Better: The Brand Designer Podcast

Jen Davis
  • 4.6 (61)
  • Design
  • Updated Biweekly

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.

  1. 6d ago

    S14 E4: Behind-the-Scenes of Rebranding My 12-Year Design Agency with Kadie Smith

    In this week's episode, I chat with Kadie Smith, designer and founder of Drop Cap Design. We talk about why she chose to rebrand after 12 years in business, how she'd been feeling disconnected from her brand, and what it was like being the "client," working with her senior designer through it. We also discuss why communicating clearly with clients matters so much, presenting work and gathering feedback more effectively, and growing into a creative direction role with your team. Guest Name: Kadie Smith Guest Website: dropcapdesign.com Guest Social: @kadie_smith_ Drop Cap Social: @dropcapdesign / @dropcapacademy Links Mentioned: See the rebrand of Drop Cap - Watch Behind-The-Brand and use code “BETTER” and watch for FREE being a listener of the podcast! Links: The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership. Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 25% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our Website Podcast Instagram Hello June Creative Instagram The Design Minimind Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design

  2. Sep 4

    S14 E3: What I'd Do Differently If I Were Starting My Design Business Today

    In this solo episode, as I'm in my 14th season of the podcast and 8th year in business, I chat about things that have changed since I started in 2019, and share what I would do differently and things I would prioritize sooner if I were starting my creative business today. Links: The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership. Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 25% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our Website Podcast Instagram Hello June Creative Instagram The Design Minimind Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design

  3. Aug 25

    S14 E2: The Hidden Messaging Mistakes Costing You High-End Clients with Kayla Dean

    Grab Kayla's Website Copy Compendium today and use code BETTERPOD to save $200 on personal or commercial. ---- In this episode, I talk with Kayla Dean, website copywriter, messaging strategist, and owner of The Literary Co. We chat about why messaging and positioning are often the missing link for designers who want high-ticket clients, and how strong copy can reduce pricing pushback, attract better-fit leads, and support what your portfolio already proves. Guest Name: Kayla Dean Guest Website: theliterary.co Guest IG: @theliterary.co Guest Threads: @theliterary.co Website Copy Compendium: theliterary.co/wcc - Use code BETTERPOD and save $200 on personal or commercial. Trust Triggers: Get your Free Guide Here Links: The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership. Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 25% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our Website Podcast Instagram Hello June Creative Instagram The Design Minimind Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design

  4. Aug 18

    S14 E1: What’s the Future of Independent Design Studios? with Steven Wakabayashi

    In this first episode of season 14, I talk with Steven Wakabayashi, creative director and founder of Stranger Creative, about building a strong company culture in a fully remote, globally distributed agency, what it really takes to grow from freelance-style work into a sustainable team, and having the right mindset as a business owner. We also chat about how we work with talented freelancers across different areas of design expertise, and how that produces top tier work for our clients. Guest Name: Steven Wakabayashi Guest Websites: strangercreative.com / stevenwakabayashi.com/speaking Guest Linkedin: inkedin.com/stevenwakabayashi Guest Substack: strangercreative.substack.com Guest Podcast: Yellow Glitter Links Mentioned: Just Works QTBIPOC Design (nonprofit organization) Links: The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership. Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our Website Podcast Instagram Hello June Creative Instagram The Design Minimind Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design

  5. Jul 8

    S13 E23: What Matters and What Doesn’t? Nine Years of Running a Design Studio with Olivia Austin

    In this week's episode I have fellow designer, mom, and business owner Olivia Austin back on the podcast. We chat about the things that don't matter and the things that really do when growing and running a business, and how becoming a mom has made all of that even clearer. Her last episode with me was back in 2022 and so much has changed since we last talked.  Guest Name: Olivia Austin Guest Website: byoliviaaustin.com & thestudio.co Guest Social: @thestudio.co & @byoliviaaustin Guest Podcast: Behind the Design Course: Studio Growth Accelerator Previous Guest Episode: S6 E5: Hiring a Team that Supports Your Vision with Olivia Austin Links: The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership. Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our Website Podcast Instagram Hello June Creative Instagram The Design Minimind Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, motherhood and business

  6. Jun 30

    S13 E22: Building a 7 Figure Creative Agency that Will Sell with Brooke Apffel

    This week I chatted with Brooke Apffel about building her digital marketing business, Coastal Collective Marketing (CoCo), from the ground up, growing it into an agency with a team, and what the process looked like to eventually sell through an acquisition. We also talk about her social media masterclass, a course I took personally and highly recommend! Guest Name: Brooke Apffel Guest Website: coastalcollectivemarketing.com Guest Social: @coastalcollectivemarketing The Course: The Social Media Manager Masterclass Links: The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership. Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our Website Podcast Instagram Hello June Creative Instagram The Design Minimind Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design

  7. Jun 23

    S13 E21: Stationery as Storytelling: The Power of Tangible Design with Amanda DeWoody

    In this weeks episode, I'm chatting with my friend Amanda, owner of Mandy Lee Studio (formerly Poised Avenue), who specializes in stationery, print design, and design licensing. We talk about why print still matters in a world of digital noise and AI, how tactile collateral can strengthen a brand experience, and how to educate your clients on print and all the possibilities it opens up to elevate their brand presence beyond just digital. Guest Name: Amanda DeWoody Guest Website: mandylee.studio  Guest Email: hello@mandylee.studio Guest Substack: amandadewoody.substack.com Guest Social: @signedmandylee Links: The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our Website Podcast Instagram Hello June Creative Instagram The Design Minimind Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design

  8. Jun 16

    S13 E20: Eat the Donkey: How (and Why) to Choose Discomfort in Your Business with Anthony Reeves

    In this week's episode, I talk with brand leader and author Anthony Reeves, who has led the creative teams for major brands like Amazon, Airbnb, Kohler, and more. We talk about his book, Eat the Donkey, what inspired the title, and the idea of making hard short-term choices for long-term success. We also talk about AI and his take on how both small and large companies should be using it while still preserving that human element. Guest Name: Anthony Reeves Guest Website: anthonyreeves.co Guest Linkedin: Connect with Anthony Eat the Donkey Book: Buy on Amazon Links: The Design Minimind - My 1:1 coaching program for designers Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Become a member of Editorial Stock images and use code “BETTER15” to receive 15% off your membership. Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our Website Podcast Instagram Hello June Creative Instagram The Design Minimind Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design

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4.6
out of 5
61 Ratings

About

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.

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