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 E17: How to Leverage Semi-Custom Web Design with Alex McGinness
In this episode, Alex of Arcoiris Design Studio is back on the pod to talk all things semi-custom websites, and why it might just be the best thing for small boutique studios looking to scale without the stress.
They talk through how starting with a solid template can still lead to a high-end, unique result for clients, why not every business needs (or benefits from) a custom build, and how setting boundaries around scope and timelines can protect your time and profitability. This episode is full of helpful tips on creative direction, client communication, and finding smart ways to grow sustainably.
Whether you’re considering building a template shop, white-label web development offers, or simply want to streamline your process, this convo is full with honest insights and actionable takeaways.
Guest Information:
Guest Name: Alex McGinness
Guest Business Name: Arcoiris Design Studio
Guest Website: arcoiris.design
Guest Instagram: @arcoiris.design.studio
Links Mentioned:
S5 E23: Using Intuition in Your Design Process with Alex McGinness
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Tags: 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
