Since launching the podcast two years ago, DBA Expert and host Claire Blyth has interviewed over 50 of the world’s leading designers, creatives and strategists about their lives in design. 

The podcast lifts the lid on their careers, starting each episode by asking when they first discovered that design was a ‘thing’ they could base a career on.

For some it was the influence and impact of graffiti or album cover art, for others it was a curiosity around packaging design, something else that sparked their curiosity –  many came to it quite late. This is partly why the podcast offers such valuable insights, especially for young people navigating their lives in design, and hearing that it’s not always a linear journey into the exciting world of design.

The series is now back in its fifth season, and kicked off earlier this month with design legend Mary Lewis, co-founder of Lewis Moberly, who joins a host of other big names, such as Brian Collins and Pentagram’s Paula Scher, in sharing her life in design so far.

Mary, in her first-ever podcast interview, shared deep insights into her life, from growing up on a farm in Shropshire, teaching graphic design, discovering adland, and going on to launch the ground-breaking design studio Lewis Moberly. “I was always fascinated by what went into brands to create them; the psychology that was involved really interested me,” reflects Mary during the podcast.

Her interview offers a unique glimpse into the thinking that has propelled her agency to have had such a significant impact within the design industry. “I’ve always been very self-motivated” reveals Mary, “I’m conscious of answering a brief, but I also have to answer to myself. That’s very important.”

Podcast guests this season

Catch up with Emily Rickard, CEO of BUCK, giving her take on the creative industries through the lens of production, fashion journalism, and reality TV, to leading BUCK where she works alongside some of the most talented artists in the world. “There’s a real curiosity built into the culture, which I think is wonderful,” she says, “everybody has the opportunity to learn; I’m still learning every day.”

Emily also points to BUCK’s work on the spectacular movie ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ as being a perfect tool to inspire the next generation of creatives (take a look here). “I’m really passionate about making sure that we continue to push diversity in our industry,” says Emily. “There’s so much untapped potential and talent out there,” she adds, recommending to young creatives that they should “find their own style” and “don’t be afraid to reach out to the companies that inspire you and see if there’s internships available.”

We also have Hamish Campbell, VP Executive Creative Director of Pearlfisher New York, sharing how he came to design fairly late but forged a path that led him to be approached by Pearlfisher to be part of their New York office. He also shares insights on how design students in the UK and the US differ.

Upcoming interviews promise even more valuable insights from industry figures such as jkr’s co-founder Ian Ritchie, Joy Nazzari, founder of DNCO, Joshua Breidenback, co-founder of Rice Studios, and Ekaterina Solomeina, co-founder of Future London Academy.

Subscribe and download ‘My Life in Design’ and please share so the podcast can help inform, educate and inspire young designers to achieve fulfilling careers in design.

One member focused on the development of new business in international markets:

• A realisation that there are too many agencies in the UK competing for the same work led one member to ramp up their work with international clients that ultimately enabled them to open a London office.
• The unique appeal of British design was noted as a valuable asset in international markets.
• There are cultural challenges, and things can be lost in translation, pushing people to speak to each other has been key in overcoming issues. Though the increase in remote working has also meant building relationships from afar has been easier than it was pre-Covid.
• The Department for Business & Trade have a wealth of resources and support and you can find out who to contact in each region here.
• There was a question around how to overcome a lack or experience in the market you’re entering. Answers around going back to the problem they need to solve and showing your expertise. Also, highlighting the fresh thinking you can bring to the table. 

Some other points were made in relation to new business:

• Investing in a dedicated marketing person has been key to one member being able to turn work away. If the marketing flywheel takes two years to get up and running smoothly, could a dedicated hire be the right way for your business to focus on marketing activity that will result in new business? There was mention of previously doing marketing in the gaps which presents all sorts of challenges.
• One member shared that they’ve found marketing much easier now they’ve repositioned and become more strategic – having a clear proposition and a great team to follow it through has led to their success. 
• This isn’t just something you do once and file it away, you’ll repeat this process of redefining your offer over and over. It’s also helped one member to have more confidence in their conversations with senior decision makers. 
• The trigger for repositioning was the risk around having too much work tied up with one client – if that work walks out of the door it’s very bad news.
• One DBA Expert suggested creating a marketing plan that you can sustain over time and that’s exactly what one member has done with their weekly newsletter that has a great reputation.
• Rather than solely focusing on differentiation, emphasis should be placed on being relevant to target audiences, a strategy deemed more effective in engaging potential clients by one DBA Expert.
• Re-watch last week’s webinar for expert advice on failsafe methods for new business success that Blair highlighted in the January Forum and you’ll find we covered emotional consistency in more detail. 

There was much, much more covered in the hour – you really had to be there. Do make sure you join us in our next DBA Members’ Forum on Monday 8 April at 4pm BST, look out for an email from me in a few weeks with more details. If you would like to attend, get in touch here. 

We’ve captured the conversation highlights from the all the Members’ Forums which have taken place and they can all be found here.