Episode 15 - Designing the World with Mark VanderKlipp

Traversing Entrepreneurship

Mark VanderKlipp is an experience and systems designer who has been working in human-centered graphic design for over three decades. He is the Co-founder of The Adjacency—a systems strategy and design consultancy—and the Senior Performance Experience Design Consultant at TiER1 Performance. Mark was also the Founding Partner of Connect_CX and President of Corbin Design, an organization he worked with for more than 20 years. Mark holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, Graphic Design from the University of Michigan.

Mark joins us today to discuss human-centered graphic design and the role of design in the world. He describes his career path from freelance graphic designer to design firm co-founder. He offers advice for anyone wanting to develop a career in graphic design. He highlights how networking in an association of professional designers helped him learn about running a graphic design firm. Mark also opines on niching down your business and the market you serve.

“In human-centered design, you put the person experiencing the task or challenge at the center of that design discussion and take into account their stress as you design solutions for them.” - Mark VanderKlipp

This week on Traversing Entrepreneurship:

• Mark’s background and career in graphic design
• His beginning as a freelance graphic designer
• How a mentor helped Mark get into the graphic design industry
• Mark’s experience freelancing as a graphic designer while studying in college
• How Mark became the President of the design company, Corbin Design
• The lessons Mark learned from leading a design firm through the recession of 2008-2009
• Mark’s shift from wayfinding design and transitioning to customer experience design
• How to grow your career as a freelance designer
• Human-centered design and its evolution over the years
• How to market a design agency
• Why great design is an advantage for the customer in the era of COVID-19
• How COVID-19 impacted the design industry

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “In every profession, being comfortable with ambiguity plays well more than you think.” - Derek Dall’Olmo
• “It’s not what you know, but who you know” - Derek Dall’Olmo
• “Communication design is what happens all day, every day, everywhere you look. Whether it’s a social media platform, a podcast, or a community, all those experiences and interactions need to be designed.” - Mark VanderKlipp

Connect with Mark VanderKlipp:

• The Adjacency
• TiER1 Performance
• The Adjacency on LinkedIn
• TiER1 Performance on LinkedIn
• TiER1 Performance on Instagram
• TiER1 Performance on Facebook
• TiER1 Performance on Twitter
• Mark VanderKlipp on LinkedIn
• Email: [e-mail]
• Email: [e-mail]

About TreMonte Tax Solutions and Traversing Entrepreneurship Podcast

Traversing Entrepreneurship is a show for and about business owners in Traverse City, Michigan, and beyond. In each episode, host Derek Dall’Olmo sits down with local business owners and the professionals who serve them to talk about business building, life, money, taxes, family — and all the ups and downs that come with doing something different. Join us to hear their stories and lessons learned — and to get inspired about what might be possible in your own business.

Derek Dall’Olmo is the founder of TreMonte Tax Solutions, a tax planning firm that serves business owners and entrepreneurs. This show is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment decisions.

Email Derek Dall’Olmo at [e-mail] with questions, comments, and to schedule a one-on-one conversation.

Follow Derek on LinkedIn.

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