Developer

Adam J. Kurtz

Artist, Author, Developer / By

Adam J. Kurtz has been making, commodifying, and promoting what he makes since he was just a teenager using the internet to connect and share with community. Here, the Brooklyn-based artist and author reflects on his self-made creative path and process; from setting up shop at church-basement emo shows in the Baltimore suburbs, to the novelty t-shirt that saved him during a period of unemployment, writing his first book of essays, and the accidental mantra that’s made all the difference in his outlook.

Tim Van Damme

Designer, Developer / By

Tim Van Damme, the Belgian-born designer and the man behind the maxvoltar moniker, has previously worked at Gowalla and Instagram, and over the past summer, he joined the team at Dropbox. I had the pleasure of chatting with Tim about what he’s been up to since then as well as where his path began. He shared about growing up in Belgium, his dream of living on another continent, the risk that led to his first job in the US, and what really happened behind the scenes when two of the companies he worked for were acquired by Facebook. After our conversation was over, I was certain of this: Tim is talented, but he has also worked hard to get where he is, and he genuinely cares more about doing good work than receiving accolades. May we all aim to work as hard and care as much. —Tina

Jeffrey Veen

Designer, Developer, Entrepreneur / By

Jeffrey Veen is no stranger to the world of products. At the helm of Adobe’s Creative Cloud service, he has the ability to shape the experiences of millions of users. Before that, he led the team at Typekit in bringing web fonts to websites everywhere. But where did his story begin? As a young student, Jeffrey grew to love writing, and in the late ’80s and early ’90s, he studied as an English major, but his ever present interest in computers eventually led him to the web. His digital career began in 1994 at Wired, and included a handful of jobs that he left in order to pursue more satisfying work. Now, almost two decades later, Jeffrey opens up about the risks he’s taken, offers his thoughts on issues that are important to him—from the longevity of our content to product management—and gives his best advice: if you get really, really good at something, then it will almost certainly turn into your passion—a sentiment which is echoed by Jeffrey’s own journey. —Tina

Veerle Pieters

Designer, Developer, Illustrator / By

If you work on the web, you’ve likely read Veerle’s blog in search of inspiration or knowledge–both of which are plentiful. We’ve certainly followed Veerle’s work and read her blog over the years, which is why it was such an honor when she agreed to talk with us. Veerle is as big-hearted and kind as one would imagine and our conversation was full of lively banter and laughter as Veerle shared about her path and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Read on to find out exactly how Veerle discovered graphic design, what sparked her interest in the web, her experience of working with her life partner, Geert, and her best business advice. While Veerle is enjoying a slower pace of life these days—along with her newfound love of cycling—she hasn’t slowed down on sharing her passion and knowledge with the rest of us. And for that, we are grateful. Thank you, Veerle! —Tina

Trent Walton

Designer, Developer / By

Alright, ya’ll, get ready! This week’s interview is with the amazing Texas-based designer, Trent Walton. We had the pleasure of meeting Trent at last year’s Brooklyn Beta, so this was a fun opportunity to pick up where we left off and learn more about his path. While he loved drawing from a young age, he didn’t know he loved design until he discovered the Internet. In college, Trent studied a completely different subject, but after working a few day jobs, he took a risk to start Paravel with his longtime compadres, Dave and Reagan. Read on about Trent’s adventures in design, his life among the rolling hills of Texas, why he values being self-taught, and of course, his recommendation for the best burger in Austin. —Tina

Chris & Cameron

Designer, Developer, Entrepreneur / By

Chris and Cameron are two of the most stand-up guys we’ve ever met and we’re super lucky to call them friends. Not wanting to be in the spotlight, they were initially reluctant to do this interview, but we got them to say yes. Get ready, folks! Our conversation covers a lot of ground—design, business, Brooklyn Beta, cowboy movies, risk, legacy vs. impact, 83(b)s, mentors, advice, pizza, and life lessons—but whatever parts resonate with you, we know you’ll be challenged and inspired by the wisdom, wit, and candor of these two. Thanks, Chris and Cameron, for kicking off 2013 with us—we couldn’t think of better company! —Tina

Sarah Parmenter

Designer, Developer / By

As 2012 comes to a close, we’re honored to round out the year with Sarah’s interview. After our conversation with her, it’s easy to see why she is so well-loved and respected by her colleagues and peers. Smart, charming, and ever so candid, Sarah told us about her path to becoming a designer, the folks who have encouraged her along the way, and what she’s learned through challenges in work and life. After an especially difficult year, Sarah recalled how much the web community has embraced her, what that has meant to her, and how, in return, she hopes to give back as much as she has received. For those of us working in the web community, it’s true—we really are lucky to be surrounded by such amazing human beings, including you, Sarah. —Tina

Cameron Moll

Designer, Developer / By

We have a great deal of respect for Cameron—not only for the work he’s done over the years, but for who he is as a person. It was our pleasure to spend some time talking with him about his early curiosity for learning, his unexpected path into design, and how his career has grown over the years. One of our favorite themes of Cameron’s story is his diligence in pushing himself to continue to learn and try new things, even when he didn’t believe he could do them or didn’t feel qualified. Risk will always be present; timing and circumstances will never be perfect, but we hope that Cameron’s words encourage you to take the leap, however big or small, into trying something new and pushing yourself just a little further than you did yesterday. —Tina

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