Notes from the studio.
How we think about brand, product, and AI — written directly, with examples drawn from real client work.
Why Hire a Studio When AI Is Free?
It's the fair question of 2026. You can use Claude, Midjourney, Cursor, Figma AI — all for twenty bucks a month. So what are you paying a studio $22,000 a year for? Here's the honest answer.
Your AI Onboarding Should Answer Three Questions in Three Clicks
Most AI product onboarding flows overload new users with features. The good ones answer three small questions in three clicks, then let the work start.
Why We Don't Do Rush Jobs
A subscription model only works if the queue is bounded. Saying no to rush work isn't a service limit — it's the service.
The Five-Minute Brief Test
If you can't describe what your company does in five minutes to a stranger without jargon, your brand is leaking revenue. A diagnostic any founder can run today.
Why I Repositioned Day of Design in 2026
For nine years we were 'a design studio.' At the start of 2026 I rewrote the homepage to 'Design + AI, on subscription.' Here's why the change was already late.
The 350-Brand Threshold
Nine years, 350+ brands. What changes about how you see the work once you're on the far side of a number that big.
Why We Bundled AI With Design — Not Sold Separately
Every other agency is selling 'AI strategy.' We decided to ship AI inside the same subscription that ships your brand work. Here's why.
Why the Flat-Rate Model for AI Work Actually Works
Agencies are terrified to bundle AI with design because AI work 'has variable cost.' Here's why we did it anyway, and why the math holds.
The Two Skills Converging: Designer + AI Operator
Every strong AI product I've seen in the last year had a designer inside the loop. Every weak one didn't. That's a pattern worth naming.
Subscription vs Project: How We Decide
Not every engagement should be a subscription. Here's the clear test we run on first calls to figure out which shape fits your work.
Ship AI. Don't Sell Decks About AI.
The AI strategy deck industry is booming. The AI shipping industry is not. Something's off.
What AI Can't Do in Brand Strategy
I use AI every day. I still don't let it make strategy decisions. Here's the line that hasn't moved.
When Your AI Launch Fails the Design Sniff Test
The product works. The launch flopped. Before blaming distribution, check the three design signals that scare users off AI products.
AI Agents for Small Business: What Actually Works in 2026
After building agents for a dozen small businesses this year, here's the honest shortlist of what earns its place — and what doesn't.
Design Debt Is Cheap. AI Debt Is Expensive.
You can out-design your way out of design debt in a quarter. You cannot out-engineer your way out of bad AI decisions that quickly.
The 10-Second Brand Test Still Applies to AI Products
A good brand lets someone understand what you do in ten seconds. AI didn't change that rule — AI just made it harder to pass.