The Futur podcast is a show that explores the interesting overlap between design, marketing, and business.Our host (and CEO of The Futur), Chris Do, holds candid conversations with inspirational people from the worlds of design, technology, marketing, business, philosophy and personal development.These conversations go deep. With the aim of understanding who these incredible people are, what drives them to do what they do, and what can we—the listener—learn from it all.Visit thefutur.com/podcast for show notes and additional information from each episode.
244 - Getting Your First Clients
Whether you’re just starting out in a creative business, or pivoting to a new specialty, finding those first clients is one of the biggest hills you have to climb. So how do you build up your skills and get yourself seen by potential clients? If you’re adding a skill or a specialty, how do you get potential clients to see you as someone who can do more than just what you have already done for them? Mo Ismail returns to talk to Chris about how he went from being a student to landing clients as a freelancer, and how Chris found his first clients while he was still in school, and later found clients when pivoting from Motion Design to Branding. In this conversation, Chris lays out a step by step method to help you build your skills, expand your portfolio, and connect with potential clients, which Mo will summarize as the “5 C’s”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
243 - It's Only Money
Money. How does that word make you feel? Some people hear it and think opportunity, success, maybe even happiness. Others have a much more complicated reaction. Chris has fielded a lot of questions and comments about money over the years, and the one thing that is consistent with these questions is that there is a surprising amount of negative attitude towards both money, and the people who have made a fair share of it. But, as Chris argues, money is simply “a score card of how much you are able to create value”. In this episode, Mo Ismail returns to prompt a conversation with Chris about money that’s really about mindset. Chris discusses his work history, and how both needing money, and making money, has effected him in different ways. The two also discuss how your thoughts and ideas, not just about money, but also about success, career, and so much more, are governed by an inner monologue that is ultimately trying to protect you, sometimes to your detriment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
242 - Pick A Side — with Sean Cannell
We’re back with our second episode with YouTube pro and entrepreneur Sean Cannell. Sean is the driving force behind ThinkMedia, a company focused on YouTube strategy and growth. He is also an international speaker and coach that helps entrepreneurs build their influence and income with online video. In this episode, Sean and Chris continue their conversation about the importance of YouTube for entrepreneurs and business owners. Sean goes into topics like building a team, figuring out what to focus your content on, attracting the right audience, and why some of ThinkMedia’s most popular videos work. They also touch on “ethical” clickbait and why a mix of creating value, while also being polarizing, works for content creators, including The Futur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
241 - Creating Impactful Content — with Sean Cannell
Sean Cannell returns to the podcast to talk to Chris about why YouTube is the most undervalued social media platform, and how to take advantage of its amazing features. Sean is a successful YouTuber, and founder of ThinkMedia, an organization and YouTube channel focused on helping creators understand new technology, devise strategies, and create more success on YouTube. In the first part of a two part conversation, Sean and Chris talk about why being able to communicate is the most important skill in content creation, and why it must be a life long pursuit. They also discuss other important skills in content creation, why Sean thinks YouTube is the “forgotten” social media platform, and more tips on how to perfect your skills in content creation. As the saying goes, “Attention is a form of currency”, so get ready to take some notes as Sean lays out some truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
240 - Finding Your Voice — with James Victore
James Victore is a designer and fine artist, who’s work is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. His stunning, expressive typography has helped to define his work, and is born out of the passion that he feels for the act of creating. He’s always known what he wanted to do, and has spent years whittling away the perfection so many of us suffer from to deliver work that is authentic, vulnerable, and bold. Because personality and humanity are the most important parts of his work. In this episode, Chris talks to James about his life and work - From being given paper, pencil, and old design annuals as a child, to leaving school because he had a vision for his life and work, to a career with an ultimate goal of “being James Victore” and being paid for it. James and Chris talk life, work, and the push and pull between commercialism and artistry, and, more importantly, why James feels you don’t have to separate the two. Interested in James's course on creativity and finding your voice? Head on over to Your Work Is A Gift to learn more, and use code DO50 for $50 off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
239 - Productize design — with Brett Williams
Brett Williams is a designer and entrepreneur who runs DesignJoy, a design subscription service. He is essentially a one-man design agency that operates at scale and earns upwards of $1 million in annual revenue. In this podcast episode, Brett gives us a peek into how his business operates, the tools he uses, and what he’s learned after running a design subscription service for six years. It’s not for everyone, but to make something like this work you need two things: to be good and to be fast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
238 - Discover your gift — with Michael Ventura
Michael Ventura is the founder of Sub Rosa, a strategy and design firm that works with some of the world’s largest brands, organizations, and startups. He is also a board member and advisor to several organizations, including Behance, The Burning Man Project, and The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. As if that weren’t impressive enough, he also owns a globally recognized design store in New York’s West Village and is a visiting lecturer at institutions like Princeton University and the United States Military Academy at West Point. In this podcast episode, Michael shares his experience as an entrepreneur, how he spends his precious time, and why his calling is helping other people overcome the obstacles in their way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
237 - Jump as high as you can — with Vinh Giang
In this inspiring podcast episode, we welcome magician, father, and keynote speaker Vinh Giang to the show. Vinh walks us through his fascinating life and career path, sharing powerful personal stories from both along the way. We hear about how Vinh struggled as a shy and seemingly invisible kid and how the allure of magic and showmanship helped instill confidence and paved the way for an even bigger, worldly presence for him. Beyond the craft of magic, Vinh is a teacher at heart. And his topic of choice is communication. Throughout the conversation, Vinh offers actionable tips for how to use your voice and body to become a more effective communicator. Whether you’re presenting on stage, in a board room, or via video call we think you will takeaway at least three valuable communication tips from this episode. So, listen up and enjoy. This episode is sponsored by HelloFresh - https://hellofresh.com/futur50 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
236 - Lean in to what makes you different — with Dr. Emmanuel Probst
Dr. Emmanuel Probst is Global Lead of Brand Thought-Leadership at Ipsos, a leading market research agency in the world. He is also a WSJ bestselling author and adjunct professor at UCLA. We invited Dr. Probst on the show to share his deep understanding of consumer psychology, discuss how branding has evolved throughout the 21st century, and what it means for businesses to connect with their audience. In this episode, Emmanuel shares his thoughts about what a brand is and what a brand is not. Put simply: brands are not static. They are a dynamic co-creation that live in the hearts and minds of people. Whether you're a part of a small business or a large corporation, Dr. Probst's insights will give you a new perspective on how to connect with your audience and build brand desire that lasts. This episode is sponsored by Factor - https://factormeals.com/futur50 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
235 - The Pursuit of Happiness — with Vince Lebon
Vince Lebon is a husband, father, and a curious design collaborator. He founded the experiential footwear brand Rollie Nation, where he has designed for and collaborated with celebrities. In this episode, Vince discusses the importance of pursuing what makes him happy instead of chasing money. He shares how he honed his product design skills and started his own footwear brand from scratch. Vince also talks about Rollie Nation's future as an experience-centric brand and how he plans to blur the line between online and offline customer experience. If you aspire to design products people will love or build a brand that resonates with your audience, then this episode is a must-listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
234 - Tonal Influence — with Marshall Davis Jones
In this episode, we are joined by Marshall Davis Jones, TEDx Speaker and founder of MindBodySpeak. Marshall is a competitive slam poet and world-bridger, known for his voice tone techniques that help people win negotiations, deescalate conflicts, and build business relationships across multiple industries. Throughout the conversation, Marshall emphasizes the importance of voice work in communication and how tonal decision making can impact behavior in others. He explains how mastering words and tone can help individuals read the room, modulate their tone, and communicate effectively, whether they're trying to be assertive, move things along, or slow things down. Marshall draws on his experience with slam poetry and battle rap to explain how he learned to read the room and grow from these live communication mistakes. He also discusses the importance of treating our words with care and understanding that our tone can either be a controlled explosion or a delicate dance, depending on the situation. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to improve their communication skills and connect with others through spoken language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
233 - From BBQ to Branding — with Phyllis Strawder
Phyllis Williams-Strawder is a certified brand strategist, life and business coach, and psychology marketing specialist who is known as the Ghetto Country Brandmother®. She has a passion for guiding people and helping them become brand leaders. Phyllis began her career in the food industry. She started by delivering lunches from her dining room table to eventually owning two restaurants and a catering company that generated millions in revenue. Her personal brand at that time was Mrs. Mista, where she was known for her motherly vibe. As her business grew, Phyllis herself grew out of the role and began coaching. She got her certification as a brand coach, and brand strategy allowed her to embrace her ghetto-country roots and find her real voice. And The Ghetto Country Brandmother® was born. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
232 - There is wisdom in learning — with Kevin Finn
Kevin Finn is a TEDx speaker, advisor, internationally recognized branding designer, and author who works with individuals and groups dedicated to creating a positive impact at scale. With 30 years of international experience, Kevin emphasizes that not every business is a brand, and that businesses become brands only when society says so. As an advisor, Kevin challenges his clients' assumptions objectively. He questions their identity in comparison to how their customers perceive them. In this conversation, he shares six fundamental questions that make up the basis of his brand advisory work: What value do you provide? Who are you talking to? What are you saying to them? You’ll have to listen to the episode to hear the other three. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
231 - Knowing when to quit (Part 2)
In Part Two of our discussion on when to quit and when to push through, we hear stories from listeners about perseverance and strategic quitting. Joining us again are Nidhi Tewari and Stefan Bucher, who both remind us that joy is an important factor in deciding whether to stay the course or not. If there’s one thing you take away from this conversation, it’s that sacrificing your personal well-being for professional success rarely works out in the long run. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
230 - Knowing when to quit (Part 1)
Acclaimed NFL coach Vince Lombardi once said, "Winners never quit and quitters never win." It's a motivating and catchy sentiment, but famed marketer Seth Godin begs to differ. In his book, The Dip, he argues that quitting can be the best strategy. In this two-part episode, Chris is joined by therapist Nidhi Tewari and designer Stefan Bucher to discuss knowing when to quit and when to persevere. Like it or not, the free market rewards exceptionalism. Success goes to the obsessed. But where is the line between intense focus and toxic hustle? And how do you determine if what you're grinding away on is worth it? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/FUTUR and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices