Articles

It’s hard for me to believe I’ve been at this—being a design professional—for nearly 25 years, since I’m the first one in my family not to go into some more traditional field of study or business. I grew up around relatives who worked on Wall Street, in the legal profession, sales or other business pursuits. […]

In our final interview with Michael Beirut he shared some solid advice: “You don’t learn anything by talking; you learn by listening”. Robin: “You’ve been managing design staff for the bulk of your career. Any management advice or tips for the design managers and leaders out there trying to hone their skills?” Michael: “The advice I […]

Check out part two of our exclusive interview with Michael Beirut and learn what frustrates him most in the design industry. Robin: “One of the things that made me smile at the very end of the book was the statement: ‘And Paula Scher is the person that I’m endlessly trying to impress.’ You guys sound like […]

I can’t think of a better way to sum up an inspirational list than “The Hit List” written by Chase Jarvis, a world-renowned photographer. What I like about it is its brevity, clarity, and boldness. www.Chasejarvis.com So, taking some insight from Jarvis and mixing it up with my own vision–adding 10+ years of in-house experience—out […]

In 2016 Michael Beirut launched his new book How To. Check out this exclusive interview capturing book details and career tips. Robin: “There were a couple things that really stood out to me when I read How To. I loved hearing about the pile of notebooks, a career deep, that you keep. Tell me a little […]

When is it ok to say Uncle? When you’ve tried something for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years. So what’s the difference between giving up and moving on with a purpose? I’ve never been one to give up so I’m always shocked at how often I see others throw their hands up in the air […]

The first time that I attended HOW Design Live was back in 2013 in the beautiful city of San Francisco. Believe it or not, I actually hadn’t been to many design conferences prior, so I didn’t know really what to expect. I was invited to speak as part of The Dieline track by my friend […]

by Erica Flores and Nathalie Heywood More and more, the question comes up, “Should I get a permanent position or should I freelance?” The answer depends on what is your ultimate goal. Being a freelancer is much like running your own business. You will need to feel comfortable with the ebbs and flows of the […]

Non-creative, in-house clients go out of house because that’s where they find expertise and resources presented in an organized and confident way. Typically, these same impressive credentials exist in-house, but the massive number of day-to-day projects, meetings, and deadlines keep many an in-house department anchored firmly in a reactive role that creates skeptical clients and […]