Shutterfly x Zach Koss: Navigating the Unforeseen

This week we’re joined by the brother of our fabulous host, Mackenzie Koss. Zach Koss, a managing art director at Shutterfly, shares how his creativity has evolved over the years - from designing gig posters for his friends in college to a full fledged creative leadership role - and how he’s managed to navigate unforeseen circumstances in each new stage. In this episode, we chat about the best ways to handle creative criticism and what leading a creative team looks like in a remote-first world. Zach’s breadth of experience paired with his perspective of “being open to where the ride can take you,” makes for a refreshing take on the creative world that we all can learn from.

Guest Bio:

Zach Koss is a managing art director at Shutterfly, the brand we all know and love for photography and personalized print products. With a Master of Fine Arts and a background in both illustration and graphic design, Zach is incredibly passionate about the creative world. After working client side for multiple Minneapolis-based software companies, Zach spent some time freelancing before joining Shutterfly where today he leads a team of creatives. Outside of work, Zach loves skateboarding and spending time with his two daughters. 

Key Takeaways:

• How do you lead a creative team in a remote first world? Zach shares some of the ways he’s learned to be a stronger mentor during a strange time. 
• Zach shares what skateboarding taught him about life and art.
• We discuss a recent Adidas campaign and get Zach’s perspective on brands pushing the barriers of what is and isn’t socially acceptable in advertising today. 
• We learn about some exciting new projects in the works at Shutterfly.