Adrian Berry on the Challenges and Lessons in Business Development for Design Consultancies

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