Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Walsh.
Hi Jessica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I was 11, I taught myself how to code and design websites. I created an HTML help site that taught other kids how to make websites. Google Advertising had just launched and I tried one of their banners on my website and started making a lot of money off of it. I never thought I could make money from this hobby, I always thought I would do a regular job in business or finance. My success early on with web design was what gave me confidence to go to art school and dedicate my life to design.
After graduating from RISD, I turned down a job at Apple to intern for Paula Scher. I worked there for many months before I landed a job as an art director at Print magazine. I started working there in 2008 when the economy crashed and the magazine’s budgets were slashed for illustration and photography. I’ve always approached constraints and hurdles to be interesting obstacles. I taught myself photography and set design and started creating a lot of the cover and interior artwork for the magazine.
This was where I developed my colorful handcraft set design style. I experimented and played with all kinds of techniques that I had not seen done before in the design world, like body painting. I started to be recognized for this colorful & surreal set design style and was hired by all kinds of editorial clients. After a few years of doing this, the colorful photo illustration style started to become trendy. I didn’t want to just be pigeonholed into doing this one kind of illustration style, especially as it was no longer as unique as when I started. It was at this point I decided that I wanted to start a design/branding studio so I would have varied clients and challenges.
That is when I started working with Stefan. At the time, it was at his studio, Sagmeister Inc. Immediately after starting at his studio, I started handling all aspects of the project from ideation, client management, design all the way through production. After a few years, I was ready to go on to start my own studio, but he didn’t want me to leave. That’s when I negotiated the partnership, and our studio became Sagmeister & Walsh. After many amazing years working together, I started my own studio &Walsh.
At &Walsh we’re a team of 35 creatives, strategists, and producers. We’re focused on branding, brand strategy, social/digital, and photo/video production for a wide range of clients. We’ve worked with large clients like Apple, Snapchat, or Netflix to start ups like Bombas or Baboon; too many non-profits like TED. We’re incredibly lucky to get to create good work for good people.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall, my process has evolved from simply creating work to leading a creative team. When I was in design school, I wanted to make great work but didn’t understand the complexities of running a business and how difficult and expensive it is to have great work produced. The challenging part of the creative process is making work that is accepted by clients, especially when there are multiple stakeholders involved at a larger company. The other challenge is running an ever-evolving creative company with numerous people and making sure the team is creatively stimulated, collaborative and that offers growth opportunities to retain talent. When we first started growing, I didn’t realize how much team dynamics and feelings of ownership overwork can change quickly as the team size grows. I was so spread thin myself trying to manage everything and didn’t pay enough attention to that, and as a result, we lost a few talented people along the way. In the last few years, I’ve started strengthening the systems behind our agency’s operations. I’m determined to make us not only produce top-quality creative work but also be one of the top places to work at in terms of agency culture. Running an agency is a constant evolution, and I am excited to see where we go.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
&Walsh is my new creative agency. We work with brands in early stages on branding and strategy, advising on products, identifying audiences and helping to shape the brand from the ground up. We also work on many one-off projects such as social/advertising campaigns, film/videos, websites, graphic environments, or custom types. We’ve been incredibly privileged to land some of the biggest and most exciting accounts in the last few years, including branding & advertising projects on Snapchat, Apple, Beats by Dre, Kenzo, C3/Live Nation Festivals, among many others.
One clear differentiator is that we’re women-owned. Only .1% of creative agencies are women-owned, yet women make the decision on around 80% of consumer purchasing.
Another differentiator is our onboarding process and strategic foundation work for branding. At &Walsh, when we onboard new clients, we’ll take them through “brand therapy.” This happens through stakeholder interviews and brand therapy workshops. The goal of these sessions is to help brands find their true voice and brand personality. A great brand is like a great person: true and honest about who they are and unafraid to show their true colors. Too often brands are told to suppress idiosyncrasies or opinions out of fear of how consumers will respond. The problem is that when you try to please everyone and avoid anything that might offend someone, you wind up with a “vanilla” brand that says nothing. No one hates those brands, but no one truly loves them either. The most successful brands stand for who they are unapologetically.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My family & the entire team I work with. Everyone on our team from our production interns to our designers to our strategists and executive producers plays a big role in our work coming to life. There have been hundreds of people over the years and I’m grateful for each and every person I’ve worked with. My mom and dad are my biggest supporters and mentors. My sister also helps run the team at a high level in terms of new business, strategy & operations. I’ve been honored to work with people like Stefan Sagmeister or Paula Scher or Timothy Goodman who have influenced my thinking. Also, there are so many artists/designers out there who I’ve followed their story and words on Instagram and found inspiration; people like Debbie Millman, Shantell Martin or Mona Chalabi.
Image Credits
&Walsh
