How to design better?

After ten years, nine months, and six days of running my agency Superfriendly, I shut it down. Finishing a project often triggers a sense of loss. When I pursue a worthy bet, I’m working toward an outcome for a set amount of time. And then, one day, I’m not. Even when I finish instead of quitting or giving up—especially when I do in a way that feel... See more

I don’t write to simply generate a 1,200 word output. I consider writing to be an extension of my curiosity, and the writing process itself is what turns a rough idea into a finished product. I begin with a vague idea based on some observation of the world, and I put that on paper. As I’m writing that idea, two distant synapses in my brain connect,... See more

One of the biggest hurdles to working is how boring it is, but there’s a lot of value in doing manual and mundane work. It’s rote, but embracing the mundane is more than just getting work done; it’s about being the solution rather than finding one.

A few years back, I came across a piece of advice that made me rethink how I approach my life and work. The idea was to view each day as a chapter in a story. If a day ends on a sour note, it doesn’t mean the story is ruined. Instead, it’s merely a plot twist. You can always add a fresh chapter the next day, changing the course of the narrative. Yo... See more

1. Describe your company. What does your company do?

2. What are the objectives? Spell out the goals and the reasons behind them.

Increase sales / promote awareness / expand client base / obtaining data or information / change image / improve competitiveness / reduce cost / raise MSRP / enhance customer experience / change demographic / provide a mor... See more

Conviction often stands in opposition to market trends. To have conviction before validation may make you seem weird or delusional, but it defines great artists—the ability to appreciate what others overlook or even fight against. To borrow YC parlance, they pursue “low-status things.” Maintaining this vision requires courage, especially when it se... See more