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In Episode #67, Ross is joined by Zeneca, web3 and NFT investor, advisor, content creator, and project founder.He writes a Newsletter on NFTs, hosts two podcasts, runs a YouTube channel, has ~300k followers on Twitter, and manages two NFT communities: all with a focus on creating educational content to help people learn about the wild world of web3.Ross and Zeneca discuss how he’s built one of the strongest communities in Web3 and why you shouldn't monetize your content too early.Find show notes and episode highlights at https://nwrk.co/omq-zenecaTo listen to previous episodes go to https://nwrk.co/omqIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share this episode with your friends.

In Episode #66, Ross is joined by Jeff Staple, the founder of REED ART DEPARTMENT (formerly known as Staple Design).Jeff is a creative visionary whose work encompasses graphic, fashion, and footwear design, as well as brand marketing. He has worked on countless creative projects for clients ranging from startup brands to Fortune 100 companies.Ross and Jeff discuss how brands and branding change from the real world to Web3 and how he carried the famous Staple Pigeon into the metaverse.Find show notes and episode highlights at https://nwrk.co/omq-stapleTo listen to previous episodes go to https://nwrk.co/omqIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share this episode with your friends.

In Episode #65, Ross is joined by Teemu Suviala, Global Head of Brand Design for Reality Labs at Meta.Reality Labs is a diverse group of developers, researchers, engineers, and designers that leads the expansive work being done at Meta in building the next computing platform and bringing the metaverse to life. Before joining Meta Teemu led creative work at brand and design agencies, Collins, as ECD and Wolff Olins as CD in New York. He is also a co-founder of design agencies Kokoro & Moi and Syrup Helsinki and a partner at footwear brand Tarvas.In this episode, Ross and Teemu discuss the history of surrealism and its return to mainstream attention, and how the Metaverse will change brands. He also shares what he’s learned by being at the intersection of creativity and technology. Highlights from the conversationThe metaverse will accelerate surrealistic fantasy-shaped ideasAI tools that are connected to the metaverse will change how we designIt comes down to making sure that [your] core positioning and va

In Episode #64, Ross is joined by David Gersch, Creator of CryptoLeos.CryptoLeos is an NFT collection celebrating pop culture by world-renowned artist David Gersch. Each NFT is a multi-utility asset – ownership of a CryptoLeo welcomes you to the Leo party, an exclusive club of stylish Oscar-winning winners!Ross and David discuss how he created 1000 unique artworks for CryptoLeos, the power of memes as drivers of culture, and his experiments at the forefront of new technology. Highlights from the conversationNFTs are a crossroads of new tech [with] internet cultureFun is very important, especially for NFTMemes are the medium through which we're able to [share culture] on the internetRule book? Throw that out the window. Let's do something differentI definitely believe in NFT because I believe in  the value in digital assetsLeonardo DiCaprio is probably the most memed celebrity of them all More about David GerschDavid Gersch is a world-renowned artist and the creator of the iconic CryptoLeo's NFT collection The

In Episode #63, Ross is joined by Bryce Anderson, Production Executive at Clubhouse Pictures and part of the team bringing Omega Runner to life.Bryce Anderson started his career and bought his first Bitcoin as an assistant at United Talent Agency. He joined Clubhouse Pictures when it was founded in 2015 and has worked on the producing team for Bright, Birds of Prey, and I, Tonya, among others.Ross and Bryce discuss why Bored Ape Yacht Club is similar to Hello Kitty, what people get wrong about film3, and why Clubhouse Pictures are reimagining storytelling in Web3 Highlights from the conversationA lot of people in Web3 don't realise turning a static image into global IP for entertainment is a huge liftThe Bored Ape brand is really powerful as an image. I would compare it to something like Hello KittyThe other mark of good world-building is that there's a lot more to do in it, a lot more to exploreI don't want to be the dragon that sits on a pile of IP goldThe potential for the next Marvel or the next Disney ex

In Episode #62, Ross is joined once again, by Jack Butcher, Founder of Visualize Value.Jack spent 10 years working in corporate advertising in NYC as a graphic designer for billion-dollar brands. In search of fun and freedom, he started his own agency...and found neither. After 2 years of further iteration, he built Visualize Value – a project he used to build a network of mentors, a $1M/year product business, and an audience of 600k+ people.Ross and Jack discuss the common misconception that Web3’s most valuable attribute is its technology, why building a strong network is so important, and How Web3 will create stronger brand communities. Highlights from the conversationIf every product that you make is [based on] your customer's ability to install Metamask, you’re gonna kill your businessOne of the strongest schools of thought in NFTs is the idea of incentivizing the propagation of an idea or a memeIn the world of brands and companies, trends and technologies come and go. This one [Web3] feels like it has f

Highlights from the conversation"When I got into PVNKS I quickly realized that I was building a brand, building a world""This hub for like-minded people are invested in the project, but they're also invested in you, as an artist""Art is something that you do of your own will, not for the sole purpose of selling""Everything I saw at the time was really repulsive – terrible drawings of terrible things that are slightly altered by an algorithm""My sole purpose is making something and seeing if someone enjoys it. If someone enjoys it – that's all they need to get from it""Marvel or Dark Horse have got a huge platform to make your idea grow but they'll also take over" More about Gerhard Human Gerhard Human is an illustrator, animator and art director based in Cape Town, South Africa. He’s been working in the visual industry since 2001.His work is strongly inspired by underground comics, skate culture and animation.He’s done TV commercials for brands like MTV, Adobe, Goodwill and Smirnoff; and his work has been fea

Highlights from the conversationIt still takes a creative person at the center to say – this is what it is, this is what it isn'tWe don't need to make a hundred million dollars on a movie. We just need for that to be a great experience for people in the DAOIt's gonna be the most dangerous audience in the world. They're gonna green light [+ have rights to] their contentFilms could become more like startups + having equity in those startups could be beneficial for actorsIt's a film studio owned by the filmmakers and the fansWhen you join a DAO, there's often a lot of weight that goes with itMore about Kenny MillerKenny Miller is a creative and entrepreneurial leader focused on developing media brands that target emerging spaces in digital media.This path has led to iconic work for culture-defining brands such as Apple, Disney, Nickelodeon, Noggin, MTV, The Walking Dead, Netflix, and the New York Knicks. His work has connected deeply with users of all ages worldwide. Kenny’s work has covered every aspect of the

Highlights from the conversationYou're used to thinking of technology as the value creator, but it's actually brands, studios, and agenciesYour cost of failure is small. And the only way to get asymmetric gains is to participate earlyYou can call them NFTs, but they’re actually strong property rights of ownership for physical and synthetic assetsNow, the value is in the community, the content, the brand, the associationTransformative revolutions always start with finance. Cause that's where the value is. Then move into art and identity 'cause you're establishing values and coordinationIt gives you greater specificity to do product design. It gives you immediate market feedback More about Josh RosenthalJosh Rosenthal, Ph.D., is a former Late Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation historian turned crypto-first investor. A Fulbright Recipient to the Sorbonne’s interdisciplinary think tank (École Pratique des Hautes Études), Josh founded multiple successful startups before starting a crypto-first founders’ fund,

Highlights from the conversationFor the majority of the people right now, there is just not a fast way to enter the tokenised worldIt doesn't matter whether you are in the app store or whether you have a web-based game, you need to work on the marketing strategy regardlessProjects are getting a lot of traction for no reason – just because of the hypeWe are very early and there are a lot of opportunities. So I definitely think that the bar right now [is] very, very low...if there is any bar at this pointIt's a wild west, but I think that the companies that are diving in early are going to benefit in the long runOnce the hype dies, what's left is the experience that people have with your product or game More about Lubo Smid Lubo Smid is the co-founder & CEO of STRV, a boutique software design and engineering team behind building digital products for some of the hottest startups and brands that value high quality and over a decade-long experience of building and launching great apps to the market. He is a Cz

Highlights from the conversation:A graphic novel [is] one of the few ways a single creator can create the entire productYou go to a meeting and they're just like "Cool art, kid – but what does this look like as a movie?"Once NFTs + Web3 happened. It was just like, well, maybe this is a more interesting way to launch a product?You can't one-to-one sell a product like you would in Web2, you have to create some kind of interesting gamificationI feel like a lot of stuff in Web3 is reverse – "Here's some art. Maybe I'll make a product, if you give me money"Everyone was treating it like a Kickstarter. And I was treating it more like sales distribution More about Ben MauroWorld builder. Character creator. Storyteller. Ben Mauro’s work has made a powerful impact on the gaming world, as senior concept designer and art director for first-person-shooting dynasties Halo and Call of Duty. Ben has been crafting the characters, weaponry, machinery and gamescapes that have made these franchises house-hold names for two decad

Highlights from the conversationThe concept is the most important thing, because that's really what paints a picture in people's headsWe're always asking how can we exaggerate that idea? How can we make it really, really clear with every element?If you filter yourself, you run the risk of blending in with everyone elseIf you can use storytelling to bring those ideas to life in people's minds, then you don't need to convince them because they'll inherently understand itWe look for people who are ambitious and naturally want to create brave work. We also, um, create an environment where it's okay to put your neck out and try different thingsReally being a cheerleader – giving people that boost and telling them that their work is really good More about Luke Woodhouse Luke Woodhouse is Creative Director at Ragged Edge, a branding agency for changemakers.After working in branding agencies in London and Sydney, Luke landed at Ragged Edge and saw an opportunity to help build a team and an approach for people who car

Highlights from the conversationMy lack of conviction about branding may be [because] everything is being presented as a brand nowadaysBranding was this shorthand for authorityDesigners are taught form follows function. What really makes design contribute to culture are those 'other things' that come into playBrands provide visual and experiential cues that help us work through a complicated environmentMy [interest] in the subject matter has a direct relationship to how good the work for it isEverything is being presented as a brand nowadays More about Michael BierutMichael Bierut has worked as a graphic designer for over five decades. His first job after graduating from the University of Cincinnati was for Massimo Vignelli where he worked for 10 years. He then became a partner in the New York office of Pentagram, where he’s worked for 32 years and counting. Along the way, he was elected to the Alliance Graphique Internationale (1989), to the Art Directors Club Hall of Fame (2003), and was awarded the profess

Highlights from the conversationWe have to be doing work that is going to change the world around usThe boundaries of branding are absolutely limitless. What's not limitless are designersAs designers, we cannot continue to think about the planet as a completely replenishable resourceWe have the opportunity to show what we support through what we buyAt the end of the day, maybe you just are selling chocolate. You don't have to make it be about some larger societal issueIf we're saying that the design industry needs to change, we have to start making those moves ourselves More about Jessie McGuireJessie McGuire is the Managing Director at brand design studio ThoughtMatter. She leads a diverse team in creating daring designs and identities for a wide range of clients, from global brands to local communities, art museums and foundations, and institutions and non-profits.Her work spans projects for clients like Kimberly-Clark, P&G, and Colgate Palmolive. Jessie has played a role in raising awareness for social

Highlights from the conversationOne thing with simplicity is to not confuse it with minimalism. Simplicity is about focus and really defining your purposeIf you don't come together as a collective, sometimes you'll never be seenPurity is really important. It's where we try to get to the essence of a brandGreat design doesn't mean good results. It's really the power of everyone togetherMotion really brings the work to lifeEven then the smallest move can really define the personality of a brand More about Liza Liza is Partner and Creative Director at Studio Dumbar.Studio Dumbar (part of Dept) is an award-winning international agency with a Dutch heritage, specialising in visual branding and motion. Liza is directly involved with all main projects such as the visual identity for Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Mauritshuis, the Royal Picture Gallery, the brand refresh of the van Gogh Museum, and she is a co-initiator of Demo - Design in Motion Festival.She is an MA Design graduate from the Royal College of Art, London. Be

Highlights from the conversationI think Wrapped is a magical project because it's one of the only marketing projects where you have millions of people sharing their own experience of the year through the share cardStart with guiding principles – What does your brand stand for? What are you trying to do? How does that come to life?That's part of the magic of Wrapped – you release it to the world and then it just kind of takes its own life.We have this lens where we don't really talk about Spotify. We don't say ‘we're great, we have millions of songs’. We tell stories, and majority of the stories we tell are through the lens of what's happeningThe brand is always, in one way or another, echoing the sentiment of the company and its foundersSimple, graphic, colorful became three fundamentally important words that we could apply to all of the design work we were doing More about Rasmus Wängelin Originally from Sweden, Rasmus is a New York based designer & director currently working as Global Head of Brand Desi

Highlights from the conversation:Then you become a trusted advisor or partner who has got their back rather than a gun for hireWhen we, as an industry, get it right we add unbelievable value to the bottom line of a businessI definitely think there's gotta be a smarter way to be compensated for the work that we doBut the minute something's asked for free, then they have all the power and we’re subservient to them. It's not healthyI don't think anyone feels that pitching is valid or valuable or adds anythingGreat work, in my opinion, comes from trust. And that trust comes from relationships More about Stuart WatsonStuart Watson is a graphic designer based in London. He started his career as the first junior designer ever hired by Wolff Olins. Whilst there he co-created the brand for ‘Oi’ – Brazil’s fastest ever start-up to reach one million customers, winning a Guinness World Record and Grand-Prix at The DBA Awards. In 2003 he left to join venturethree where he became a Partner aged 27 and went on to create bra

Highlights from the conversation:Since it's a living organism, a brand can behave really well if it's managed well. But it can also misbehave. There's also no such thing as a perfect brandIn the industry, we hand out brand manuals and they're sometimes treated as the Bible that the in-house design team has to conform to, but I actually don't see style guide that way – I see style guide as parameters[On research] What I want to do is get down to the very bottom of it. What is this thing? What is this subject? What is this topic? And a lot of times these projects came to us as something that is so alien that we [asked] – are we really qualified to do this?The total body of the work doesn't have a singular style to it. But rather, we always design very contextually, very specifically. But within that specific context, we want to be as creative and as expressive as possibleI think that's a fascinating way of thinking about our craft. That part of it is creating the visual, but part of it is also convincing human

Highlights from the conversation:If you build upon communities that have organically been created, the chances of success are much higherPeople are not buying products, people are buying stories[Brands] not just an economic entity, [they’re] a social entity or cultural entityThe most successful brands piggyback on their existing communitiesIf you're not part of someone else's story, then you're in troubleCollaborations are not brand extensions. It's a big mistake to treat them as such More about Ana AndjelicNamed one of the World's Most Influential CMOs by Forbes, Ana Andjelic is the Chief Brand Officer of Banana Republic and author of “The Business of Aspiration." She specialises in building brand-driven modern businesses and runs a weekly newsletter, The Sociology of Business. Ana earned her doctorate in sociology and worked at the world’s top brands and advertising agencies. She is a widely read columnist, speaker and advisor.Find Ana here: Website | Medium | LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter Show notesCompan

Highlights from the conversationI'm always encouraging my clients to brag in a good way.A logo is just a mark and some of the best-known brands in the world have really crappy logosAs far as trying to build a brand or a personality, that's memorable. It always comes from a unique place. And usually it comes from a smaller place[A logo] is just a symbol. A symbol only has meaning once you do all the other things around it that communicate that brandYou need to embrace who you are. Be true to who you are and tell that story of who you arePeople are so often very passionate about what they're making, if you can engage with that, you get away from the  mundane, sameness in so much of the communication you seeMore about DJ Stout DJ Stout is one of 24 Partners of the acclaimed international design consultancy Pentagram and the Principal of the Austin, Texas office. Stout joined Pentagram as a partner in 2000. Pentagram, founded in London in 1972 by five designers, currently has four offices around the world. In a s