
Better: The Brand Designer Podcast
Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, founded by Giselle Field of Wander Design Co. and Jen Davis, was founded on the belief that designers need community. We find that the branding world often feels secretive, competitive, and sometimes just plain old confusing. When we realized that our honest, soul-chat-level convos could potentially help other designers, we realized a podcast was only natural! Better: The Brand Designer Podcast was officially born.
Giselle passed away during a climbing trip in Peru in summer of 2020. We encourage all listeners of our podcast to listen to our two Celebrating Giselle episodes. Giselle's adventurous, kind, funny, and supportive presence is missed every day—each and every episode that we record is dedicated to her legacy and her vision for this podcast. It is our honor to continue recording episodes in Giselle's memory and we know that she is with us every time we sit down to record.
In winter of 2022, we welcomed Esther Knox-Dekoning from Sereth Design as a new co-host. Esther brought an incredible and fresh perspective to the pod—her transition from agency to design studio as well as her love for web design, sustainability, and world change brought new guests, ideas, and amazing episodes to our listeners. She departed the pod in spring 2023 to dedicate more time to her studio's growth, and will be greatly missed!
Now, Jen runs the podcast solo and is beyond excited to continue interviewing guests, having interesting conversations, and sharing the behind-the-scenes of running her design studio.
Better: The Brand Designer Podcast
S11 E1: My Ins & Outs for 2025 (& My Word of the Year)
In this episode of Better: The Brand Designer Podcast, we’re diving into what’s in and what’s out for creating a thriving, joyful design business in the new year. Inspired by a trend making waves on social media, I’m sharing my personal “ins” and “outs” for a better work-life balance and a more intentional approach to running my brand design studio.
From booking clients far in advance to pursuing non-work-related hobbies (hello, needlepoint Facebook groups!) and crafting offers around work I truly love, I’m redefining success on my own terms. Plus, we’ll chat about what’s out this year, like accepting clients with red flags, obsessive email checking, and overloading on unnecessary business expenses.
I’ll also share a glimpse into my word of the year—gratitude—and how it’s shaping my mindset and goals moving forward. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or just starting out, this episode is packed with relatable insights and practical tips for creating a business you genuinely enjoy.
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designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design