The Futur

The internet can make people look very one dimensional. When in reality, they are far from. Ognjen Topic is a great example of that. He is a graphic designer and also a three time world champion in the competitive martial art, Muy Thai. You’ll hear about Ognjen’s tumultuous life journey as a Serbian born in Bosnia. Civil war forced his family to flee the country and ultimately immigrate to the United States where he fell in love with graphic design and developed a secret fighting career. You might think that fighting and design don’t have much in common, and you’re probably right. But one important concept they do share is mindset. So how do you prepare when your life (or serious injury) is on the line? What kind of training do you need? And how can you develop the mental fortitude it takes to survive? Not to overdramatize creative work, but putting yourself out there and taking on jobs can be scary. Maybe not get punched in the liver scary, but emotionally just as frightening. In this episode, our Ognjen sha

This episode comes from a Clubhouse Q&A hosted by Billy and Glenn Lundy of Breakfast with Champions. During this candid chat, they ask Chris a series of questions about mindset and marketing. Things like how and why you should be specific with your goals, what creativity really means (hint: it’s not just for artists and designers), and why our future is in the hands of creative thinkers. Also, there is a great listener Q&A where people put Chris on the spot and he offers real time, personalized guidance. If you have any interest in changing your mindset—especially about marketing—then you will love this one. Thank you to Skillshare for sponsoring this episode: https://www.skillshare.com/futur Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk a lot about branding. What it is, what it means, and how it works. But Kirsty Minns lives it. And excels in it at the highest creative level. Kirsty is the executive creative director at Mother Design in London. Mother is a world famous agency and you’ve probably come in contact with one of their incredible campaigns at some point. In this episode, we follow Kirsty through her entire career and hear about the personal and professional choices she made that ultimately lead her to where she is today. You’ll hear about what drives Kirsty’s endless curiosity, how she specializes in not specializing, and why playing the comparison game will only lead you to unhappiness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If punk rock were a genre of design agency, then SNASK would be the Sex Pistols. As they state on their website, SNASK is a “creative agency of misfit geniuses conquering the world through fine lookin’ design and real emotions. To worry about what people think of us is a waste of time.” Freddie Ost is the founder of SNASK and we were fortunate enough to have him on the show and really get to know the person behind the eccentric agency. In the spirit of his business, the conversation oscillates between emotional vulnerability and playfulness. So if all goes well, you will laugh, cry, and be inspired in no particular order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Copywriting is hard. Which is why we always appreciate great copy when we see it. It’s usually simple, clear, and tickles your brain if written well. Cole Schafer is a creative writer. By day he runs a small advertising business called Honey Copy. By night, he writes and publishes poetry under the alias, January Black. He’s got a lot to say and he does it without mincing words. But in a way that will make you smirk. In this episode, Cole and Chris talk about the nuance and challenges of language and how to wield it with grace. We’ll hear about how he found writing, why he left a well-paying agency job for manual labor, and how to name a $15 cookie so that people will happily buy it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humans are inherent copy machines. Emulation is how we learn to walk, talk and navigate the world. But when it comes to ideas—especially ones we deem “original”—things are different. We become hyper critical of imitation and resent anything close to a copy of our own. Obsessing over ideological ownership. But what we don’t do, is turn that critical lens on ourself. Copy, transform, and combine. According to Kirby Ferguson, this is the recipe for creativity. Kirby is a filmmaker, speaker, and writer. You probably know him best from his acclaimed documentary, Everything is a Remix. You can watch it for free on YouTube and we promise that it will change that way you think about originality And maybe help you let go of that inner critic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picture yourself at the airport. You’ve just returned from a long, arduous flight and you are exhausted. The last thing you want is to get in your car and make the lengthy drive home. So you open a ride sharing app, hail a car, and moments later you are on your way home. And the car is driving itself while you nap in the back seat. Strangely enough, if you live in the metro-Phoenix area, you can do that. All with the help of autonomous ride service, Waymo. Lauren Schwendimann is the interaction design lead for Waymo. Her and her team are responsible for designing all consumer touch points for the company. Both the app and the rider experience. If you thought designing a website was tough, imagine designing a driverless car experience. How do you quell that innate fear and skepticism of a robot driving you around? In this episode, we talk about human-centered design, the inherent challenges of new technology, and what skills you need to be a great UX designer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc

When you think of a design agency you might imagine a large, bustling office, with an open floor plan, teaming with creative people. And most of the time, reality would meet your expectations. But not all of the time. Because that's not what Philadelphia based agency, Superfriendly, is. It’s not even close. Superfriendly is a distributed design collaborative. Which means their team members reside all over the world. Like specialized creative agents, they are tapped to collaborate on projects that maximize both their skill and their personal experience. Our guest in this episode—Dan Mall—is the founder and sole employee of Superfriendly. Dan shares how and why he structured his agency the way he did and why having the right people in the room is how you win. You will also hear how Dan reverse engineered his entire career. From entry level designer to agency strategist and the double-edged sword of youthful arrogance. But the most compelling part of this conversation is how Dan and Chris discuss pricing. You’re

What is a brand? What is branding supposed to do? And can you control your own brand? In this Clubhouse Q&A, Chris is joined by Dr. Christine Looser. You might remember her from episode 109. Dr. Looser teaches marketing and branding, and is the head of business, at startup school, The Minerva Project. If you have any kind of interest in branding, then save or bookmark this episode. Because you will want to re-listen to it. The conversation gets brainy and there are plenty of SAT words throughout it. But it is a deep and fascinating dive into the concept of branding. Christine puts Chris on the spot (which is always entertaining) and the two delve deep into the evolution of our brains and culture to try and make sense of the phenomena we call a “brand.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mr. Ben Burns is The Futur’s Chief Financial Officer. You might recognize him as the bearded fellow on our YouTube channel. Though officially our CFO, Ben dons several more hats day-to-day. Self-taught designer, web developer, general steward of our company, and father of two. In this episode, we get to know to the man behind the mouse. His origin story, how he met Chris (and got his attention in the first place), and why firing all of his clients was the best move for both his business and career. Ben also shares his experience in the military and police force and how it helped shape who he is and—ultimately—why he traded his gun and badge for a mouse and keyboard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This conversation comes from a live Clubhouse discussion. In the event you don’t know what Clubhouse is, it’s an invite-only social media app that fosters group discussion through live audio. In this episode, Chris joins photography rep, agent, and manager—Andrea Stern—in her photo business forum. The topic: what do you do when you’re stuck in your career? Andrea helps photographer get work and develop their careers. She’s done so for over two decades. But times change. And so does the professional landscape. What drove advertising and got you work twenty years ago, doesn’t work as well today. As a seasoned professional, how do you compete with young up-and-comers? Especially when they have tens of thousands of followers, and you don’t. And that actually matters to clients. In this live Q&A, Andrea and Chris field questions from people that are bored, stuck, or uninspired in their careers. And although they don’t always agree, Andrea and Chris both offer beacons of hope for an unknown future. Being a creative

This is part 2 of our conversation with struggling artist turned dice-making millionaire, Karen Wang. If you missed part 1, go back an episode and listen to that first. In part 2, Karen shares her experience launching her first Kickstarter—which ultimately lead to $2 million in sales. You’ll hear about how she got into dice-making, what she learned, and all the interesting mistakes along the way. You might think raking in millions of dollars in sales is great. But what happens when you have to then follow through? How do you deal with such massive demand? And what other pitfalls do you have to look forward to? Instant success comes with a responsibility. And Karen is no stranger to that fact. Listen to how she’s navigated the world of manufacturing and all the big challenges that come with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you hear that someone is an “overnight success”, rarely did it happen overnight. But our guest in this episode is kind of the exception. Kind of. Karen Wang is the founder of Dispel Dice. A luxury dice-making business that was Kickstarted into existence. Over the course of her 30 day campaign, she raised over $2 million. All for her stunning, beautiful, and bespoke dice. And that first $1 million, happened on day one. If your jaw isn’t on the floor, then please re-read that last paragraph. Because that kind of support for a debut Kickstarter campaign is unheard of. But the path leading up to that fateful launch was no walk in the park. The same morning Karen pulled in her first million from Kickstarter, was the same morning her bank called to say that she had overdrawn her account. In this two part episode Karen walks us through the windy, bump-ridden road she took to build the incredible business she runs today. In part 1, we get to know the person behind the dice. How she went from feeling unfulfilled,

To say that the advertising world is competitive, would be like saying that water is wet. People fight tooth and nail to land big clients. For every account that is won, another is lost. And missing the mark on a pitch you’ve poured your soul into can be heartbreaking. But advertising is also thrilling. You're given a unique problem and it's up to you and your teammates to solve it. Like group of creative detectives. In this episode we were given the rare opportunity to speak with someone operating at the highest level of advertising. Tim Maleeny is the President and Chief Strategy Officer for global agency, Havas. He also writes mystery novels. Tim explains how advertising, strategy, and just being a human all work together. In his twenty plus years working in the industry, he's learned what matters to clients and how to win people over. As an expert brand strategist he also knows when to sell, when to engage, and when to simply celebrate. If you work for an agency, run your own, or are just curious about ho

“Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth.” We love that quote from Mike Tyson. It encapsulates life so well. You can do everything right—even go above and beyond—and still be a fantastic failure. But as they like to say: failure is inevitable. It’s how you deal with it that matters. Pat Flynn is an acclaimed podcaster, author, entrepreneur, and Pokémon card collector. Yes, you just read “Pokémon.” Growing up, he did everything right. Earned perfect grades. Landed the perfect, dream job. And then, was laid off. But that crushing defeat was the catalyst to his success to come. You might say that getting laid off was the best thing that ever happened to him. In this episode, Pat and Chris discuss failure’s role in success, the benefits of mastermind groups, and how helping others can truly change your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do you believe what you believe? How much of it was hardwired and how much of it did you inherit from other people? Like, for instance, your parents. This episode comes from a unique event that we like to call After Hours. It’s a raw, revealing, and open-ended discussion with Chris Do and some our friends from The Futur Pro Group. In this After Hours chat, we delve into how to reframe the way you think about goals. What they are, their meaning to you, and why looking to the past won’t help you today. And things get deep in this vulnerable pep talk. Albeit sage wisdom, you will hear tough love doled out from Chris. So buckle up, settle in, and please enjoy this deep chat, after hours at The Futur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to talking about money, a lot of creative folk tend to get uncomfortable. Many of us believe that the work should speak for itself. And that the cost of something correlates with how long it takes to produce. But that’s not always true. There are plenty of ways to bill for your work. Hourly, daily, fixed price, value-based, and retainer. There’s even the good old barter system. Which way is the best? And is it fair and ethical to not bill for the time you spend on something? If these are questions you struggle with answering, then you are in the right place. Our guest, Tom Hirst, is a freelance web developer, author, and mentor. Beyond building custom websites, his specialty is pricing. How to think about it and how to talk about it with your clients. As much as we all want it to, talent alone will not magically get you work. No matter what business you’re in. You need to market, need to sell, and you certainly can’t shy away from talking about money. Do yourself—and your business—a favor and li

If you could go back in time and learn something new, what would it be? What thing would you study to better equip you for the world and you live in today? In the business world, designers now have a seat at table. They do more than just make things pretty. Their decisions and actions have a direct impact on the bottom line. Which means they have a responsibility to the business. Something that isn’t taught in art school. Our guest in this episode, Abby Guido, is an assistant professor of graphic and interactive design at Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University. She’s got an MBA, her own design practice, and one piece of advice for her students: focus. Abby and Chris discuss teaching philosophies, the role teachers play in the creative process, and try to answer the question: what should we teach people? The two don’t agree on every little thing, but they do agree on this portfolio advice: if they can’t figure out who you are and what you do in less than 60 seconds, they’re moving on to someon

What do you think it means to be a creative director? It’s not a trick question. Take a moment to think about it. What does a creative director do exactly? What skills do they need to do it? You might think that being a great creative director is all about honing your craft and having a creative vision for your work. In other words, it’s all about you and your creative decisions. But is that true? This episode comes from a livestream we held in early 2019. It’s all about answering the question: how do you become a creative director? And it comes from good authority. Our guest, Adam Morgan, is an Executive Creative Director at Adobe. Adam outlines nine steps to take on the path to becoming a creative director. And guess what? Eight of them have little to do with the quality of your work. We won’t spoil anything for you, but we agree with Adam. What makes you a great creative, won’t necessarily make you a great creative director. So instead of asking, “How do I become a creative director?” The more important qu

When you hear the term “side hustle”, how does it make you feel? Maybe you get excited and think of that one thing you’re passionate about. Or maybe it sends a cringe-filled chill down your spine. We ask because this episode’s guest, Herbert Lui, really hates that phrase. And he’s not alone. You may recall our conversation with Austin Kleon where he shared his own contempt for that same term. When it comes to words and language, nuance is everything. Two people can say the exact same thing, yet each mean something quite different. That important nuance is often amplified in writing. One person’s hustle, is another person’s cringe. Herbert Lui is a writer and the editorial director at WonderShuttle. If you’re an avid reader—and a Kanye West fan—then you may have already read some of his work. He is the author of the unique ebook, The World According to Kanye. It’s really interesting and also free to read, so check it out when you get a chance. What we enjoyed most about the conversation you’re going to hear is