NYCxDESIGN Special Event: What it Takes to Start and Run a Successful Design Studio

Are you a designer thinking about going out on your own? Or an established entrepreneur looking to grow your practice? There are many reasons why designers like to run their own studios, but making a successful business out of it is another question. Spark Design Professionals is an organization dedicated to helping designers gain the tools to run a business.

Please join us for this special in-person event. In conjunction with NYCxDesign, we have assembled a panel of experts who run successful design businesses. This event is great for anyone who owns a design business, is thinking of forming one, or freelancers looking to expand their practice. We’ll be discussing what it takes to get started, the challenges of growth and sustainability, and how to achieve your goals. Learn first-hand insights from prominent designers with a range of experiences – we’ll have plenty of time for discussion, Q&A and networking with other studio owners.

ABOUT THE PANEL

Matteo Bologna is the founder and creative director of the branding studio Mucca, a singular personality and industry leader whose multidisciplinary background has helped him build one of the most respected companies in design for over 20 years. His focused, but fun-loving, approach has earned strong client partnerships across countless industries, including Sephora, Barnes & Noble, Target, WeWork, Whole Foods, the legendary Balthazar in NY, and many others. He is associate faculty at the School of Visual Arts and Kean University, a former board member of AIGA NY, and president emeritus of the Type Directors Club.

Kristina Unker is the Founder and Creative Strategist of MA’AM. Kristina believes that we are responsible for designing the world we want to see. She founded MA’AM six years ago upon this premise, uniting fearless creativity with an inclusive culture based upon real relationships and unconditional respect. She combines this entrepreneurial spirit with over a decade of experience leading creative teams to drive meaningful work, from Starwood Hotels & Resorts to Diageo and Pepperidge Farm. Kristina’s dedication to actively building a better future also underpins her membership in the Female Founders Collective, Dreamers and Doers, and her ongoing mentorship of young women through Built By Girls, the UCONN Werth Institute, and AIGA NY.

Faride Mereb is an award-winning Venezuelan book designer, art director and researcher currently based in New York City. Her Caribbean and Middle Eastern heritage and a profound love of books have deeply influenced her work, giving it a hybrid nature. She holds ongoing artistic collaborations in Latin America and Europe. Mereb won the 10x10 Women in Photo-books Research Grant in 2022 with her project on Karmele Leizaola, while also doing research for a year at Columbia University as a Visiting Scholar. She is currently taking the Harvard Business School remote management program and directs the design studio Letra Muerta INC. Random House, Kenning Editions, Cuban Artists Around the World, Ugly Duckling Presse, and many more.

Moderated by Patrick Durgin-Bruce, Founder and Creative Director of Ultravirgo.