The next interview I’ve been excited about for some time now, even though it came with a fair amount of whining from our special guests (because it was 29 questions instead of five, and it wasn’t a video blog). I’m pleased to introduce to you my good friends and fellow designers, parents, wisecrackers, educators, authors and flat out smart and great peeps, Jenn and Ken Visocky O’Grady. I have been their inspired fan for many years and love their view on education. Their books (both of which I think you all should have in your library – read on for more) should be required reading for all designers. So take a few minutes to read a great interview and get to know an amazing couple.

1: Do you know your first names rhyme?
Jennifer and Kenneth rhyme?

2: How did you two meet?
KEN: When I was a Junior there were these two graduate students that would run crits an advanced class we all had to take. The class was hard. We would work on projects with a two week turn-around time and minimal feedback from the Professor. Then we’d all walk in, pin up our stuff, and get shredded to pieces by these two grad students. A few weeks in they started showing up drunk. The feedback was even less constructive. Students would cry. And then they disappeared. A few weeks after that Jenn was the new grad student running the crits. She still tore us to shreds but at least she was constructive and sober. Everyone would tell me after class that the grad student was checking me out. At the end of the semester I rolled out my best line in the hallway and said “Uh… Do you have any gum?” Yep. She married me.

JENN: I have plausible deniability on checking out Ken in class. He simply lit a project on fire (I kid you not, it involved flash paper—hot stuff), and that caught my attention. I can, however, confirm that his best line was “Do you have any gum.”

3: Where do each of you teach?
KEN: Kent State University
JENN: Cleveland State University

4: What are the strengths of each of your schools?
KEN: There are a few: Kent’s VCD program is huge — Over 400 majors. We have a considerable amount of full time faculty so students are often working with full-time faculty every semester as opposed to only adjuncts. We also have a great pool of graduate students assisting with and teaching classes. That makes for a lot of smart people, who know the program inside and out, there to help students find their way through. We’re also our own school and we’re in the College of Communication and Information instead of the being a part of the School of Art. I think that this is going to give us more opportunity as we grow to look at design from more than a form making perspective.

JENN: I see Cleveland State’s biggest strength in its diversity. Our design program is housed within the Department of Art, and is small–a concentration of a studio art major. But our classes are rich with differing student experience. I’d say in any given semester, in a class of 20, I have at least two or three students who weren’t born in the United States. If design is a both a reflection and shaper of popular culture, what happens when our cultural backgrounds aren’t homogenized? In any random semester, working on a group project, I might have a student from Azerbaijan, a student who matriculated through the Cleveland Public School system, and a person in their 50s who is switching careers. That diversity opens our eyes wider, and makes our imagining bigger.

5: Tell us a little about Enspace and its current state?
We have partners in Enspace that continue a traditional studio practice, and we occasionally consult with them, but lately Jenn+Kenspace has been primarily focused on turning our educational mission towards the design community. In those efforts we’ve written two books, penned some articles, consulted with professional groups, given lots of talks—and now we’ve got a bright shiny new project called Parse that’s about to roll out. All of it has been focused on promoting the value of design, and of designers; on explaining why what we do has impact, and discussing how the profession can better toot its own horn. We may not have identified with them in high school, but we seem to have become design cheerleaders. (Hey, it worked for Dubya.)

6: What have been some of your greatest professional achievements?
KEN: Introducing Justin Ahrens at the 2010 HOW Conference in Denver. That was when I knew I had made it.

JENN: I only wish Ken had used the intro he rehearsed the night before. The one about “Making Footwear Matter.” I mean you were actually wearing the Rule29 Adidas that day. Wussy!

7: Can you tell us about your books?
We want our books to be accessible and applicable.

When we wrote A Designer’s Research Manual, there were a bunch of academic journal articles about design research, and a handful of books from academic presses, but nothing that explained how a practicing designer or student might incorporate research into their process, or why they’d want to. We tried to demystify. And we sought examples of research strategies and tactics in real-world projects. Designers are visual learners, seeing those theories in use helps make a case for their value. Now DRM is in a second printing, in paperback, and is the basis for the research questions on the Canadian Registered Graphic Designers Qualification Examination.

The Information Design Handbook is one of a zillion books about information design. And when we were approached about writing it, we realized that the field was flush. So we wanted to take a different look at ID, exploring some of the cognitive and communication theories behind how humans receive information. We also wanted to explore why the things you learn in design school work (it’s not just because the professor said so). So we also spend some time discussing aesthetic theories that impact information design projects. Like DRM, we have a bunch of fantastic real-world projects as case studies to inspire and illustrate.

Both of our books work because the design community was generous with their time, their samples, and their wisdom.

8: Which of your books is your favorite or did you enjoy the most?
KEN: That’s like asking a person which one of their kids they love the most and why.

JENN: And that is why we only have one kid.

But honestly, the research book was a little tougher to put together. So many of the designers we contacted would talk to us “off the record” about their process, but guarded it like they were giving away state secrets. Turns out that while they’re all branded a little differently, most studio processes are inherently the same. It just took some digging to get there. Conversely, no one is guarding their information design projects like they’re WikiLeaks.

9: Can you tell us about your process for writing?
We do a ton of research and organization at the front end. We write very detailed outlines and then produce very detailed book maps for visualization. We add word counts for each section of each page, even for captions and the number of images we’ll need to explain an idea. That way we have an approximation of how to hit what we’ve contracted with the publisher (turns out most authors haven’t determined page count kids). This is also a great procrastination tool to keep us from actually writing.

Then Ken writes a bunch of misspelled stuff that meanders around in alternating caveman / pedantic academic rant—often in incomplete sentences. The hot potato then passes to Jenn, who turns it into something someone would want to read. It generally takes her more time to rewrite then it takes Ken to write the original. WonderTwin Powers Activate! Form up thesaurus.com and an ice cold spell check!

10: Was there any marital stress during this time?
KEN: No. Every day with Jenn is magic.

JENN: My theory is that all couples have the same amount of fight in ‘em. You can either spend it on incorrect use of punctuation or battle over inlaws. You would not believe how often Ken uses the wrong form of there/their/they’re. And how terribly satisfying it is to bust him on it.

11: Why do you think strategy is important?
Clients won’t pay you to just make stuff. They want to know that the stuff is going to solve very real, very expensive business and communication problems. And if you can’t relay the reasons why the stuff you’ve made meets those needs, those clients are going to make your stuff the safest, beigest, ugliest, frankendesign you’ve ever seen. Thus strategy is important not only for the work you do, but for your peace of mind.

12: Do you teach strategy at each of your schools?
We try to, in every class and every project.

13: What is the state of the design education system in your opinion?
KEN: I think that Design education is at a tipping point and it’s a really exciting time to be involved. As the notion of what design is and how it works is changing, so is design education. 10 years ago people would have scratched their heads at the thought of teaching lecture classes in research methods to design students. Now they’re popping up all over the place. I think that there is tremendous opportunity to teach value and meaning.

JENN: The maker vs. thinker debate has finally gone cold. No one is really pretending that you don’t need to think anymore. The computer vs. hand skills debate is has also been settled. Yes, design students need to learn both. No, we don’t have to fear technology. (And if you’re still advocating for ruling pens, and French curves, it’s time for your move to Sunny Acres.) I’d say we’re in a good spot. Now the game is how to arm them with skills they’ll use 10 or 15 years out, far beyond the next technology shift. I dare say design educators are becoming futurists.

14: What one thing would you want to change if you could?
KEN: Hey Tomoya Horiguchi. If you’re reading this, I really wish we’d stayed in contact after you moved back to Japan in 5th grade. I’m sorry we didn’t find a way to stay connected. Hit me up on FB.

JENN: Right now I desperately want flat-footed Barbie dolls with less hot-rollered hair and more appealing jobs: like Deputy DARPA Director, and Secretary of State. (I want to buy Lulu a Lisa Lionheart doll, but Mailbu Stacy always seems to have a new hat.)

Oh, was this supposed to be about design education? No way we’re sticking our hands into that wasp nest.

15: Do you believe students should have internships? If so, why?
Absolutely. Internships provide a lot of practical hands-on experience that cannot be replicated in a classroom environment—even if the internship experience is a bad one. In that case, it can teach the student about what they don’t want to do or to recognize work environments where they wouldn’t thrive. That negative intern experience may ultimately provide more valuable lessons than the one that produced really great portfolio pieces. Either way it’s trial immersion in the real world. Class projects can try to simulate that, but it’s never the same.

16: Is an MFA an advantage professionally?
Absolutely, Part II. But we can look at this in a broader context and ask the question: Are advanced degrees of advantage professionally? (The answer stays the same.) As we move toward more collaborative and interdisciplinary process models, advanced degrees are going to become increasingly more valuable to design professionals. This doesn’t substitute for talent, experience, and creative hutzpa, those things are absolutely essential, it simply augments them. Our argument for the value of advanced degrees comes from the idea of shared culture. Other professional industries place high value on advanced degrees. Look at the board of directors or senior management team of any fortune 1000 company and you’ll notice that the majority of those members have post graduate experience. Take our dads as non-scientific examples: Ken’s dad was a senior vice president at a fortune 500 company (recently retired). He, and all of the other senior people at that company, including the board of directors, have PhDs. Jenn’s dad is a CFO for a non-profit. Similarly, his job required two different Masters degrees (one in business and one in urban planning). Many of these companies and organizations value advanced education so much that they pay for their employees to attend graduate school. Maybe more design firms should adopt that culture.

If designers truly believe that they can help solve the world’s biggest problems (and we truly believe that they can) then they need to start playing by some of the same rules (just some!) as the people they’ll be sitting around the table with. Could be an MFA, could be an MBA. (Better you than some suit who has taken a few courses in Design Thinking, eh?) The actual degree focus might matter a lot less than the continuing educational experience (and that handful of letters after your name). We list MFA on our business cards. A tiger once said, “A cat without stripes is not one of us.”

17: What design program do you admire as educators?
We don’t have specific programs that we admire as much as we have people that we’re inspired by. There are a lot of great programs out there, and we all know where they are, but there are also a ton of great design educators working in small programs that are doing great things with their students. For us, it’s less about where you’re from, and more about what you’re doing.

18: Other then design, what is your secret dream profession? Famous ice skating couple?
KEN: I dunno. I really like my job. As a design educator I get to do some many different things that I’m always challenged. If I had to pick… Recently I’ve been thinking that I would have liked tailoring. It’s disappearing art. That might be pretty cool.

JENN: I stand by having the best job in the world. I really, seriously, honestly, totally-I’m-not-joshin’-you love what I do every day. That includes the time with students and the time in the professional world. But if you’re making me pick, and because I could never trust Ken not to drop me during the triple lutz, I pick pulp fiction reviewer. It’d better contain a zombie, vampire or tri-wizarding tournament if you want it to get across this academic’s desk.

19: What are your favorite design books?
The Best of Business Card Design 9 (Editor’s note: You two are smart arses)

20: Which designer that is no longer with us would you have liked to meet, teach or collaborate with?
Charles and Ray Eames. Wow. They could really tackle anything. Years ago we had the privilege of viewing the archives at Herman Miller, and got to see some of their paper sketches, and watch a video of them presenting chair designs on the Today show in 1956 (this was way before everything was instantly available on YouTube). It made us both a little misty, getting to see real artifacts that we had previously only read about in books. Like finding the WWII scrapbook of a grandparent you had heard about but never met. Design family. We’ve got shelves full of crushes. Cheers to the trailblazers.

21: What super power would you most want?
KEN: Teleportation. Because I hate airports.

JENN: Immortality. But it has to be a family package deal. I’m still allowed to keep my invisible jet, and magic lasso right? I mean those are accessories, not super powers.

22: Which super power would you want your mortal enemy to not have?
We are far too Midwestern for mortal enemies.

23: What is your guilty pleasure snack?
KEN: I have way too many to name: M&Ms. Donuts. Chocolate chip cookies…Jenn will make a few dozen and they’re gone in days. I have problems.

JENN: Okay, but don’t tell my foodie friends: freezer hot pretzels with jalapeño nacho cheese out of a can. Pair with an ice cold PBR. Crisis management.

24: What do you do for fun?
KEN: Hang out with The Fabulous Lulu Petals. Cook. Yardwork. Crossfit. Cycle. Consume mass quantities of books (mostly trashy). Spend time with friends and family. The usual stuff. I would venture to say that I’m a little bit of a bore.

JENN: Ditto to the above. Except I’m fascinating. And I don’t ride a bike.

25: What are some blogs or sites you go to for inspiration?
It’s possible that we’re just going to sound old here, but we both prefer physical artifacts and experiences for inspiration. Perhaps we’re just connected to the web all day for work purposes, and it starts to feel like a ball and chain after a while? We both skim and scan a lot of news sites, and tend to especially forward along things we’ve read in the New York Times. It seems that lately we’re looking for meaningful stories, and those often spark ideas about design. We’re seeking that proverbial need instead of shopping aesthetic. If we’re mid project and stuck, we usually unplug. Sometimes your brain needs physical activity to let the clutter sink and the good stuff float to the surface.

26: Who has been the coolest person you have interviewed…besides Rule29?
A few years ago we wrote an article for HOW about creative partnerships, called “The Buddy System,” and we interviewed Massimo and Lella Vignelli. She actually picked up the phone when we called their studio (shocking!). They turned their emailed questionnaire around faster than any of the other designers we contacted, sending both a handwritten copy via mail, and faxing a version too. We saved it, naturally. You don’t throw Vignelli handwriting away. It was surreal to virtually meet someone from Design Olympus—bonus to find out that they’re approachable and wickedly funny too (direct Lella quote on Massimo’s business/operational abilities: “Massimo…you can’t even send him to the bank!”).

27: What designers work would you decorate your house with?
We have a lot of Eames furniture around the house. As much vintage as we can afford. We’ve got a molded plywood leg splint hanging on our wall and half of the people who notice it think it’s an abstract African mask. We made an installation using our mad hand skills and an old book of Pantone chips when we were flat broke, and that’s still up in the library. Posters by YeeHaw, Art Chantry, and Rule29 grace the studio walls… along with a number of paper bag puppets by The Fabulous Lulu Petals (and those she art directs).

28: What are you working on now that has you most excited?
Parse, a project that we’re undertaking with the fine folks at HOW. Parse aims to make sense of issues and information relevant to design practitioners—in five-minute bites. Think of it as tapas for your brain. And the best part for us is that we get to work with our design crushes. Most of the smarties that are writing for Parse are folks we’ve met at conferences, or worked with in AIGA circles. It’s a virtual peer group, sharing what they know best. Expert advice from someone you’d enjoy having a beer with (the stellar Justin & Sarah Ahrens of Rule29 included). Heck, it’s probably even better if you have a beer while reading (unless you’re at work and that isn’t cool). Check it out at parse.howdesign.com! We welcome participation.
Got a Parse? E-mail us. Used a Parse? Make sure you let us know.

29: What does design mean to you?
We’re stealing from the Eames. Partly because you made us answer 29 questions and we’re tired, and partly because they were so much more eloquent than we ever feel:

“To whom does design address itself: to the greatest number, to the specialist of an enlightened matter, to a privileged social class? Design addresses itself to the need.”
–Charles

“What works good is better than what looks good. Because what works good lasts.”
–Ray

Interview 20 is with creative pal Von Glitschka. I met Von a couple years ago at the Boston HOW Conference while having lunch with mutual buddy Scott Hull. We soon found lots of things in common and I have enjoyed getting to know Von, watching his work, and cracking up at his blog posts and tweets. I respect him as a person, treasure our friendship, and love that his work and illustration is inspiring. In fact, we are going on an adventure soon by working together on a documentary for Life In Abundance in the slums of Kenya, but that is a post for another day. Until then, enjoy getting to know The Vonster™.

1: Where are you Vonster?
Most often you can find me hovering some where in between slightly abnormal and creative lunacy. Most commonly referred to as Oregon geographically.

2: When did you know what an illustrator was?
I suppose I should clarify that I think of myself as a designer first and an illustrator second. The vast majority of what I do illustratively is in the greater context of a design oriented project. This is why I refer to myself as an “Illustrative Designer.” I leverage both skill sets in nearly every project I work on.

But my first inclination of what an illustrator was could loosely be pinpointed around the age of 9 when I first discovered MAD magazine. Understood it clearly when I went to art school in 1986. Never really officially considered myself fitting that category until around 1996.

3: Where did you go to school?
Burnley School of Professional Art which transitioned to Art Institute of Seattle while I was there.

4: What are some past illustrators you admire?
Jim Flora. Such a prolific creative, way ahead of his time. He has influenced so many of todays digital illustrators too. He worked as an art director for RCA records in the 50’s and I have a collection of his LP covers hanging on walls in our house.

I always enjoyed the humorous narrative in Normal Rockwell’s work. I never came close to illustrating in his classic realism style, but the idea of telling a story through impeccable composition, witty visuals, and setting a mood are the attributes of his work I’ve found most compelling. I’d describe his aesthetic as “Honest.”

5: What are some current?
I really love the work of Meg Hunt. Very organic, fun, and so well composed. She also just seems like a very nice person too.

6: What is your biggest struggle as an illustrator?
Drawing horses. Seriously, I loathe having to work on equestrian oriented illustration–it’s the bane of my creative existence. I’m not sure why, but every time I draw a horse it just looks hinky.

So if there is an artistic equivalent to kryptonite for me it would be thoroughbreds.

That said I’ve been working on a re-branding for a well known international brand that has a horse in it. (Let the guessing begin) I’ll admit I was very intimidated by this iconic steed, but it seems to be coming out pretty good.

7: How do you battle copyright?
Copyright infringers are like moths attracted to light and I like to play the role of a bug zapper. It’s hard to prevent copyright infringement but I’ve managed to fight it OK. Having a good intellectual property lawyer to consult has helped greatly.

The large majority I’ve managed to deal with using a DCMA formatted copyright letter I send out to an infringing party and that usually takes care of the situation without further follow up. But I had two last year I had to get a lawyer involved in and both paid for the infringement. It also covered the cost for a new fence in our backyard so I now call that my “Infringement Fence.”

You can get more about this subject on my blog here.

8: What is one of your favorite projects?
Current projects tend to be my favorites. I get tired of my work pretty fast.

I’ve been working on a rebranding project for “Australia Trampolines” for the last few months. We’ve changed the brand to “VULY” and are now working out all the various updates to products, packaging, developing games and mat graphics, designing spokesperson uniforms, and even art directing the re-painting of their corporate headquarters which includes painting the new brand logo on their roof so it shows up on Google Earth.

Working with the company has been great, and were excited to see its effectual carry through as they move into the North American market place as well.

9: What is a dream project look like?
A dream project for me would be to art direct on a movie production. Actually I’d like to direct and art direct a film. Storyboard the whole thing much like Alfred Hitchcock use to do on his films.

A few modern directors still do that, but it’s becoming more and more rare. It’s kind of like thumbnail concepts in our industry, as time goes on less and less creatives are working that way. But I digress.

10: If you could work for any brand what would it be and why?
Pixar. It’s a lot of work but it’s also a lot of play mixed in. The fact the end result is also a movie is the proverbial icing on the cake too.

11: What advice would you give to a young artist?
Draw. Whether you ever want to be a full-blown illustrator or not you should improve your core drawing skills because it’ll help you be a better designer.

Don’t be a “Tooler.” Anyone can learn a tool. And there will always be someone who knows the tools better than you.

12: How has technology affected your business?
Yeah, I’m a geek. I’m also a digital designer but my creative process depends on analog as much as it does digital. I’m a diehard Mac addict, but if you follow me on Twitter you’ll no doubt realize I get very frustrated with buggy software. Mainly when it impedes on my creative progress.

I love technology though, and that is why I read the RSS feeds for Engadget.com daily. You’d be surprised what you can learn from doing that. Keeping your finger on the pulse of high-technology is fun. For example you’ve probably heard of the “Browser Wars” well, right now we are in what I’d call the “Smart Phone Wars.” iPhone is winning but the new nemesis Droid is gathering a large army of followers too.

OK, see you got me off on a rabbit trail now….back to our regularly scheduled 29 questions.

13: How has social media changed your business as well?
It’s broadened my reach in terms of sharing my work in regards to promotional efforts. Twitter enables me to document my random thoughts that I’ve always had but never was able to broadcast them or really archive them. It’s fun, informative, and it’s also been a practical way to meet fellow designers and I’ve landed work via Twitter too so it validates my obsession.

14: What do you do for fun?
Hanging with friends, just talking and laughing. Nothing better than that.

Also enjoy gardening. We have a Koi pond in our back yard so during the summer months I’m doing a lot of yard work and care. It’s relaxing.

Other than that I like to write and take photography.

15: Do you get artist block?
Oh yeah, seems to always happen during a tight deadline too, so that just compounds the problem. I usually try to get away from my work and watch a movie. Getting out of my studio work environment always helps me to reset and get motivated to create again.

16: Do you have a favorite snack food?
Does coffee count? Love my java. But I’d have to put Good & Plenty near the top the list too. And lets not forget “Heave on a Stick” AKA Dreyers Fruit Bars. They are awesome, either Lime, Grape, or Lemon.

17: What type of music do you listen to when you work?
My music tastes are very eclectic to say the least. You’ll find Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Acappella, Christian Contemporary, Blue Oyster Cult, ZZ Top, Jazz, Blues, Classical, A variety of 80’s rock etc. on my playlist. All though lately I’ve been listening to all my music through Pandora. What a great service BTW! I just wish TiVo would get Pandora plugged in, that would rule! See, more technology love.

18: What are some of your favorite news sources for Twitter, etc.?
Don’t really have any news sources for Twitter? I do however subscribe to numerous RSS feeds. Here a few of my favorites:
- Engadget.com (Because I love high tech)
- The Donut Project (Fun informative design intel)
- Contemporist (Inspiring and beautiful architecture)
- UFO News (I like tracking this phenomenon)
- Brand New (Observing the best rebrands in the world)

19: Do you have a secret dream profession?
Fiction novel writer. It’s a lot of work but I do have a lot of ideas that maybe I’ll get to “Someday.”

20: Favorite superhero?
Green Lantern and Flash. I’m a DC guy.

21: Did your parents support your desire to be an illustrator?
Yes. They’ve always supported my artistic pursuits. They haven’t always understood them, or liked them, but they supported them none the less. My mom is pretty creative in her own right so that influenced me to be creative too.

22: Would you encourage your kids to get into the biz?
Yes. My oldest daughter Savannah has already shown an interest in going into this field of work. We compared her drawings when she was 11 with my own work at 11 and she’s better than I was at that age. She’s 16 now, and it’s scary how well she understands things related to design and illustration that I didn’t learn until I was working in the industry.

This is why her new nickname is “401K.”

My youngest daughter Alyssa is also a really good drawer too, but she has her sights on becoming a whale trainer. Which is pretty cool in and of itself.

23: Your blog is great, I really like your stories where you share painful client experiences. Any fall out from the bird story (Bravo Verde) or any others?
Thanks. I do my very best to resolve issues that arise with problem clients. Reasoning with them and compromising when possible, without affecting the quality of the design. But that isn’t always possible, and they still decide to make poor decisions so that’s when I have to let them go.

Posting about these situations is my way of dealing with the emotions involved. It’s therapeutic, cathartic, and I try to make it a learning experience for myself and others who may read it.

No fall outs so far. (Knock on virtual wood)

24: You have a lot of online destinations. Can you give us a roadmap to all things Von?
If you simply go to www.glitschka.com to access everything I’m doing online.

25: If you could illustrate and design any existing pro sports team who would it be?
NBA: The Portland TrailBlazers. Boring!
NFL: Raiders. Needs a serious re-fresh.
MLB: San Diego Padres. They’ve never had a good logo.
NHL: Tampa Bay. Looks like something you’d get from www.logoworks.com.

26: You are going with LIA to Africa; why are you going?
I don’t hide the fact that I’m a Christian. I believe my talent is a gift from God, and I’d like to use it to serve others and to benefit a good outreach such as LIA.

Life is too short to only pursue that which gains us a mere paycheck. I’d like to use my talent for a greater purpose as well and being part of what LIA is doing in Africa is an awesome opportunity to do just that.

27: What are you most looking forward on your trip?
Interacting with the children in the slums. When it’s all said and done if I can impact and help improve one person’s life in such a way that they understand the love of Christ, then that would be awesome.

I’m also going to do some drawing with these kids too, I’m excited to see what they create when given the opportunity.

28: What are you working on now that has you most excited?
I’m currently in the development stage of a new business venture. I’ve designed a line of concrete tiles along with matching textile patterns that I’ll be marketing nationwide through a tile vendors distribution network I’m partnering with.

Right now we are still having the molds and prototypes created. It’s a long process but hopefully mid-summer we’ll have it done?

29: What does design mean to you?
Good thinking. Sure, I enjoy a design that is beautifully crafted and possesses other aesthetic qualities, but what impresses me the most is the thought behind it. The idea. So design to me means a well formulated concept which serves as the foundation for great design.

Work environments have always been important to me. Not only the ones I work in, but also the ones I work with. When I met Don Jastrebski a few years ago he really helped me understand the importance of culture in regards to hiring, managing and working with clients. He literally changed the way I (and Rule29) look at business and how we work with people. Culture is definitely king. I will say without hesitation if you don’t understand culture you need to; it will change the way you operate. He has never been wrong when it comes to culture, which is why we affectionately call him Dr. Don, the culture king. Hopefully this interview will give you a little insight. His materials are currently being updated, but in the interim for more info go to the in3 site. Also if you have questions, comment below, Dr. Don will be happy to respond.

1. Don, in 29 words or less, what exactly to you do?
I help companies perform better by aligning their people component. People are a fixed cost. Optimal return on fixed & capital costs is realized by fitting people & programs to culture.

2. How did you become a culture/FIT expert?
In a former life, I was one of the leaders of a think tank that started Accenture’s (Andersen Consulting’s) Change Management practice. My job was to create the methodology, tools & schools to maximize human performance within a business. As one of the Firm’s experts, I was brought in to client after client to demonstrate the Firm’s depth and latest thinking in this area. I was struck by how my findings were well received in one company, and completely dismissed by another equally successful company. It became apparent to me that each company’s culture dictated not only how decisions were made, but more surprisingly, what factors were even considered when making decisions. Culture even revealed or disguised what influences might be impacting a business. I decided I had to be a student of culture if I was going to really understand and help businesses.

3. What are the three components to overall job FIT?
First, fit with the culture. Second, fit with the capability required by the job. If the person is bigger than the job, they will eventually get bored and leave, if smaller than the requirements of the job, they will get fired, demoted, or more often, the supervisor will tolerate the poor performance and others will have to pick up the slack, thus reducing the productivity of the whole department. Third, fit with how the internal or external customer measures success. What’s important to the customer has to be important to whoever is in the job.

4. What role does culture play in overall FIT?
Everything starts with culture because culture dictates what’s important, what people value, how decisions are made, how tightly people are controlled, if they operate collaboratively or independently etc. Culture fit is the foundation. If one does not fit culture, all their talent is never optimized.

5. Can you define culture?
I like Terrence Deal’s definition: “Culture is the way things work around here”

6. Does every company have a culture?
Absolutely

7. Is there a good culture or bad culture?
Generally speaking, culture is neither good or bad, nor right or wrong. A company’s culture is usually based on the cultural preferences of the founder. That being said, a culture could be wrong if it doesn’t support the company strategy (though it’s easier to change the strategy than the culture). Or the culture could lack some core values that are key to success in its marketplace.

8. Why is a company’s culture important? How does it color their everyday business?
The company’s culture is important because it is the root of its identity in the marketplace. It’s what attracts their best customers. A company’s best customers match up culturally. They buy because they know that this company understands them. Even in a commodity marketplace, price being relatively comparable, buyers will go with the company that fits them culturally.

9. What role does culture play in hiring employees and helping them perform?
It is the critical role. People can have a great resume—and fail because they don’t fit the culture. People can have a great personality—everyone wants to hang out with them after work—and fail because they don’t fit the culture. People can have all the knowledge and skill possible—and fail because if they are not culturally compatible, people do not appreciate their point of view, and implicitly know that “that won’t work around here”

10. How does a company’s culture affect the relationship with its clients/ customers?
I’ve had a number of clients who tolerated an individual who didn’t fit—until they ticked off a customer. They were willing to put up with their team churning, office in-fighting, productivity decline, etc. But once that person inevitably upset a customer, then they were gone. If you want to upset a customer, hire somebody that doesn’t fit.

11. How can understanding one’s culture affect merging with another business?
If the buyer plans to integrate 2 businesses, culture is critical. Culture will dictate if integration is feasible. Culture describes the way in which individuals work and interact together. Culture summarizes the behaviors, values, and beliefs that people exhibit in order to accomplish their work. Two equally successful cultures can be diametrically opposed, which of course would make integration impossible.

12. In which areas of a company does culture matter most?
Many of my clients have trouble recruiting good people. They look at candidate’s resumes; they interview them and then like who they are as a person. Yet when they hire them, those same candidates often fail miserably. Why? Because they may be likeable because of their personality, but that doesn’t tell you anything about how they would operate within the business: how they make decisions, what they prioritize or how they spend their time. Likeable people can habitually make decisions that rub people the wrong way. People have cultural values and preferences which dictate how they work, and those values and preferences may not agree with yours. They may have had a successful track record, but in a different cultural context. They did it in a way that wouldn’t work in the new environment.

13. What signs are displayed when a company is suffering from a FIT mismatch?
These are usually reflections of a weak or conflicted culture:
• Infighting: The Company is focused inward and disproportionate amount of time is focused on internal issues.
• Slow responsiveness: Leadership decides on an initiative, but the organization is slow to follow.
• Poor performance: The organization is lethargic and doesn’t hit its goals.
• Poor engagement: there is no esprit de corps. People aren’t excited. The company feels flat.

14. Can a company ever change its culture?
Yes, but it almost has to be in crisis. Without a crisis, culture change is a slow process. To change leadership has to focus on how jobs are designed, what’s prioritized, which things are measured, and what is rewarded, both implicitly and explicitly. Then leadership has to move these levers to draw the culture in the desired direction.

15. What is your process for discovering a company’s culture?
We use an online survey that takes about 5 minutes to complete; and then analyze the results of this survey to identify a company’s current and desired culture.

16. How long does this process take?
Depending on the size of the survey sample, anywhere from one week to a month.

17. What if someone fits the culture but still doesn’t perform? What then?
If someone fits the culture, but still doesn’t perform it is either a competence or a job design problem. Either the job is too big for the person and they do not have the wherewithal to deliver what is required, or they are in a job with an old design, and the focus, roles and measures of the job do not deliver what is expected and needs to be restructured.

18. Have you ever seen a phenomenal change take place in a company once they became aware of their culture?
Absolutely. I worked with a big company where the CEO gave the IT function one year to get their act together or else they would be outsourced. This company did a number of acquisitions of other large companies which also had IT functions. Prior to the acquisitions, headquarters IT was king. Now, subsidiary IT groups did not want to be told what to do by headquarters’ IT, and the crescendo of complaints had frustrated the CEO. Through the culture model, they realized they had to change their culture. They were an IT expert culture. They had to become a customer service culture in order to survive. They did so, basically following the process I outlined above. A couple ‘keepers of the old culture’ had to be replaced; but one year later, almost everybody else was still with the organization. They had changed their culture—and they changed because they had to.

19. Have you seen a positive or negative effect when music is part of a culture?
I think music is usually a helpful part of culture because generally it helps pull people together.

20. What about snack food? If a company has snack food as part of the culture, is that a good thing or indifferent?
I don’t know. I had Pepsi and Coke as clients. Do beverages parallel snack food?

21. What is your favorite snack food?
Definitely potato chips

22. What is your ideal culture?
I personally like big-thinking, fast-moving, people oriented cultures. But no culture is right or wrong. I have had clients with cultures directly opposite each other, and both were equally successful.

23. Is there a culture that is generally the most appealing to the masses?
Not really. If a company delivers what it promises, people are happy with them and they appreciate their culture.

24. What type of company had the coolest culture that you have worked with?
Rule29, of course.

25. The most challenging?
The old Ameritech culture, because the new leadership team did not appreciate its strengths.

26. How can someone apply an understanding of culture into their business?
The key to business success is going to market within a company’s cultural strength. That’s where it’s most competitive. Then ensure a culturally compatible workforce to deliver on promises.

27. What kind of companies do you work with?
I work with small firms, like Rule29, to big companies like McDonalds.

28. Outside of hiring in3, what resources would you recommend for me to understand culture and its effects?
I still like Corporate Cultures, by Deal & Kennedy. It’s an older book but it is very pragmatic and it gives a great understanding of culture, with very interesting anecdotes. The other is Good to Great, by Jim Collins, particularly Chapter 3. Both books give a great overview of culture and its importance to success.

29. What does design mean to you?
Good design accurately captures a company’s culture in such a way that it attracts similarly cultured customers. These customers will be buyers for life.

1: Where do you hail from originally?

Hannover, Germany

2: If you had to work for someone or some organization, who would it be?

NASA

3: Other then design, what is your secret dream profession?

Bruce Springsteen

4: When you are working what types of music do you listen to?

All of it.

5: Which of your books is your favorite or did you enjoy the most?

Which of your kids is your favorite or do you enjoy the most? I can’t pick. All Access was a hugely painful process, but it was my first, and I love that it became so dense and ambitious. 100 Days of Monsters, well… that’s the Monsters, so of course I’m going to love that one, and The Graphic Eye is my youngest, the prettiest of the bunch, and was just fun to do. They’re all sincere efforts to make the best books I could make at the time.

6: Which designer that is no longer with us would you liked to have met or collaborated with?

The aliens who built the pyramids.

7: What do you do for fun?

I answer questionnaires.

8: It seems like you are nocturnal…when do you sleep?

I’m sorry, what now?

9: If you were going to have a beer with one of your monsters – which would it be and what beer?

I don’t drink beer. But 100 and I are going out for Grape Nehis, later.

10: Your 29th monster – tell me about it? What’s up with the tongue?

Check him out here – He’s got 29 Problems, but the Tongue ain’t one. That thing is very useful for gathering foodstuffs, making friends and influencing people.

11: Since you are connected to the Matrix…what pill would you have chosen?

Which is the one where I get my own custom tailored vinyl jacket? That one.

12: What is your worst enemy of creativity?

Fatigue.

3: We loved your articles for STEP, sadly now out of print. How did those come about?

Thank you, first of all. I’m glad. Those are some of my favorite pieces. As with all my stuff, there was something in my head that needed to come out. I had seen R. Crumb and Aline Kominsky-Crumb’s illustrated reports in the New Yorker and wanted to see if I could do something like that, too — and pay squiggly homage to Chris Ware at the same time. I grew up drawing comics, and that format lent itself to the convoluted way I think. It let me write about stuff that matters to me without becoming terminally earnest.

14: What super power would you most want?

Flight. Sorry. Boring answer, but come on! Of course it has to be flight!

15: Which super power would you want your mortal enemy to have?

I have a mortal enemy? That’s disturbing! What have you heard? Granting your premise, I’d say I want my mortal enemy to have the super power to mellow out. (Actually, I’d maybe like that super power, too, but I have to imagine that being able to fly would go a long way in that direction already.)

16: What is your guilty pleasure snack?

Single-serving sweet potato pies, and chocolate that comes in the mail.

17: You recently became a US Citizen…what does that mean to you?

It means everything. It means not having to constantly audition for the right to live where I love to live. It means I can say what I think without having to worry that it’ll show up in my file. I called my congressman the day after I got sworn in. Most importantly, it means that I don’t have to look at every situation in terms of “Is there any way this could hurt me with immigration down the road?” It means being able to breathe again after over 10 years.

18: What part of that process could be most improved on?

Oh boy… that’s a tough question, because there are so many moving parts to the process. The thing I’d most like to see would be a change in public opinion. We always pay lip service to the Founding Fathers and the Ideals This Country Was Founded On. We’re “A Nation of Immigrants” and yet a lot of times we look at anything that’s in any way foreign with fear and hatred. Even in a post 9/11 world it would be nice to draw a distinction between terrorists and immigrants, and perhaps look on the latter with an open mind and a kind heart. It’s not right to come in and then pull the drawbridge up behind you.

19: When is the last time you went back to Germany?

2002.

20: What illustrators do you admire?

Ralph Steadman, Ronald Searle, J.J. Sempé, Lara Tomlin, H-G. Rauch, Kurt Halbritter, Mort Drucker, Christoph Niemann, Steve Brodner, Yuko Shimizu, Pete de Seve, Chris Ware, Laura Laine. That’s the tip of the iceberg.

21: Who is the cooler monster – King Kong, Mothra, or Godzilla?

I don’t see Mothra or Godzilla getting any face time with Fay Wray, Jessica Lange, or Naomi Watts, do you? Then again, King Kong’s just a big primate. Is he really a monster or more of a glandular case?

22: Of all your monster propaganda do you have a favorite item?

Always the next one.

23: What would you shop for at Echo Park Travel Mart?

The choices are legion, but I’d pick up a bottle of leeches (nature’s tiny doctors), a can of Mammoth Stew, and a ray gun. That will cover you in a wide range of situations.

23: Reading, listening to music, watching movies. Which order do you do those things or which is most inspirational?

All inspire me. I love beautiful sounds — music or voice, sung or spoken. That tends to inspire me most, because it means the most to me.

25: How do you deal with criticism of your work?

What are you implying? Fuck you!

26: Do you have a favorite conference experience?

So far, I have to go with the AIGA Make/Think Conference in Memphis. A lot of great things came together on that one. The week I’m writing this I’m at Design Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa, and so far I have to say… not bad, not bad. Though I am a little homesick.

27: Where would you most like to speak next?

In Wayne Coyne’s living room, in James L. Brooks’s living room, or on the International Space Station. I will be speaking in South Africa in February, though, so that ain’t bad, either.

28: What are you working on now that has you most excited?

This sounds so dumb and conceited, but it’s true: I wish I could tell you! There’s some really cool skunk works stuff going on. Please stay tuned!

29: What does design mean to you?

It’s my way of making things the way I think they should be.

I guess it’s time to be honest with you, our friends. We have had a relationship with someone for several years that we feel we should let you know about because she has done nothing but make us look good, helping us (and our clients) have a little more marketing sass. Emma and her coworkers have been a welcome addition to our email and survey marketing over the last several years. Whether you’re meeting Emma for the first time or if you are already a fan of Emma as well, we hope you learn a little more about the ol’ gal and her friends.

1: What is Emma, exactly?
Emma’s an email marketing and communications company that helps small and midsize businesses manage their email campaigns and online surveys in style.

2: How was Emma started?
In late 2001, Will Weaver and Clint Smith (known sometimes as the Tall One and the Not-So-Tall One), began researching the marketing and communications field, hoping to help small businesses manage such things more easily. They saw that nobody out there had really nailed email marketing. There were services that seemed to offer enough sophistication but were way too pricey for small businesses. And there were really inexpensive services that didn’t go far enough in helping small businesses create something really professional and stylish. So the idea behind Emma was to fill the space in the middle — a stylish, sophisticated alternative to the cheap, do-it-yourself services out there, but a more affordable and accessible alternative to what the Big Guys had to offer.

3: How long did it take to get Emma launched?
From that initial conversation between Will and Clint to our very first prototype, about nine months. In another nine months, we hired our first employee, Annie Williams, who today leads our business development efforts.

4: How many people started Emma?
Technically, the answer is two — Clint Smith and Will Weaver. But these days, there are nearly 100 folks who bring an entrepreneurial spirit to their work every day, making sure Emma never stops growing, evolving and getting better.

5: What is unique about Emma?
As a service, Emma has a remarkably easy-to-use interface, which actually got even easier with a recent overhaul. We also put a high value on email design, offering custom designed brand stationery instead of pre-fab email templates that eighty other brands are using. And last but not least, our customer service is unique, no doubt because of the team of uniquely talented folks who support the Emma community with entirely unrobotic advice and help.

Oh, and as a company, we have a kegerator. That helps, too.

6: What type of music does Emma like?
Different groups at Emma drive a set of speakers, so folks on each team trade off the honor — some might say the solemn duty — of selecting the day’s jams. How about a random sampling from around the office: our agency relations team is enjoying a little Old Crow Medicine Show. There’s some Crowded House floating down the hall from sales. Our graphic designers are listening to Air Supply. Completely without irony. One hopes.

7: How many emails does Emma send out every month?
About 120 million.

8: Who does Emma hang out with in her spare time?
Spare time? Did you *see* how many emails she’s sending?

9: How can people connect with Emma socially?
In the old-fashioned sense, we have offices in Nashville, Portland, Denver and Austin where folks are welcome to say hi. Or you can find us on Twitter.

10: What is Emma’s favorite food?
Coffee is a food, right?

11: How does Emma support the community?
We believe that doing well as a company also means doing good, and we look for unique, interesting ways to give back. It means planting five trees for each customer who joins us. It means supporting causes we care about through Kiva.org and DonorsChoose.org. And this time of year, it means the Emma 25, an initiative now in its sixth year where we team up with our customers to give away Emma service to small, deserving non-profits. Actually, we recently accepted nominations from Emma customers and now the eligible nominees are ready for you to vote for your favorites. We’ll award 25 accounts to the non-profits with the most votes, with another 25 set aside for non-profits in cities Emma calls home — Nashville, Portland, Denver and Austin.

12. What’s the culture like at Emma?
We’re fond of saying that we have a laid back culture, but we’re not laid back about culture. Contributing to Emma’s culture is part of doing your job well — a baseline expectation, not something that earns you a special parking spot. Which is good, because we don’t have any of those. We do, however, have other great benefits — profit sharing, cubicle-free offices, and the benefit of working alongside some of the smartest, kindest, most innovative people you’ve met. Oh, and a strictly enforced Don’t Come To Work On Your Birthday Dammit policy.

13: Who was Emma’s first big client?
Any client counted as a big one in the summer of 2002, a few months after work on Emma began in earnest. It was around that time that we handed an early Emma prototype to the Belcourt Theatre to try and tell us what they thought. They liked it, and because they were our very first guinea pig they’ll always and forever use Emma for free. It just so happens that The Belcourt is Nashville’s last neighborhood movie house and, as such, is one of our fair city’s finest cultural icons that we like to brag on from time to time.

14: What led you to create the survey functions?
Surveys are the Hall to email’s Oates. Which is not to imply that email and surveys have creepy mustaches and/or perms. They just go well together — event registration forms and event email reminders, say. Or survey-driven market research that helps you find smarter segments to email. Or even a customer satisfaction survey paired with an email thank-you note. It was a popular request from our customers, and we were eager to create a survey tool that actually integrated alongside email. Oh, and we’ll be making this news official next week, but our survey feature isn’t going to cost extra — it’s included alongside your monthly email cost. Spiffy, no?

15:  Who is the most famous person or company that has used Emma…in a good way?
It depends on who you ask. The foodies on staff love that RachaelRay.com is an Emma customer. Others will be quick to tell you that the Taylor Swift Fan Club uses Emma. And though we’re not ones to name drop, some of us are particularly fond of those cool guys at Rule29.

16: If Emma could date a celebrity who would it be?
We think she and Mr. Peanut would make a smart couple. Who can resist the monocle?

17: Speaking of dating, who is Emma’s type?
Well, in addition to anthropomorphic peanuts with a penchant for Victorian fashion, we also like marketers, designers, small business owners and agencies.

18:  Does Emma have a favorite superhero?
Yes. The Hulk. It’s a long story.

19: How can Emma change the way someone does business?
We’ve heard from some folks that they’ve saved $10,000 a year in print costs. We’ve heard from others that they can expect thousands of dollars in donations in the hours after they send an email campaign. Some clients have told us that they cut down on dozens of staff hours when they switch to Emma. It really depends on the organization, but we hope all of our customers can say Emma helps them communicate with their audiences more efficiently and effectively than they did in the past.

20: Will Emma make others jealous?
That depends on whether your significant other feels threatened by your obsessive checking of email response numbers.

21: Has Emma ever been on a boat?
No, but as a part of the Emma interview process, applicants are asked what they’d name a boat should they ever have one. Our all-time favorite answer is from Brooks Alford, part of our sales team: The S.S. Tonya Harding.

22: What is one thing Emma wishes everyone knew about her?
A remarkably high percentage of staffers here are ridiculously good bowlers.

23:  Does Emma have a life goal?
We want Emma to be a name stylish people everywhere not only recognize, but genuinely like. In short, we’re out to create a unique and memorable experience for everyone who experiences Emma, be they staff members, customers, partners, resellers or fans.

24: What are some things Emma doesn’t like?
In no particular order: Bad coffee, spam, dress codes, company picnics, Outlook 2007, anything soggy, the word gravy, soggy gravy.

25: Who gave Emma all her sass?
Emma’s unmistakable voice was established by Clint Smith, one of our founding partners, and a few of us have done our darnedest to grow and shape it over the years.

26. What are three must-reads from the Emma library?
Bo Burlingham’s Small Giants. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Whatever’s on Mcsweeneys.net.

27: If Emma was a tree what tree would she be?
Oh, heavens. If we dared to take sides on the tree question, we’d end up offending one of these jokers.

28: Any secret new gossip coming up about Emma that we can spread?
In early 2010, we’ll be announcing a email-to-social feature that lets recipients of your email share your content with their social networks. Oh, and it’s all trackable, so you’ll see the ultimate social exposure of your email campaigns.

29: What does design mean to Emma?
Design runs through our entire organization. Because we offer affordable custom design to every business, it’s the core of how Emma is different from other email providers. In fact, to brag on Emma a bit, Inc. Magazine rated Emma the best email marketing service for design. But it doesn’t stop with email. Our user experience designers play a crucial role in crafting innovative and stylish features. And the incredibly keen work of our in-house brand design team, led by Allison Davis, helps us showcase Emma’s qualities of style and sophistication with design that’s, well, stylish and sophisticated.

Like we said, we have been dating Emma for a while and to be honest she has never let us down. Give her a chance, read her blog or tell us what you use for email and survey marketing.

We are very excited to have had the chance to interview the one and only Father Christmas. We know this time of year he is extremely busy, but thanks to email and twitter we were able to get the next 29 Questions answered just in time for the big day. So whether you are naughty or nice we think you will enjoy this latest installment. Merry Christmas!

1: Of your numerous aliases, which one would you say is your favorite? Kris Kringle, Santa Claus, Papai Noel, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, etc.
I’d have to go with St. Nick….Mrs. Claus has some of her own that only she can call me… Ho, Ho, Ho.

2: Do you actually visit every child?
Of course! It is my moral obligation to visit all homes where children believe in me. I wouldn’t want to leave anyone out.

3: Around what time would you say that you usually arrive at my house?
Sometime between 12am and when you wake up. C’mon, I can’t reveal all my secrets! NORAD has tried to track me for years. They think they have it down. They even twitter about it.

4: We imagine that flying through the sky all night is a lot like driving to grandma’s house (ie. too many hours of staring at nothing). We rely on our music to get us through the trip. What about you? Do you listen to music?

Oh yes. I put the ol’ iPod on shuffle and whatever comes up, comes up. It usually ends up being one of my favorite Christmas albums – like: Sufjan Steven’s Songs for Christmas or even Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas.

5: So, how does that work with all that wind noise? Do you use headphones?
Driving a 75 foot long sleigh and reindeer team while wearing headphones is dangerous to say the least, and those pesky little earbuds never stay in my ears. So, I had my sleigh engineers wire my iPod directly into the dash so I don’t have to mess with those not-so-good FM Transmitters.

6: Well then, what kinds of music do you prefer?
Basically anything! Even traditional Scandinavian folk. Because, c’mon, I’m Santa – I have global tastes.

7: Considering that the North Pole isn’t necessarily the hub for all things pop culture, how do you stay up on current trends?
YouTube most recently. Facebook helps a lot too. But most often, I find that if I just listen in on what the kids and elves are talking about, I learn the most.

8: Does your Santa outfit utilize any sort of wicking material to keep your jolly figure from working up too much of a sweat, or is it just magical?
Just magic my man. Same way that these reindeer fly. Just magic.

9: What sort of prep work do you do before the big night? Visualization exercises?
Depends on the year. Some years I just try to get a good night’s sleep. Other years, well, Mrs. Claus keeps me up (if you know what I mean). There was one year I hit the eggnog a little hard and let’s just say some kids got way more than they bargained for come Christmas Morning…

10: What is your favorite part of the world to deliver toys to?
I think this harkens back to question 2 somewhat. My favorite place to go is anywhere the Christmas spirit is in full effect. Also, it doesn’t hurt if they have chocolate chip cookies.

11: Who is the best designer elf you have on staff?
Let’s just say I’m a little partial to my elf liaison who works with Apple and the Puma team. He usually busts out some of the best stuff.

12: How often does the sleigh get upgraded?
Every couple years it gets a pretty substantial overhaul. New springs, better navigation, and with all these conflicts in the world, I have to upgrade the stealth to avoid those annoying radar sites.

13: How green is Santaland?
Like green as in environmentally friendly? Look kids, Santa’s operation doesn’t run on sunshine and fairy farts. I use the Christmas spirit to run our operations in the North Pole. Forget solar power. Over the course of the year, it’s too dark up here for too long. We tried wind turbines, but they kept freezing up. Nothing beats the good ‘ol Christmas spirit to supply all the energy needed to produce the world’s toys. Also, we’ve been implementing some policies to ensure that we’re running at maximum efficiency. For instance, we now recycle all used Christmas spirit for use during the off peak times of the year. It’s cut our electricity bills by 16%.

14: Do you prefer coated or uncoated paper?
I’m not exactly sure what you’re talking about here, you’re the designers – not me. But I can say that I prefer the paper that’s wrapped around a gift.

15: What PMS red is your jacket most close to?
I have a top-secret, custom Santa PMS mix, but it is closet to PMS 185

16: Have you ever considered a dark blue, powder blue combo?
Um, I can’t say that I have. I have a well established brand and I need to stick to it.

17: Have you been approached for any kind of corporate sponsorship?
Well, Coca-Cola and I have a certain understanding that started way back in 1931. They take a little to much credit for my image, but I don’t worry about those kinds of things.

18: If you weren’t Santa, what kind of career field would you want to be a part of?
I would like to think that I’d be pretty useful in the intelligence community.

19: Do you have a favorite reindeer?
Ummmm….The reindeer have recently unionized, so I can’t really disclose any of that kind of information to the media.

20: Being a part of Santaland must be pretty great, but what is the worst job there?
Easy…shoveling reindeer poo. Worst. Job. Ever.

21: I see you’re using twitter now. Is it really you or just your social media elf?
My twitter is all run by my media elf; she is always working on keeping us up to speed and spreading Christmas cheer throughout the interwebs.

22: Alright, let’s forgo formalities for a moment – just how old are you?
Well, I was delivering gifts back when dirt was new and the hills were young. You can do the math.

23: How did you and Mrs. Claus meet?
I took her for a ride on my sleigh. You can interpret that any way you’d like, but remember – your answer could determine what list you are on.

24: What kind of effects do you think guys like the Sketchy Santas have on your brand?
Lets just say I have a feeling that my competition won’t be in business for too much longer. I have a team of ‘enforcer’ elves on it.

25: Who does the graphics that grace the sides of your sleigh?
Jed VonGershwin of North Side Sleighers Body Shop and Delicatessen. I had his team add some tight gold leaf pin-striping this year.

26: Have you ever eaten a penguin?
Yes. Tastes nothing like chicken.

27: Do you have a favorite Christmas movie?
I really, honestly love most of them. But if I had to pick a standout, I am a big fan of Miracle on 34th Street, but recently, Elf did give me quite the chuckle. It made my big round belly shake like a big bowl of jelly.

28: Do you hang out with the other magical beings or holiday mascots? Unicorns, Griffins, the Easter Bunny?
Not really. The Easter Bunny hates the cold. The last time the Tooth Fairy came up here to visit, she got lost in the factory for two days. It somewhat resembles those awkward family reunions where everyone knows one another, but doesn’t really have too much interest in catching up.

29: What does creative mean to you?
Creative is coming up with new ways to do things. Whether it be more efficient, more fun, whatever. As long as you’re moving forward, you’re being creative.

We love t-shirts at Rule29, which is one of the main reasons we are big fans of Threadless since we first heard about them a few years back. I have many favorite designs (the most recent being the tribute to Michael Jackson), and so does our past intern Craig. Watch the 29 shirt challenge and peep at least 10 Threadless tees! But here I digress, and without further adieu, I present the next 29 questions interview our fun friends from Threadless. We are pumped that the team took the time to share a little insight behind Threadless and its magic. (Oh, and if you have no idea who we are talking about, then first start by going to their site, and maybe order a tee, hoodie or something for the kids, or someone else’s kids. Oh yeah, and submit or vote on a design.) Enjoy and have a tee-rrific day…

1: How was Threadless born?
Threadless started as a hobby. Jake Nickell entered a t-shirt competition on a small design forum called Dreamless. After experiencing the excitement of winning, the idea of having an ongoing competition with an open call for t-shirt design entries was born.

2: How long did it take to before you realized Threadless was a big deal?
It took 2 years from when Threadless started for Jake to quit his job and start working for himself. However, at that point the focus was to be a web agency, creating websites for clients. Threadless was proof he knew how to build an e commerce website. After 4 years, Threadless was doing better than the web agency, we realized Threadless was a big deal, and all of our clients were fired and the focus was mostly Threadless.

3: What made you think it would work?
In the beginning, we didn’t think it would work. It was just something fun to do. It’s like saying what made you think skateboarding would work when you first decide to start skateboarding.

4: What was the first official Threadless tee design?
The first official Threadless competition was simply a thread on the Dreamless forum. 50 artists or so submitted designs and we printed 5 of them. The first one was called “Prate” and it was designed by a designer that goes by the name of “Prate.” Very insidery.

5: On average, how many submissions did you get during the early years?
It increased month-to-month, year-to-year, constantly growing. The very first call for entries on Dreamless got 50 or so designs, then the competition moved to the Threadless.com website. At that point we were getting a few a week, maybe 10-20. The next year, maybe 15-40 a week, etc.

6: Do you have a favorite Threadless tee?
I like a lot of really weird tees. I tend to like a lot of our Select shirts and the occasional odd design that gets through the Threadless competition. A long time favorite of mine is “My Little Pony.”

7: About how many total submissions are we at, today?
If you include declined designs, we’re looking at about 240,000.

8: On average, how many submissions does Threadless receive daily?
About 100-150.

9: What’s an average day like at Threadless?
There is no such thing as an average day here. Every day is different. Some are wild and crazy, some are more balls to the wall get stuff done, some are laid back. It all just depends on what need to get done.

10: How many employees work at Threadless?
We are at around 70 between our offices and retail stores.

11: Does Threadless design any tees, or is it all community?
For our TypeTees and Twitter Tees, we design most of those in-house. But even those slogans and tweets came from the community.

12: How did the Threadless retail stores come about?
We thought it would be awesome to do. When it came down to it that’s really what made the decision. We had weighed the pros and cons for so long about doing it but deep down we all knew it’d be a lot of fun and cool for our community. So we did it.

13: How are the Threadless retail stores different from other physical stores?
We try to make the community the biggest focus. Other than that, we have some sweet in-store TV monitors that always display the latest tees and the community comments on those tees.

14: Aside from Threadless, what other tees do you like to sport?
Print Liberation, Slow Shirts, 2K, Graniph, Homage, Glennz Tees, and any other tee our designer friends make on their own

15: What kind of sweet food can you find in the Threadless kitchen?
Lots and lots of condiments, little packaged peanut butter cracker sandwiches, leftover cake, Coca-Cola products, and if you’re lucky, Miller products.

16: What other community events does skinnyCorp/Threadless do?
Our biggest events are our annual community meet ups. This year we had a great turnout – we held a design competition, had some of our artists draw in real time, and of course there was a wyld karaoke session!

17: What would be the best superhero tee shirt?
A bulletproof one… OOOHHH… Or an invisible one.

18: What kind of music is pumping at Threadless?
Whatever it is, it’s usually really loud (in a good way). Sometimes we catch Speedy Joe singing.

19: What does Threadless do for fun outside of the 9-5?
We have Awesome Parties once a month. Yes, that’s in caps because that is our official title for our monthly all-company shindigs. Besides those, so many of our employees occupy their free time with any number of creative outlets: poster making, painting, improv, crafting, child-rearing. And there are so many Threadless folks in bands that you could go to a show every week.

20: Who are some other communities you admire?
Flickr, Society6, Behance, Digg, Etsy

21: How has Threadless grown since day one?
We’re all at least an inch taller now.

22: What might most people not know about Threadless?
The original logo as most people know it was designed in the passenger seat of a car, in Flash.

23: How many tees has Threadless produced so far?
Over 2,000.

24: What are some of the strangest designs or things that have happened at Threadless?
Check out this site.

25: Where are some of the coolest places you have seen Threadless?
It’s always cool seeing bands and other celebrities sporting our tees. They’re all over the internets, too! We have a lovely little spot on our site where you can see them.

26: If you could make any other product what would it be?
Skateboards and/or grilled cheese.

27: How else can people follow Threadless?
Twitter and Facebook and breadcrumbs.

28: Any future skinnyCorp magic we can get a tease about?
We’re working on a new teleportation delivery service for our fulfillment warehouse. We think that the instant gratification of ordering, then immediately having the product zapped onto their desk in front of them would be awesome for our customers. A lot of consultants are telling us this initiative is a lost cause. Screw them.

29: What does design mean to Threadless?
Everything! We know our design community is a very powerful thing. Great designs rise to the top and become tees because the community has deemed them great. Our community is the best barometer of what great design is.

So do any of you own a Threadless tee or have submitted a design? Tell us your favs or what other questions you may have?

Special thanks to Mig Reyes of Threadless for helping this interview happen. Follow Mig here.

We greatly admire anyone or any organization that serves to change the human condition for the better. Our next guest is doing both in a way that literally empowers communities and saves lives. Dr. Florence Muindi, President and Founder of one of our favorite organizations, Life In Abundance, is a highly educated doctor and missionary serving the poorest of the poor in the most marginalized communities in eastern Africa. I’m humbled when I’m around her, and the whole team at Rule29 is honored to be a part of the work she started in the rural and urban slums of Africa. Please enjoy this interview and come back soon to see the LIA documentary trailer we created for the film we shot in Ethiopia this past spring.

1: When did you know that you wanted to be a doctor?
My interest started in elementary school, but I made the decision in high school.

2: Where did you go to medical school?
University of Nairobi, Kenya.

3: Have you done any other schooling?
Yes; a Master in Public Health, Disaster Management, Disaster Preparedness and Humanitarian Response, Health Provision to large populations and program design, Community-based health care facilitation, Professional Counseling, Urban Poor Theology, Pastoral Care.

4: Why did you decide to practice something other than curative medicine?
I wanted to take the preventive approach.

5: Where do you live?
Each year has been different for the last 15 years. It’s been many different locations in Kenya, the USA, and in Ethiopia. Home has been where the children are going to school. That is tricky now since the children are split – college in PA for Jay and Boarding High School for Kyalo in Kenya. Festus and I move around quite a bit and most of the time in separate trips. For 30% of the time, home is Kenya; the other 70% is made up of travel times in the other LIA Africa countries, the USA, and other various places.

6: If you could live anywhere where would it be?
That would be Switzerland ( Zurich) or Pennsylvania (Philadelphia)

7: How did Life in Abundance International come to be?
God asked me to establish a ministry for him that he would use for wholistic ministry. As it turns out, He is doing it and allowing me/us to be part of that process, establishing us in Him.

8: What makes the ministry unique?
Meeting felt needs among the poor through the church in a sustainable and life-transforming manner; and therein experiencing the presence of God!

9: Why East Africa? Not really East Africa. But why the Ethiopia start?
The 1984 drought broke my heart and going to medical school was to prepare to respond in Ethiopia. Then, divinely, and without a strategic plan, He has led us to be involved in the other countries in the East, Horn, and North regions of Africa. I remember crying and asking God to give us the Horn Region, having a burden that wouldn’t lift for weeks, just interceding with tears for those countries. Kenya came in as a base to serve the Horn region. Again, our involvement in Egypt was to serve the Horn as well. I would say – it’s all about the Horn Region!

10: What is something that most people do not know about you?
I pursued the President’s award scheme all through high school to the Gold medallion and my distinctions were in first aid, fire fighting, water life saving and mountain climbing.

11: What is the one thing that you always travel with?
My Bible. For Medicines – Cipro

12: What is your family like?
Nuclear – My husband and two teenagers. Best memories are our devotions and sharing around the dinner table. Extended family – I have 9 siblings and a great team of nephews and nieces. All live in Kenya other than one sister in Kansas. All are involved in ministry in one way or the other. Mom is our spiritual guide and Grandmother is our prayer warrior. Family get togethers are joy filled.

13: What does your day-to-day job look like?
Adventure. No routines, no office! I work as I go and love to work from home. Keeping weird hours. Do not like meetings and multiple tasks keep me alert.

14: What do you enjoy most about your job?
The pursuit of God’s direction and His presence.

15: What is your favorite book? I guess you mean from the Bible?
Isaiah and Philippians. Other than educational books, I have read very few books and don’t enjoy reading.

16: What is your most memorable experience working with LIA?
There have been many highs, but I will tell of the lowest moment. In May 2000, I was crying uncontrollably in the Ministry of Justice registration office when the officer in charge said LIA will not be registered in Ethiopia and handed me back the application file, saying I need not re-apply.

17: Who did you look up to as a child?
Dad…he was my hero.

18: What is your favorite food in America?
Boston Market sides – spinach and sweet potatoes

19: When you speak to large audiences, what is your principle message?
The great commission

20: If I had a friend who wanted to serve with LIA in Africa , what would you tell them to do?
Hear God and serve his purpose His way in LIA. Don’t serve with a set agenda, location or role.

21: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
Dealing with the different cultures multiple times a day through emails or telephone as well as traveling from culture to culture with the needed adjustment. Of these, the USA culture is the most difficult to adjust to, with its sub-cultures.

22: If you could be doing anything else, what would it be?
Emergency Medicine Physician

23: Do you have a favorite movie?
I get bored watching movies and manage a couple or so in a year. No favorites but I have liked A Bugs Life, Sound of Music, The Preacher’s Wife.

24: What is your favorite state in the USA ?
Pennsylvania

25: What is your book about?
The Pursuit of His Purpose and the adventures of that Pursuit.

26: Did you enjoy the writing process?
No. It was painful because God asked me to share my journey as it has been. I felt exposed … as though getting naked, but it was something I had to do to remain obedient.

27: Would you rather live in an urban setting or a rural setting in Africa ?
Rural… it’s where I grew up and love to be.

28: Where are you headed to next?
For location, Africa will always remain my desired destination. As far as position or career – His purpose, wherever and whatever that may be.

29: What does design mean to you?
Creative and innovative ways to present a project.

Want to know more about LIA? Check out their site, watch their reel, buy their book, or consider adding their letterpress poster to your personal collection.

I love paging through design magazines (or any well-designed magazine for that matter), and HOW has been one of my favorites for years. I have always enjoyed the practical and inspirational approach it delivers. Several years ago, I had the privilege of meeting the editor, Bryn Mooth. It was incredibly refreshing to see that Bryn and the rest of the team were as cool as the magazine itself. Although, as most of you know, HOW is much more than a magazine. They host several conferences for every stage of a designers’ careers, including one of the best design conferences in the world. They publish a host of books, organize competitions, and have added an entire suite of online capabilities with several blogs, webinars and much more. With all of that said, I’m honored that Bryn took a little time to answer this installment of 29 Questions. You will soon see why she is one of our favorite peeps. Enjoy!

1: How long have you been editor at HOW?
I’ve been at HOW for much of my professional career in two separate stints, and I’m coming up on 10 years as editor.

2: What’s the favorite part of your job?
Sounds trite, but the people — both the team that I’m blessed to work with, and the amazingly talented and generous people in the design field that I’ve crossed paths with.

3: What’s the most challenging?
It’s news to no one that now is a tough time to be in publishing. Media companies are really wrestling with making the transition from printed page to digital formats. We’re certainly feeling it, but HOW has been more than a magazine for quite a long time. Our events, books and online presence give us a leg up.

4: What sets HOW apart from other design-focused magazines?
A couple of things: First, HOW is helpful and practical, not just nice to look at. Our mission is helping designers be more creative and more successful. Second, we’re not just a magazine — we’re a broader brand with lots of different ways to live that mission, through events, digital media, community, etc.

5: What was the first article you wrote professionally?
Not sure if you could call this professional, exactly, but I wrote the introduction to the yearbook when I was a senior in high school. I knew pretty early on that I wanted to go into media. My dad is glad that the journalism degree he paid for is actually getting put to productive use.

6: What was your first article about for HOW?
I wrote a production column about specialty printing finishes — foil-stamping, thermography, that kind of thing. I had absolutely NO clue about the subject, but I found several good sources who really helped me understand. It was my first exposure to the fact that people in this business are so willing to share their knowledge and experience.

7: How do you come up with your story ideas for the magazine?
Coming up with story ideas is easy — narrowing the list down to only the few that we have room to publish is hard. Ideas come from a lot of sources: our own research (my colleague, Megan Patrick, is a terrific researcher), industry connections, projects that designers send us.

8: How has the magazine business changed over the years?
My job is much broader now than editing copy and writing headlines — I’m an event programmer, social networker, web writer … you name it. I think the changes in the media business parallel what’s gone on in design.

9: What role does social media play in the HOW world?
It’s become a big initiative in the past 6 to 10 months. We started a HOW page on Facebook last fall, and launched into Twitter in February. HOW’s mission has a real emphasis on building community and helping our audience share their knowledge and learn from each other, so social media tools are great for us.

10: Where is HOW headquartered?
The Queen City: Cincinnati, Ohio.

11: If we were in your city, what are some must-see places or eateries that must be enjoyed?
The Cincinnati Art Museum is world-class, and admission is free thanks to a gift from the family that previously owned HOW’s parent company. The Contemporary Art Center downtown is a magnificent building designed by Zaha Hadid. There’s a district on the outskirts of downtown that’s currently being redeveloped — it’s home to my favorite thing about Cincinnati, Findlay Market (the oldest continuous public market in the U.S.) and also to a growing neighborhood of design-savvy retailers and local restaurants.

12: What is your superpower of choice?
Flight.

13: Where did you attend college?
Indiana University, in Bloomington.

14: Did you know what design was when you were in college?
I did. My high school yearbook gig gave me lots of hands-on experience with layout, and I had semester of graphic design at I.U. using the then-new Mac and Mac Paint software. It was pretty awful.

15: Do you consider yourself a “creative”?
In the sense of idea-generating, absolutely. In the sense of making, not so much. I’m not a designer, that’s for sure.

16: What are some of the biggest changes you have seen in the design business?
This dates me, but when I first started with HOW in 1990, the computer was just starting to influence design. Designers were shifting from using Rubylith and press-type to creating compositions and layouts on the Mac. For awhile, design had a very digital look for its own sake. Designers struggled to learn the new tools and questioned whether the computer was sucking the creativity out of design. In some ways, that question remains. Interestingly, we’re now in a place where designers are returning to their hands-on roots.

17: Do you have any design heroes?
Ann Willoughby, without a doubt.

18: What is your favorite non-design magazine?
Esquire.

19: What’s your favorite location for the HOW Conference?
Atlanta and New Orleans

20: What do you think designers miss not attending at least one conference now and then?
Connecting with other people who actually understand what they do for a living.

21: Do you have a favorite author?
John Irving

22: Do you have a favorite non-design blog?
My favorite non-design blog is 101cookbooks.com.

23: If you could be the editor at any other magazine what would it be?
Tough question! I guess it would be something that combines my interests in food, wine, fitness and gardening. Cooking Light, maybe?

24: If you had to be in a reality show with 4 designers who would you pick?
Debbie Millman and Alex Isley and, just to spice things up, Marc English and James Victore.

25: What is one of the most memorable experiences you have had thanks to HOW?
My first HOW Conference as editor, getting up onstage in Atlanta and speaking in public for the very first time in my life. I was terrified. But I followed the Georgia Mass Choir, which we’d hired to perform before the opening session, and the energy they generated was inspiring. That energy helped keep my knees from knocking too much.

26: If you could be doing anything else what would it be?
I’d have a sort of hybrid career — freelance writing/editing and perhaps teaching fitness classes.

27: Do you have any hobbies?
Cooking, gardening, golf, fitness, taking long walks with my husband and our dog.

28: Favorite sugary treat?
I’m more of a salty snacker, but in the sweets department it would have to be peanut M&Ms.

29: What does design mean to you?
On a personal level, design is what has connected me with lots of amazing creative people. On a broader level, design helps people make sense of their world.

Many thanks to Bryn. What is your favorite magazine or inspirational blog?
By the way, you can follow HOW on twitter @howmag.

Have you ever wondered where your clothes are made or about the people who make them? Do you realize that the majority of the clothes bought in the U.S. do not come from this country? Our next interview is with author and friend, Kelsey Timmerman, who traveled around the world following his obsession of discovering who makes the clothes he wears. All of us at Rule29 love the concept of Kelsey’s book Where Are You Wearing. And after you meet him, a truly simple midwest guy looking to satisfy an overwhelming curiosity, you get the sense that he is a genuine article – check out his Flickr set for more proof. Enjoy this interview, one of the funniest we have had, and let us know what you think or “where you are wearing” today.

1: When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
There wasn’t an epiphany or anything, just small little moments:

I won an award in 4th grade for a story about flying shoes.

In college I had a blast on an assignment for Religion 101 about Buddhism. I titled the paper “Quantum Leap of Faith” and it was largely based on the show “Quantum Leap” starring Scott Bakula. I got a C-.

I guess what really sealed the deal was when I started penning a column about some of my travels and realized that I could take folks around the world 800 words at a time.

2: Where did you go to school?
Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. (Miami was a school before Florida was a state! Eat it Florida!)

3: Did you have a teacher that really made an impact on you?
Fortunately, I’ve had a couple.

At Miami, Dr. Jonathan Levy, my geology professor, would treat his classes to pictures from his travels around the world to make certain points. I appreciated having a professor that understood exactly what he was seeing, but was still in awe of it.

Mrs. Dixie Marshall, my high school English teacher, was kind enough to put up with me. She eventually talked me into reading the non-Cliff’s Notes version of “The Tale of Two Cities” and is now one of my most valued proofreaders. If you see some grammatical mistakes in my answers here, blame the fact that I didn’t have Mrs. Marshall proof them.

4: What was your first big successful article or writing piece?
When the Christian Science Monitor published my story on teaching an island-village in Honduras how to play baseball, doors really started to open.

5: What was the initial inspiration for Where am I wearing?
I had this T-shirt with Tattoo from the TV show Fantasy Island on it. Remember Tattoo? He was the short fella that would holler, “De Plane! De Plane!” Anyhow, around Tattoo’s smiling mug was the phrase, “Follow Me To My Tropical Paradise.” I was curious where Tattoo’s tropical paradise was. I looked at the tag; it read Made in Honduras.

I wondered: What if I went to the countries where my clothes were made and met the people who made them? Where was I wearing?

I thought I should know a little something about the people who make my clothes. I piled up my favorite items of clothing on the floor, checked the tags, and hit the road.

6: How long did it take you to turn your inspiration into an actual trip?
In 2004 I started thinking about going the places where my clothes were made. In 2005 I went to Honduras where the quest almost ended before it began. In 2007 it became an obsession. I spent a month each in Bangladesh, Cambodia, and China before returning home, getting married, and visiting a garment factory in New York on my honeymoon. I still owe my wife a proper honeymoon.

7: What did your friends or family think about the idea?

It varied. Most were outwardly supportive, but I know deep down they were thinking, “Who the heck goes to Bangladesh because their underwear was made there?” There’s a fine line between published author and weird uncle.

My wife, Annie, is a saint.

8: Boxers or Briefs?
What are we going to be doing? See, I have a problem with that question. It really depends on the level of physical activity.

9: What was your expectation for your first trip?
Go jungle hiking and SCUBA diving and spend a day or two tracking down the factory that made my T-shirt. When I met Amilcar a worker at the factory, I wasn’t expecting that I would be unable to ask him the questions I wanted to know: does this job provide a better life for your family? How much are you paid? Are you happy? Deep down I think I didn’t want to know.

10: What was the biggest lesson or key learning from that initial trek?
Sometimes it’s easier to not know a thing. You know, the whole ignorance is bliss theory?

When I got home, my experience with Amilcar haunted me. I became absolutely obsessed with clothing tags and wondering what life was like for the people who make my clothes.

I learned that the realities of the world are harsh, but I wanted to know.

11: Where have you been since your big excursion, besides Geneva?
I’ve been pretty busy tackling life’s milestones: marriage, authorhood, fatherhood. I’ve been to Kentucky waterskiing, Utah for my brother’s wedding, but that’s about it.

12: What countries or areas were the most surprising to you?
I was blown away by the hospitality I received in Bangladesh.

13: What country of the ones that you visited needs the most change or regulation?
China. The laws are in place; it’s just that they are completely ignored. Workers aren’t supposed to work more than 44 hours in a single week. The workers I met worked more than 100 hours a week.

14: What was one of your funniest travel experiences?
In Bangladesh I went to a rock concert and a guy came up to me and asked if he could get his picture taken with me. I thought that was kind of weird but I obliged. After that, everyone whipped out their camera phones and we’re trying to get a photo with me. Eventually, the photo shoot turned into a sort of mosh pit. I slithered out and left the concert. I was too famous to stay.

15: Most scary?
Walking through mine fields in Cambodia.

16: What was/is your hope for this book and message?
That readers relate to the workers I introduce in the book and become more engaged with the the brands and stores they buy from.

17: What has been some of the positive feedback been?
Here’s one of my favorite emails that I’ve received. This one is from a student at Rutgers: “I am a college junior at Rutgers and I just read your book for a research paper. . . . I have long struggled to cope with the realities under which my clothes were made. I really appreciated getting to see the personal side of this issue, completely stripped of politics. Where I Am Wearing? affected me in a profound way.”

18: Negative?
The Financial Times called me an ignorant moron, but they are bunch of know-it-all jackasses, so it didn’t really phase me at all.

19: Any corporate lash back?
If I had a nickel for every time someone at a corporation said, “I’m not sure I feel comfortable talking to you,” I’d be rich. Most corporations don’t want to have a grownup dialog about the fact our clothes are made elsewhere by people who make less in a year than we spend on donuts.

I’m trying my best to get the dialog going, though. Every week I examine one item of clothing (where it was made, who made it, how socially and environmentally responsible the company is) and report my findings on my blog.

20: Which brands do you feel are doing the best?
I’m all for any brand that at acknowledges their social and environmental impacts of their business. Patagonia is doing some pretty neat things, including the Footprint Chronicles.

21: What do you think would surprise most Americans about where their clothes are made?
There are very few machines involved in the process of making our clothes, just lots of people. Eighty-five people have a hand in sewing together a single pair of jeans and that doesn’t count the guy who sandblasts the jeans or the girls who fray them by hand.

22: What is the average daily or monthly range for the people that make our clothes?
Bangladesh=$24/month
Cambodia=$50/month
China=$150/month
Perry, NY=$9.00/hour

23: How can we be a part of change?
Check the tag! Stop whatever you are doing right now, grab your shirt collar, and see where you are wearing. Take a moment to think what life is like in that country. If you don’t know, find out. Try to find brands that match your beliefs. If you’re favorite brand isn’t quite where you would like them to be socially or environmentally, let them know. Give them some encouragement to do better.

24: What are the positives of our use of foreign labor workers?
In places like Bangladesh and Cambodia the garment sector alone counts for 75% of exports. If those jobs weren’t there, millions of people would be without jobs. These aren’t great jobs and, in fact, there is a lot of room for improvement, but often the options in developing countries are pretty limited.

The workers I met sacrifice a lot to have their job. One persons sweatshop is another’s opportunity.

25: What’s next?
This fall and spring, I’m doing a lot of speaking. After that I have a few book ideas I would like to get to.

26: What is your best travel tip?
Make friends with a local. They know where to have fun, where to eat, and where to avoid.

27: Favorite childhood superhero?
Batman

28: Favorite travel food in your backpack?
Beef Jerky. Stuff some in the bottom of your pack and forget about it. Years later if you’re far from civilization with hunger pains, you’ll reach down into your pack and pull out a few pieces. It will taste better than anything you’ve ever eaten.

29: What does design mean to you?
To me, design means that someone takes ideas I never knew I had, lays them out in a shiny fashion, and then I take credit for it.

Have you seen my website? Oh, you have. You love it! Thanks, I designed it.

PS: Follow Kelsey on Facebook and Twitter!