Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive 2023 Schedule
October 18-19, 2023
Virtual Event
Wednesday, October 18 (Day 1)
(all times in Eastern Standard Time)
Kickoff & Ice Breaker
Hannah Chung | Design Leader & Entrepreneur
11:00-11:10am
Join us in kicking off the Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive with an interactive icebreaker activity designed to not only help us get to know each other better but also to stimulate discussions about the transformation of industrial design and entrepreneurship. We’ll be using fun, engaging polls and quizzes to explore our collective understanding and perspectives on the shifting industry, strategies for finding new opportunities, and setting your career up for success. Get ready to share, learn, and connect with fellow design enthusiasts as we set the stage for an immersive journey into the dynamic world of industrial design.
What to Expect in Years 1-5
Christina Perla, IDSA | Makelab
11:30am-12:10pm
In this session, we will explore the critical elements involved in the initial 1-5 years of launching your own business. Regardless of the industry, sector, or target audience, there are foundational business principles that remain constant. The learning curve during this period can be steep, demanding a swift start and a continuous effort to stay on course.
Christina, who, alongside her co-founder, orchestrated the establishment and growth of MakeLab. Through a reflective narrative, Christina will shed light on the challenging yet enlightening journey they undertook, dissecting the precise factors that contributed to their success. An examination of lessons learned and key insights will be thoughtfully presented, providing invaluable guidance for those navigating similar paths.
This session serves as a valuable repository of advice for individuals embarking on similar journeys. Drawing from a wealth of experience, we will distill essential insights that empower you to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities as you navigate the unique adventure of entrepreneurship.
During this session, the audience will gain a comprehensive understanding of the key points essential for the initial 1-5 years of launching and growing their own business.
Key takeaways include:
- Universal business fundamentals
- Navigating challenges
- Strategic decision-making
- How to prioritize
- What’s important in each year
- Milestone of the business
Overall, this session promises to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with a comprehensive toolkit of knowledge, strategies, and inspiration to confidently embark on their own entrepreneurial journeys and build successful businesses.
Unraveling Design Entrepreneurship: A Conversation with Eric Chan
Eric Chan | Ecco Design
12:10-12:50pm
Eric Chan, Founder of Ecco Design, has been a stalwart in the design industry for over 30 years. With a portfolio spanning from office furniture to consumer products, and cutting-edge technologies like IoT, AR, and wearable electronics, his designs have been instrumental in shaping the aesthetics and functionalities of products from brands like Herman Miller, LG, HTC, Virgin, Samsung, Magic Leap, and more. Chan’s prior leadership roles at renowned companies like Henry Dreyfuss Associates, Emilio Ambasz Design Group and Nextiles, underline his deep-rooted commitment to design excellence.
Beyond his design prowess, Eric has embraced entrepreneurship with equal fervor. As member of New York Angels and an advisor to tech startup communities at XRC, NYU, and DOE Boost, he has cultivated invaluable entrepreneurial insights. His mentorship has been instrumental in guiding startups on their path to success.
In this session, you will delve into Eric’s journey, focusing on his career trajectory, experiences, and his current role mentoring successful startups. Learn how to get funding and prove your value, as you explore everything from building MVP to building a cross-disciplinary team. The audience will engage in an interactive dialogue about the unique challenges faced by designers with entrepreneurial aspirations. From the ideation process to product licensing, Chan will share invaluable insights based on his own experiences. Audience members will be encouraged to participate, ask questions, and discuss their own startup or product licensing challenges. This engaging discussion is a must for anyone venturing into the realm of design entrepreneurship.
The audience will learn:
- The intricacies of how design and entrepreneurship interweave throughout the startup process. Learn about the role design plays in shaping businesses and how it can be leveraged for entrepreneurial success.
- Firsthand knowledge of the unique challenges in the design industry and effective strategies to overcome them. Eric’s extensive experience will provide a practical guide to navigating these hurdles.
- How to cultivate an environment that fosters innovation and creativity. Learn how building cross-disciplinary teams can fuel the growth and success of your startup.
Investing in You: The Journey of Freelancing and Consulting
Ayana Patterson, IDSA | Ayana Patterson Consultancy
12:50-1:30pm
Join Ayana Patterson, IDSA, for an enlightening session that navigates the world of freelancing and consulting, uncovering the hidden joys, inevitable challenges, and profound self-investment opportunities.
Discover the personal branding strategies that set you apart in the freelancing arena, explore how skill building fuels your growth, and learn to strike a harmonious balance between work and life. Delve into the costs—both tangible and emotional—associated with this path and find inspiration in the quest to unearth your deeper ‘why’ in the world of self-employment.
This presentation promises to provide valuable insights into the freelancer’s journey, offering a newfound understanding of the multifaceted investment people make in themselves when choosing this path. Don’t miss the chance to gain clarity and motivation for your own freelancing adventure.
Break
Breakout A: Branding Starts at Home
Abigail and Chloe Baldwin | Buttercrumble
1:50-2:40pm
Designers must remember to brand their own studio and embrace this. Every day, creatives take risks when they promote their design practice. They then continue taking risks every day, with every decision. It’s exciting, nerve-wracking and often eye-opening. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming, but that’s ok. If the designer is thinking about making the “right” move, then good — it means they care! It is also clear they are pushing boundaries, leaving their comfort zone and making progress.
It can be hard work carrying all the risk on their shoulders. However, a brand can make decision-making easier. The brand acts as a compass to help steer the ship, which can be empowering. Essentially, branding is an organization’s DNA and determines everything from behavior to identity. Designers know this well but often neglect this for themselves. It’s time for practical guidance.
The audience will learn:
- Why designers need to consider their personal branding to differentiate themselves within this competitive world.
- How to manage personal branding whilst still prioritizing work for clients.
- Five “Quick Wins” which can be implemented today, to ensure a designer’s studio is ready to react to the ever-changing, and increasingly cautious society.
Breakout B: Empowering Entrepreneurial Success: Fostering a Strategic Mindset Through Co-Collaborative Project
Xue Dong, I/IDSA | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Carol Dimopoulos | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Darlene Farris-LaBar | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Steve Evans | Hasbro
1:50-2:40pm
In order to respond to the increasing complexity of business and solve complex problems, designers and entrepreneurs must possess essential strategic thinking skills. Achieving success as an entrepreneur necessitates elevated strategic thinking, a growth-focused business mindset, and a holistic view. This panel discussion will share a case study: A new product development and a strategic plan crafted by design and entrepreneurial students. This engaging panel will feature diverse participants including a design professor, a business professor, a creative director of Hasbro, students, and business owners. They will share their insights and challenges on how to work co-collaboratively to cultivate and equip students for the intricate and dynamic business environment.
The audience will learn:
- Attendees will gain insights into overcoming obstacles in both the industry and education fields, such as coordinating multiple stakeholders, clearly assigning tasks, and leveraging individuals’ strengths.
- This discussion will open several continuing conversations with design professionals, educators, entrepreneurs, and design leaders, which allows the audience to think about the future of design collaboration and the education revolution.
- How strategic/systematic thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset will be enhanced through multi-faceted levels of interdisciplinary collaboration methods.
Break
Traditional Industrial Design is Dead. Here's What You Can Do About It
John Mauriello | Design Theory
2:50-3:30pm
Industrial design is facing its day of reckoning. With the rapid rise of AI and unprecedented cultural shifts, many in the design industry will find themselves needing to adapt. The field of industrial design is predicated on conservativeness, uniformity in training and arbitrary standards that discourage adaptation. Furthermore, the act of creation itself has often been egotistically driven and environmentally destructive. Yet, amidst these challenges, there’s an opportunity for modern designers to carve their own path. This path is fraught with risks, but when facing an uncertain future, it’s crucial for designers to remain hopeful, introspective, and ethically driven. We must abandon outdated principles in favor of a holistic approach that respects all people and things, especially our planet. Step into the future of design with us, where the next chapter of innovation will be charted by the brave few who are willing to look forward, undeterred by the challenges that loom large.
Structured Reflection
3:30-3:45pm
As we wrap up the Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive, we invite attendees to join us for a collective reflection session on Miro. This virtual activity aims to foster deeper understanding and connection among participants by reflecting on the insights gained during the event. We will explore key topics such as mastering intellectual property, creating effective business strategies as a startup or freelancer, branding your vision, and more. This interactive session encourages participants to share their thoughts, ideas, and learnings, fostering a collaborative learning environment and a shared sense of discovery. Don’t miss this chance to consolidate your knowledge, network with fellow design enthusiasts, and strategize your next steps in your entrepreneurship journey!
Day 1 Closing Remarks
Hannah Chung | Design Leader & Entrepreneur
3:45pm
Thursday, October 19 (Day 2)
(all times in Eastern Standard Time)
Kickoff & Ice Breaker
Hannah Chung | Design Leader & Entrepreneur
11:00-11:30am
The Water’s Fine! Trust Me: A Candid Discussion on Navigating Design Entrepreneurialism
Steve Cozzolino, IDSA | Cozzolino Studio
Steven Doehler, IDSA | University of Cincinnati
Jason Martin | CEM-TECH
Mickey McManus | Autodesk
Samantha Noyes | Studio Noyes
11:30am-12:10pm
This panel discussion assembles creative professionals who started their careers graduating from Industrial Design programs and matured in design entrepreneurial pathways. The panelists are experts in successful agency operations, bringing personal projects to reality, and securing funding for big ideas. Our panelists will shed light on key situations that allowed them to submerge themselves into entrepreneurialism’s deep waters, stories of their journeys, and pointed takeaways for all of us who are contemplating going it on our own. When our talk is completed, you will have a chance to ask questions that will assist you in deciding whether to jump…or stay put.
The Visionary’s Dilemma: Rabbit Holes or Right Now?
Julie Bee | Julie Bee
12:10-12:50pm
How “Big-Picture” Leaders tackle daily tasks without getting distracted. For people who think at 40,000 feet, executing on the daily tasks to achieve their goals is often a challenge. These individuals create growth and innovation, but they can also create chaos for everyone around them (including themselves). In this keynote, Julie addresses the three types of daily distractors these individuals face and how to handle each. She also shares tips for teamwork and tactics to help visionaries complete the daily tasks that will eventually turn their vision into a reality.
This keynote is ideal for:
- Business owners and entrepreneurs who are visionaries but struggle to make those dreams become reality.
- Professionals who think big but have a hard time getting their teams on board to implement their ideas.
- Employers who want to foster a workplace culture that welcomes big-picture thinking combined with a “get it done” mentality.
Key takeaways:
- Learn the three types of distractors visionaries and big-picture thinkers face (and which ones to explore from time to time).
- Explore the impact of your big-picture thinking on your team and how to navigate it.
- Discover the two motivators that drive most actions and how to use that knowledge to your advantage.
- Learn three tactics to make daily progress towards achieving big goals despite the ever-present distractors.
The Ecology of Patents, Invention, and Business
Doug Patton, IDSA | Patton Design
12:50-1:30pm
40+ years of prolific patent creation and success working with multi-billion-dollar corporations have given Doug Patton the perfect platform from which to describe his unique creative methodology—one that encapsulates profound opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. In this presentation, Doug will delineate the imaginative process of conceptualizing industrial design solutions to help humanity.
The concepts of patent creation, invention, and business operate like a tripod. If any one of these points isn’t given enough focus, the business plan one is conceptualizing will collapse. Doug’s presentation will therefore show how ideas in invention pass into the patent process and into the business process, the cycle recurring two or three times as one works to achieve a perfect balance in which there is both market security and a market price ensuring success.
Investigation of the patent white space is vital for an understanding of what already exists on the market when inventing, designing, and engaging in the perpetual act of problem-solving. To take an idea from conception to implementation, you must invest time, willpower, and the necessary funds to explore all possibilities for invention, which Doug will explain using his own creative concepts like the solution statement and the puzzle picture. What Doug will offer in the way of inspiration about innovation is invaluable for both the fledgling and seasoned entrepreneur alike.
Break
Breakout: Design Economics
John Arnott, L/IDSA | The Arnott Design Group
Samuel Lizzi | Product Development Evangelist
Sriram Ramanan | MarketCast
Olivia Wilmink | CompostNow
1:50-2:40pm
This session is about simple economics to lever project effectiveness, and to maximize returns in an entrepreneurial context. It focuses on issues that are not taught in core ID curriculum but are essential in venture development.
The audience will learn:
- How to engage in BOM & Bea development as a form of internal communication to earn respect and know where you are.
- How to create a ‘microplan’ to communicate clearly with financial experts and investors – two different things.
- How to shift your qualitative language to persuasive quantitative data.
- How to retain your sanity through an unfamiliar and usually exhausting process.
Break
Corporate to Consultant: A Design Expert's Journey to Entrepreneurship
Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE | Industrial Designers Society of America
Surya Vanka, IDSA | Authentic Design
2:50-3:30pm
Join us for a conversation with Surya Vanka, IDSA, the visionary founder of Authentic Design and IDSA Board member, moderated by IDSA’s Executive Director, Donté Shannon, FASAE, CAE, as they uncover Surya’s remarkable journey from being a design leader at Microsoft to becoming an independent entrepreneur. They’ll explore the highs, lows, rewards and unexpected surprises of embracing creative independence, as well as the motivations that led Surya to leave corporate America and embark on his own entrepreneurial path. Get first-hand insights into the challenges he encountered, and learn how he adeptly leveraged his network and vast experience to successfully launch his independent practice. Plus, you will have the chance to ask questions and engage with our speakers during the session’s conclusion.
Structured Reflection
3:30-3:45pm
As we wrap up the Design Entrepreneurship Deep Dive, we invite attendees to join us for a collective reflection session on Miro. This virtual activity aims to foster deeper understanding and connection among participants by reflecting on the insights gained during the event. We will explore key topics such as mastering intellectual property, creating effective business strategies as a startup or freelancer, branding your vision, and more. This interactive session encourages participants to share their thoughts, ideas, and learnings, fostering a collaborative learning environment and a shared sense of discovery. Don’t miss this chance to consolidate your knowledge, network with fellow design enthusiasts, and strategize your next steps in your entrepreneurship journey!