Startups Decoded Ep#32: A Logo is Decoration. A Brand Is Survival. Startups Fail When They Ignore It. With Malcolm Buick.
In this episode of Startups Decoded, host Andy Walsh sits down with Malcolm Buick, Partner & Chief Creative Officer at Athletics and a seasoned creative director, to unpack how design drives startup growth.
From his journey through music and branding to building global identities for brands like IBM, Nike, Google Chrome, Major League Soccer, and MoMA, Malcolm explores how storytelling, community, and culture shape lasting companies.
Great startups don’t just build products, they build meaning. Malcolm reveals how founders can turn design into a strategic advantage: expressing vision, earning trust, and scaling smarter. The conversation highlights the importance of authenticity, flexibility in brand systems, and creating collaborative environments that bring a brand to life.
Too often, founders underinvest in design early on. This episode reframes design as a growth lever, helping startups tell better stories, attract the right users, and build cultures that endure.
Malcolm Buick is a seasoned creative director and partner at Athletics, a Brooklyn-based brand studio. With over 25 years of experience in design and branding, his career began in London during the mid-1990s, focusing on music branding. He later moved to Burlington, Vermont, to serve as Creative Lead at JDK, where he contributed to evolving Burton Snowboards into a global lifestyle brand. Subsequently, he became Creative Director at the renowned branding agency Wolff Olins in New York. Since joining Athletics in 2014, Malcolm has led major projects for clients including IBM, Nike, MLS, and MoMA.
Athletics is a Brooklyn-based brand studio that transforms opportunity into beautifully usable identities, websites, and tools. Guided by a shared reverence for purposeful design, we partner with ambitious organizations—from startups to global icons—to build brands that are as strategic as they are striking.
Music Credit:
"Neptuno" - Phondupe (Album: Onykia)
Takeaways
- Malcolm Buick emphasizes the importance of instinct and energy in branding.
- Good branding reflects the DNA of a brand and its people.
- Branding should be purposeful, not just decorative.
- Authenticity is key; customers can sense when a brand is genuine.
- A living, breathing identity is essential for mode
Need clarity on fundraising, strategy, or scaling?
You can book me, Andy Walsh, directly on Hubble for focused 1:1 advice. 15, 30, or 45 minutes no fluff, just solutions.
Head to hubble.social/AndyWalsh