Low-Key Legends

Low-Key Legends

By Rogue StudioArtsDesign
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Low-Key Legends episodes

  • S2.E10. Exceptional Work in an Era of Mediocrity with Smith & Diction

    The long-awaited interview with the founding team of Smith & Diction is here at last!

    In this conversation, Mike and Chara Smith discuss their design, copywriting, and branding approach, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and authenticity. They share insights on the role of words in creating effective brands, the benefits of working as a couple, and the value of incorporating outside experiences into the creative process.

    Smith & Diction Process Doc


    Social:

    Medium

    Instagram

    Twitter / X

    Threads

    1 hr 51 min
  • S2.E9. The Story of Unseen Studio with Nathan Riley

    In this episode of Low-Key Legends, I interview Nathan Riley, the design director at Unseen Studio to learn how he got started in design and built Unseen Studio with his co-founders.

    We discuss the early years of the studio, the significance of self-expression and passion projects, and the influence of sharing on Dribbble.
    We explore Nathan's journey into 3D design and the agency's shift in 2018 towards creating immersive web experiences.


    Nathan on Social:

    Unseen Website
    Nathan's Instagram
    Nathan's Twitter / X
    LinkedIn

    1 hr 26 min
  • 4 Essential Design Lessons

    Today we're going to be taking a look back at some of my favorite lessons so far from Season 02 of Low-Key Legends; looking at tactics on turning our weaknesses into strengths with Kirk Wallace, lessons on leadership from Emmet Shine, ways power of transparency in our businesses with Self Aware Studio. practical tips on cultivating an audience from Dan Mall

    This is your audio buffet to sample and try out episodes and hear from guests you may not have known about before.
    Chapters:
    0:50:15 Your weakness is your super-power
    0:31:18 Creative Leadership
    0:38:19 Transparency in Business
    0:54:01 Building an Audience

    1 hr 13 min
  • S2.E8. Making Irresistible Brands with Study Hall

    In this episode of Low-Key Legends, I sit down with Alex, Matt, and Jeremy the founders of Study Hall, a collective of curious creatives ready to tinker with norms to build impactful high-craft work for all walks of life, from Fortune 500 companies like Airbnb to small start-ups.

    We explore how branding has evolved, looking at what elements are timeless and what we can push and explore more of in 2025 and beyond.
    Our conversation hovers around the business of branding and how it intersects with today's tools and tomorrow's technologies. We cover how AI is impacting our industry and our team's productivity and what might be next in the world of branding ditching screens and moving into the future of interfaces.
    Study Hall on Social:
    Website
    Instagram
    LinkedIn
    Threads

    1 hr 31 min
  • S2.E7. Build an Authentic Audience with Kirk Wallace (a.k.a) Bonehaus

    In this episode of Low-Key Legends, I interview my friend Kirk Wallace to discuss the changing landscape in the creative community. They explore how sharing work in 2024 has evolved and how it has impacted how audiences and clients discover their work. Kirk shares his journey from being an engineer to becoming an illustrator and designer, and how he has grown his audience and built a successful career.

    We get into the importance of authenticity, the need to adapt to new formats and platforms, and the balance between B2B and B2C audiences. We discuss the importance of sharing the process and telling a compelling story to emotionally connect with an audience; finding the balance between being a business person and an artist.
    Kirk on Social:

    Skill Share Courses

    Website

    Instagram

    YouTube

    1 hr 48 min
  • S2.E6. Bringing Brands to Life Online Self Aware Studio

    Today on Low-Key Legends, I am joined by Jenny Heintz and Mike Wagz, the founders of Self Aware, a design and technology studio based in Philly and established in 2018. Partners in life and business Jenny and Mike focus their synergistic skills on bringing brands to life online, creating fun and dynamic solutions that are both beautiful and performant.

    They have worked with a variety of organizations and institutions, big and small—from local businesses like Middle Child to major institutions such as the Institute of Design and MIT, as well as Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's production company, Artists Equity. Jenny and Mike share how and why they decided to publish the Notion Doc "Every Project We Have Ever Charged For" shedding a light on how they price creative work. We explore the idea of transparency and business and how it breeds the conditions for open conversation, trust, and a healthier industry.
    Jenny discusses the importance of being systematic and organized in their design studio, Self Aware. They share how they use processes and systems to guide their clients and ensure they stay on track. They also talk about the benefits of transparency in the industry, including sharing their project budgets and prices. We discuss the challenges of pricing services and the importance of valuing your work.



    Notion Doc:

    Every Project We've Ever Charged For

    Social:

    Website

    Twitter
    Instagram

    1 hr 33 min
  • S2.E5. Designing Your Life with Dan Mall

    On this episode of Low-Key Legends Dan Mall shares his journey as an entrepreneur and the challenges he faced in building and closing his agency, SuperFriendly. He emphasizes the importance of culture, margin, and taking care of people in building a successful business. Dan discusses the factors that led him to shut down his agency after 10 years, including the desire to spend more time with his family, the lack of a clear goal for the agency, and the changing industry landscape.

    We dive deep into the importance of mindset and the skills needed for success in the design industry.
    Dan shares a contrarian view that not everyone should be paid for their work, especially if the work is not valuable. He believes that compensation should be tied to the value of the work being done. He also emphasizes the importance of learning and teaching as forms of compensation. Britt and Dan discuss the challenges of running a freelancer-based business and the need for transparency and empathy in the industry.


    Find Dan on Social:

    → Dan's Site
    → Design Systems University
    → Newsletter
    → Twitter
    → Linkedin

    1 hr 44 min
  • S2.E4. Attracting International Clients with Tim Evans Malvah Studio

    On this episode of Low-Key Legends, Britt sits down with Tim Evans the Co-founder of Malvah Studio to discuss Tim's wild adventure of getting into design and stumbling into starting Malvah with his business partner Ty. Tim discusses the entrepreneurial journey of starting Malvah Studio and the challenges of running a business in South Africa.

    He shares how the economic and political climate in the country has shaped his role as an entrepreneur. Tim also talks about the importance of building strong relationships with clients and the importance of sharing your work to attract the right clients and establish trust.


    Malvah Website

    Twitter / X

    LinkedIn

    Instagram


    1 hr 45 min
  • S2.E3. Creating Playful & Memorable Designs with DJ Javier

    In this conversation, DJ Javier, the founder of Banyan Surf Club, discusses his career and collaborations with big brands like Billabong, Shake Shack, and the LA Rams. He emphasizes the importance of persistence, checking his ego, and staying humble. DJ shares how working with a manager has allowed him to focus on the creative work while his manager handles the business side.

    He also talks about the role of social media in attracting clients and the importance of presenting well and concepting effectively sharing a story along with your design.

    DJ also talks about the value of passion projects and how they can lead to opportunities with bigger brands. DJ's playful and inclusive mindset is influenced by his experiences and the desire to create a space where everyone feels heard and uplifted.


    Sari-Sari Show: Indoek Gallery
    432 N Ventura Ave Studio 30, Ventura, CA 93001
    Find DJ online:

    → Website

    → ⁠Ted Talk⁠

    → Instagram

    → Lumpia Surf Team

    → Canto.Vision


    1 hr 33 min
  • S2.E2. Design, Storytelling, and Data with Datalands

    In this episode of Low-Key Legends, we chat with Liz and Gavin founders of Datalands about how they found their unique niche of designing around data for Fortune 500 companies. We learn their unique story and how building their studio wasn't linear and came with its unique challenges and positioning hiccups.

    If you don't know Datalands is a visual communication and information design studio producing groundbreaking, thrilling projects—shaping the aesthetics and essence of forward-thinking brands.
    Social:
    → Website
    → Instagram
    → Twitter
    → Behance
    → Ladies Who Create Podcast

    1 hr 34 min

About Low-Key Legends

From the publisher's feed

Sharing the insider conversation on the business of creativity. Chatting with the people behind the most legendary work in the creative industry. What are the tools and mindsets that lead to this…