Writer

Austin Kleon

Designer, Writer / By

Wow! What an experience it was meeting up with Austin Kleon, who made time to get together with us for this interview while briefly in New York City on book tour. We headed to the West Village, meeting at Orient Express for a conversation chock-full of stories, inspiration, and insights from Austin. Then we met up with some friends at Swine where live karaoke ensued—we’re not giving away details, but we will say that Austin does a mean rendition of Prince’s “Kiss.” Karaoke skills aside, Austin is brimming with energy and enthusiasm for his work, but he also makes a point to open up about his unplanned path, challenges past and present, and why he doesn’t adhere to the “do what you love” philosophy. Read on and let Austin’s words greet you with a healthy dose of encouragement and truth about what it takes to make creativity your work. —Tina

Alissa Walker

Editor, Writer / By

Ryan and I recently took a trip to LA for some fun, sun, and work. While there, we met up with Alissa Walker for an in-person interview and, at her suggestion, we met at Urban Light, the large-scale assemblage sculpture by Chris Burden, which stands in front of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) on Wilshire Boulevard. After snapping a few photos, we walked over to LACMA’s Stark Bar for a drink, where we talked with Alissa about her path into writing, the solo trip to Europe that led to her “aha” moment, why she ditched her car and became a walker in LA, and her thoughts on long-form writing on the web. We thoroughly enjoyed chatting with this enthusiastic Angeleno about her life, her city, and the community she is a part of. As you read this interview, may Alissa’s excitement for her community challenge you to join in on the story of your city as it unfolds in front of you—because no matter where you are, an adventure awaits! —Tina

Armin & Bryony

Designer, Writer / By

Armin and Bryony are no strangers to hard work or risk. Partners in business and life, this couple has built an enterprise out of UnderConsideration, which now encompasses a conference, several blogs, a number of books, two awards competitions, and a department of design. Their work is well-known in the industry, but what about the rest of their story? We asked Armin and Bryony to take us back to the beginning, and they did. Sit back, relax, and take a journey with these two, who reminded us that, of all the risks you can take, sometimes the greatest one is believing in yourself—but once you do, anything is possible. —Tina

Alastair Humphreys

Adventurer, Filmmaker, Recommended, Writer / By

Who doesn’t love a good adventure? Alastair Humphreys has had plenty of them, from cycling around the world for four years to walking through the Empty Quarter Desert! I had the pleasure of talking with Alastair about his path into adventuring and how he has employed his creativity to support his travels—mainly through speaking, writing, and telling his story with photos and video. The incredible thing about Alastair, though, is that he fancies himself to be a regular guy, and not someone who is particularly brave, despite his passion for adventuring. As he says, the hardest thing about making something your passion is beginning it. We’re all on an adventure, and I don’t think we have to be the bravest, smartest, or most creative to find something we truly enjoy—we just have make the leap, begin, and see what happens. —Tina

Baratunde Thurston

Comedian, Entrepreneur, Writer / By

When this interview began with singing and clapping, we knew it was going to be a good time—and it was! We met Baratunde at one of our favorite East Village hangouts, where he recounted his journey from being a not-so-funny kid to a grownup who has found the overlap of what he cares about and what he’s good at: technology, humor, and politics. Ladies and gentleman, be warned: Baratunde’s words will tickle your ribs, tug at your heartstrings, and smack you upside the head—sometimes all in the same sentence. Thank you, Baratunde, for inspiring us with your story! —Tina

Frank Chimero

Designer, Illustrator, Writer / By

On a warm August evening, we met Frank for food and drinks at Burger Joint’s West Village locale, where we enjoyed conversation that lasted well past closing time. After burgers, we made a brief stop at Gray’s Papaya for a late-night “frank” with sauerkraut before moving on to The Meatball Shop. When we parted ways at the end of the evening, we knew we’d experienced something special, and we couldn’t wait to share it with you. Get ready to settle in for a long, yet extraordinarily compelling read that will invite you inside the brilliant mind and generous heart of designer Frank Chimero. —Tina

Scott Belsky

Entrepreneur, Publisher, Writer / By

Scott Belsky wants to empower the creative world. Since cofounding Behance, he has dedicated himself to ensuring that creative professionals have the tools and opportunities needed to succeed. Through partnering with Behance cofounder and graphic designer, Matias Corea, Scott has grown the scope of his mission-centric work to a global scale, ultimately leading to his current role as Vice President of Product/Community at Adobe. While Scott has seen much success in recent years, he remains mindful of the challenges that could have derailed his aspirations in the early days. He has moved forward, with meaningful work as his anchor, and with his indefatigable enthusiasm to better the creative industry and empower those around him, Scott reminds us that a labor of love always pays off. —Tammi

Jen & Naz

Designer, Entrepreneur, Writer / By

What a pair! As a husband and wife team, Naz and Jen can match each other stride for stride. Their strengths perfectly compliment one another and they have contributed incredible work to the digital sphere. Their individual paths started far from one another, but crossed in Chicago, where they met and began their journey together. Learn about Naz and Jen’s early lives, their pivotal experiences, the big decisions they’ve made, and what they hope to contribute. We’re already inspired by what Naz and Jen have accomplished together and, with their natural inclination for collaboration with each other, we know that whatever the future holds, it’s going to be awesome. —Tina

Jason Fried

Designer, Entrepreneur, Writer / By

The story of 37signals is widely known among those who use and love the company’s web-based apps, but what about the story of Jason Fried, President and cofounder of 37signals? Although he originally pursued a finance degree, an interest in developing software led him to working on the web and the rest is history. In addition, his early job experiences taught him about the kind of company he wanted to build as well as the kind of culture he wanted to create. And he set out to do just that. Read on to learn about Jason’s personal path and to gain a deeper understanding of the philosophies that have shaped the way he does business and why he’s most interested in making something that stands the test of time. —Tina

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