Growing up, I've always felt that the ability to create something was very cool. So when I discovered Industrial Design I knew immediately that this would be what I wanted to take up in college. It seemed fun and less intimidating than an engineering degree.
My studio is called Build Republic. I felt that a long term investment in cultivating a good design culture within SME's and start ups was lacking. So I founded this studio with a name that encourages companies to invest long term in building excellent products, building cult brands and building a strong design culture within their companies.
Working so many years in the industry made me realize that it's really the quality of the team, collaborators and client that makes design most enjoyable to me. The type of product does not matter too much, but rather working with a high degree of confidence that the design will be successful is what's important.
Apart from usefulness and usability, I focus a lot on ensuring that a product has an identity that is in-line with the brand aesthetics and philosophy. It is how brands engage and build relationship with customers.
Select a designer with a high degree of interest towards your industry. This is how you can trust that the designer will do the work to learn and design something that is right for your customers and not for the designer.