Official blog of The Great Discontent.@greatdiscontentTumblr (3.0; @thegreatdiscontent)http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/e8937b911130ced0ed24986b5c8b0fe9/tumblr_mmsnj2vtZi1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The <a href="http://37signals.com/about">story of 37signals</a> is widely known among those who use and love the company’s web-based apps, but what about the story of Jason Fried, President and co-founder of 37signals? We had the pleasure of talking with Jason, a fellow Midwesterner, who recalled his path prior to 37signals. Although he originally pursued a finance degree, an interest in developing software led him to working on the web and the rest is history. In addition, his early job experiences taught him about the kind of company he wanted—and didn’t want—to build as well as the kind of culture he wanted to create. And he set out to do just that. Read on to learn about Jason’s personal path and to gain a deeper understanding of the philosophies that have shaped the way he does business and why he’s most interested in making something that stands the test of time.</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/jason-fried">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/50422799821http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/50422799821Tue, 14 May 2013 11:11:26 -0400TGDinterviewjason fried37signalsbusinessdesignbasecamp<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/1eaa7e3f8fec2fe9c275dfc0142a9960/tumblr_inline_mml8buqPML1qz4rgp.jpg" alt=""/></p> <p><em>“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”</em> —Mother Teresa</p> <p>We met our <a href="http://my.charitywater.org/tgd-meets-charity-water">charity: water campaign</a> goal and raised over $5,000—all of which will go straight to providing clean water for people who need it. And we couldn&#8217;t have done it without <em>all</em> of you! We&#8217;d like to express our gratitude to everyone who donated: our readers, friends, and family. Together, your money will bring clean water to 256 people and that water will change their lives.</p> <p>We&#8217;d also like to give a special thanks to our friend, <a href="https://twitter.com/joshlong">Josh Long</a>, who was our biggest cheerleader along the way and helped us reach our goal by donating sales from his book, <a href="http://jeniusbook.com">Jenius</a>, to our campaign. Thank you, Josh!</p> <p>Update: The campaign is closed and thanks to a few last donations, 259 people will get clean water!!!</p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/50166283728http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/50166283728Sat, 11 May 2013 10:16:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/727379a360384e9e38d40f36da0920a0/tumblr_mmehkeV78M1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>On a beautiful Friday afternoon, we joined the urban art duo of Patrick Miller and Patrick McNeil at their Greenpoint, Brooklyn, studio for an interview. The pair, along with their team of assistants, were busily preparing for FAILE’s upcoming collaboration with the New York City Ballet. After touring the studio, admiring their work up close, and taking a few photographs, we sat down to talk with FAILE about their journey. Miller and McNeil—as we’ll call them in the interview—opened up about their paths as artists, how their work found its way onto the street, and the evolution of FAILE over the last 13 years. Plus, we’ve included some amazing bonus content at the end—don’t miss it! Thank you FAILE for inspring us with your work and your story, and big thanks to our friend, Meryl, for making this happen!</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/faile">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/49854530302http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/49854530302Tue, 07 May 2013 10:01:27 -0400TGDinterviewFAILEartstreet arturban art<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/06066630387123c2467bdcbf24d42de6/tumblr_mm1rmhEbbw1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Amazing things can happen when we say, “Yes,” and Esther’s story bears witness to the power of saying yes over and over, even without knowing the outcome—and even in the face of fear. Esther picked up her first camera at a young age, but it would be years before she would find herself at home behind the lens or realize the fullness of her calling to photograph people for <em>who</em> they are and not their circumstances. After seven years of journeying around the globe to photograph for a variety of nonprofits and causes, Esther’s story continues to unfold. As you read about her path, may you be reminded that anything is possible if you are willing to say yes and give it a shot, because your potential is greater than your circumstances.</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/esther-havens">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/49258075356http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/49258075356Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:01:36 -0400TGDinterviewphotographyhumanitarianesther havens<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/1eaa7e3f8fec2fe9c275dfc0142a9960/tumblr_inline_mlrsc6jCGi1qz4rgp.jpg" alt=""/></p> <p><strong>Update: TGD Meets charity: water Campaign</strong></p> <p>On Tuesday, February 12, 2013, we published an <a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/scott-and-vik-harrison">interview</a> with charity: water’s Scott + Vik Harrison and launched a TGD charity: water campaign.</p> <p>Our goal is to raise $5,000 for charity: water—all of which will go directly to providing clean water to people in developing nations. We’ve now raised $3,540, which means we need to raise $1,460 more before our campaign ends on May 11th.</p> <p>There are two ways you can help us reach our goal:</p> <p>1.Donate directly to our <a href="http://my.charitywater.org/tgd-meets-charity-water">TGD charity: water campaign</a></p> <p>OR</p> <p>2.Buy our friend Josh Long’s new ebook, <a href="http://jeniusbook.com">Jenius</a>, and he’ll donate money from sales to our campaign until it ends on May 11th.</p> <p>///</p> <p>A big thanks to everyone who has donated and helped us spread the word so far!!!</p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/48783676588http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/48783676588Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:24:18 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/3dafe71d1e785d6f68aa9e2d2e89f8b9/tumblr_mlounnsAvt1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Stories are powerful reminders that we are never alone and we’ve been continually reminded of that since beginning TGD in August 2011. Over and over again, we’ve received responses from readers who have felt a connection with the experiences of people we’ve featured. From the beginning, we have encouraged those we interview to be as open and honest as they’re comfortable with—those moments of vulnerability are the moments of deepest resonance. This is Brad’s story, uncensored. Drawing upon his wealth of experiences, he offers us what he’s learned about business, risk, purpose, community, and finding success in the unlikeliest of places—because sometimes success first looks like failure.</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/brad-smith">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/48692956651http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/48692956651Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:01:51 -0400TGDinterviewbusinessvirbbrad smith<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/05478680eb17bbc6afeb194d2b755f2d/tumblr_ml9yazJYmW1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>It’s an honor to finally have Matthew Smith on TGD! We have followed Matthew’s work online for some time and finally had the chance to meet him in person last October at <a href="https://brooklynbeta.org">Brooklyn Beta</a>. This guy is the real deal! He is super talented and has a heart of gold. After a long journey from hopeful fine artist to designer and entrepreneur, Matthew’s path has taken shape to reveal a man who truly cares about the work he does, but it goes beyond that. His desire to make a meaningful mark on those around him is evident in all he has accomplished in the last few years and we know this is just the beginning. Read on to learn about Matthew’s journey, be encouraged by his story, and be challenged by his bravery to ask the tough questions about the work we do and what really matters.</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/matthew-smith">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/48120028660http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/48120028660Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:01:44 -0400TGDinterviewdesignmatthew smithwhalegreenville<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/08b37e85ff8a4b85f7f8f566970cd148/tumblr_mkz3y8oe4J1rsaukxo2_r1_500.gif"/><br/><br/><p>Simply put, we love Sara’s illustration work! Wanting to know more about the person behind the art, we reached out to Sara, who invited us to do an interview at her studio. There, we conversed about her path from growing up in Virginia to living and working in New York City, how she came to find such a distinct style of illustrating, the people who have impacted her the most along the way, and how she balances freelance work with a day job. In short, she works her ass off, which is her advice to all of us—we couldn’t agree more! Talent is an essential foundation, but the willingness to work hard and break a sweat is crucial to success. Thanks for reminding us of that, Sara!</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/sara-blake">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/47538869172http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/47538869172Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:01:26 -0400TGDinterviewsara blakezsoillustrationdesignart<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/1eaa7e3f8fec2fe9c275dfc0142a9960/tumblr_inline_mkjd0rDq6B1qz4rgp.jpg" alt=""/></p> <p>On Tuesday, February 12, 2013, we published an <a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/scott-and-vik-harrison">interview</a> with charity: water&#8217;s Scott + Vik Harrison <em>and</em> launched a TGD charity: water campaign.</p> <p>Our goal is to raise $5,000 for charity: water—all of which will go <em>directly</em> to providing clean water to people in developing nations. We&#8217;ve raised $2,880 so far, which means we need to raise $2,120 more before our campaign ends on May 11th.</p> <p>There are two ways you can help us reach our goal:</p> <p>1.Donate directly to our <a href="http://mycharitywater.org/tgd-meets-charity-water">TGD charity: water campaign</a></p> <p>OR</p> <p>2.Buy Josh Long&#8217;s new ebook, <em><a href="http://jeniusbook.com">Jenius</a></em>, and he&#8217;ll donate money from sales to our campaign until it ends on May 11th.</p> <p>OR</p> <p>3.<a href="http://www.favorandunion.bigcartel.com">Buy a tee</a> from Favor &amp; Union and they&#8217;ll donate 10% of proceeds to our campaign for the week.</p> <p>P.S. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has already donated to the campaign!!!</p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/47022032985http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/47022032985Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:01:00 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/f8068ff59ba205b1baca7b5505410bc4/tumblr_mklx5mAWyc1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Louise Fili is a force to be reckoned with; a trailblazer who has relentlessly pursued her interests to create a stunning, uncompromising body of work over the course of the last several decades. Interviewing someone as widely recognized and celebrated as Louise Fili is such an incredible, yet daunting, honor. Graciously, Louise extended an invitation to meet at her studio, where we conversed about her all-time favorite things: type, food, and Italy. We also talked about her path spanning from childhood years to present-day, which revealed her as a woman who is not only prolific in her art, but also rich with wisdom. Thank you, Louise, for inspiring me—and all of us—with your passion for what you do!</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/louise-fili">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/46935800298http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/46935800298Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:01:38 -0400TGDinterviewlouise filidesignillustrationbranding<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/28f285ae49d15323cbf4110a7c82164f/tumblr_mk74fuaOZi1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Prepare to enter the fantastical world of Oliver Jeffers, where, if you can imagine it, you can make it happen! Born and raised in Northern Ireland, Oliver knew from a young age that he wanted to be an artist, but what he didn’t know was how an accidental discovery of picture books would change the course of his life forever. Read on for the full story of Oliver’s journey from Ireland to New York City, where he now lives and works, the unforgettable characters he’s met, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/oliver-jeffers">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/46335951203http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/46335951203Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:01:21 -0400TGDinterviewoliver jeffersartartistillustration<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/22c533355c62f75173dc00e78fc3f764/tumblr_mju4kbR5as1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Alright, ya’ll, get ready! You don’t want to miss this week’s interview with the amazing Texas-based designer, Trent Walton. We had the pleasure of meeting Trent at last year’s <a href="https://brooklynbeta.org/">Brooklyn Beta</a>, so this was a fun opportunity to pick up where we left off and learn more about his path. While he loved drawing from a young age, he didn’t know he loved design until he discovered the Internet. In college, Trent studied a completely different subject, but after working a few day jobs, he took a risk to start Paravel with his longtime compadres, Dave and Reagan. Read on about Trent’s adventures in design, his life among the rolling hills of Texas, why he values being self-taught, and of course, his recommendation for the best burger in Austin.</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/trent-walton">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/45754689077http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/45754689077Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:01:30 -0400TGDinterviewdesignertrent walton<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/507209d94a41b36eac1ec227fc41f79f/tumblr_mjixq2SOuv1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Most of you likely know Jeremy for his photography work, but his legacy is sure to reveal a creativity that isn’t bound by any one discipline. Jeremy is a visionary with many, many ideas for the future, most of them unrelated to photography. Of course, it’s no surprise that he would try new things. That’s part of evolving as an artist, which Jeremy has already done; he first wanted to be a painter, then studied graphic design and had his own company before transitioning into photography. And now, he’s venturing into the role of entrepreneur by launching his first iPhone app. Perhaps the theme of his story, which can be applied to our own journeys, is that the path is always unfolding to reveal new adventures and if we embrace them and take a few risks, then who knows? We just might find the thing that’s been waiting for us all along.</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/jeremy-cowart">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/45188613774http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/45188613774Tue, 12 Mar 2013 10:01:43 -0400TGDinterviewphotographyjeremy cowart<p>For those of you who have <a href="http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44071564666/meet-our-amazing-friend-josh-hes-a-designer">followed along</a>, our friend Josh Long recently raised $1k for our TGD charity: water campaign by donating money from sales of his latest book, <em>Jenius</em>.</p> <p>And here it is, folks!</p> <p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/4d53b6e6c9a541453813a39f2a703667/tumblr_inline_mj9e7qKybs1qz4rgp.png" alt=""/></p> <p>THANK YOU, Josh! We can&#8217;t express how much this means to us. We are SO grateful for your generosity!!!!</p> <p>P.S. Josh will continue to donate money from book sales until the end of our campaign on May 11th. Join in and <a href="http://jeniusbook.com">buy <em>Jenius</em></a> or <a href="http://mycharitywater.org/tgd-meets-charity-water">donate directly</a> to our campaign.</p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44732238318http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44732238318Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:55:00 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/7b3398a44241517cc5c97e92b1af7bdb/tumblr_mj5spozuEb1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>There’s something whimsical, charming, and unique about Olimpia’s illustration work that we just love. With artists for parents, Olimpia seemed destined to make a living doing something creative, but that didn’t necessarily make for an easy path. In a family of artists, Olimpia had to carve out her own identity and find her outlet for self-expression, which led her into illustration. But that’s not all; Olimpia has a multitude of interests and we can’t wait to see what direction they lead her in in the future. Here’s to exploring, creating, and ultimately, finding a path that is truly yours. Thanks, Olimpia!</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/olimpia-zagnoli">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44629553925http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44629553925Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:01:37 -0500TGDinterviewillustrationolimpia zagnolimilan<p><img src="http://media.tumblr.com/3be2becee81b5491bd3484db0df70dc1/tumblr_inline_miu815nQxY1qz4rgp.jpg" alt=""/></p> <p>Meet our amazing friend, <a href="http://joshlong.me">Josh</a>. He’s a designer, editor, <a href="http://executebook.com">author</a>, <a href="http://happymondaypodcast.com">podcast cohost</a>, entrepreneur—and longtime supporter of TGD!</p> <p>Josh has written a new book called <em><a href="http://jeniusbook.com">Jenius</a></em>, which is available to purchase and download immediately! <em>Jenius</em> is about how creative entrepreneurs are designing better businesses and it features a collection of essays that will give readers insight into branding, marketing, and building a business in an authentic way.</p> <p>But there’s more—<strong>for the next two days, when you <a href="https://spacebox.io/s/ZHUZ4JWxm3">buy <em>Jenius</em> for $9</a>, Josh will donate <em>everything</em> to our <a href="http://mycharitywater.org/tgd-meets-charity-water">TGD charity: water Campaign</a></strong>, which we launched along with our interview of <a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/scott-and-vik-harrison">Scott + Vik Harrison</a>.</p> <p>Thank you, Josh! We can’t wait to sit down and read <em>Jenius</em>!</p> <p><strong>UPDATE:</strong> We hit our $1k goal! Thanks to Josh for donating money from book sales and all of you who bought <em>Jenius</em>. Also, Josh will continue to donate $ from sales until our charity: water campaign ends, so you can still help when you <a href="https://spacebox.io/s/ZHUZ4JWxm3">buy his book</a>!</p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44071564666http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44071564666Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:53:00 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/d2c47f1f371f252999a4a625bb606cb4/tumblr_mit73cw7es1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>This guy is super talented, smart, and <em>really</em> funny! Ever candid and open, Adam talked about his early experiences with the family camcorder, attending film school at NYU, his first years in the advertising world, and why he gave up the hope of becoming a director. After finding himself at home within the tech community, a video he made for his own product accidentally landed him back in the director’s seat. There, he has continued to innovate and reimagine how to tell stories around brands and products, without all the bullshit. Adam’s story is a valuable reminder to all of us that it’s never too late to take a risk and change the course of our lives. Thanks for inspiring us, Adam!</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/adam-lisagor">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44063513806http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/44063513806Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:01:22 -0500TGDinterviewdirectinglonelysandwichadam lisagor<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/480026aac0464712f556762176619d90/tumblr_miflby4HUh1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>We’ve followed Bobby’s blog for a long time and have downloaded our fair share of wallpapers from The Fox Is Black’s <a href="http://www.thefoxisblack.com/category/the-desktop-wallpaper-project">Desktop Wallpaper Project</a>, which is why we were excited to finally have a chance to talk with the man behind it all. It wasn’t a surprise to learn that Bobby works really hard—he runs TFIB and has a full-time job at Disney!—but we loved that even though he’s super busy, he has a really positive attitude about life, challenges included. It was fun learning about his early years, hearing what he’s up to now, and getting a glimpse into his future plans. Best of luck, Bobby, and thanks for sharing your story with all of us!</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/bobby-solomon">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/43487143830http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/43487143830Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:01:46 -0500bobby solomoninterviewTGDthe fox is blackdesign<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/f3c9911d00fef3cb4b0873ddbce7e9a7/tumblr_mi37hhxMrz1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Have you ever met someone who is so excited about what they do that it’s contagious? Okay, now imagine <em>two people</em> who are so passionate about their work that they live and breathe it—that’s Scott and Vik, the dynamic couple behind charity: water. We met Scott and Vik at the charity: water space in Lower Manhattan, where they engaged us with stories about their lives leading up to charity: water, which is when their paths converged into one. From humble beginnings, they sacrificed, risked, and never gave up. Because of their determination and willingness to dream big, charity: water has grown to change the way people think about nonprofits and has brought clean, safe drinking water to people all over the world. </p> <p>Make no mistake—this interview will encourage you, inspire you, challenge you, and then, it will call you to action. There are millions of people who need clean water and we can help. We’ve started a TGD charity: water campaign and will be raising $5,000 for clean water. <a href="http://mycharitywater.org/tgd-meets-charity-water">Donate to the campaign and join us in changing lives with water!</a></p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/scott-and-vik-harrison">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/42925948856http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/42925948856Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:01:52 -0500TGDcharity: waterdesignnonprofitharrison<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/5424bf2de239b3f132b46732761be43b/tumblr_mhpwjvv4JU1rsaukxo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>This guy is a prolific letterer and between his freelance work and personal projects for Friends of Type—a site he cofounded with friend Aaron Carámbula—there’s no doubt that Erik has skills. While he initially studied design, Erik briefly thought he would take over his dad’s masonry business—thankfully, he didn’t. After a gallery internship, Erik was inspired to pursue what he truly wanted to do. Read on for the rest of his story, including how Friends of Type came to be, what he’s working on now, what lies ahead, and why Erik’s open to reinvention at any stage of the game.</p> <p><a href="http://thegreatdiscontent.com/erik-marinovich">Read the interview →</a></p>http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/42354752263http://blog.thegreatdiscontent.com/post/42354752263Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:01:50 -0500TGDerik marinovichletteringdesign