The Logo Geek Podcast
Want to know what it takes to design logos? In the Logo Geek Podcast, show host Ian Paget finds out by interviewing successful graphic designers and entrepreneurs around the world so you can learn from their experiences.
Listen on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play or Spotify.
Featured Episodes
A Life of Food & Restaurant Branding
Using Strategy in Logo Design
How to Say No to Clients
Becoming a Hand Lettering Artist
The Latest Episodes!
#81: Using Semiotics in Logo Design with Dr Rachel Lawes
The world around us, and the culture we live in can have a massive impact on all of us unconsciously. The study of Semiotics can allow us to understand how meaning is created and communicated in a more effective way in order to design more effective logos and brand identities. The origins of Semiotics lie in the academic study of how signs and symbols (visual and linguistic) create meaning. But now, it’s become a methodology for researching and analysing consumer behaviour and brand communications. Ian interviews consumer psychologist, Dr Rachel Lawes to learn more about Semiotics, and how it can be used when developing a logo and brand identity.
#80: Creating Your Own Opportunities – An interview with Meg Lewis
If you want to be successful, you can’t just sit around and hope that opportunities will come your way. You need to work to attract them. Meg Lewis is a great example of someone who takes action. She works hard to attract her own opportunities, which we discuss on this weeks podcast. We also discover how Meg found the confidence to be herself, and how she created a unique personal brand, mixing design, comedy & performance to make the world a happier place.
#79: Logo Sketches Made By James – An interview with James Martin
If you like to peek inside a designers sketchbook you need to be aware of Made By James. That’s the instagram account from graphic designer James Martin who’s feed is full of stunning logo design development work. In this weeks episode Ian interviews James to find out how these sketches are created. We also dive into his logo design process, his approach with grids and the tools used. We also learn how he became a designer and how he founded his own design agency Baby Giant.
#78: How to Register a Trademark – An Interview with Marcella Dominguez
If you’re designing logos, you meed to be aware that we live in a world where business names and logos are registered, owned and legally protected by individuals and businesses. Ignoring trademark law could mean you end up unintentionally designing a logo that breaches an already established trademark, and your client could get in some serious legal trouble. So the more you about the topic, the better. To learn how to register a business name and logo, Ian interviews Marcella Dominguez, a trademark attorney from El Paso, Texas.
#77: How Can a Logo Cost $250,000? – An interview with Philip VanDusen
Designers know that creating the perfect logo can be a time consuming process. But even when you know what’s involved, for most it’s hard to comprehend how some logos can be priced in the millions. How can a logo cost this much? To discover the answer Ian interviews Philip VanDusen who’s worked with a host of the Fortune 100 companies, with logos in excess of $250,000. We learn what’s involved with projects of this scale, how to accurately price a logo project, user research, testing and more.
#76: Can You Design the Worst Logo? – with Helen Rice & Colin Pinegar
We all know what a bad logo looks like, but could you design the worst logo? The team from the design agency, Fuzzco, have created a contest encouraging you to undertake that challenge, with the chance for your worst work to be judged by some big name designers including Michael Bierut, Jessica Hische and Armin Vit. To learn more about the project Ian interviews Helen Rice and Colin Pinegar from Fuzzco, a Creative Agency in Charleston, Seattle and New York.
#75: Creating Stylescapes & Proposals – An interview with Ben Burns
Ever designed a logo but totally missed the mark? Or been stuck in the situation where you’re endlessly making revisions? The cause is most likely that you and your clients visions do not align. But how to you fix this? One solution is to create a Stylescape™, an enhanced mood board that expresses and steers the visual language for a project, before proceeding with any design work. In this episode Ian interviews Ben Burns to discover what a Stylescape is, how to create one, and how present them to clients. Ben is Chief Operating Officer of The Futur.
#74: Becoming a Premier League Designer – An interview with Mark Hirons
With a love of football, Mark Hirons dreamed to one day work as a graphic designer for an international football club. This year, at the age of only 22, his dream has come true, becoming an in-house designer for a Premier League football club. But how did Mark make this happen? In this podcast we discuss the events that lead up to this moment, with actionable advice for anyone also wanting to make their dreams come true.
#73: Be an Expert, Not an Order Taker – An Interview with Colleen Gratzer
When starting out as a graphic designer it’s easy to become an order taker, which can make you feel like a puppet on a string. But how do you move away from that? Ian interviews Colleen Gratzer to discover how you can become the expert, to solve the clients problems and be trusted to do the job right. We also discuss Brand Style Guidelines, to understand what should be included, and how to put one together. Colleen is the face behind Design Domination, a podcast and community for aspiring graphic designers.
#72: 8 Traits of Successful Logos
When designing a logo, how can you be sure that the identity that you’re working on will be a long term success in the real world? It’s impossible to know for sure, but to give you the best opportunity to create a logo that will succeed in the real world, in this weeks podcast Ian breaks down the 8 characteristics that timeless logos share.
#71: What it takes to be a Brand Strategist – An interview with Stephen Houraghan
What does it take to become a brand strategist? How can you learn everything you need to develop brands from the ground up? How do you conduct a strategy session, and what do you provide as a final deliverable? On this weeks episode, Ian interviews Stephen Houraghan to answer these questions. Stephen is the founder of Brand Master Academy, a training course developed to help you build strategic brands, grow your expert profile and command premium fees.
#70: Scale Your Design Business – An interview with Greg Hickman
If you want to build a business that’s both profitable and scalable, you need to implement productised services using predictable systems. But how do you do that? On this weeks episode Ian interviews Greg Hickman to find out. Greg is the founder of AltAgency, a business who helps agency owners, freelancers and service providers grow and scale their business without working nights and weekends.
#69: Pivoting from Brand Designer to Visual Storyteller – An interview with Laura Evans
Laura Evans has transitioned from working as a generalist brand identity designer, to becoming a visual storyteller. This combines her design and illustration skills with her ability to communicate complex stories more effectively. Laura is now able to do something she loves, that makes an impact, whilst allowing her to stand out in a crowded marketplace. Laura is the founder of Nifty Fox Creative, who uses the power of pictures to help clients communicate and engage with their audience more effectively.
#68: How Brands Shift to Stay Relevant – An interview with Allen Adamson
Brands are all around us, but as the times change they need to shift to keep relevant. Kodak and Blackberry for example were once leaders in their field, but they failed to adjust, becoming irrelevant in a fast changing world. But how can brands prevent this from happening to them, and how can designers and agencies help their clients avoid pending doom? On this weeks podcast Ian interviews branding expert, Allen Adamson to find out. Allen is the author of the new book Shift Ahead, and founder of brand strategy firm Metaforce.
#67: Being a More Confident Designer – An interview with Col Gray
What does starting a design business, building a personal brand and increasing your prices all have in common? Confidence. In this weeks episode Ian interviews Col Gray, the founder of Dundee based graphic design studio Pixels Ink to discuss how confidence has played a pivotal role in developing his personal brand, and taking his design business to the next level.
#66: Calligraphy, Lettering & Growing with Instagram – An interview with Ian Barnard
Ian Barnard started his career as a generalist graphic designer. But after learning calligraphy for fun and documenting his progress on Instagram, he attracted big name clients allowing him to specialise as a hand lettering artist. The growth and success of his Instagram feed has also allowed him to develop digital products, courses and more to generate a passive income too, meaning he no longer needs to work with clients. In this episode we discover how Ian got into calligraphy and hand lettering, the books he used to reference and self critique his lettering work, and how he used Instragram to grow his business.
#65: Designing Logos for Music & More – An interview with Paul Nicholson
Paul Nicholson designed the logo for one of the most celebrated and influential electronic artists, Aphex Twin, as well as a host of other musicians. But how has he been able to translate music into simple graphical forms? What does his process look like? In this episode we discover how Paul works with clients, his approach to experimental idea generation, and how he ultimately ends with mathematically precise, flawless artwork. Paul is a London-based creative designer known for his inventive, bold graphics within the music, art and fashion industries.
#64: How to Ask for Logo Design Feedback
As a designer you’ll need to ask for feedback on your work at some point. That could be from a client who you’re hoping to approve the logo you’ve designed for them, or you could simply be asking a friend or colleague, or a community of designers for their thoughts on your work. But how can you avoid getting subjective, unhelpful feedback? In this weeks episode, Ian shares his advice for presenting your work, and asking for feedback in order to get clear, focussed, objective feedback that will improve your design work.
#63: A Life of Logos & Design – An Interview with Gerard Huerta
Gerard Huerta’s life as a designer has been incredible. After graduating he began his career at CBS Records, creating artwork and logos for numerous well-known musicians including Boston, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and many, many more. He then went on to work for himself, where he’s designed the lettering for AC/DC’s High Voltage, and logos for Swiss Army Brands, HBO, Calvin Klein’s Eternity, Pepsi, People, Adweek… the list goes on. On top of this he’s also worked on magazine covers, movie posters, watch dials, fonts and more. In this episode Ian chats with Gerard to learn from his experience by discovering his design process when at CBS, his approach today, how he’s been able to work with big brands through his career and more valuable insights and advice.
Season 6
#6.10: Getting your first design job – An interview with Ram Castillo
When you’re a new graduate or newly self-taught designer, searching for your first job in the design industry can be tough. Applying for job after job with no immediate success can leave you feeling low, and wondering if you’ll ever make it in the industry. But you’re not alone, and this weeks episode is designed to give you some much needed motivation. Ian interviews award winning design director, Ram Castillo, who shares some honest truths about the industry, and advice for getting your first design job. We also discuss the most effective approach for finding and reaching out to mentors who can help you reach your professional goals.
#6.9: Developing a Belief System for Brands – An interview with Patrick Hanlon
According to Patrick Hanlon, brands that thrive are those with the highest quality communities, and to attract members to that community companies should work to develop belief systems. But how can they do that? In this episode Ian speaks to Patrick, author of Primal Branding and founder of the agency of the same name to discover the 7 key components that help to create, drive and sustain a belief system.
#6.8: Logo Geeks 2019 Summary + Plans for 2020
As the year comes to an end, in this final episode of 2019, Ian takes some time to look back and reflect on the growth of Logo Geek through 2019 and his plans for 2020. He also provides advice for planning for the new year and beyond through the use of vision boards, quarterly goals and daily habits.
#6.7: Creating a Colour Palette – An Interview with Greg Gunn
How do you select the most appropriate colour for a logo? How about selecting the perfect supporting colour palette? What colour mode should you be working in? Ian interviews Greg Gunn to answer these questions, and to discover more about his new training course, Colour for Creatives. Greg is a Los Angeles based Illustrator and Animator working as Creative Director for Blind, a brand strategy design consultancy.
#6.6: Starting a Design Side Hustle – An interview with Scotty Russell
If you want to start your own design business the recommended approach for most is to start it as a side hustle whilst your 9-5 job brings in the money. But how do you make time around a full time job? and how do you reach your goals? In this weeks episode Ian speaks to Scotty Russell, the founder of Perspective Collective, a business he built and run on the side of a full time job. We discover how he built his own personal brand, how he makes time with a family, goal setting and more.
#6.5: Enneagram Personality Types in Branding – An interview with Shay Bocks
When working on identity design it’s important to know who you’re targeting so that you can create a solution that attracts the desired audience. But exactly how to approach this can often be subjective, but what if there was a more strategic way? Enneagram Personalities is one fascinating approach. 9 personality types which are represented by the points of a geometric figure known as an enneagram, that can be used to explain how each type interacts with the world. To learn more Ian interviews brand stylist, Shay Bocks.
#6.4: Creating a Brand New Name – An interview with Jeremy Miller
As a logo designer you’ve probably been approached by companies who have names that are far from perfect… they’re too long, hard to say, or just don’t properly represent the brand. You’ll likely want to help them improve, but where do you start? What does an expert brand naming service look like? In this episode Ian interviews Jeremy Miller to find out. Jeremy is the author of the new book Brand New Name, and the founder of Sticky Branding who help business’ grow a remarkable brands.
#6.3: How to Design & Sell Fonts – An interview with Adam Ladd
Typography is a fundamental part of logo design, but what does it take to design a font from scratch? What software do you use? How do you sell and licence the font once complete, where can you seek advice when you get stuck? In this weeks episode Ian interviews type designer Adam Ladd to answer these questions and more. Adam is a graphic designer based in Cincinnati, Ohio with experience in fonts, branding, and art direction. He worked as art director and designer for HOW and PRINT magazines before building his own full-time, independent font foundry.
#6.2: Design Successful Logos with Research – An interview with Jenn & Ken Visocky O’Grady
If you want to design logos and identities that succeed in the real world you must truly understand the business, competition and target audience. To understand that you need to make research part of your design process. The information you gather will ensure you have a thorough understanding of the problem you need to solve, so design decisions can be made with intent. To discuss the value of research and the methods used Ian interviews Jenn and Ken Viscoky O’Grady, the authors of the book A Designers Research Manual. Jenn is a Professor at Cleveland State University, and Ken is Professor and Graduate Coordinator at Kent State University.
#6.1: Skills they don’t teach in design school – An interview with Michael Janda
As a designer you’ll put your heart and soul into your portfolio… and if your portfolio is the best in the world, you’ll get clients, right? Sadly your design work alone won’t lead to success. To be a successful graphic designer you’ll also need to develop interpersonal skills to get your dream job, or to attract and work with clients of your own.
In this episode, Michael Janda, the author of Burn Your Portfolio shares the skills you need to develop beyond design. We also discuss how to calculate the cost of a logo, and his approach for using Instagram to position himself as a thought leader.
Season 5
#5.10: Creating a Logo Archive – An interview with Richard Baird
LogoArchive is an online gallery and series of collectable monthly ‘zines’ focused on researching and restoring mid-century logo design, featuring work by designers such as Burton Kramer, Rolf Harder and Tomoko Miho. This is one of the self-initiated projects founded and run by Richard Baird, a British freelance designer and writer.
In this episode we discover how Richard started his career, why he focuses 50% of his time writing, and have an in-depth discussion about Logo Archive.
#5.9: Process: A Visual Journey – An interview with Jonas Banker & Ida Wessel
When working on logo design a large bulk of the process is working through a visual journey. This is part of the process that’s rarely shared, and is often surrounded in mystery, but a new book published by Counter Print has worked to address this by highlighting the rarely shown sketching and process behind the making of marks and logotypes… Process: Visual Journeys in Graphic Design, created by Jonas Banker and Ida Wessel, the founders of the award winning Swedish design agency, BankerWessel. In this interview we discuss the new book, but also learn how Jonas and Ida founded their agency as a couple, as well as their process for working with clients on a logo design project.
#5.8: Discussing Mental Health – An interview with Abi Lemon
Mental health is a serious topic and all too common in the design industry, but due to fear most of us keep our problems private, and some never seek help. To encourage people to open up, to talk about their problems and get the help they need, in this episode Ian interviews Abi Lemon to have an honest and open discussion about the challenges they’ve both faced with mental health. We also discuss toolkit ideas to focus on positivity, thoughts on imposter syndrome and how to work on personal development. Abi Lemon is the founder of Brand Pharmacy, focusing on adventurous outdoor brands.
#5.7: Creating a Logo Package – An interview with Michael Bruny-Groth
Once your clients agreed the logo you’ve designed what files should you be sending? As a professional logo designer you need to provide the logo in a number of formats for web and print, as well as colour variations and configurations to ensure the logo you’ve designed is versatile. In this episode Ian interviews Michael Bruny-Groth to learn how to create a comprehensive logo package, and the file types and formats that you should be including. We also learn about the story behind Logo Package Express, an illustrator plugin designed to speed up the process of preparing a logo package.
#5.6: Networking to get clients & referrals – An interview with Joana Galvão
At the age of 22 Joana Galvão made the decision to leave her junior design position to start her own agency, Gif Design Studios. Within the first 10 months she’d made over $100K, and was able to fulfil her dream to work with ambitious and revolutionary entrepreneurs, such as Lewis Howes, Danielle LaPorte, and Selena Soo. But how did she do it? In this interview Ian uncovers Joanas story to learn how she has grew her business through networking, referrals and speaking, and how you can do the same.
#5.5: Building a Million Dollar Agency from Zero – An Interview with Mash Bonigala
In 2012 when Google changed its algorithm, the company Logo Design Works went from having hundreds of enquiries a day, to almost zero. The founder Mash Bonigala hit rock bottom, and ultimately needed to let his team go. He made the decision to start again under the parent name of Spellbrand, which he built up to become a million dollar agency with offices in 5 countries around the world. In this episode Ian interviews Mash to learn how he built the business up from scratch, what the agencies sales funnels look like and how they use Facebook and Google Ads to pull in ongoing clients.
#5.4: Creating a Niche Business – An interview with Sara Dunn
How do you stand out from other designers, attract more clients, and work on projects you enjoy? One solution is to build a business that specialises in one area of design that you love, that targets a specific niche audience. But how do you do that? In this interview Ian speaks to Sara Dunn who’s been there and done it. She transitioned from a general web design & marketing agency to building a niche business offering SEO services for “creative wedding pros”, and she’s been incredibly successful. In this interview we discover how she decided what niche to focus on, how she used content marketing to attract the right clients, and how she productised & systematised the business too.
#5.3: Showing the Value of Design – An interview with Aarron Walter
In order to be respected as a designer you need to be able to show the value of design. But how do you do that? In this weeks episode Ian interviews Aarron Walter to find out. In this interview we learn how designers can gain the respect of business owners, how they can measure the success of a design, Aarrons approach to UX design, and how you can use emotion to create incredible user experiences. Aarron is VP of Design Education at InVision, host of The Design Better Podcast, and author of the book, Designing for Emotion.
#5.2: A Brief History of Logo Design – An interview with Steven Heller
The Logo Design Idea Book is the latest inspirational book from Steven Heller, which shares the story behind 50 successful logos. In this episode Ian interviews Steven to discuss the new book, which leads down a path to discover the origins of logo design. Steven Heller is the author, co-author, and/or editor of over 100 books on design and popular culture. For 33 years of his career he was art director at the New York Times, and among many other successes, is a recipient of the AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement.
Season 4
#4.10: Designing the Google Logo – An interview with RuthKedar
In 1998, when she was art professor at the Stanford Art Department, Ruth Kedar was approached by 2 students to design a logo for their startup business. Those students were Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, which has now become one of the worlds most profitable businesses and the logo one of the most recognisable in the process. In the weeks interview Ian speaks with Ruth to discover how she designed the Google logo, what decisions were made, and the reason why the final solution was selected. We also dive into Ruths time at Stanford University and her fascination with playing cards too.
#4.9: An interview with Illustrator & Logo Designer Alexa Erkaeva
In this weeks podcast Ian interviews the super talented Alexa Erkaeva, who produces stylised logo designs and illustrations that gleam with character, which also come to life through effective use of animation. We discuss how she first became a graphic designer despite not being able to attend university, what her logo design process looks like, how she animates her logo designs, how she gets clients, and how she’s able to connect meet other designers despite living in a part of the world where there are currently no design events. Alexa is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Turkmenistan in Central Asia.
#4.8: Scaling & marketing your business – An interview with Tom Ross
If you’re working as a freelancer or a one person company in order to scale your business you need to start hiring others to help and support your goals. But the thought of hiring someone can incredibly daunting. In this weeks interview Ian discusses this topic with Tom Ross, founder and CEO of Design Cuts and host of the popular podcast, The Honest Designers show. In this interview we also discuss how to prevent burnout, and how to market your business too.
#4.7: Using the one concept approach – An interview with Melissa Yeager
How many logos should you present to clients? Back in 2013 Sean McCabe created a viral piece of content called ‘the one logo concept’ that sparked controversy, suggesting that professional designers should present only one logo, and if a designer cannot determine what the most effective solution is… they should not be taking on clients. Despite this, many well established designers don’t agree, and still present options. However, after hearing of the approach Melissa Yeager took the advice on board, created her own version of the process, and now presents only the one logo to clients with great success. In this podcast we learn how she’s been able to do this, taking a deep dive into her process to discover how its worked for her. Melissa is a brand strategist and holistic identity designer for creative small businesses, based in Pennsylvania.
#4.6: Building a strategy led design agency – An interview with Sean Tambagahan
Design that’s based on aesthetics can be very subjective and open to the whims of personal preference, however when you focus on solving business challenges with design you get better results. That’s where Brand Strategy comes into play. In this episode Ian interviews Sean Tambagahan, the founder and CEO of Butler Branding – a strategy led design agency to learn how he built his business, what a brand strategy session looks like, how he increased his prices 10x, grew his team and more.
#4.5: Becoming a hand lettering artist – An interview with Lauren Hom
Is it possible to pursue a career doing something you love? Hand lettering artist Lauren Hom has proved it’s possible. After discovering her career in advertising was not what she imagined, she leveraged her side passion in hand lettering to create the job of her dreams. In this interview Ian speaks with Lauren to discover her inspiring story, learning how she became a full time hand lettering artist, what her process looks like, how she works with an illustration agent and more! Lauren Hom is Known for her bright colour palettes and playful letterforms, and has worked with companies including Starbucks, Google, YouTube and TIME Magazine.
#4.4: Making the Most of University – An interview with Diane Gibbs
To get a job as a designer it’s always your portfolio that matters, and not your qualifications. So is it still worth attending university? In this weeks interview Ian chats with Diane Gibbs to find out the answer to this question. We discuss why university matters, what you should do before you attend, how you can make the most of your time studying, and the importance of networking with, and getting to know designers in the industry. Diane is a graphic designer, entrepreneur, business owner, consultant, and a college professor at the University of South Alabama. She’s best known for her highly acclaimed Design Recharge interview series.
#4.3: Designing logos forHasbro, Disney, Star Wars& More! – An interview with Myles Mendoza
Myles Mendoza is a super talented graphic designer from San Diego, and one of 3 who form HRO Design, an agency who work on logo and brand identity design for some of the worlds biggest entertainment brands including Marvel, Disney, Star Wars, Hasbro, Warner Bros and many more! On this weeks episode Ian chats with Myles to discover how he became a designer, how he landed (and lost) his dream design job, how HRO design was formed, how they get such incredible clients, his logo design process and so much more.
#4.2: Becoming Designer & Director at Aardman Animations – An interview with Gavin Strange
This week Ian interviews Gavin Strange, Director & Designer for Aardman Animations by day, and by night he runs JamFactory, where he works on a number of passion side projects including film making, toy design, illustration, photography and more! We talk about the journey Gavin took to get his job with Aardman, his side projects, design process, his thoughts on uni and much more.
#4.1: Copyright & Trademark Law for Logo design – An interview with Gordon Firemark
On this weeks episode Ian Paget interviews Gordon Firemark, a practicing attorney from Los Angeles to talk about the legal side of logo design, including the difference between copyright and trademarking, the approach to trademark a logo, what action you can take if your work is copied, how and when to use the right symbols on logos, and the ins and outs of contracts too. Gordon is the producer and host of Entertainment Law Update, a podcast for artists and professionals in the entertainment industries. His practice also covers intellectual property, cyberspace, new media and business/corporate matters for clients in the entertainment industry.
Season 3
#3.12: An interview with Armin Vit
Armin Vit has established himself as an influential figure in the logo design space through his fantastic logo and brand identity reviews under the umbrella of Brand New, which now receives over 1.8 million page views each month. But how did he get started, how does he approach his reviews and what lessons has he learned along the way? In this interview Ian finds out.
#3.11: How a new mum built a design agency – An interview with Rebecca Heinemann
Following a successful design career and the birth of her son, Rebecca Heinemann built her own design agency CraftWell so that she could have a better work/life balance. In this episode Ian interviews Rebecca to discuss her background, the reason why she built her own business, the steps she took to get it up and running and the challenges and fears faced along the way. We also discuss why we both feel it’s important to work within agencies before considering building your own business.
#3.10: An interview with Louise Fili
On this weeks episode Ian interviews Louise Fili, an Italian-American graphic designer who’s specialised in brand development for food packaging and restaurants for the past 30 years. We discuss how she discovered her niche, her logo design process, typography design, her incredible books and so much more. Louise Fili is a member of the Art Directors Hall of Fame, and has received the medal for Lifetime Achievement from the AIGA and the Type Directors Club.
#3.9: Sports Branding & Successful Content Creation – An interview with Michael Raisch
Having worked on the design of sports logos and brands for over 15 years, Michael Raisch, a graphic designer at Fanbrandz has developed a deep understanding of designing identities for sports clubs. In this episode we dive into the differences you need to consider when working on the design of sports logos and brand identities, and some of the stories behind where the ideas were formed. Michael is also a very talented content creator, so we also discuss how he’s able to create engaging and relevant content which has attracted attention from big publications including The Guardian, HOW Design, CNN and People Magazine.
#3.8: Getting your dream design job – An interview with Charli Prangley
If you’re looking for a design job it can often be hard to find an opportunity, even if you’re the most talented designer. But if you get your CV and portfolio right, and put yourself out there too you’re more likely to get the job you’ve always wanted. To help you with this, on this weeks podcast Ian speaks with Charli Prangley to discuss job application tips, portfolio, CV and job interview advice, and also how she found her dream job through networking, public speaking, YouTube videos, Podcasts and a number of side projects too. Charli is a remote designer and developer at Convert Kit, and is also a co-host on the Design Life Podcast.
#3.7: The Fundamentals of Typography – An Interview With Michael Stinson
Typography is a core component of logo design, but so many designers lack the essential knowledge needed to use fonts correctly. To solve that, this week Ian interviews Michael Stinson to talk about the fundamentals of type, choosing and managing fonts, licensing, laying out content, book recommendations and more. Michael is the typography instructor at Laguna College of Art + Design, and is also the founder and lead Instructor at TypeEd, an educational platform that teach designers about the fundamental theory of type.
#3.6: Discover Your Personal Brand – An Interview with Radim Malinic
Are you struggling to work out who you are as a designer? Working out your purpose and personal brand? In this weeks episode Ian talks with Radim Malinic to learn how he discovered his passion for design, and the journey he took to establish his personal brand. We also find out how he’s been able to attract big clients, and more about his latest book, ‘Book of Ideas: Volume 2’. Radim is an award winning freelance creative director, graphic designer and keynote speaker based in London who’s worked with clients including Nike, Harry Potter, London Film Museum, SyCo, Sprite and WWF.
#3.5: An interview with George Bokhua
In this episode Ian speaks to George Bokhua, a truly talented graphic designer, who’s worked with companies including Disney, New Balance, NFL and Wired Magazine. Having followed his work for years, Ian describes George as one of the best practicing logo designers in the world today, so this interview dives into his life as a designer, his logo design process, idea generation, using grid systems, using social media, pricing a logo and so much more. It’s an insightful interview with a real master of logo design.
#3.4: Qualifying Leads & Turning them into Clients – An Interview with Emily Cohen
Finding potential logo design leads can be a challenge, but once they contact you how do you convert them to clients? How do you know if they will be good to work work with? What should you send them? On this weeks episode Ian talks with Emily Cohen to learn more about qualifying clients, then creating proposals and contracts to convert your prospects into clients. Emily is a brutally honest consultant who provides strategic business advice to creative firms, and the author of the book Brutally Honest.
Episode 3.3: Value Based Pricing – An Interview With Blair Enns
Value Based Pricing is a term that frequently comes up when people talk about service based businesses, but exactly how it works is often a mystery to us designers. In this episode Ian speaks to Blair Enns to learn what value based pricing is, and how it can be used to build a profitable business whilst also providing the best service possible to your clients. Blair Enns is the author of the highly acclaimed book The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, and Pricing Creativity: a guide to profit beyond the billable hour.
Episode 3.2: Saying No to Clients – An interview with Sagi Haviv
Logo design is a collaborative process between designer and client, but from time to time in order to provide the best possible service you need to say ‘no’. But how do you do that without damaging the client relationship? In this episode Ian Paget interviews Sagi Haviv to learn the techniques he uses to gain credibility and provide confidence so that when the time comes… he can say no without damaging the client relationship. Sagi is a parter and designer at Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, who has designed over 60 identity programs, including the logos for the Library of Congress, Harvard University Press, and the US Open.
Episode 3.1: Creative Strategy and the Business of Design with Douglas Davis
To be a successful designer, freelancer, or small business owner you need to understand strategy and business, so to kick off season 3 Ian chats with Douglas Davis, the author of the hugely popular book “Creative Strategy and the Business of Design” to discuss the importance of understanding business, and using a strategic approach when working as a designer. Douglas is the associate professor within the Communication Design department at New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn.
Season 2
Episode 2.10: Talking Logo Design with Tom Geismar
In this interview Ian speaks with Tom Geismar, one of the most highly acclaimed designers in the industry. We discuss logo design, including the process before computers, presenting to the client, working in black and white, mistakes to avoid, pricing big projects, launching a new identity, a beautiful tribute to Ivan Chermayeff and more. Tom is a founding partner of design agency Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv, where he worked on iconic logos for brands including Mobil Oil, Xerox, Chase Bank and many more.
Episode 2.9: Logos & Type Design for Comic Books with Rian Hughes
In this episode Ian chats with Rian Hughes, a British graphic designer, illustrator, writer and comic book artist. Rian is best known for his work in the British and American comic book industry, having created many logo designs for Marvel and DC including Batman and Robin, Bat Girl, Spider-Man, The X-Men, Captain America, Wolverine, The Script, The Invisibles… the list goes on! In this episode we talk about Rians approach to logo and type design, as well as his new book Logo-A-Gogo, an inspirational visual history of the iconic brand identities created Rian.
Episode 2.8: Growing an Instagram Following to 600k with Jonathan Rudolph
Instagram has become a popular method for designers to find inspiration for logo design, however, did you know that by being active on the platform you can attract clients? But what do you need to do to increase engagement? How do you grow your following to attract potential clients? In this episode Ian chats with the founder of Logo Inspirations, Jonathan Rudolph to find out. We learn how he grew his following to almost 600,000, whilst also making an income of over $5000+ a month. We also discover how Jonathan started Logo Inspirations, how he fits it around a full time job.
Episode 2.7: Building a Life in Identity Design, An interview with Ben Loiz
In this interview Ian speaks with Identity designer Ben Loiz to learn from his 18 years experience. We speak about his early life that lead him to start his own studio, his hands-on logo design process, the files he sends, the importance of work life balance (with tips), how he networks to attract big named clients such as Nike and CocaCola, and how he’s able to use photography to present and elevate the quality of his identity design work.
Episode 2.6: How to Use Mood Boards in Logo Design with Mariah Althoff
What is a mood board, how do you create one and how can they be used to improve your logo design process and client communication? In this podcast, Ian chats with Mariah Althoff, a freelance brand identity designer, to find out. We also learn how Mariah started her business, and how she’s created a number of clever sales funnels that include Training Courses, Pinterest and Email Marketing.
Episode 2.5: Creating a Personal Brand with Jacob Cass
As a designer you need a personal brand. But what name should you use? How do you design your own logo? Do you need a website and what should be on it? In this episode Ian chats with Jacob Cass to find out. We also find out how Jacob has been able to travel the world whilst working as a freelance designer, how he designs a logo, and how he makes a passive income from affiliate marketing. Jacob Cass is a logo, brand and web designer best known for his blog and business, Just Creative.
Episode 2.4: YouTube, Lettering & Logos with Will Paterson
Can sharing tips and tutorials on YouTube attract logo design clients? Yes. In this weeks podcast we chat with Will Paterson who has been able to just that. We learn how Will started his YouTube channel, the tools and software used, and how he’s able to manage his time to create consistent content, whilst also taking on client design projects too. We also deep dive into his logo design and hand lettering process. Will Paterson is a well-known logo designer and hand lettering artist specialising in logotype design. He’s best know for his YouTube channel, where he shares weekly tips and advice for designers, which has grown to a following of over 234,000 subscribers.
Episode 2.3: Learn by studying design masters with Malinda Livsey
Have you ever analysed a logo design in detail so that you can really understand why design decisions were made? What if you did that with logo designs from graphic design masters, such as Paul Rand? What could you learn by doing so?. This week Ian chats with Malinda Livsey to find out why she started to study logos and what she’s learned. We also discuss her logo design process and how she’s been able to reduce the time spent on projects by half, whilst increasing her prices too simply by implementing core strategy sessions as part of her design services. Melinda is the founder and Creative Director of her own branding agency, Marks & Maker.
Episode 2.2: Talking Branding, Logos & Social Proof with David Brier
What is branding and why does it matter? What steps do you need to take to build a brand identity? What makes a great logo? and how can you use social proof to attract clients? We answer these questions and more in this interview with branding guru David Brier. David is an award-winning veteran in branding, rebrands, design and brand strategy, having received over 330 international industry recognitions for his work. He’s also the author of a newly released book, Brand Intervention.
Episode 2.1: Using Strategy in Logo Design With Marty Neumeier
Why is strategy important when designing a logo? How can you use strategy as part of your design process? In this episode branding expert and thought leader Marty Neumeier answers these questions, as well as explaining in detail how to test a trademark design before releasing it to the public. Marty is the Director of Transformation at Liquid Agency, and the author of some of the very best books on branding and design including; Brand Gap, Zag and Brand Flip.
Season 1
Episode 1.10: The Steps to Design a Brand Identity, with Alina Wheeler
What is branding, and how do you go about starting a brand identity design project? In this weeks episode Ian chats with Alina Wheeler, the author of the popular book, Designing Brand Identity. In this episode we deep dive into the steps that need to be taken to rebrand a business from start to finish. We also discuss Alinas book, which is now on its 5th edition.
Episode 1.9: SEO & online marketing for graphic designers, with Ryan Robinson
Do you spend all your time searching for clients, attending events and cold calling? What if there was a better way to do this, and instead have potential customers simply find you when they need your logo design services? Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the solution. In this episode Ian chats with freelance content marketeer, and SEO expert Ryan Robinson who shares actionable information that you can use now to start getting your design portfolio in the hands of real clients around the world!
Episode 1.8: How to start a logo design business, with Kyle Courtright
Have you ever dreamed of creating your own graphic design business but have no idea where to start? In this episode Ian chats with Kyle Courtright, who in 2013 ditched his 9 to 5 job to start the business of his dreams, Courtright designs. We find out how Kyle kickstarted his logo design business, how he’s attracted clients, and we also talk about an exciting new logo design awards site founded by Kyle, Logo Wave.
Episode 1.7: What it takes to work for a design agency, with Simon Manchipp
Do you want to work for a top brand design agency but not sure what it takes? In this episode Ian chats with Simon Manchipp, one of the founders of the hugely successful branding design agency ‘Someone’ to find out. We discuss the best design portfolios, common CV mistakes and much more.
Episode 1.6: The Personality of Type, with Sarah Hyndman
Every font has a personality that influences your interpretation of the words you are reading. In this weeks podcast Ian chats about this with Sarah Hyndman, the creator of TypeTasting, a range of fun events and experiences around type, which also doubles up as a research platform so to truly understand how every day people perceive type. In this episode we discuss Type Tasting events, how to select the perfect typeface for a logo, and Sarah’s fantastic books for designers, including ‘why fonts matter’.
Episode 1.5: Talking Logo Lounge & Logo Trends with Bill Gardner
Bill Gardner is the founder of corporate/brand identity design firm Gardner Designs, who specialise in logo design and branding. He also founded Logo Lounge, the searchable logo database which release an annual trend report for graphic designers. In this episode we discuss Logo Lounge, and Bills annual trend report.
Episode 1.4: Talking Logo Design with Aaron Draplin
Aaron James Draplin is a popular logo designer, and the man behind Draplin Design Co (DDC). His clients have included Nike, Apple, and the previous president of the USA, Barack Obama. In this episode Ian chats with him about Logo Design, and how he’s been able to attract big clients by working on fun projects for his own brand, and for friends.
Episode 1.3: Finding Your Passion & Turning it into a Business with Dina Rodriguez
Are you a designer searching for your true passion? After 5 years of working in design studios and never feeling satisfied, Dina Rodriguez started to draw again and discovered hand lettering… an area of design that has become her true passion. In this episode Ian talks with Dina about how she found her passion, and how she’s been able to turn that into a profitable business and personal brand.
Episode 1.2: How to Get Logo Design Clients with David Airey
Have you got the skills to design logos, but now want to know how to get clients? In this episode Ian chats with David Airey, a brand identity designer and writer, and the man behind the popular book and blog ‘Logo Design Love’ to learn how he’s been able to attract clients. He also offers advice on improving your portfolio, and provides an excellent pricing model freelance designers.
Episode 1.1: How to Charge More for Logo Design with Chris Do
Ever wondered how some designers are able to charge $500 and some others $10,000? What are they doing differently and how can you do the same? In this podcast we chat with Chris Do, founder and CEO of the award winning design consultancy Blind, and disruptive design education platform The Futur to answer that question…