Founder Studio Design Bocorin Rahasia Dapat Client Besar (Bukalapak, TIM, District 8) | Theory #36
TLDRErik Wijaya, pendiri Thinking Room, berbagi pengalaman mengembangkan perusahaan desain branding yang telah sukses dengan Bukalapak, TIM, dan District 8. Dia menggali asal-usul kehendaknya untuk memilih desain, pengalaman belajar di Amerika Serikat dan San Francisco, hingga tantangan dan keberhasilan dalam mengelola bisnis dan mempertahankan identitas kreatif selama 19 tahun. Erik juga menyoroti pentingnya konten dan kerja sama tim dalam mencapai hasil yang menonjol di industri yang pesat berkembang.
Takeaways
- 😀 Bro Erik Wijaya, pendiri Thinking Room, menceritakan pentingnya desain yang subjektif dan berbeda dibandingkan dengan tujuan keuangan bisnis.
- 🎓 Dia menekankan latar belakang pendidikan dan pengalaman bertahun-tahun di Amerika Serikat dan San Francisco sebelum kembali ke Indonesia.
- 🚀 Thinking Room didirikan pada tahun 2005 setelah periode kerja di perusahaan besar, dengan fokus pada desain branding murni tanpa kampanye atau marketing.
- 🌱 Bro Erik berbagi pengalaman mulai dari kecanduan pada visual saat kecil, ke musik, dan akhirnya ke desain grafis yang mengarah pada kariernya.
- 💡 Dia mengungkap bagaimana pengalaman dan kecocokan konsep menjadi lebih penting dari variasi desain dalam menyelesaikan proyek.
- 🛠️ Bertahun-tahun, Thinking Room telah berkembang menjadi sebuah agen yang dikenal, bahkan dalam industri yang pesat berkembang setelah pandemi COVID-19.
- 🔄 Bro Erik menyebut perubahan signifikan dalam industri desain setelah pandemi, termasuk pergeseran kebutuhan pasar dan persaingan yang semakin ketat.
- 👥 Dia mengakui tantangan dalam mengelola bisnis kreatif, mencapai keseimbangan antara menjaga kualitas karya dan memenuhi ekspektasi klien.
- 🏆 Thinking Room telah sukses dalam proyek-proyek besar, termasuk kerja sama dengan Bukalapak dan rebranding Taman Ismail Marzuki.
- 🤝 Dia percaya pada pentingnya hubungan dan koneksi manusia dalam bisnis, bahkan dalam era teknologi yang berkembang pesat.
- 🌟 Bro Erik menyampaikan visi dan rencana Thinking Room untuk masa depan, termasuk pengembangan bisnis dan publikasi buku.
Q & A
Siapa yang diwawancara dalam video ini dan apa urunannya dalam organisasinya?
-Wawancara dilakukan dengan Jaya dari Thinking Room. Dia adalah salah satu pendiri dan owner dari Thinking Room, sebuah design agency yang membantu branding perusahaan lain.
Apa yang dimaksud dengan 'design agency murni' dalam konteks wawancara ini?
-Design agency murni adalah sebuah perusahaan yang fokus utama pada desain saja, tidak terlibat dalam jasa marketing atau advertising, yang sering kali digabungkan dalam jasa yang ditawarkan oleh design agency lainnya.
Bagaimana pengalaman pendidikan dan kerja Bro Erik sebelum ia mendirikan Thinking Room?
-Bro Erik menempuh pendidikan teknik industri di Amerika Serikat selama 8 tahun, kemudian melanjutkan ke Art Institute di San Francisco. Setelah itu, ia bekerja sebagai asisten kepala eksekutif di sebuah perusahaan internasional selama 2 tahun.
Mengapa Bro Erik memutuskan untuk kembali ke Indonesia dan mulai bisnis Thinking Room?
-Setelah mengalami krisis moneter di tahun 1998 dan terlibat dalam peristiwa 911 pada tahun 2001, ia memutuskan untuk kembali ke Indonesia pada tahun 2003. Setelah bekerja di sebuah korporasi besar, ia merasa bahwa saatnya untuk mengambil tindakan dan mengikuti minatnya dalam desain, sehingga ia mendirikan Thinking Room pada tahun 2005.
Apa yang membedakan Thinking Room dari design agency branding lainnya?
-Thinking Room lebih fokus pada desain dan bukan pada jasa advertising atau marketing. Mereka memiliki pengalaman bertahun-tahun dalam industri desain dan berupaya untuk menciptakan desain yang subjektif dan berkualitas tinggi sesuai selera masing-masing klien.
Bagaimana pandangan Bro Erik tentang peran konten dalam proses desain?
-Selon dia, konten sangat penting dalam proses desain. Sebelum melakukan desain, ia dan tim Thinking Room memastikan untuk memahami konsep dan cerita yang ingin diungkapkan, karena mereka percaya bahwa konten yang kuat dapat meningkatkan kualitas desain.
Apa perubahan yang signifikan yang dialami oleh industri design setelah pandemi COVID-19?
-Setelah pandemi, terdapat perubahan signifikan dalam industri design, seperti pergeseran ke branding yang lebih serius oleh perusahaan-perusahaan baru yang muncul, persaingan yang semakin ketat, dan kebutuhan untuk branding yang lebih idealis.
Bagaimana cara Thinking Room menangani proyek dan apa yang menjadi prioritas mereka dalam proses tersebut?
-Thinking Room menangani proyek dengan fokus pada konsep dan cerita yang ingin dijelaskan, dan kemudian menggabungkannya dengan desain yang relevan. Mereka menekankan pentingnya komunikasi antara klien dan tim untuk memastikan hasil yang tepat.
Apa yang dimaksud dengan 'portfolio' dalam konteks wawancara ini dan mengapa hal ini penting?
-Portfolio dalam konteks ini merujuk pada koleksi karya desain yang telah dibuat oleh Thinking Room. Hal ini penting karena portfolio ini menunjukkan kemampuan dan kreativitas tim, serta membantu menarik klien baru dengan menunjukkan hasil kerja yang telah dicapai.
Bagaimana pandangan Bro Erik tentang teknologi dan bagaimana ia berhubungan dengan industri desain?
-Bro Erik percaya bahwa teknologi akan terus berkembang dan manusia harus bisa beradaptasi dengan perubahan tersebut. Ia menganggap teknologi sebagai alat yang dapat membantu dan memungkinkan kreatifitas dalam industri desain, tetapi tetap menyadari batasan teknologi dalam aspek-aspek seperti koneksi manusia dan emosi.
Outlines
🎨 The Passion for Design and Business Philosophy
The speaker emphasizes the importance of design over profit, sharing insights on the founding of Thinking Room, a design agency focusing on branding. Bro Erik, the founder, discusses his background in industrial design and his journey from the US to establishing the agency. The narrative touches on his early fascination with visual arts and music, leading to his decision to study art in San Francisco. The speaker also reflects on the challenges and rewards of running a design-focused business and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their work culture and client relationships.
🛠️ Adapting to Change: The Evolution of a Design Agency
This paragraph delves into the speaker's experience in managing Thinking Room through various economic challenges, including the 1998 financial crisis and post-9/11 market changes. It discusses the transition from working in a corporate environment to establishing Thinking Room in 2005, the struggles of the early years, and the importance of enjoying the creative process. The speaker also highlights the significant changes in the industry due to the pandemic, such as increased competition and the shift towards online branding, and how the agency adapted to these changes.
🌐 Embracing Digital Transformation: Success Stories and Challenges
The speaker discusses the impact of COVID-19 on their business, highlighting a project with a digital company that launched during the pandemic. The paragraph focuses on the increased inquiries and the opportunity to showcase their work, such as the rebranding of Bukalapak, which involved collaboration with a type foundry. The speaker also mentions the challenges of maintaining a strong team and the strategic decisions made to keep the business afloat during tough times, emphasizing the importance of a curated portfolio and the agency's unique selling points.
📚 The Power of Storytelling in Design
In this paragraph, the speaker stresses the significance of storytelling in design, sharing an anecdote from 2006 about a client's request for multiple logo options. The story illustrates the importance of finding the right concept and narrative that resonates with the client's vision. The speaker also talks about the evolution of their design approach, moving from a focus on visuals to a more balanced presentation of concept and design, and the value of having a strong portfolio to demonstrate their capabilities.
🏆 The Legacy and Future of Thinking Room
The speaker reflects on the longevity and success of Thinking Room, having survived for 19 years in the design industry. They discuss the challenges of maintaining the agency's culture and the importance of adapting to changes while staying true to their design beliefs. The paragraph also touches on the speaker's vision for the future, including the need to remain professional and relevant in a competitive market, and the potential for bringing in a brand strategist to help evolve the agency's approach.
🤝 The Importance of Human Connection in a Digital Age
The speaker discusses the role of human connection and relationship building in the design industry, contrasting it with the impersonal nature of technology. They share personal experiences of how remembering phone numbers used to be a form of connection, and how technology has changed the way we interact. The speaker also talks about the importance of maintaining a creative and emotional touch in their work, suggesting that while AI can assist in design, it cannot replace the human element.
🔧 Leveraging Technology as a Creative Tool
In this paragraph, the speaker explores the benefits of using technology in design work, such as AI and image generators, to enhance creativity and efficiency. They share an example of how technology helped in quickly implementing a design change for a client. The speaker also discusses the potential threats to their profession from technology and the need to adapt and find new ways to stay relevant, emphasizing that technology should be seen as a tool to assist rather than replace human creativity.
🌟 Balancing Profit and Creativity in Design
The speaker discusses the balance between pursuing profit and maintaining creativity in design projects. They reflect on the early years of Thinking Room, when they were more idealistic and focused on the joy of design, and how over time, they had to become more profit-oriented. The paragraph also touches on the importance of enjoying the work and maintaining a sense of pride in the projects they undertake, as well as the challenges of scaling the business and the lessons learned from past mistakes.
📈 Learning from Experience: The Growth of Thinking Room
The speaker shares their learnings from the growth of Thinking Room, including the challenges of expanding the team and the importance of hiring strategically. They discuss a pivotal moment in 2010 when they had to let go of many employees due to a significant mistake that affected their clients and finances. The paragraph highlights the recovery process and the cautious approach they took in subsequent years to ensure the agency's stability and the enjoyment of their work.
📚 The Internship Program: Nurturing Talent and Learning
The speaker talks about the internship program at Thinking Room, which started as a way to address the lack of skilled design talent in the industry. They describe the evolution of the program, which now focuses on branding, and how it has benefited both the interns and the agency. The paragraph also discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the internship program and the shift to an online format, as well as the benefits of learning from the new generation of designers.
🗳️ The Role of Competitions in Design and Industry Support
The speaker reflects on their experiences with design competitions, particularly government-initiated ones, and the fairness of the process. They discuss the benefits of participating in competitions, such as the opportunity to present ideas and the compensation provided even to non-winning participants. The paragraph also touches on the role of associations in supporting designers and the importance of government recognition of the value of design in developing the city's prestige.
🛑 The Challenges of Design Competitions and Industry Advocacy
In this final paragraph, the speaker expresses concerns about the fairness of design competitions, especially when they are not government-organized. They share stories of designers whose work was used without proper compensation after losing a competition. The speaker calls for advocacy within the industry, suggesting that associations should support designers in receiving fair compensation for their efforts and hopes for a system where efforts are duly rewarded.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Founder Studio
💡Desain Branding
💡Tersubjektif
💡Konten
💡Visual
💡Krisis Moneter 98
💡Portfolio
💡Desain Ageny
💡Pengalaman
💡Transformasi
💡Klien
Highlights
Bro Erik Wijaya, founder of Thinking Room, discusses the importance of design and content over profit in building a successful business.
Thinking Room is a design agency that focuses on branding companies, offering services beyond traditional marketing and advertising.
Bro Erik shares his journey from studying in the US to founding Thinking Room, emphasizing the significance of pursuing one's passion.
The interview delves into the early influences that shaped Bro Erik's interest in visual arts and music, leading to his career in design.
Bro Erik discusses the challenges of establishing a pure design agency and the uniqueness of Thinking Room in the industry.
The importance of storytelling and concept in design work is highlighted as a key to Thinking Room's success.
Bro Erik talks about the impact of the 1998 monetary crisis and 9/11 on his career decisions and the founding of Thinking Room.
The interview covers the evolution of Thinking Room's business strategy, including adapting to the digital age and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Insights are provided on the collaboration with major clients like Bukalapak and the process of rebranding for a digital-first approach.
Bro Erik emphasizes the role of human connection and team chemistry in the success of Thinking Room's projects.
The interview discusses the importance of maintaining a strong company culture and the challenges of scaling a design agency.
Bro Erik shares his views on the use of AI in design and the need for designers to adapt and collaborate with technology.
The discussion highlights the balance between pursuing creative fulfillment and running a profitable business in the design industry.
Thinking Room's internship program, 'Internshipift', is introduced as a unique approach to nurturing talent and contributing to the industry.
Bro Erik reflects on the longevity of Thinking Room and the factors that have contributed to its sustained success over 19 years.
The interview concludes with Bro Erik's thoughts on the future of Thinking Room and the potential for expansion into new ventures.