Spotify

Randy attended Indiana University (I won’t hold it against him) and began the first decade of his career in Chicago. Eventually, he was led back to Indy and began working as a design partner for DeveloperTown. For lack of a better way of saying it, he’s completely obsessed with design. 

Mentioned in this episode: 

• Origin story
• DeveloperTown
• What makes great designers and clients

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

You may not know Kris, but you definitely know his work. He has been a storyboard artist for animated movies and TV shows for 20 years. Recently, he captured a lot of attention in the animation business as the Head of Story for Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and as a story artist for Open Season. Kris sat down with us recently to talk about his obsessions and what makes a great animated film work.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How he got his start in animation and story design.
• The background behind Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, a 5-year project that became a Hollywood blockbuster.
• His current obsessions and dream projects.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

And check out obsessedshow.com for all of today's show notes.

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 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.

Eric Kass - Funnel

I was fortunate enough to catch up with Eric at his home in Indianapolis. We're trying out some new audio gear for these in-person chats, so let us know what you think.

According to Eric's website, Funnel provides bespoke branding, identity & package design for artisanal food/beverage, boutique products, emerging technologies & artistic services from start-ups to large corporations & in-house design departments around the globe.

Subscribe on iTunes

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. 

As the founder of Vigor Branding and the blog, Grits and Grids, Joseph has found a home in branding for the food and beverage industry. His passion for great design and great food is evident in his blog, as well as our interview. You can follow them on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How his agency found the food industry and turned it into a specialty.
• The importance of finding your niche.
• The creation of his blog, Grits and Grids.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Andy Chen has a very interesting role. He works in the medical industry for a large, publicly-traded company. This company is so big, we're not even allowed to mention their name in the cast. Within this company, however, Andy is running a small, autonomous design team focused on building great user experiences through design. In this cast, we talked about:

• How he fell in love with design while working in the software space.
• What it's like to run a small design practice within a large, publicly-traded enterprise.
• How he designs processes and designed experiences that resonate with his base.

You can follow Andy on Twitter here and find show notes on our website at ObsessedShow.com.

This week on Obsessed Show, we've got architect and Vice President at PGAV Destinations, John Kasman. 

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 middle school Mackey Saturday’s mother told him he should pursue graphic design, but at the time he thought the art form was reserved for artistic “cheaters.” Later he would go onto to earn a degree in fine arts with a concentration in metalsmithing. After school he realized he could take art and turn it into something valuable and objective, which led him into design where he became the design principal at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Origin story
• Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv
• The best clients
• Design heroes

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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.

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.

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.

Paul Sahre started his path in design at Kent State University. After working in a few different agencies he realized as a lone wolf he should begin his own independent practice, Office of Paul Sahre.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Office of Paul Sahre
• Being married to a designer
• Designing book covers
• What he’s most obsessed with today

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

• 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.

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.

From Design Matters to 99% Invisible, and a few you may have never heard of, these are some of the design podcasts I'm most obsessed with right now.

If you're trying to connect with the best designers, architects, thinkers, and speakers in the design industry, there's no better way to get inside these professionals' heads than to catch them on tape. And while the guest can certainly make for a great episode, each of these hosts offer a unique take on the podcast format. So in the end, no matter your personal tastes, you're bound to love one of my favorite design podcasts.

Subscribe on iTunes. 

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.

As I say goodbye to my time at MilesHerndon and embark on a new adventure, it's fun to think back to how it all began. It’s always been easier for me to see ten years down the road than to know for sure what’s next. 

This is the story of where it all began. You can also find the print version on Medium.

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.

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.

Tad Carpenter is a designer, illustrator, and teacher based in Kansas City. Tad was lucky enough to grow up the son of two artists smack dab in the middle of the midwest. His father is an illustrator and has been a creative director for Hallmark Cards for nearly 40 years.

You merely adopted design. Tad was born in it, molded by it.

You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His upbringings in the design world.
• How his father influenced him early on.
• How Hallmark influences the design community in Kansas City.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

Special thanks to Wacom for sponsoring this episode of Obsessed Show. Wacom is pronounced “Wah,” like the Japanese word for harmony and “come” for computer, the Wacom Cintiq 16 creative pen display and accompanying Pro Pen 2 work in perfect harmony to give you the best in precision, control and ergonomic comfort. Use the code OBSESSED for 10% off the Cintiq 16 until November 30 at Wacom.com.

If you'd like to help support the show, you can check out our new page on Patreon over at https://patreon.com/joshmiles - even a few bucks an episode would make a huge difference. Thank you for checking that out!

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, Please enjoy my conversation with Gina DeDomenico Flanagan.

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/

Jason and I discuss his former role at the NEA, the role of creative placemaking, and how he is embarking on a journey to redesign the largest design school in the world. 

Subscribe on iTunes. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Born and raised a southerner, Christian discovered design during his final years at University of North Carolina. Following his design epiphany he headed to the Portfolio Center in Atlanta to brush up on the skills he needed to become an expert designer. After taking a brief stint for an internship with Pentagram in New York City, he headed down to Austin, fell in love with the city, and began his own agency, Helms Workshop.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Origin story
• Work in the beer industry 
• Internship with Michael Bierut
• Helms Workshop
• Proudest moment as a designer

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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.

Armin Vit has become an icon in the design community through his critiques on his blog, but he is also an incredible graphic designer in his own right. In this episode, Armin and I discuss:

• How Illustrator 88 led him to a career in design.
• How he and his wife run their blogs and international design conferences.
• How he manages to STILL do client work.

You can follow him on Twitter here. Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

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 with Design I'm chatting with Kelly Ellis, interior designer, professional speaker, and star of shows on HGTV, TLC, and Bravo.

Subscribe on iTunes // Stitcher // iheartradio // SoundCloud // Google Play // Spotify

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.

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. 

Scott Fuller - Studio Temporary

Episode 98 / Season Three

Subscribe to Obsessed With Design:

iTunes // Stitcher // iheartradio // SoundCloud // Spotify

Josh’s passion for design began as a kid doodling logos and brainstorming jingles on the piano for different brands. He didn’t realize graphic design was a career path until high school, when he took a class that taught him about 2D v. 3D design. After working for IBM and running his own business for eighteen years he would eventually become the first design producer in product at Twitter.

Mentioned in this episode: 

• Origin story
• Startnership
• Twitter
• Best professional moments

You can download this episode and subscribe on iTunes.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

Frontify is the software that all designers have thought about creating. Roger is one of the few who actually followed through on the idea. Frontify is a company that focuses on brand management with a Software-as-a-Service business model. Their software helps you easily create brand style guides, design workflows, and visual collaboration projects.

In his role as founder and CTO, Roger is passionate about the design, code, and UX of the end product. You can follow him on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The challenges of creating your first startup.
• The benefits of being in Switzerland.
• How FIFA impacts their office culture.

You can get show notes at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Christopher Stuart is an artist and designer based in Carmel, IN.  His personal work explores the area between art and design, challenging the idea of function.  He received his BFA in Furniture Design from Herron School of Art & Design. Chris is also the founder and principal of LUUR, a transdisciplinary design studio and brand, and author of DIY Furniture 1 & DIY Furniture 2, published by Laurence King.

You can follow his studio on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• His origin story as a designer.
• How he defines "transdisciplinary," and why he chose to build a transdisciplinary design studio.
• His newest obsession, furniture design, and why he loves the DIY furniture movement.

Show notes are available at ObsessedShow.com.

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.

89 - Best of Design Podcasters, Part I

Tips from Chris Do, Stephan Ango, Prescott Perez-Fox, and Matt Hunckler

Subscribe via iTunes and visit ObsessedShow.com for show notes.

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.

Nick Ace from branding agency, Collins, talks about his ghostly origins and doing time for posting stickers... and of course, a few of his latest obsessions. Be sure to subscribe here, but also check out ObsessedShow.com to subscribe anywhere you listen to audio podcasts.

This week on Obsessed Show we've got more video over at youtube.com/joshmiles

And check out obsessedshow.com for all of today's show notes.

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.

In this episode, I sat down with Eric Kass, a self-proclaimed "Fine Commercial Artisan."   You can follow him on Twitter here. We discussed:

• His career path and how he discovered his passion for branding.
• Why he calls his business a "practice" instead of an agency or firm.
• How he finds, collects, and catalogs ephemera to spur his creativity.

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

Giorgia Lupi and Stefanie Posavec are both renowned designers with a penchant for visualizing data. This passion turned a pen-pal project into a full-fledged book, Dear Data.

For a year, they exchanged postcards weekly, cataloging their lives using different kinds of data. Some days, they counted the number of doors they walked through. Other days, they recorded their level of indecision. Regardless of the data they collected, they would visualize it differently in each postcard. Dear Data is a collection of these "slow data transmissions," with some color commentary sprinkled in.

You can follow them on Twitter here.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How they got their start in design.
• What inspired their book.
• What aspects of design and data they're most obsessed with.

You can get show notes at ObsessedShow.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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.