Better: The Brand Designer Podcast
Jen Davis
Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, founded by Giselle Field of Wander Design Co. and Jen Davis, was founded on the belief that designers need community. We find that the branding world often feels secretive, competitive, and sometimes just plain old confusing. When we realized that our honest, soul-chat-level convos could potentially help other designers, we realized a podcast was only natural! Better: The Brand Designer Podcast was officially born.Giselle passed away during a climbing trip in Peru in summer of 2020. We encourage all listeners of our podcast to listen to our two Celebrating Giselle episodes. Giselle's adventurous, kind, funny, and supportive presence is missed every day—each and every episode that we record is dedicated to her legacy and her vision for this podcast. It is our honor to continue recording episodes in Giselle's memory and we know that she is with us every time we sit down to record.In winter of 2022, we welcomed Esther Knox-Dekoning from Sereth Design as a new co-host. Esther brought an incredible and fresh perspective to the pod—her transition from agency to design studio as well as her love for web design, sustainability, and world change brought new guests, ideas, and amazing episodes to our listeners. She departed the pod in spring 2023 to dedicate more time to her studio's growth, and will be greatly missed!Now, Jen runs the podcast solo and is beyond excited to continue interviewing guests, having interesting conversations, and sharing the behind-the-scenes of running her design studio.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 24, 2020 • 48min
S2 E8: All About the Design Process with Steph Wharton
Having a strong, clear design process is SO important to your branding business - but what should that look like, and why is it so key? Brand designer and strategist Steph Wharton breaks down a typical brand design process in a roundtable discussion with Jen & Giselle.Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resourcesLinks Mentioned: The Design Experience Shop: https://www.stephwharton.com/Steph Wharton’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephwharton_ *Flux Academy 10k Website Process Course: https://learn.flux-academy.com/?affcode=244534_fwqbizdl *Affiliate link: using our link helps support our podcast at no cost to you
Mar 17, 2020 • 52min
S2 E7: Crafting a Growth Mindset with Avani Miriyala
What are those limiting beliefs you keep telling yourself? “I’m not good at [blank].” “[Blank] is hard for me.” What if you could turn that around? What would your life look like? Well, we’re super excited to announce today’s episode because our guest Avani is a master of releasing freelancers from their limiting beliefs! In this episode, we go all in on what it takes to be a successful freelancer, a fixed vs. growth mindset, and how you can implement small practices today to become the person of your dreams!Avani's Breakthrough Sessions: https://avanimiriyala.com/breakthroughLinks Mentioned:Avani's Podcast Episode on Mindset: https://lc3.shatrk.com/r/e/R1glHlWOM7CvKq3P?r=https://avanimiriyala.com/005-mind-gym/Calm meditation app: https://www.calm.comHeadspace meditation app: https://www.headspace.com/Morning pages overview: https://www.chriswinfield.com/morning-pages/Neuro-Linguistic Programming overview: https://inlpcenter.org/what-is-neuro-linguistic-programming-nlp/Get in Touch!Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Mar 10, 2020 • 42min
S2 E6: Parenting While Building Your Design Business with Becca Levian from Skye High Interactive
Are you raising kids while also building a design studio - OR are you trying to live your best life while also working from home? Becca Levian from Skye High Interactive chats with us about her transition from agency life to being an entrepreneur, asking for support, the myths of work/life balance, and cultivating a forward-facing mindset while also living your life to the fullest applies both to parents and to people without kids as well. Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Mar 3, 2020 • 41min
S2 E5: Creative Ways to Get Clients
Getting more clients is at the top of every new brand designer's to-do list - but it can feel overwhelming in the beginning. We chat about some outside-the-box ways we and other designers have gotten clients. Get the ball rolling on that referral train!Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Feb 25, 2020 • 49min
S2 E4: Strategically Diversifying Your Income with Alex Cottles from The Routine Creative
Relying on one source of income as an independent design studio owner an be a slippery slope - Alex Cottles of The Routine Creative and Brand Mentor chats with us about why it's important to diversify your income, and how he achieves that in his own studio via multiple types of design clients and passive income like digital products and courses. Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Feb 18, 2020 • 40min
S2 E3: Typography, Typography, Typography!
Typography is one of the most fun (if not challenging) parts of our jobs as brand designers. We go over the vocab, resources, and chat about our favorite foundries and fonts.Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resourcesLinks Mentioned:Giselle’s favorite font books:Thinking with Type* The Elements of Typographic Style*Just My Type* Our favorite foundries:Hoodzpah Design: https://hoodzpahdesign.com/fonts/Pizza Typefaces: https://typefaces.pizza/VJ Type: https://vj-type.com/Type resources:Abstract: The Art of Design on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/80057883 TypeWolf: https://www.typewolf.com/Find my Font: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/find-my-font/id1224842785Myfonts: https://www.myfonts.com/What the Font tool: https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/What Font Chrome extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/whatfont/jabopobgcpjmedljpbcaablpmlmfcogm?hl=enRightFont organizer: https://rightfontapp.com/*Affiliate links: using our link helps support our podcast at no cost to you
Feb 11, 2020 • 48min
S2 E2: Building Your Design Team with Kathy Luong from MADE BY WMN
Kathy Luong from the full-service creative studio MADE BY WMN chats with us about how to level-up your studio through hiring an amazing team, stepping into a leadership role, and attracting higher-paying clients.Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resourcesLinks Mentioned:MADE BY WMN: madebywmn.coMADE BY WMN shop: www.madebywmn.shop
Feb 4, 2020 • 46min
S2 E1: Setting Healthy Boundaries in Your Design Business
Owning a branding studio is fun - but being overwhelmed with the wrong type of work or getting burned out is not. We discuss how best to set boundaries for others and for yourself.Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resources
Dec 3, 2019 • 51min
S1 E12: Answering Your Inbox Questions
We cannot believe the season one finale is HERE. We had a great time in this episode answering a lot of inbox questions from our Facebook group! Thank you all so much for your support not only for this podcast, but for everyone else in our group. If you haven't joined us in there yet, find the party here!Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resourcesLinks Mentioned:6 Figure Freelancer Episode Mentioned: https://avanimiriyala.com/affirmations-future-pacing/Scramble Book Mentioned: https://www.amazon.com/Scramble-agile-strategy-brands-record-ebook/dp/B07GZ81ZLN
Nov 26, 2019 • 51min
S1 E11: Attracting Dream Clients and Building Your Design Business with Abbey McGrew
We are excited to have Abbey from Wayfarer Design Studio on the podcast! Abbey is a master at attracting dream projects and spills all her secrets to us on how she does it. She also tells us her design studio's origin story, what she's learned, and how she's up-leveling to the next best version of her studio. Join us!Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/betterbranddesigner/Website: https://www.bettebranddesigner.com/Better Resources Page: https://www.betterbranddesigner.com/resourcesLinks Mentioned:Abbey's Design Shop: https://thedesigneressentialskit.com/Wayfarer Design Studio: http://www.wayfarerdesignstudio.com/Wayfarer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wayfarerdesignstudio/
