Aaron and Claire Van Holland met while working together at MySpace. Yes, that MySpace – the social media platform that was all the rage before Facebook usurped it. Claire was recruited to work for MySpace from her job in Detroit, Michigan. In telling the story, Claire said that she almost had to cancel the meeting where she met the MySpace executives that recruited her – and had she, she might never have met Aaron.… CONTINUE READING
Virginia Hart spent much of her childhood drawing and creating, but after graduating from college she got a job working at a hedge fund in New York City. While the job provided her with security and a way to pay her rent, she always felt like there was something she was missing. She started taking classes at night and on weekends at Parsons, School of Visual Arts, and online. The classes ranged from calligraphy to … CONTINUE READING
Last night, as part of Denver Startup Week, I attended an AIGA Speaker Series event that featured Randy Hunt, the Creative Director of Etsy. He spoke a bit about his work at Etsy, but mostly highlighted the idea of side projects, with a focus on his book, Product Design for the Web. He listed the various side projects he has worked on over the years and categorized Etsy as his “not … CONTINUE READING
Nasozi Kakembo and I met at the Brooklyn Renegade Craft Fair last fall. I was drawn to her table by her beautiful designs and as soon as we started talking I loved them even more due to the story behind their creation. Nasozi received her master’s degree in Architecture, Planning and Preservation and for a better part of a decade she worked in international human rights and social justice. She was passionate about the issues … CONTINUE READING
If I had to choose three words to describe Pamela Foeckler it would be delightful, talented and grounded. I left our conversation feeling as though we had been friends for years, even though we had only just met. As she sipped on Bellocq Tea (another tasty gem I learned about during our conversation), she openly and honestly talked with me about her experiences of going out on her own and following her creative desires. Her … CONTINUE READING
