Design Of Podcast

Design Of Podcast

The Design Of isn’t a podcast about graphic design. It’s about the intentional design of how we live, lead, create—and pursue what matters most. Hosted by brand strategist and storyteller Justin Ahrens, The Design Of explores the moments, decisions, and values that shape how people find purpose, navigate change, and create meaningful impact in their lives and work. Through powerful, human-centered conversations with startup founders, bestselling authors, artists, teachers, business leaders, everyday innovators, and even Olympic medalists and an Oscar winner—each episode reveals what it really takes to build a life (and legacy) with intention. Whether you’re leading a business, building a brand, making art, or simply trying to live more intentionally, The Design Of invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what truly matters. Brought to you—intentionally and with purpose—by Rule29 and O’Neil Printing. 07d1f150-18b2-11f0-ad84-11f0a7387296

Episodes

September 10, 2026 55 mins
**What if good design isn’t just about what we create, but what we’re willing to stand for?** George Aye, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Greater Good Studio, has built his career around that question. Born in Myanmar and raised in England, George grew up with a family story shaped by courage, injustice, and sacrifice. His father spent years in a Burmese prison after being identified as an agitator against the...
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What if leadership isn't about producing results, but helping people become who they're capable of becoming? Jon Houghton has spent much of his life helping people grow. For more than twenty years, he served in leadership roles with Young Life, developing leaders, building teams, and helping others discover their gifts and purpose. Then, after a successful career doing work he deeply loved, Jon made a surprising decision. He left....
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After helping lead creative and innovation efforts for global brands including Starbucks and Hydro Flask, Dena Blevins found herself asking a different question: What happens when you stop building for some of the world's most recognized brands and start building something that feels deeply personal? In this episode of Design Of, Dena shares her journey from corporate leadership to entrepreneurship and the launch of Frank, a compan...
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Nancy O’Connor is building a comedy career the old-fashioned way. By bombing, writing, trying again, living with her 91-year-old great aunt, and realizing almost everything in life can become material if you are paying attention. In this episode of Design Of, Nancy talks about growing up in a big Irish Catholic family where getting heard at the dinner table was basically a competitive sport. She shares how her dad’s fu...
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What happens when a triple threat talent decides it’s not enough to perform in the system, and starts building a new one? In this episode of Design Of, I sit down with Rhyon, an actor, singer, and entrepreneur who is stepping into a new role. Not just as a performer, but as a creator and builder through her company, Rhume. Rhyon has spent years in the entertainment industry, building a career across film, television, and mus...
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What happens when a creative leader realizes that style alone isn’t enough, and decides to build something rooted in idea, intention, and longevity instead? In this episode of Design Of, I sit down with John Pobojewski to explore the tension between style and substance, and what it really takes to create work that lasts. This is a conversation about design, yes—but more importantly, it’s about leadership, convict...
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What happens when a foreign correspondent watches legacy media shrink, and decides to build something more human instead? In this Season 11 opener of Design Of, Justin Ahrens sits down with Nathan Thornburgh, former Time Magazine foreign correspondent and co-founder of Roads & Kingdoms, to explore journalism, leadership, American identity, and the future of immersive storytelling. Nathan spent nearly a decade reporting from M...
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What if great communication isn’t about saying more, but saying what actually matters? Sarah Kissko Hersh has spent more than two decades inside agencies, brands, and leadership rooms where words carry weight. She grew up in Indiana, built her career in Chicago and New York, and learned early that clarity, not polish, is what moves people forward. Along the way, she worked across architecture, design, travel, luxury, and glo...
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What if the most powerful kind of creativity isn’t about making things beautiful, but making them clear? Gordon Kaye never planned to work in design. He studied law, built a career in New York, and handled media and trademark cases before joining NBC as counsel, reviewing everything from late-night jokes to broadcast standards. But when his father’s health declined, he stepped away from law to take over the family publ...
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What happens when you stop chasing views and start designing for belonging? When the world went online, most virtual events started to feel the same, flat, distant, and forgettable. But not for Rachel Elnar, Heather Lynn, and David Carr-Berry. Together, they built some of Adobe’s most loved digital experiences: Creative Jams and The Perfect Match, a 1970s-style design game show complete with music, lights, wigs, and real co...
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What if the most honest way to change minds isn’t a new campaign, but a new way to see familiar things? Brian Singer, known as “Someguy,” makes work that lures us with beauty and play, then nudges us to sit with what’s uncomfortable. Brian’s projects cross gallery walls and public space. The 1000 Journals Project sent blank books into the world for strangers to fill. TWIT Spotting put photos of distra...
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What happens when you say yes to what brings you joy, even if it starts on the side? For Chicago-based artist and designer Alyssa Low, it began with a quiet sketch. A visual diary during the early days of the pandemic. “I was just trying to express what I was feeling, when words didn’t quite work,” she says. That simple practice of showing up for herself turned into something bigger. One mural became two. Then ca...
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What happens when a designer at the top of his field walks away to chase something simpler, sharper, and harder? Illustrator Craig Frazier did exactly that, leaving a thriving design practice for a life defined by clarity and metaphor. Craig shares how he built a signature style that makes the complex instantly understandable. From Time magazine covers to U.S. postage stamps, his work proves how powerful reduction can be, and why ...
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What if the most powerful brand you could build didn’t shout, but whispered, “You’re enough”? That’s the quiet revolution Katie Kai, formerly known as Miss Katie Sings, is leading. In this episode of Design Of, we sit down with Katie Kai, a musician, educator, and content creator who is redefining what it means to connect with an audience. With calm clarity and cultural depth, she grew from a single ...
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What if your next competitive advantage wasn’t a new product, but a new kind of leader? Doug Powell believes designers and design thinkers have the skills business needs most right now, the ability to connect human needs with strategic goals, to navigate uncertainty, and to see opportunities others miss. In a world of rapid technological change and economic contraction, that perspective can be the difference between falling...
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Billy Oppenheimer is a pattern-seeker, storyteller, and creative thinker who turns curiosity into clarity. His path, from ski towns and side jobs to working alongside bestselling author Ryan Holiday, is a powerful reminder that following what fascinates you isn’t a distraction; it’s a direction. In this episode of Design Of, Billy shares how his instinct to notice, capture, and connect ideas has shaped his creative jo...
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Jerry Takigawa is a rare kind of thinker, someone who approaches the world not just with creativity but with deep awareness, humility, and care. His work as an artist and storyteller explores what it means to carry a legacy, reframe pain into purpose, and make meaning in a world that often feels fragmented. In this episode of Design Of, Jerry shares how his Japanese American heritage, his parents’ experience with internment,...
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Ali Schwanke isn’t just a marketer, she’s a builder of trust, a champion for clarity, and a quiet force of curiosity. As the founder of Simple Strat and the face of HubSpot Hacks (with over 3 million views and counting), Ali has become one of the most trusted voices in helping businesses unlock their true potential, not just in tools, but in people. In this episode, we trace Ali’s journey from a childhood of smal...
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Peter Aguero isn’t just a performer, he’s a presence. Known for his emotionally charged, wildly entertaining, and deeply human stories, Peter has become one of the most beloved voices in the storytelling world. A longtime host and GrandSLAM champion with The Moth, Peter’s work explores grief, rage, love, redemption, and the quiet moments that define who we are. In this episode, we sit down with Peter to trace the...
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If you’re a business leader, creative director, entrepreneur, or someone curious (or even a little anxious) about how AI fits into your work, this episode is for you. In this conversation, Justin Ahrens talks with Scott Meyer, co-founder of Chipp.ai, about designing AI tools that don’t just automate, but amplify creativity, strategy, and human connection. Scott’s journey, from studying peace and conflict in Norw...
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