Russell Toynes – Personal Identities, False Confidence, and “Pulling Taffy" – Ep3

Russell is the Owner and Creative Director at Studio Dzo, a Black-owned and Woman-led multi-disciplinary, design-build studio based in Austin, Texas. He's also a Design Educator and teaches Portfolio Development at Austin Community College. Russell is a longtime friend—we went to school together, worked together at Dell, and were roommates for a while. Check out work samples at SudioDzo.com and follow Studio Dzo on Instagram.Questions for this interview.(Listener Question) What makes a strong portfolio? What specific things do you look for?What can you remember and tell us about your first portfolio?Do you consider yourself a confident person? (Listener Question) What advice do you have for graphic designers who struggle with self-doubt and imposter-like feelings?What were some of the considerations you made before leaving Dell? What emotions did you experience after making that decision?What has Studio Dzo taught you that you didn't know before?Can you explain the meaning behind the phrase "pulling taffy"?What's the story behind the thought, "Get your mind right, get your grind right"?What kind of value did you get from going to AIGA events?What can students do before they take a portfolio class to help them be more prepared?Do you have any words of encouragement for people of color in the design industry?Where should designers go within themselves to find inspiration for their visual identity? ---If you LIKE what you hear, please subscribe and keep listening. Sharing this episode with someone is the best way to support the podcast. If you LOVE what you hear and want to help me keep the interviews coming—consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.Also, I'm always looking for questions from listeners. If there's a burning question you want to hear answered on the podcast, please email it to me at [email protected] @studentsofdesignpod on Instagram for updates, episode drops, and behind-the-scenes content.The music you hear on the podcast is Accident by Timothy Infinite and PUSH !T by Nbhd Nick.studentsofdesign.simplecast.com