TD 1
Being able to get to the root of disagreements ha
s definitely helped us communicate in our own relationship. product or service has even been established. That makes a big difference to the brand because you build it while the physical space is being built and everything can align. Of course, in the early stages this also means that everything can change overnight but when you’re invested in the project you learn to roll with the changes. And you build a good relationship with the client and brand during this time. – How would you describe your approach to your work? People come to us more and more because they want to do something different. Our ideas are definitely what brings in new jobs. So our approach stems from that. If our USP is that we’re fresh, we need to stay fresh. We generally meet our clients when they’re stressed and tired and incredibly busy. If we show up to a meeting just as stressed and in a state over our workflow we’re not going to be any help to them. We need to be loaded with ideas and energy. If we feel our energy slipping we address it. We ask if we need to take on more staff for the workload, or if we need to give the project more time. We check-in with ourselves to see how it’s going. It’s something we are building into our whole approach as a studio. – How do you stay inspired? Who inspires you locally and globally? Where do you find inspiration? We take time out for a pint and chats away from work. We go to other cities to see a different design perspective and we pick up a lot of ephemeral design while we’re away. We look for design in the environment rather than on-screen or in a book. We want to see how things really work. A pretty menu online is nice but what does it look like when it’s been used a few times, or when it has finger prints on it? How does a display sign grab your attention on a street? Looking at this stuff keeps us excited about what we do. Other business owners and leaders are also a source of inspiration. We’re always interested to see how something in another industry could be re-interpreted and have an impact on our own. – In a way I see you at the heart of the energy which is changing the seafront of Bray. Do you see the impact you’re having over graphic design and branding? It’s a fast-paced industry so we don’t spend time dwelling on things. But if a project has gone well or has been recognised we’ll give ourselves a little pat on the back before moving on to the next thing. We do get a lot of interest in the work we’ve done, particularly from design students and recent grads, and that is always lovely. We set high standards for ourselves for each job we take on, so if we meet those standards and the client is happy, then we’re happy. – Where do you see yourselves and the business in five years? More of what you do now, global domination or somewhere in between? We’ve grown a lot each year but 2018 was a big one for us. The studio has expanded a lot and we’ve got a really strong team who are enthusiastic about growing the business with us. That kind of positivity is incredible and keeps us looking and moving forwards all the time. But we’re not going to get too comfy where we are. We have some exciting things lined up for the next year or so and we’ve got plenty of energy to keep building! brennanandstevens.ie 17