Adrian Berry on the Challenges and Lessons in Business Development for Design Consultancies
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Episode 7 of the Design Journeys Podcast hosted by Chris Whyte. New episodes every other Wednesday!
In this episode of the Design Journeys podcast, Chris Whyte interviews Adrian Berry, co-founder of Factory Design.
They discuss Adrian's design journey, starting from his studies in engineering product design at London South Bank University to his time at Pentagram and Seymour Powell.
Adrian shares the challenges and lessons he learned in business development for design consultancies. They also talk about the importance of placement years, building relationships, and networking in the industry.
In this conversation, Adrian Berry, co-founder of Factory Design, shares his experiences and insights on starting and running a design consultancy. He discusses the early days of Factory Design, the challenges they faced, and the importance of building relationships and rapport with clients.
Adrian also emphasizes the value of being part of a design community and the benefits of working in a studio environment.
He shares his pet peeve of remote work and highlights the importance of in-person interactions for collaboration and creativity.
Adrian recommends the podcast '13 Minutes to the Moon' and the book 'The Modern Middle East' by Jeremy Bowen.
Takeaways
- Adrian Berry studied engineering product design at London South Bank University and started his career at Pentagram before co-founding Factory Design.
- Placement years are valuable for gaining practical experience and building relationships in the industry.
- Business development for design consultancies involves networking, building a strong reputation, and delivering high-quality work.
- Building relationships and maintaining a good rapport with clients is crucial for long-term success in the design industry. Building relationships and rapport with clients is crucial for success in a design consultancy.
- Being part of a design community and working in a studio environment fosters collaboration and creativity.
- In-person interactions are important for building relationships and maintaining a supportive team dynamic.
- Remote work can hinder collaboration and the organic exchange of ideas.
- The podcast '13 Minutes to the Moon' and the book 'The Modern Middle East' are recommended.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
06:00 The Value of Placement Years
09:37 Building Relationships and Networking
13:17 Lessons Learned at Pentagram
14:42 The Importance of In-Person Collaboration and Communication
15:38 Working on Diverse Projects
21:13 The Challenges of Business Development
25:03 Starting Factory Design
29:02 Surviving the Early Days
29:31 Advice for Young Designers Starting Their Careers
31:25 Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Success
37:45 Showcasing Process and Building Relationships in Job Applications
49:35 Podcast and Book Recommendations
58:34 Closing Remarks
01:04:02 Insights on Physical Product Development and Recruitment
Adrian's recommended podcast and book:
13 minutes to the Moon Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w13xttx2/episodes/downloads
The Modern Middle East: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Modern-Middle-East-Personal/dp/1509890890
Connect with Adrian Berry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrianberry/
Connect with Chris Whyte on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte/
Learn more about Kodu Recruitment: https://teamkodu.com/
17 episodi