Nathan Johnson on launching a design studio and an online shop, with products in 200+ stores worldwide

In this episode we have a Sydney-based Art Director and Designer with over 15 years experience. He owns his own design studio and has worked with leading international brands including Coca Cola, Nespresso, Quicksilver, Hurley, Globe, Le Coq Sportive and Universal Music. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He also runs an online store with his wife that produces a range of art prints, stationery and paper goods. These products feature his distinctive hand lettering and design style and there are currently over 200 stores worldwide that stock their products. The topics we talk about include: • Starting out in the magazine industry • The importance of who you know • Consuming your environment to influence and inspire your creativity • Taking a side step in order to take a forward step • Tackling business challenges • Surrounding yourself with experts • Listening to the market and • The power of an honest product I present to you, Nathan Johnson, Creative Director of Blacklist studio and Founder of the Blacklist store (and a sneaky side note: be sure to stick around till the end of the show as there’s a little gift for you guys from Nathan himself). More on Nathan Johnson and blacklist can be found at: http://www.blackliststore.com.au Subscribe to The Giant Thinkers Podcast on iTunes. This episode is sponsored by CreativeLive – the world's leading online classroom for professionals, with a comprehensive lineup of design classes that cover everything from typography to UX, learning Adobe programs to starting your career as a freelancer. Go to http://creativelive.com/design to see what they have to offer, and enter the coupon code GiantThinkers2 at the checkout for 25% off any CreativeLive design class. This code is valid until the 30th of November, 2015.