Low-Key Legends

An audio buffet-style sampling of the three Low-Key Legends guests from March. This episode features our top lessons and takeaways from each interview. Focusing on the fundamentals of running a design studio, pricing your work, and pushing past creative block. This episode offers a little taste of a much longer episode that you can dive into whenever you have time. Get a feel and vibe for each of the guests. Chapters: 0:00:42 Pricing Web Design Work with Filippo Cipriani 00:39:20 Creating a Successful Business with Rachael Yaeger 00:55:41 Pushing Past Creative Block with Mario Šimić

Mario Šimić is a senior designer at BORNFIGHT STUDIO® a digital design studio in Croatia, crafting masterful websites and user interfaces. Mario went from an engineer to designing masterful websites, paying extreme detail to craft and interactivity. Mario shares his perspective on the power of side projects and how they help you evolve your taste and hard skills. Mario dives deep into how to break through creative block and making meaningful impactful designs, while pushing yourself and your team. Join us for this incredible Web Design Creative Crash Course with Mario Social: Instagram LinkedIn Twitter/X Dribbble BORNFIGHT STUDIO®

Sitting down with Rachael Yaeger to chat shop on all things Human and business. We explored what success means to Rachael and how it looks closer to walks in the woods than it does to fat stacks of cash. We discuss the roots of Human and Rachael's profound entrepreneurial spirit. We explore what makes Human's branding, design, and websites so unique, and how Human creates using an Ocean's 11 business model, expanding their capabilities when needed. But who is Rachael? Rachael Yaeger is the co-founder of Human, a brand-led, digital studio specializing in design and development all under one roof. The tl;dr of it all is they're good humans making good work for good humans. Social: Human Site Twitter Instagram

In this episode of Low-Key Legends, we chat with Filippo Cipriani head of studio at Adoratorio, Adoratorio is a digital agency based in Brescia Italy working with clients like Netflix, Guicci, Maserati, and more crafting exquisite brand and digital experiences. We dive into the fundamentals of what makes for a successful design studio and great creative work. How the words you use to tell a story are equally if not more important than the visuals you use. In this epic far-ranging conversation we chat we explore food, wine, and hospitality, the lessons Fil learned in Hotel and hospitality school, and how Anthony Bourdain changed his life. Strap in and take a mental flight ✈️ to Brescia with me. Filippo on Social: → LinkedIn → Twitter / X → Website

Just the tip[s] no fluff, but we love the fluff here. This is a buffet-style tasting of all the episodes aired in February. A beautiful set of interviews that range from entrepreneurship, branding, creating digital experiences, and pricing creative work. Chapters: 00:00:48 The Entrepreneurial Spirit with Erin Hines 00:16:38 Branding 101 with Jowey Roden 0:40:19 Web Experiences & Creating Emotion with Claudio Guglieri 01:04:35 Pricing Work Effectively with Milkshake Studio

We sit down with the studio that brings all the people to the yard - Milkshake; partners Alex and Simon talk all things digital branding, sprint-based pricing, food, dad jokes, and zombie apocalypse strategy. We go deep into the modern world of branding and how you're biggest brand asset is your website. Today all brands are digital and need to be online with a website that showcases their values. Code is a modern design medium, let's use it to make dope things! Milkshake is an upbeat creative studio based in Greenpoint Brooklyn that creates clarity for companies through design and technology. We will go much deeper on this as we dive in. Alex, Simon, what a pleasure to have you here! Welcome to the show! Grab some fries because we've got the milkshakes covered. Chapters: 0:11:50 Running Projects 0:23:40 Specializing 0:41:23 Alex & Simon Backstory - Milkshake Origins 1:04:10] Skills Learned Building The Agency / Relationships 1:33:04 Sprint Based Pricing Milkshake On Social: Website Dribbble Twitter / X Instagram

In this episode, I sit down with Claudio Guglieri, the designer and creative director. With 20+ years in the creative and design industry. We dive into the power of play, the impact of ideas, craft, creativity, leadership, team building, hiring, and more. Our focus for this podcast is on how to lead a creative life and have creative longevity in the design industry, to stay relevant and in an ever-evolving world. Claudio is the head of design at Opal Cameras, Opal is a product design and engineering company, based in California, known for making high-end cameras. The Opal C1 is the ultimate webcam for home setups, I would recommend it to anyone. It is great for video calls and even recording. We recorded the video for this episode with the C1, from Opal. You can catch the video version on Youtube with this link here. Social: → Personal Website → Twitter / X → Instagram → Opal Camera

Sitting down to chat with Jowey Roden was a pure treat, in this episode, Jowey shares his journey of building Koto Studio with his two co-founders through the lens of Optimism, Co-Creation, and Craft. This episode is for everyone interested in learning what it takes to create a world-class #branding and design studio or those who want to hone their craft in branding. Jowey reveals the secrets of how Koto makes the best work possible for brands like Coca-Cola, Activision Uber Eats, and other brands you know and love.

In this episode of Low-Key Legends, I sit down with Erwin Hines an artist, designer, and creative director. He is the founder of Open Gym a hospitality group that focuses on building sustainable ecosystems of change within communities through the power of Space, Food, and Wellbeing. As well as the founder of FUTURE IS COLOR® Erwin’s solo research studio focused on using design to create space for meaningful conversation of change. Social: Website Twitter/ X Erwin's Instagram Future Is Color: Future Is Color FIC Instagram Books: All About Love by Bell Hooks The Art of Loving by Eric Fromm Anything You Want by Derek Sivers

In this episode, I talk with Sofia Papadopoulou about the world of immersive tech, all things AR and VR. We dive into the possibilities with this technology and what the future might look like. Sofia is an art & creative director working with global teams & clients, crafting impactful brand & immersive activation concepts as a partner to movers & shakers in the digital space. Chapters: [0:03:10] Early Career Path [0:11:25] Leadership Opportunity - Dubai Project [0:28:40] The Importance of Personal Branding [0:39:40] Falling In Love With Technology [1:07:10] Sofia's Relationship with Music [1:19:10] Fast Fun Questions Social: Portfolio Website Sofia's AWWWARDS TALK Twitter/X Instagram

In this episode, I sit down with Amy and Jen Hood the founders of Hoodzpah, a brand identity and type design studio based in sunny California. We dive into what makes the Hoodzpah studio special, where their style comes from, the method they used to grow the studio, and more. BREAKING NEWS: Check out Jen Hood's Album Now On Spotify Bad Trifle Chapters: 0:01:51 Breaking News 0:04:30 Dream Jobs as Kids 0:08:05 First Ever Paid Client 0:32:37 The Hoodzpah Style 0:45:00 Finding the Right Clients 1:04:00 Working with Big Brands 1:11:25 Sibling Showdown 1:23:40 Revenue Streams - Diversify 1:27:03 Closing Thoughts _ Hoodzpah on Social: Freelance & Business and Stuff Book Febas Course Website Twitter / X Instagram

In this episode, I share my top 5 lessons that I learned throughout 2023 that you can take away and apply to your creative practice in 2024. We drive into past interviews to bring you some highlights and wise words so you can crush the rest of 2024. Lessons: [00:25] Lesson 01: Always Be Growing [10:09] Lesson 02: Find Inspiration Outside of the Screen [13:52] Lesson 03: Be Yourself, It's The Key to Success [19:37] Lesson 04: Diversify Your Income [22:49] Lesson 05: Create YOUR unique Business Model

In this episode of Low-Key Legends, I sit down to chat with the 3 partners of Alright Studio diving into their team structure, their philosophy around culture building, and how they run their studio. Alright prides itself on its ability to make best-in-class work for any client: Big or small, established or upstart, commercial or otherwise. No house style, nor an allegiance to medium or method. Alright on Social: Website Instagram Twitter

In this episode of Low-Key Legends, I have the pleasure of talking with Haruko Hayakawa, the illustrative CG artist crafting whimsical work for your favorite brands like Google, Fly by Jing, Bon Appetit Magazine, Cometeer Coffee, and so many more. She has a deep passion for the world of consumer products and how brands shape our culture, leaving a lasting imprint in our memory. She aims to create work that evokes a sense of familiarity and nostalgia, especially for those who relate to her Asian-American upbringing. We dive into a wide range of topics but here are a few of the highlights, what is 3D art, what is the impact of 3D on photography, drinking culture at advertising agencies, flow state, leveraging your personality to attract dream clients, and more. Social: Website Twitter / X Instagram LinkTree

In this episode of Low-Key Legends Brijan shares his thoughts on design, inspiration, and living a good fulfilling life. In this unfiltered conversation, we focus on the process and craft of making great design and why. Buckle up and enjoy this first-ever podcast appearance with Brijan Powell. Enjoy! Social: Website Instagram Twitter

Design and code are only tools. Collaboration is essential. In this episode, we dive deep into what makes for successful design projects and it seems to boil down to four things for Dust Leblanc, creative director at Locomotive - Vision, Culture, Collaboration, and Killing Your Ego. Find Locomotive Online: → Locomotive Site → Locomotive Store → Twitter → Instagram

In this episode of Low-Key Legends, we chat with Jason Debiak co-founder of PaperTiger a digital agency focused on creating Distinctly human work for distinctly human brands. Our far-winding conversation takes us down the path of talking about how Paper Tiger formed out of working with New Jersey bands and discovering the world of web design. We talk in-depth about mental health Jason's renewed passion post covid and his journey to find happiness in each day. Sit back and let's get grateful and vulnerable together. Jasons Book Recommendations: 1. Daily Rituals 2. The 4 Agreements 3. The Happiness Advantage 4. *The Untethered Soul* 4. *The Expanse* Britton's Book Recommendations: 1. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Find Jason on Social: Twitter Linkedin Website

On this episode of Low-Key Legends, we chat with Michelle Mattar the founder of Practice Inc. a brand-building studio in Brooklyn about how creating fake brands helped her to launch her highly successful business. _ Buy Dirt Baby Shirts HABIBI - GRAPHIC NOVEL _ Find Michelle Online: Twitter Practice Waste Not: Sustainable Packaging Resources Creative Boom Article Feature

What a treat, in this episode, we sit down with Karyll Catubig to have an epic conversation about doing van life, traveling, and how to design your ideal life. We talk about how Karyll stumbled into photography, his gear, and his passion for creating. Follow Karyll's adventures on Instagram Karyll's Design Work

In this episode of Low-Key Legends, I sit down with my friend and mentor Mike Kern the founder of WeLikeSmall which was acquired by ThinkingBox in 2019. We dive into a wide range of topics from how to build and grow an agency, the challenges involved with growing from 2 million to 5 million in revenue, the reasons for selling his agency, and much more. Let's Get Social: → Twitter/ X → LinkedIn → ThinkingBox