“I WANT MY STUFF TO BE WHOMPED ON.”

Here on episode sixty-five, we sit down with ICON 4×4 and TLC founder and CEO Jonathan Ward. It’s a laid back, candid look at building cool vehicles in a very technology-driven world. A self-starter in definition as well as practice, Jon’s childhood acting days (from a chance shot in Peter Pan to Charles in Charge to a stalker incident) and an interest in restoring old tech and cars lead to starting a business. We explore the passion that drives ICON, the idea behind the brand, and the marketing approach.

THINGS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE:

* Industrial design meets entrepreneurship

* Raymond Leowy

* Avoiding the “theme” build while staying true to the vehicle’s character

* Steering clear of bad design directions

* Crafting a unique aesthetic

* Creating  brand identity

* Working to make a unique statement without turning down the bread and butter work

* The balance of loving what you do and loving the customer– When to fire a client

* Steering the client via renderings

* Nostalgia as a motivator in building a project

* The gender difference in styles/needs/wants– Women VS men with regard to needs and wants in a vehicle

* “Corrupted by the perversions of modernity”– A discussion on tech and obsolescence

* Being an “old school martyr”– Brian proposes the “Tune-ruining choke knob” feature

* Changing the mood and personality of a vehicle just through exhaust note

* A “rockabilly” bar cruiser Hudson Hornet

* “Build it like you’d keep it”

* The challenges of working with obscure vehicles– “It’s like the dot-com era for hot rodders”

* Working with technology like 3D printing and composites– The “pucker moment” when you need an impossible-to-find part

* Watching tech and changing attitudes toward old-school craftsmanship

* Research and design on the fly

* Getting stuck in a rut in your craft and not seeing the advantage of pushing forward– Looking forward at nanotech, hydrophobics and more

* Drawing inspiration from a wide variety of sources

* Passion builds versus assembly line product

* The first resto project: a ’55 Ford

* Meeting Mikhail Baryshnikov– Hitching a ride to a cattle call and landing a role in Peter Pan on Broadway

* The advantages of not having a board to answer to when working to preserve the passion and DNA of a brand

* Purity of execution working through a series of compromises

* Going international with SEMA Australia

* A discussion on the appreciation of vintage Americana

* A benchracing session complete with dream project ideas

 

THE ICON VIDEOS

 

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