#20: Moving Things Forward In The Design Industry with Michael DiTullo

In this episode of Designing Futures, Angela is joined by Michael DiTullo, a dear friend of hers and the founder and creative chief director of Michael DiTullo LLC. Michael has created iconic and innovative products and brand experiences for companies that want to disrupt their categories and impact culture. He’s skilled in brand positioning, innovation strategy, product roadmapping, industrial design packaging, and OOBE while covering categories like retail experience, interior architecture, robotics, footwear, and many more. Michael shares his thoughts on brand consistency and running his own business but spoke on the path he took to get to that point. He spoke on the various leadership positions he held from Nike to Frog and other companies and building an incredible body of work and deciding it was time to work for himself. They talk about how design is a trust based industry and how there are many portfolios and aesthetics that seem to be the same as everybody else’s now compared to the years prior which prevents risk taking for most, where Michael explains how his independent practice charges a premium for unique results. Angela and Michael discuss the impact of the pandemic on the design and his relationship with clients post pandemic, how they should be in agreement that they’re going to have to try stuff. Michael also speaks about the differences he notices in being an “intrepreneur” versus an entrepreneur, being on the corporate side of design but also what it takes to run a successful consultancy. Finally, they discuss Michael’s mindset/ outlook and how he sees himself as less of simply an “expert” and more as someone who is “here to help move things forward.”