How to Build a Successful Design Agency with World-Renowned Designer Jessica Walsh
Jessica Walsh is one of the most iconic graphic designers of the modern age. As the founder and creative director of world-renowned design agency, &Walsh, she’s had a significant impact on the evolution of visual trends and the graphic design industry. Her designs and illustrations have been featured everywhere, from the New York Times and New York Times Magazine to major celebrity and brand campaigns.
Jessica started coding and designing websites when she was only 11 and soon realized that this was more than a hobby – she wanted to dedicate her life to art and design. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Rhode Island School of Design in 2008, she moved to New York City where she turned down a job at Apple to intern under fellow iconic female designer, Paula Scher. She then went on to co-found the prestigious New York design studio Sagmeister & Walsh, where she worked with big-name brands including Levi’s, Aizone and Adobe.
After nearly a decade of building her career at Sagmeister & Walsh, Jessica is now the founder and creative director of her own company, &Walsh – a fresh, vibrant design and branding agency that produces unique, modern designs with a retro influence.
In addition to being a design and business powerhouse, Jessica is also a passionate advocate for seeing more women in creative director roles, and in graphic design in general. Putting her advocacy into action, she founded @ladieswinedesign and @letstalkaboutmentalhealth – two ventures focused on breaking down sexism in graphic design, de-stigmatizing mental health, and empowering women to achieve their creative goals.
There’s no denying that Jessica Walsh is a true expert in her field. She’s won numerous awards and distinctions – including Art Directors Club’s Young Gun Award and Print magazine’s New Artist Award – and was even named one of Complex Networks’ 25 People Shaping the Future of Design. She also teaches design and typography at The School of Visual Arts in New York, and has lectured at various international creative conferences and universities.
Tell us your story! How did you get into design and develop your career?
When I was 11, I taught myself how to code and design websites. I created an HTML help site that taught other kids how to make websites. Google Advertising had just launched, and I tried one of their banners on my website and started making a lot of money from it. I never thought I could make money from this hobby; I always thought I would have a regular job in business or finance. But my early success with web design gave me the confidence to go to art school and dedicate my life to design.
After graduating from RISD, I turned down a job at Apple to intern for Paula Scher. I worked there for many months before I landed a job as an art director at Print Magazine. I started working there in 2008 when the economy crashed, and the magazine’s budgets for illustration and photography were slashed.
I’ve always approached constraints and hurdles as interesting obstacles. I taught myself photography and set design and started creating a lot of the cover and interior artwork for the magazine.
This was where I developed my colorful handcrafted set design style. I experimented and played with all kinds of techniques that I had not seen done before in the design world, like body painting. I started to be recognized for this colorful and surreal set-design style and was hired by all editorial clients.
After a few years of my set design journey, the colorful photo illustration style became trendy. I didn’t want to be pigeonholed into doing this one thing, especially as it no longer felt fresh or unique. I decided that I wanted to start a design/branding studio so I would have varied clients and challenges.
That’s when I started working with Stefan. At the time, it was at his studio, Sagmeister Inc. Immediately after starting at his studio I started handling all aspects of the project, from ideation, client management, and design, all the way through production. After a few years, I was ready to go on to start my own studio, but he didn’t want me to leave. That’s when I negotiated the partnership, and our studio became Sagmeister & Walsh.
Since the partnership, I’ve grown the business and expanded our capabilities. We now take on extensive projects with multiple touchpoints, including rebranding, ad campaigns, TV commercials, social strategies, influencer programs, and more. We also have a photo studio and create content for brands in-house. We’re a strong creative team of 40 with diverse skills and talents.
