Podcast Awesome

Designing custom icons is a gas-tly important part of modern design. It can make or break a brand, and sometimes you just need to let one rip and add a bit of spice to a website or app. However, creating custom icons can be a real stinker – a time-consuming and tedious task that can leave you feeling deflated. But don't worry, the Font Awesome team has a new feature that's a real breath of fresh air: The Icon Wizard — otherwise known by the internal code name, F.A.R.T.S (Font Awesome Reusable Tidbits and Shapes.) The Icon Wizard is a new-ish Font Awesome feature that allows Pro users to add icon modifiers, which allows for nearly limitless icon options! 

Join us as we yuck it up with Jory Raphael, Mike Wilkerson, and Ed Emanuel from the Font Awesome team as we channel our inner middle schooler humor (and talk about the making of very serious software, of course!)

The project was conceived during the team's Snacktivities, which are small creative projects undertaken during their gatherings. While the initial concept did not focus on customizing icons, it evolved into the idea of applying modifiers to icons to create unique variations. The team's enthusiasm and dedication to the project led to its development during their collaborative sessions.

The Icon Wizard project presented challenges, such as user interface design and technical issues related to SVG fill rules. Despite these obstacles, the team worked together to overcome them and create a functional and user-friendly feature. This feature allowed users to select and apply modifiers to icons, providing them with the flexibility to customize icons according to their preferences.

Aside from the obviously humorous nature of this conversation, the tea, explores the practicality of the feature, highlighting the ability to add useful modifiers like a slash or a circle-plus to any icon in different styles. The team's playful banter and creative thinking during the development process added a fun and lighthearted element to the project, showcasing their innovative and humorous approach to icon design and customization.

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Time Stamps

[00:00:43] Icon Wizard project and F.A.R.T.S.

[00:04:34] Customizable Icons.

[00:09:38] Challenges with SVG fill rules.

[00:11:16] SVG path winding rules.

[00:14:43] Modifier challenges and favorites.

[00:19:25] Icon Wizard and modifiers.

[00:22:26] Burrito modifiers and bacon.

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Show Notes

https://fontawesome.com/icons
The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie Martin
Audio mastering by Chris Enns and Lemon Productions

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In this episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt talks with Font Awesome's principal engineer, Rob Madole, about Font Awesome Pro. 

At Font Awesome, we're always saying that while icons aren't going to change the world, we want to make it seamless to use. It's all about the versatility of Font Awesome Kits, their role in offering project-specific solutions, and the balance they achieve between feature richness and user friendliness. 

In the conversation, the duo explains that Font Awesome Kits are sort of like a "bag of holding" or Hermione's magic handbag from Harry Potter. They emphasize the importance of having multiple Kits for agency work or varied internal projects. These Kits allow for segregated management and efficient resource distribution. Another thing to notice is the difference between Font Awesome Pro and free. Pro users enjoy a wealth of icons and advanced features that significantly elevate their creative capabilities.

Key Takeaways:

• Font Awesome Kits are pivotal for customizing icon sets, ensuring projects use only the necessary icons and minimizing site loading times.
• Pro users have access to a vast library of over 13,000 icons and advanced styles including solid, light, thin, duotone, and sharp.
• Kits offer the ability to add custom icons or modify existing ones using the platform’s tools, effectively catering to unique design needs.
• A Pro subscription not only unlocks premium icons but also includes a perpetual license, providing continued use of downloaded versions even after subscription cancellation.
• Font Awesome emphasizes real human support for technical issues, a service highly valued in the often impersonal tech realm.

Resources:

• Font Awesome: Font Awesome Website
• Twitter: @fontawesome
• The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie Martin
• Audio mastering by Chris Enns and Lemon Productions

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Episode Summary:

In this  episode we chat with Font Awesome founders, Travis Chase and Dave Gandy. We delve into the intricacies of team dynamics and working relationships within the Font Awesome team. Using Patrick Lencioni's 6 Types of Working Genius framework, the episode dissects the leadership styles, strengths, weaknesses, and the collaborative fabric that help make Font Awesome successful.

Dave and Travis talk about how they navigate through frustrations in the workplace and strategies they've learned to capitalize on each other's strengths. Various aspects of the framework are highlighted, illustrating real-life examples where certain geniuses shine within the team's projects. 

Key Takeaways:

• Long-standing relationships between team members can lead to a deep understanding of each other's working styles and a healthier team environment.
• The Working Genius framework can be particularly useful in identifying and playing to the strengths of team members in various project phases.
• The 'Wonder' and 'Invention' geniuses play a pivotal role in the creative process, while 'Discernment' ensures ideas are viable.
• Understanding and accommodating for 'Working Frustrations' is crucial in team settings to avoid conflict and help productivity.
• Diversity in team geniuses is important not only to cover all areas of project development but also to foster unique perspectives to find solutions.

Notable Quotes:

• "One of the creators of WuFU was one of our mentors in YC, was in that interview. And I just remember there was a point in which they started not only talking about business, but design in business, and how design business and how a company grows, how important it is. And it was just like two wonder bombs going off." - Travis
• "The differences between people are how in our own deficiencies, that's how they get covered over. We work with other people that have those as geniuses instead of frustrations, and that's how we all together work better together." - Dave
• "There's an infinite amount you don't know, and that's not the daily assumption and how you act, then the world is a very weird place around what we don't know." - Travis
• "We are amazingly good at fooling ourselves, especially around our own capabilities, our own importance, and our own intelligence." - Dave

Show Notes: 

• The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie Martin
• Audio mastering by Chris Enns and Lemon Productions
• The 6 Types of Working Genius 

Timestamp
0:00:08 | Introduction to the podcast and discussion of working dynamics
0:01:29 | Reflecting on working with Dave during the YC interview
0:04:31 | Travis's working frustrations with Dave's wonder
0:08:25 | Dave's working frustration with "E" (Enablement)
0:09:23 | Importance of having all 6 working geniuses on a leadership team
0:10:30 | Travis emphasizes the importance of not avoiding frustrations.
0:11:35 | Dave asks about discernment and its importance.
0:11:44 | Travis explains the working competencies of the team members.
0:12:30 | Dave discusses Lindsay's unique perspective as a designer.
0:13:32 | Travis and Dave discuss the critical role of discernment in design.
0:14:32 | Travis and Dave talk about Brian's genius in scriptwriting.
0:16:22 | Travis emphasizes the importance of collaboration and diverse perspectives.
0:18:02 | Dave highlights the benefits of teamwork and listening to each other.

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Maybe you've heard the news? The team at Font Awesome has recently rebranded Shoelace as "Web Awesome!" To celebrate the occasion, we launched a Kickstarter. And we couldn't kick off a rebrand without a new video. 

Check it out! 

If you've been around these parts for very long, you know Font Awesome has a history of creating zany content, such as the Font Awesome 5 Kickstarter video from 2017. And for the Web Awesome video, we collaborated with the creative studio Knox Avenue once again.

The Font Awesome promo videos have been a real source of pride for our team. They're not only a great marketing tool but the videos give us a chance to showcase the personality of the brand. 

As always, the actors involved in creating these videos were great to work with. We  were fortunate to get several of the characters you know and love — Rob, Milton and Albert — along with a few fresh faces too! 

All of the actors and the whole Knox Avenue team were great to work with as always and the actors and crew members went above and beyond to helped bring the vision of the scripts to life. 

Check out the video version of this podcast on the Kickstarter page! 

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In this episode we chat with Font Awesome founder Dave Gandy about the journey of finding a sustainable business model while staying true to the open source model. We discuss the origin of Font Awesome, the power of open source software, and the concept of "actualized open source." Dave shares insights into the success of Font Awesome and their approach to monetizing the project while continuing to provide value to the open source community. They also discuss the launch of their new project, Web Awesome, and their Kickstarter campaign. Tune in to learn more about the intersection of open source and business.

Key Takeaways:

• Font Awesome started as a solution to personal challenges with icons in web development and quickly turned into a global standard.
• The importance of Retina displays in driving the success of vector-based iconography, especially for Font Awesome.
• Balancing a profitable business model with the ethos of open source has resulted in continued improvement and distribution of free software.
• Actualized open source is not just about sustaining a project but enabling it to become everything it can be.
• Font Awesome maintains a commitment to not selling user data and providing a transparent business model based on value exchange.

Notable Quotes:

• "Never let your morals get in the way of doing the right thing."
• "Can we build a company full of people that can actually trust each other?"
• "Can the company and the open-source project be actualized? Can they be self-actualized?"
• "Software has this crazy thing about it that's different from the real world. The real world there is a natural scarcity... But with software, whatever we can provide in software, we can copy and distribute for almost free."
• "What if we could be a place where people could become more of who they were made to be, right, of what they know is good about them?"

Timestamp
0:01:23 | The origin of Font Awesome as a solution to icon frustrations
0:03:00 | Explanation of Retina displays and the significance for graphics
0:04:04 | Font Awesome's advantage of using vector graphics for scalable icons
0:06:00 | Decision to make Font Awesome an open source project
0:08:32 | Font Awesome's rapid growth and the importance of GitHub for distribution
0:09:19 | Realization of Font Awesome's potential and decision to seek funding
0:10:23 | Building Font Awesome as a company instead of relying on external funding
0:11:18 | Dave's preference to avoid fundraising and maintain control over the project
0:11:58 | Open source software should not be begging for money
0:13:15 | The challenge is to build a product that people will pay for
0:14:57 | Font Awesome found a way to make payroll & sustain open source
0:15:22 | Being a pro subscriber is similar to donating to open source
0:17:10 | Transparency and trust are important in the business model
0:20:15 | The goal is to achieve self-actualization in open source
0:23:23 | Company's mission is to fulfill employees in life and workplace
0:28:09 | Launching the web awesome Kickstarter for Shoelace (web awesome)
0:30:10 | The goal is to grow open source exponentially and provide more value
0:31:33 | Motivation should come from what's good enough about us, not what's not what's lacking.

Show Notes:

• https://fontawesome.com 
• Font Awesome YouTube channel
• The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie Martin
• Audio mastering by Chris Enns and Lemon Productions

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Episode Description

Have you ever wondered which unique genius you bring to the table at work? In this podcast we chat with Jory Raphael, Rob Madole, and Lindsay Miller, as we dissect Patrick Lencioni's "6 Types of Working Genius" framework. It's not just about identifying whether you're a genius of enablement or invention; it's recognizing how these strengths play out in the real world. We all share tales of energy spikes and drains, revealing how a deep understanding of our working styles help level up our professional experiences and collaborations.

Team chemistry is magical, isn't it? This episode peels back the curtain on the alchemy of team dynamics, celebrating moments when our diverse strengths lead to shared success. You'll hear about Travis, our team's unsung hero, whose knack for Galvanizing brings out the best in us, and how these discoveries about ourselves and each other can turn routine tasks into triumphs. It's about more than just completing projects; it's the shared victory dance when each team member's genius shines, transforming challenges into achievements.

We wrap up with a candid look at the ebbs and flows of creating a Figma plugin, where trust and adaptability are the heroes of our story. It's a testament to the power of balancing skill with empathy and understanding that the journey toward success is rarely a straight line.

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Highlights:

0:01:54 - Exploring Working Geniuses and Competencies (80 Seconds)

0:04:53 - Working Genius (57 Seconds)

0:15:20 - Utilizing Working Geniuses in Leadership (66 Seconds)

0:21:30 - Navigating Project Workflow and Decision Making (98 Seconds)

0:24:42 - GDPR Cookie Consent Development Setback (96 Seconds)

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Show notes:

• Check out last season's episode on Working Genius
• The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie Martin
• Audio mastering by Chris Enns and Lemon Productions
• The 6 Types of Working Genius 

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Episode Summary:

In this episode of Podcast Awesome, we dive deep into the story of Font Awesome founders Dave Gandy and Travis Chase, as they reminisce about their remarkable journey through Y Combinator, the prestigious tech accelerator. The conversation offers listeners an exclusive look into the world of startups, challenges, and triumphs that come with being a part of such an intensive program.

Dave and Travis recount the rigorous application process, their moment of acceptance, and the invaluable lessons learned during their time at YC. This episode demystifies the accelerator experience and provides real-world advice to aspiring YC entrepreneurs.

Their tale is peppered with anecdotes, humor and hard-fought wisdom, drawing parallels from the TV series "Silicon Valley." Listeners will leave with a better understanding of what it takes to step into the ring of tech accelerators and come out with a clear direction.

Key Takeaways:

• Y Combinator's rigorous selection process emphasizes the potential of the founders rather than just the product idea.
• The importance of preparation for the YC interview, including potential questions and understanding the background and interests of the partners.
• Building and nurturing relationships is key to both business and personal development.

Notable Quotes:

• "All a startup is is something that's a lie that people believed long enough that it became the truth." - Dave
• "If you live your life doing what you think is right and working, when you see those chances arise, then there isn't really anything to regret." - Dave
• "The most recent round of YC just wrapped […] they had 20,000 applications and they accepted 1.4%." - Dave

Timestamp
0:02:15 | Importance of thinking big in startups
0:04:43 | Y Combinator as a business trade school
0:05:08 | Focus and community at Y Combinator
0:09:37 | Y Combinator's selection process and emphasis on team
0:10:41 | Y Combinator believes in betting on the right people, not just the idea.
0:11:46 | VCs advise each other to bet on people, but it doesn't always work in practice.
0:12:14 | YC focuses on betting on the people, even without a specific idea.
0:13:17 | The importance of leaving everything on the table during the YC interview.
0:16:07 | Craft a strong answer for how the you can become a billion-dollar company.
0:19:44 | YC educates startups on the venture capital business model.
0:22:24 | Feeling confident after the second interview
0:25:44 | Receiving the call that they got into Y Combinator
0:29:20 | Considering fundraising options: Kickstarter or venture capital
0:29:48 | Y Combinator provides guidance on raising money and crafting pitches.
0:33:43 | Decision to stay self-sufficient and profitable rather than raising series A.
0:36:13 | Preparation and research are key for a successful YC application.
0:40:27 | Identifying character through sacrifice and hard choices
0:41:16 | The extensive interview process at Y Combinator
0:42:02 | Building relationships with mentors and colleagues
0:42:24 | Advice for entrepreneurs: listen to customers and build something they want
0:43:18 | The core value of developing relationships with good people

Show Notes:

• The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie Martin
• Audio mastering by Chris Enns and Lemon Productions
• Y Combinator

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About the Guest:

Dave Gandy is Font Awesome's Founder and an MIT alumnus who hails from Carl Junction, Missouri, and reflects on his experience transitioning from a small-town environment to the competitive halls of MIT. With a background rooted in both art and technology, Dave specialized in human-centric product design and has a strong belief in the interplay between creativity, empathy, and engineering. Detailing his educational journey, he conveys a profound understanding of personal growth through adversity, emphasizing how integral unique talents are to individual success.

Episode Summary:

In this profound discussion, Dave Gandy delves into the multifaceted experience of attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), providing a unique perspective that intertwines struggle, growth, and the eventual recognition of one's strengths. The conversation unveils the cultural nuances of MIT, the infamous acronym 'IHTFP', and the myriad emotions associated with the academic pressure cooker that is this renowned institution.

Dave candidly shares his journey from a small town to the rigorous academic world of MIT, including the realities of cultural shift and academic preparedness. He discusses the intensity of the coursework, MIT's famous hacking culture, and the pivotal moments that led to self-discovery and personal growth. Filled with engaging anecdotes, Dave also illustrates the communal encounters and extracurricular exploits that colored his time at the institute.

Key Takeaways:

• The acronym 'IHTFP' at MIT can stand for both 'I Hate This F***ing Place' and 'I Have Truly Found Paradise', reflecting the duality of the MIT experience.
• MIT pushes students to their limits, uncovering their limitations and potential, a crucial part of personal development that Dave attests can come with "good, healthy pain."
• Dave's unique combination of interests in art, technology, and human-centric design became his niche, setting him apart and allowing him to excel in areas beyond traditional academics.
• Experiences such as "roof and tunnel hacking" not only serve as a rite of passage but enforce creative problem-solving and ethical boundary-pushing among students.
• MIT's competitive atmosphere can induce significant stress and emotional upheaval, highlighting the importance of a solid personal identity and a supportive community.

Notable Quotes:

• "Any real significant personal growth will not be had in life without a good bit of healthy kind of pain."
• "A company is really nothing more than a lie that people believe long enough until it becomes the truth."
• "The real challenge in life, a lot of times is, yeah, but what can I do about it? What are the solutions?"

Timestamp
0:02:14 | MIT experiences involve pain and questioning if it's worth it.
0:05:10 | A teacher's encouragement made Dave consider MIT.
0:08:07 | MIT experiences include dangerous and fun activities.
0:11:31 | Hacking in relation to roof and tunnel hacking
0:15:44 | The practical problem-solving skills gained from hacking
0:19:52 | Dave reflects on discovering his own strengths and finding his sweet spot
0:22:26 | Dave reflects on his experience at MIT and how it shaped him
0:23:22 | The negative outcomes of being driven by emptiness
0:26:39 | Embrace the right kind of pain for growth
0:30:01 | Don't climb someone else's ladder of success
0:32:07 | Dave reflects on their personal growth and values during their time at MIT
0:34:07 | The brutal workload at MIT.

Show Notes:
The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie Martin
Audio mastering by Chris Enns and Lemon Productions

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Designers + Developers: How Font Awesome Bridges the Creative-Tech Divide

In this episode of Podcast Awesome, we dive deep into the sometimes-harmonious, sometimes-hilariously-clashing worlds of design and development. Host Matt Johnson sits down with Cory LaViska (creator of Shoelace) and Font Awesome’s very own Jory Raphael and Noah Jacobus to unpack the nuanced dynamics between developers and designers. From figma files to file formats, these pros explore how collaboration, communication, and culture shape better digital products—and friendlier Slack channels.

Whether you’ve ever been handed an impossible mockup or spent hours coding around a whimsical curve, this episode gives you the real talk (and real laughs) about bridging the gap between right-brainers and left-brainers. Spoiler: empathy is the secret weapon. 🧠💥

💡 What We Cover in This Episode

• 💬 Why communication is key—and how to make it less awkward
• 🧪 The designer-developer pairing method we swear by
• 🎨 How design systems like Shoelace create common ground
• 🍰 Why working in “vertical slices” beats serving sheet cake
• 🛠️ Figma, code pens, and using design tools in weird-but-brilliant ways
• 🎭 Killing ego culture to create safe spaces for learning

⏱️ Timestamps

• [00:01:08] Devs & Designers: The classic tension explained
• [00:02:18] Communication: The MVP of collaboration
• [00:04:34] Design/dev balance in Font Awesome’s DNA
• [00:06:21] Why mutual understanding beats “just trust me”
• [00:10:56] Vertical slices vs. horizontal disasters
• [00:13:11] Shoelace as a sandbox for team creativity
• [00:18:47] The value of shared design vocabulary
• [00:20:59] Being design-led vs. adding polish last
• [00:22:57] Breaking down silos, and why size matters (in teams!)
• [00:27:12] Creating a safe space for “stupid” questions

🗣️ Notable Quotes

🔗 Links & Resources

• Font Awesome Website
• Shoelace: A forward-thinking web component library
• Font Awesome YouTube Channel
• Figma Plugin for Font Awesome
• Theme music by Ronnie Martin
• Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon Productions

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Sharp Edges, Big Wins & One Legendary PDF Mix-Up

In this season-opening episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt sits down with Font Awesome’s own Jory Raphael and Rob Madole to reminisce about the many wins (and one epic PDF blunder) from 2023. From launching Font Awesome Sharp to unveiling a Figma plugin and improving the release process, the team breaks down everything they built — and the lessons they learned. Plus, they tease some exciting projects coming in 2024 (spoiler: Shoelace might be getting a glow-up), and there's even talk of sketch comedy and icon wizardry... and farts. Yep, farts.

🎙️ What We Cover in This Episode:

• 🔪 The sharp, edgy arrival of Font Awesome Sharp
• 🎧 The story behind launching Podcast Awesome
• 📺 Font Awesome’s YouTube channel and promo screencasts
• 🥾 Integrating with Shoelace (and teasing secret video projects)
• 🛠️ Big upgrades to Font Awesome Kits, subsetting and CSS-only kits
• 🧰 Release process automation: from pain to power tools
• 🧪 The Great PDF Mix-Up of 2023 and how fast fixes saved the day
• 🔌 Launch of a slick new Figma plugin
• 🎉 13,000 podcast downloads and what’s coming next for Season 2

⏱️ Timestamps:

• 0:00:29 – New Year, old Macs, and 2023 kickoff
• 0:04:00 – Launching Podcast Awesome and the DIY podcast hustle
• 0:07:36 – 🎉 Font Awesome Sharp and other 2023 releases
• 0:08:52 – Shoelace partnership and top-secret filming
• 0:10:26 – Behind-the-scenes at Figma Config
• 0:12:22 – Major upgrades to Kits (subsetting, CSS-only, downloads)
• 0:15:04 – Streamlined icon release process and automation
• 0:17:50 – 🎯 The accidental "File PDF → File PNG" snafu
• 0:20:38 – Launch of the Figma plugin + Kit integration
• 0:22:50 – The Snuggle that COVID stole (sad trombone)
• 0:27:02 – Future collabs with Shoelace + Podcast Awesome S2 plans
• 0:29:21 – Behind the Icon series and fun with Poo Storm
• 0:30:39 – 🧠 Y Combinator experiences, Pro benefits, and icon wizardry
• 0:31:13 – Reusable shapes a.k.a. F.A.R.T.S and stage-worthy sound effects
• 0:32:16 – Thanks for 13,000 downloads!

💬 Noteworthy Quotes:

🔗 Links & Resources:

• Font Awesome Website
• Font Awesome YouTube Channel
• Font Awesome Figma Plugin
• Theme song by Ronnie Martin
• Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon Productions

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