Send us a text Chad Cheek. The man who just decided one day to get into running a successful design agency. Well, it's not quite that simple. Chad breaks it down in an easily digestible way for us to understand. This conversation goes deep on so many levels, yet the most important thing that we got from this (other than Chad being an amazing person), was that "great work solves all problems." And, you know, he's kind of right. It's a great listen and we really can't thank Chad enough for coming ...
Nov 04, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Send us a text StartUp CPG is where Andy and Kirk met, and how they began their podcasting venture. It's a great company and they help young CPG brands succeed. They give young brands the opportunity to shine, elevate it to decision-makers who matter, and connect them to those who have done it before. Every year, StartUp CPG does their annual Shelfie Awards where they recognize some of the best startups in the business. Kirk & Kurtts was in charge of judging the best brands, and we had four ...
Sep 30, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Send us a text This episode goes back to some nostalgia for us as we talk to the Creative Director of North Carolina's PBS affiliate, Brad Stephens. Brad details his journey as a creative, but also what it's like to hang out with Pirates...oh yeah. It's a wild and fun journey hearing Brad's experience. Give it a listen. And check out Brad's work here: IG: iambrad.com Enjoy y'all! Catch up on all episodes here: https://kirkkurtts.buzzsprout.com About Kirk and Andy Kirk Visola is the Creative Dire...
Sep 29, 2022•46 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Send us a text Selma Makuii is an amazing Brand Identity Designer and she was kind enough to join us from Iran. Yes, Iran. The former teacher turned designer details her journey as to how she got there. Now, keep in mind, most people don't just decide to become a designer, but her background in photography, as well as her innate talent, has propelled her into elite Brand Identity Designer status. You can view Selma's work here: IG: https://www.instagram.com/selmamakuii/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://w...
Sep 01, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Send us a text This week Kirk & Kurtts chat with the amazing Evelio Mattos ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/eveliomattos/ ), a packaging rock star, structural designer, and podcast host. We hear about how Evelio came up in the design world, his approach to creating structures, and he even shares some awesome projects for cool clients like Lady Gaga. Catch up with Evelio's Package Design Unboxd here ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/packagingpodcast/ ) Enjoy y'all! Catch up on all episodes here...
Aug 22, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Send us a text This week Kirk & Kurtts went across the pond to chat with Claire Coullon ( https://dribbble.com/op45 ) to discuss her beautiful artistry of hand lettering. Listen in as she discusses her origin story, sources of inspiration and process for creating beautiful designs. Enjoy y'all! Catch up on all episodes here: https://kirkkurtts.buzzsprout.com About Kirk and Andy Kirk Visola is the Creative Director and Founder of MIND THE FONT ™. He brings over 20 years of CPG experience to t...
Aug 11, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Send us a text On this week's episode, Kirk & Kurtts are catching up with the incredible Jake Karls ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-karls-653106ba/ ), Co-Founder of Mid-Day Squares ( https://www.middaysquares.com/ ). Jake shared his journey working with his sister & brother in law to build an incredible brand, one that doesn't follow any of the traditional rules - all the while becoming a case study on how to become successful - on your own terms. Listen in and hear how Jake and crew ...
Aug 02, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Send us a text In part two, Jessica Frease . ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-frease-09724a139/ ) continues to share her background in design. She also shares her mental health struggles with Kirk & Kurtts and how creatives, especially women creatives, face unique challenges working in-house. We talk family, kids and getting shit done. Catch up on Jessica’s first episode here ( https://www.buzzsprout.com/1933171/11013584 ). Follow Jessica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jfrease/...
Jul 23, 2022•30 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Send us a text In this episode, Kirk & Kurtts catch up with their friend and sustainable packaging expert Cory Connors ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ ). They discuss the importance of thinking intentionally about your packaging, opportunities for being more sustainable, and creating good habits around responsible recycling. Find Cory's podcast here: https://sustainablepackaging.buzzsprout.com Catch up on all episodes here: https://kirkkurtts.buzzsprout.com About Kirk and Andy Ki...
Jul 12, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Send us a text In this enlightening episode, Kirk & Kurtts chat with Tom Bosch of Bosch Studios ( https://www.bosch-studios.com ) about what got him into design, his trial by fire in the retail world, and his path to running his own studio with his wife. We talked about how finding success in the corporate world doesn't always equal success and how that experience led him to moving his family out to Palm Springs, slowing down, and starting his own studio working creatively and intentionally ...
Jun 27, 2022•58 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Send us a text This week Kirk & Kurtts sit down with Fernando Arendar ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernandoarendar/ ), founder of Nitid Studio ( https://www.nitidstudio.com/ ) , a branding agency specializing in the CPG space. Fernando shared his unique approach to design which involves the intersection of consumer psychology and science to create objective results. Enjoy y'all! Catch up on all episodes here: https://kirkkurtts.buzzsprout.com About Kirk and Andy Kirk Visola is the Creative ...
Jun 21, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Send us a text In this episode Kirk & Kurtts chat with our friend Nikita Prokhorov, an amazing designer and letterer. Nikita discussed his love and extreme talent for creating ambigrams and the intersection of design & architecture. We learned about his origin story and his approach to creativity. We also discussed the launch of his project, Laseriginals™ https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nikitaprokhorov_laseriginals-lasercut-productdesign-activity-6926994374790688768-cekS?utm_source=linked...
Jun 14, 2022•50 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Send us a text In this episode, the second of two, Kirk & Kurtts have a lively conversation with our good friend Loop Haro, owner of Piggyback Press ( https://www.piggyback.press ) and Fareweather Design ( https://fareweather.design ). We discuss Loop's origin story, running a print shop and design studio... among so many other things. Also - a bonus for our listeners (and reading these show notes!): $20 off any order Piggyback Press ( https://www.piggyback.press ) Code: KIRKANDKURTTS Enjoy ...
May 25, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Send us a text In this episode, the first of two, Kirk & Kurtts have a lively conversation with our good friend Loop Haro, owner of Piggyback Press ( https://www.piggyback.press ) and Fareweather Design ( https://fareweather.design ). We discuss Loop's origin story, running a print shop and design studio... among so many other things. Also - a bonus for our listeners (and reading these show notes!): $20 off any order Piggyback Press ( https://www.piggyback.press ) Code: KIRKANDKURTTS Enjoy y...
May 25, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Send us a text Shippers, cartons, displays, boxes, .... they go by many names and are an extension of packaging and brand design. They can also look damn cool in the grocery store - if you understand the template and dieline you're working with and leverage the design opportunities. Listen in as Kirk & Kurtts deep dive into these structures and give some tips & tricks on how to work with them. Shout out to our friend Adam Peek and the team at Meyers ( https://www.meyers.com ) - check the...
May 16, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Send us a text Mockups are an essential part of the process for packaging design. In this episode, Kirk & Kurtts discuss when to create mockups, why they're critical to bring your designs to life for clients, and even some tips on how to create them. Kirk's Favorite Mockup Sources: Graphic Pear https://www.graphicpear.com Envato https://www.envato.com/products/ Andy's Favorite Mockup Sources: Adobe Stock https://stock.adobe.com Yellow Images https://yellowimages.com Turbo Squid https://www.t...
May 09, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Send us a text In this episode, Kirk & Kurtts invite friend and fellow designer Nancy Frame on the show to discuss her background, how she got to where she is and her approach to designing packaging. See all of Nancy's work here: https://www.nancyframedesign.com/ and connect with her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-frame-b1030b4/ Y'all enjoy! Your friends, Kirk & Kurtts Catch up on: All Episodes About Kirk and Andy Kirk Visola is the Creative Director and Founder of MIND THE FONT...
May 01, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Send us a text In this episode, Kirk & Kurtts dig into the foundations of branding. Designers need a framework and guide to create the best work for brands, but if you as a brand haven't done your groundwork, then we can't create great things for you. And that is literally all we want to do! We discuss restaurant food art direction, how to get your shit together (brand-wise) and why it's so damn important! C'mon folks! We also highlight and chat about NoBull Burger https://nobullburger.com/ ...
Apr 13, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Send us a text In this riveting episode Kirk & Kurtts are joined by the all around rockstar Brandon Hernandez, Co-founder/Partner at Whole Brain Consulting and Board Member at Naturally Boulder. As the title states, while there is some shit given to Kirk, mostly we pick Brandon's wildly experienced brain about the importance of co-packing and setting your products up for scale. The topics stray from design, but packaging designers should have a working knowledge of the product development pr...
Apr 04, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Send us a text This week Kirk & Kurtts are back and discussing all things Expo West with their friend and amazingly talented designer Jamie Panzarella, Brandarella founder & creative director. They discuss the ups and downs of attending the largest natural products trade show held since the pandemic as well as their favorite finds and discoveries from the show. http://brandarella.com/ Listen in - we hope you enjoy! Catch up on: All Episodes About Kirk and Andy: Kirk Visola is the Creativ...
Mar 21, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Send us a text In our followup from Part One, Kirk & Kurtts dive right back into the elements needed to make your packaging design project a success. We discuss PDP (principal display panel) elements, back of pack essentials, and the nuances of print specs. Oh and take care of your pre-press team! Listen in and if you have any other questions don't hesitate to reach out: Andy: heyandy@buttermilkcreative.com Kirk: kirk@mindthefont.com About Kirk and Andy: Kirk Visola is the Creative Director ...
Mar 05, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Send us a text Where to start? Well - if you're thinking about launching a product and need some packaging design - then this episode of Kirk & Kurtts would be the PERFECT place to begin. In this 2 part episode, Kirk & Andy discuss some of the foundational elements of a packaging design project - including brand strategy, figuring out what kind of format your product is going into, dielines, etc. In the next episode Kirk & Andy will cover more - and hopefully after you've listened yo...
Feb 28, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Send us a text Remember the excitement of getting a package? Neither do we - since we get packages all times of the day everyday - BUT - because of all that volume how do you make an impression with your customers? Enter the eCommerce/shipper design: it's what tells your customers "Damn - that product I ordered has finally got here and I'm so excited!" Or it tells them "What's this sketch anonymous brown box thrown on my porch - I'm going to carefully open it just in case." You can guess which f...
Feb 14, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Send us a text Embark on a design project without a moodboard at your own peril. Whether they're finely tuned canvases of inspiration or slapped together pixelated beautiful messes, moodboards have a place in the creative process. Join Kirk & Andy as they dive into all things moodboard - how to build them, where to look for inspiration, and why they're important. Enjoy! About Kirk and Andy: Kirk Visola is the Creative Director and Founder of MIND THE FONT ™. He brings over 20 years of CPG ex...
Feb 08, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Send us a text Pantone. PMS. Chips. All the swatch books. IYKYK. In this week's episode, Kirk & Kurtts dive into the importance of working with Pantone specified colors - which is literally a universal language among all designers and printers no matter the language. Too many times client's don't like the color they see on screen - but guess what - that doesn't matter - because it's what's on press that matters. And if you're about to hit "print" on 50,000 pouch bags or labels - you're gonna...
Feb 03, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Send us a text Designing an amazing concept is one thing. Bringing it to life and showing your client how it will live out in the real world is a whole other thing. That is the key to giving your ideas their best shot when going into a creative review. In this episode, Kirk & Andy discus how they approach presenting creative ideas, best practices, and tools and tips to help you nail that next concept presentation. Enjoy! Links mentioned in the episode la croix concept exploration by Kirk : h...
Jan 26, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Send us a text Behind any great design is about a dozen killed designs. Whether it gets derailed because of a client's subjective feelings or a production detail from prepress - our perfect designs sometimes go off the rails and die a horrible death! Listen in as Kirk and Kurtts talk shop about what they've encountered and how they handled the heartbreak. About Kirk and Andy: Kirk Visola is the Creative Director and Founder of MIND THE FONT ™. He brings over 20 years of CPG experience to the pac...
Jan 19, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Send us a text In this episode, Kirk & Kurtts take the tradition of making New Year's resolutions and put a design spin on them. Listen in as they discuss what they WILL and WON'T be doing in their design work for 2022. Who knows - maybe it'll inspire you to write your own New Year's Design Resolutions. Enjoy! About Kirk and Andy: Kirk Visola is the Creative Director and Founder of MIND THE FONT ™. He brings over 20 years of CPG experience to the packaging and branding design space, and unde...
Jan 11, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Send us a text In this episode, Kirk & Kurtts have the incredible honor of chatting with Lisa Laird-Dunn, COO of Laird & Company , America's OLDEST distillery - makers of the famous Applejack. If it isn't part of your holiday (or everyday) bar then you are missing out on one of the most important and historic spirits out there! We discuss their packaging evolution (all 300 years of it!) and how they maintain brand consistency into today. Lisa Laird-Dunn provides amazing insight into how ...
Dec 24, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Send us a text In this episode Kirk and Andy discuss the music they design to. For them, it's a spiritual thing - a medium that helps them transcend. It's maybe house techno or heavy metal - or even the Boss - whatever it is you can guarantee music is playing while Kirk and Kurtts are designing. Listen in as they reminisce and share their favorites. Who knows - you might discover your next work jam. Links from the episode: Above & Beyond Group Therapy (one of Andy's faves) The Boss KCRW Radi...
Dec 15, 2021•38 min•Season 1Ep. 7
