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Design Discord

Design Discord

Design Discord is a podcast that digs into what it really takes to build a creative business today. Hosted by artist and furniture designer Fernando Mastrangelo, the show explores the business side of creative work. Fernando and his accomplished guests bring perspectives that span generations — combining decades of industry experience with a grounded understanding of the challenges facing the next generation of designers. Each episode features candid conversations covering pricing, production, market trends, visibility, PR, and the real obstacles creatives face. Nothing is off the table!

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  • 23 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 1 hr 13 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • Aug 21, 2025 · 1 hr 22 min

    All about Erria with Alyssa and Jen Kaplan

    In this episode of Design Discord, Fernando and Alyssa sit down with Jen Kaplan, Alyssa’s co-founder at Erria, to talk about what it really means to build a platform for independent makers. They get into the complexities of designing for both buyers and sellers, the technical challenges behind creating a marketplace from scratch, and what it takes to rethink logistics, onboarding, and product discovery in a way that truly supports creatives. The conversation touches on Jen’s background as a software engineer, the role of trust and transparency in the businesses, and how Erria is reshaping what a maker-first business can look like. Check out Erria: https://www.erria.xyz/ Follow Erria on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erria_xyz/

  • Aug 8, 2025 · 56 min

    How Arts Schools are Failing their Students

    In this episode of Design Discord, Fernando and Alyssa take a closer look at the disconnect between design education and the realities of creative work. Through personal stories and recent experiences with students, we explore what’s missing from most design programs, and what young designers really need to succeed. The conversation covers the importance of hands-on learning, the limitations of academic training, and how the industry might rethink its approach to mentorship and preparation. It’s a candid look at what it actually takes to be ready for the design world today. Please note, this episode was recored a few months ago, in April 2025.

  • Jul 24, 2025 · 1 hr 34 min

    Chris Held on reimagining design shows, galleries (and the whole dang system)

    In this episode of Design Discord, Alyssa and Fernando sit down with designer and organizer Chris Held to talk about his journey—from founding the annual exhibition Jonald Dudd to launching the experimental showroom DUDD HAUS in Philadelphia. Chris shares what it’s taken to build alternative spaces for design, and how collaboration, community, and experimentation have shaped his approach. The conversation dives into the unique business model behind DUDD Haus that fosters generative opportunities for artists, the challenges of maintaining an artist’s spirit in their work with the demands of today’s market, and what it takes to support a new generation of collectors. We also touch on shifts in the design scene over the last few years and the realities emerging designers face when trying to build both their audience and income. Chris Held (b.1978 Atlanta, GA) is a multidisciplinary designer, curator, and co-founder of JONALDDUDD, an NYC Design Week exhibition (2015-present). He also co-owns and operates the design studio Nice Condo (2019-present), which offers a catalog of residential furniture, brand identity services, as well as commercial fixtures, custom build-outs and creative partnerships. Held relocated to Philadelphia in 2023 and subsequently co-founded the radical design collective, DUDD HAUS (2024-present). Working in furniture design and fabrication for over two decades, Held’s work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Dwell, Surface, Sight Unseen, Core77, and Nylon. Held currently lives and works in Philadelphia, PA. Jonald Dudd https://jonalddudd.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jonald.dudd/ DUDD HAUS https://www.duddhaus.com/https://www.instagram.com/duddhaus/ Nice Condo https://nicecondo.co/https://www.instagram.com/nicecondo/ -- Mentioned Designers: Nacho Carbonell: https://www.nachocarbonell.com/ Peter Marigold: https://petermarigold.com/ Steven Bukowski: https://www.stevenbukowski.com/ Eny Lee Parker: https://www.enyleeparker.com/ Tara Donovanhttps: www.pacegallery.com/artists/tara-donovan/

Showing 21–23 of 23 episodes