Current Inspirations & Aspirations
Summer 2024
Quickly, on sports branding re: the Olympics
On signed Zendaya, the two co-founders were on the podcast ‘How I Built This,’ released a new technology for racing shoe uppers called LightSpray (the release aesthetic matched that of Nike’s Alphafly 3 release), and added a new ‘Dream Together’ page about their ambassadors before the Olympics, and are releasing mini-docs on YouTube about their biggest athletes (one for Helen and Sintayehu). They also had a fashion/tennis crossover club vibed event in a Navy Yard warehouse during the US Open, pictured above.
Bandit supplied kits for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for the Olympics!
Cool video on sports tech video (with some ethics discussion) ft. Nike’s test lab at HQ… Nike finally had a campaign that at least got the people talking.
and quickly, re: this blog
I am returning to writing as a method for making sense of my thoughts this fall. I was preoccupied with life during the summer, but am eager to think through new concepts with you all for the rest of the year :). I have the next few editions scoped out - let me know if you have any requested topics for me to cover!1 With that, a song for the rest:
Inspirations
Intro
Since June, I have been feeling lost about where to best point my professional and creative energy. I have frankly felt unsatisfied with my work - I haven’t felt challenged in any meaningful way since I have started. I feel eager, especially after a calmer senior year of university, to grow by applying my talents to the problems I have so long trained to tackle! I have practiced my role in 3 or 6 month stints many times as a student, but have not found any continuation on those learnings so far full time.
More broadly, I am also saddened by the general cultures I have found myself in. Ironically, the largest challenge I have faced has been navigating older corporate cultures! I have felt myself yearn for the work cultures described at Stripe, Faire, even smaller consumer startups.2 I am trying, slowly, to bring change to the archaic organization I find myself in, but being a junior and new member makes that… challenging.3 I have also been inspired by people (many mentioned below) that have undertaken a more purposeful path in life - they are ‘live players’ in their lives (agentic people?) and point their attention with purpose, typically disregarding expected norms around progression.4 I aspire to learn from their examples.
To better understand where my frustrations grow from and to be able to point towards better examples, I started listing people and institutions who I have long found inspirational and aspirational. I then began articulating why that was the case. Posting it below, perhaps you will find someone interesting5 🙂
Professionally
Individuals
Why: Calls himself a “Cultural Theorist + Digital Anthropologist + Strategist + Writer explaining media and social shifts to advise partners on the future.” I think the way he expands on an interest of his (anthropology) beyond his work (which also sounds like a unique, fitted role) is cool. He uses his podcast/blog to speak to some of his academic heroes, which is also really cool!
Why: Is now independent after pursuing playful design at various institutions. The way Spencer has been able to support the work he wants to do is aspirational- he wrote a blog recently describing the type of ‘professional freedom’ I also think I am looking for.
Reggie James (especially his post on making noise)
Why: Strong tech ideology/opinions, multidisciplinary creative inspirations/inputs (many that also resonate with me), etc. Makes a lot of the intersections/near futures he wants happen himself (he organized the talk I went to with Freddy Anzures).
Why: Is able to prototype with physical and software in really unique and forward-looking ways. Aspirational ITP-esque work that I think would be cool to work on.
Why: Has been able to connect her love of writing to much of what she spends her time doing – inspiring to see her continue to evolve the way she does this over the years.
Why: Tiny Awards, poetic computing, Extra Practice as a shared studio…! So much inspirational work that I wish to apply to my own efforts eventually. Kristoffer also operates Cloudlord Management.
Why: I think the way he approaches designing his life is something I want to begin trying. He approaches his life and raising his kids with a lot of agency to result in outcomes he has thought about.
Why: The way he continues to evolve his aesthetic, while also working on new ‘frontier’ technologies, is interesting to me.
Why: Strong personal perspective, multidisciplinary designer, understands personal impact on professional career. Also has conviction to follow her wishes → basically imported the viral French Olympic muffins into NYC through her own willpower (audience on social too).
Why: Cool ideas around new frontier technologies and design. He is then able to execute (build) his ideas really well (and seemingly taught himself many of the skills necessary to build well).
Why: His creative explorations of interfaces are really fun!
Why: Fun mix of tech and design, across agencies to AI startup to university (teaching on the side).
Why: I think the way they approach technology (especially ‘soft tech’) with an artist’s perspective is really cool. They are seemingly finding their own professional path with this perspective.
Why: Excellent independent documentary photographer, but has also carved niches in automotive (both photo and video), photography bags and accessories (and even built out a physical popup for his bag brand by himself) - I admire how he has a distinct voice across all of his content, and how he has projects where he visits locations many times over multiple years to make a project.
Why: Created her own clothing brand centered on luxurious materials. I admire the way they brand their releases, and how she discusses running a business from SE Asia.
Why: Patagonia gear designer - I admire how much he tinkers with his own gear to make it fit himself/keep on going.
Ben Thompson (Stratechery author)
Why: Clearly articulates his perspectives, has been independent and monetized in a way to keep it that way before it was the fashion.
Why: Believed that architecture should be a catalyst for change and serve the public good. More: In Memoriam James Stewart Polshek - Columbia GSAPP
Groups & Institutions
Basically anyone in the Baukunst Collective
Los Feliz Engineering (Jake Dow-Smith made their site)
NaN type (makers of this game to advertise one of their new fonts)
Buildspace (a16z + Y-Comb funded maker group - unfortunately closing up shop because they did not think they could scale much further)
Sanctuary Computer (Software studio part of a co-op with other studios. I like how they publish yearly reports on finances/sustainability and experiment with org structures.)
Generally
Food! Dali food Substacks, OTR in-depth food history, Tasting History w/ Max Miller general video history, Kenji Lopez Alt…!
Generally, specialty coffee as experience and how to convey its value (some examples).
Makers of free tools like this dithering tool that I love, or this Spacetype Generator (thank you Connor for sending this to me!)
Amateur/not fully pro athletes that still perform close to elite levels (Bandit media members/Tracksmith semi-pros, etc.)6
Karue Sell (going pro in tennis at 30)
This Latoya Ruby Frazier’s Moments of Solidarity exhibition at MOMA was one of the most moving things I’ve experienced at a museum in a long time, surprisingly in a way that only an in-person art exhibition could be even though most of the medium was photography!
In Summary
After beginning a new job roughly two months ago, I am still unsatisfied in many ways.7 I remain optimistic and patient that I will find a role that is right for me eventually. In the meantime, I will continue to focus my energy on what fulfills me.8 That is, as long as my day job doesn’t get in the way…
Misc. Links
in case you wanted more
Unconventional mobile forward design site
Germans are installing solar panels on their balconies
Munich 72 Olympics branding (other) (also Mexico 68) is cool!
Conclusion
That’s all for this week! Thank you for reading, take care :)
-Andrei
Or anyone to talk to — thinking of recording conversations and publishing them as podcasts here
I related a lot with Brie’s words in her post describing the work culture she experienced at Stripe. I think I have been lucky to feel this in a few organizations I have been a part of: robotics, BlocPower, SVS…
I’m also don’t think that this is the kind of lesson I want to or should be learning at this stage in my career
If you think of someone I should speak with, let me know!
Let me know if you think of people while looking at the list, especially anyone you think I should talk to!
Thought: How many people just do this for themselves that I just don’t see though? Do I need a media cleanse from this aspirational content?
Feeling like the new job has generally been a side step… it is more of the same :/
Indexing towards joy, awe, hopefulness (over optimism), progress, health, nature…
The way you balance your current inspirations with long-term aspirations is truly insightful. This post resonates deeply with my own thoughts on intentional growth. Thanks for sharing your journey!
Impressive how many resources you use. Inspirational and aspirational, two adjectives who can give you peace of mind. With patience those are attainable.