NeoCon once again hosted a dynamic live podcast studio powered by SURROUND, a podcast network by SANDOW. An impressive lineup of captivating shows focused on architecture and interior design were recorded on the vibrant first floor of THE MART.
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Susan Fernandez
Vice President, UpSpring
Caroline Saba
Vice Presdient, UpSpring
Tiffany Rafii
CEO, UpSpring
Host Susan Fernandez is joined by Benjamin Glunz, CEO of Anguleris Technologies, to discuss how architects are filling gaps in their own market by designing services that better serve their profession. This episode was recorded live at NeoCon at the SURROUND Podcast Studio, located on the first floor of THE MART in a space beautifully designed by SnapCab. Click here to listen to this episode
About
Susan Fernandez is Vice President of UpSpring and a skilled brand strategist who specializes in helping her clients discover their unique voice and differentiate themselves in the competitive building and architectural product industry. With years of experience under her belt, she understands that having a strong brand is essential to stand out in today’s marketplace. By working closely with her clients, Susan uncovers their brand identity and develops comprehensive strategies that align with their business development goals.
Caroline Saba is a communications expert with a passion for helping brands elevate their presence in their respective industries. With a keen eye for detail and a focused approach to client ideation, Caroline specializes in developing comprehensive strategies that align with a client’s business development goals. As a Vice President at UpSpring, Caroline draws on her expertise and creativity, working diligently to strike a balance between innovation and strategy, creating and executing effective communication and marketing programs for a variety of clients, including architecture firms, design firms, developers, and product manufacturers.
Tiffany Rafii is the CEO of UpSpring, a leading communications and digital marketing agency that she co-founded in 2009. With Tiffany at the helm, UpSpring has continued to innovate, expanding services and challenging the way the industry views traditional marketing and PR strategies. Tiffany focuses on driving growth through strategic business development initiatives, recruitment, and the creation and execution of creative company programming. As a skilled strategist, Tiffany brings an unparalleled level of insight and vision to the table, overseeing every aspect of UpSpring’s client service strategy to ensure unparalleled success for every client.
Avi Rajagopal
Editor in Chief, METROPOLIS
Faraz Shah
Senior Manager of Brand Marketing and Communications, Turf
Ella Hazard
Managing Director, Arktura Ventures
Carolyn Noble
Principal and Director of Design, Ames Design Collective
How can we engage touch, smell, sound, and sight for more meaningful design? In this episode, host and editor-in-chief of METROPOLIS Avi Rajagopal sits down with Faraz Shah, senior manager of brand marketing and communications for Turf; Ella Hazard, managing director of Arktura Ventures; and Carolyn Noble, principal and director of design at Ames Design Collective, to discuss the power of our senses in Interior design.
Listen as Shah, Hazard, and Noble share their thoughts on the importance of a more holistic sensory approach to design, breakthrough research and innovations in the area, the relationship between sensory design and wellness, and more. You’ll also hear a very special announcement about an upcoming podcast in the works! Click here to listen to this episode
NeoConversations is produced by the SURROUND Podcast Network in partnership with Turf. Special thanks to producers Hannah Viti and Rob Schulte and the rest of the SURROUND team.
About
Avinash Rajagopal is the editor in chief of Metropolis, an award-winning architecture and design publication. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at events related to interior design, architecture, and urbanism, and is an advocate for sustainable architecture and design. He is the author of Hacking Design (Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 2013) and has contributed to many volumes on design history, including The Culture of Nature in the History of Design (Routledge, 2019) and The Atlas of Furniture Design (Vitra Design Museum, 2019).
Verda Alexander
Co-founder, Studio O+A | Editor-at-Large, METROPOLIS
Jon Strassner
Director of Outreach, mindful MATERIALS | Independent Climate Consultant
John Derkach
Founder, BAYA
Defying the rules to inspire design. Under the lens of creativity, Verda Alexander and Jon Strassner swap stories with the unlikeliest of heroes in this fight to save our planet.
About
Verda Alexander is a Nicaragua-born, San Francisco-based designer, climate activist, and artist. She is the Editor-at-Large at Metropolis Magazine, co-founder of Studio O+A, and co-host of “Break Some Dishes,” a podcast that engages innovators in conversations about meeting the challenges of climate change. Verda has spent 30 years in the design industry redefining the workplace and looking ahead to the future of work itself. Combining a multi-disciplinary career with a passionate commitment to improving lives through design, her typical contribution to a project is to question received wisdom, test basic assumptions, and look beyond conventional solutions to a more creative path. Over the past decade she has focused on experimental projects; installations, interactive exhibits, and a mobile design lab that engaged with communities across California. Verda is an inductee in Interior Design Magazine’s Hall of Fame and received the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Interior Design in 2016.
With 28 years of industry experience, working closely with the architecture and design community and manufacturers, Jon Strassner is passionate about understanding the role we all play in Net Positive Impact, where we don’t just take less from the environment, but restore, regenerate, and replace what has been damaged or destroyed. A passionate founding member of Next Wave Plastics, Jon has worked tirelessly to bring climate awareness to our industry. An Impact Icon 2022 award winner, his thought leadership has not gone unnoticed as designers and manufacturers alike are working to understand their role in climate change. Jon is also the co-founder and co-creator of the Break Some Dishes podcast, where he and his partner, Verda Alexander, look for stories and personas in the sustainability world and bring them back to our industry for inspiration and greater understanding. Together they have released over 50 episodes since 2019. Jon is also the Director of Outreach for mindful MATERIALS and an independent climate consultant.
Andrew Lane
Co-founder, digby
Tessa Bain
Co-founder, digby
Bobby Bonett
EVP of Digital and Strategic Growth, SANDOW
Karli Slocum
VP of Product and Marketing, 3form
This week, we’re back at the NeoCon SURROUND podcast studio with friend of the pod and two-time guest, Karli Slocum for the second of our 3part (see what we did there?) NeoCon ‘live’ broadcast specials. Bobby and Andrew hear an update from Karli on a range of exciting processes that 3form is implementing to make production more sustainable and how they’re pushing the conversation through both innovation as well as education. As Bobby points out, Sesame Street can be a great place to start in understanding the exciting advancements happening in the space, so you won’t need to be a full-fledged scientist to tune in and enjoy. Click here to listen to this episode
About
As co-founder at digby, Andrew Lane draws from over two decades of digital business and Web 2.0 leadership experience to help heritage-rich global brands navigate their first steps into Web3, blockchain and the metaverse, with a focus on delivering brand value and new revenue and customer engagement opportunities. A seasoned entrepreneur, intrapreneur, speaker, and educator with deep expertise in emerging technologies, Andrew made his career building and leading teams and organizations from startups to multinational corporations through change and transformation. He’s spoken at leading conferences in multiple industries, designed and delivered innovative courses for prominent colleges and universities in digital media and technology, and sat on numerous boards and councils aligned to helping organizations and individuals chart their course into new territory. Andrew is also a co-host of Barriers to Entry, a web3 and emerging tech podcast for the architecture and design industry, and a co-founder of Interior Design Magazine’s Metaverse Architecture & Design (MAD) Awards.
Tessa Bain draws on more than a decade of experience working with prominent and iconic global brands in the interior design world to her role as co-founder of digby. She brings this deep understanding of the design industry to her work to deliver practical strategies to leverage web 3.0, the blockchain and the metaverse, enabling her to deliver brand growth and retail innovation for digby’s partners. A seasoned sales leader, business builder and entrepreneur, she’s proven her ability time and again to open up new revenue streams that expand businesses into new territories while remaining authentic to core values. Most recently, Tessa built the Canadian territory for the iconic family of Design Within Reach Contract brands and guided the business through the Herman Miller acquisition & merger of Knoll. She holds an M.S. from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a B.S. from New Mexico State University where she was a NCAA Division 1 swimmer. Tessa is also a co-host of Barriers to Entry, a web3 and emerging tech podcast for the architecture and design industry, and a co-founder of Interior Design Magazine’s Metaverse Architecture & Design (MAD) Awards.
Bobby Bonett is a digital media leader with experience in building brands, developing content, growing audiences, driving monetization, and scaling teams. As Executive Vice President at SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, Bobby oversees digital strategy and operations, digital content services, content distribution networks, and business growth strategies for SANDOW DESIGN GROUP’s multi-platform collective of design brands.
In 2020, Bobby launched DESIGNTV by SANDOW, a streaming video network that amassed more than 10 million views in its first year; in 2021, he introduced The Agency by SANDOW, a full-service digital agency for the architecture and design industry; and, in 2022, he launched the SURROUND podcast network.
Bobby lives on Long Island with his wife Jenn and their three daughters, Arlene, Lenny, and Margaret. He is a lifelong (and long-suffering) Jets fan; his daughters, mercifully, are not.
Andrew Lane
Co-founder, digby
Tessa Bain
Co-founder, digby
Bobby Bonett
EVP of Digital and Strategic Growth, SANDOW
Federico Negro
Founder, Canoa
This week, Bobby and Andrew are live from NeoCon with a guest who’s lived the majority of last two decades at the intersection of design and technology, Canoa CEO and Co-founder, Federico Negro. A world-class storyteller, Fed takes the guys through his early startup ethos of “buildings equal data”, his time leading design through the explosive growth of WeWork and how a chair sitting beside a freeway changed everything and eventually led to the creation of Canoa. Click here to listen to this episode
Hosted by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP’s Bobby Bonett, and digby co-founders Andrew Lane and Tessa Bain.
About
As co-founder at digby, Andrew Lane draws from over two decades of digital business and Web 2.0 leadership experience to help heritage-rich global brands navigate their first steps into Web3, blockchain and the metaverse, with a focus on delivering brand value and new revenue and customer engagement opportunities. A seasoned entrepreneur, intrapreneur, speaker, and educator with deep expertise in emerging technologies, Andrew made his career building and leading teams and organizations from startups to multinational corporations through change and transformation. He’s spoken at leading conferences in multiple industries, designed and delivered innovative courses for prominent colleges and universities in digital media and technology, and sat on numerous boards and councils aligned to helping organizations and individuals chart their course into new territory. Andrew is also a co-host of Barriers to Entry, a web3 and emerging tech podcast for the architecture and design industry, and a co-founder of Interior Design Magazine’s Metaverse Architecture & Design (MAD) Awards.
Tessa Bain draws on more than a decade of experience working with prominent and iconic global brands in the interior design world to her role as co-founder of digby. She brings this deep understanding of the design industry to her work to deliver practical strategies to leverage web 3.0, the blockchain and the metaverse, enabling her to deliver brand growth and retail innovation for digby’s partners. A seasoned sales leader, business builder and entrepreneur, she’s proven her ability time and again to open up new revenue streams that expand businesses into new territories while remaining authentic to core values. Most recently, Tessa built the Canadian territory for the iconic family of Design Within Reach Contract brands and guided the business through the Herman Miller acquisition & merger of Knoll. She holds an M.S. from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a B.S. from New Mexico State University where she was a NCAA Division 1 swimmer. Tessa is also a co-host of Barriers to Entry, a web3 and emerging tech podcast for the architecture and design industry, and a co-founder of Interior Design Magazine’s Metaverse Architecture & Design (MAD) Awards.
Bobby Bonett is a digital media leader with experience in building brands, developing content, growing audiences, driving monetization, and scaling teams. As Executive Vice President at SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, Bobby oversees digital strategy and operations, digital content services, content distribution networks, and business growth strategies for SANDOW DESIGN GROUP’s multi-platform collective of design brands.
In 2020, Bobby launched DESIGNTV by SANDOW, a streaming video network that amassed more than 10 million views in its first year; in 2021, he introduced The Agency by SANDOW, a full-service digital agency for the architecture and design industry; and, in 2022, he launched the SURROUND podcast network.
Bobby lives on Long Island with his wife Jenn and their three daughters, Arlene, Lenny, and Margaret. He is a lifelong (and long-suffering) Jets fan; his daughters, mercifully, are not.
Avi Rajagopal
Editor in Chief, METROPOLIS
How can we create a better future through inclusive design? In his episode of NeoConversations host and editor-in-chief of METROPOLIS Avi Rajagopal sits down with design powerhouses and speakers at this year’s NeoCon—Cheryl Durst, executive vice president and CEO of IIDA, and Jason Pugh, principal design manager and global director of diversity equity and inclusion at Gensler—to discuss the importance of diverse perspectives in interior design.
Listen as Durst and Pugh share their journeys to their various leadership roles, the values and methods at the core of their work, the missed opportunities for diversity they see in the design professions, and the concepts and ideas they are most excited about today. Click here to listen to this episode
NeoConversations is produced by the SURROUND Podcast Network in partnership with Turf.
About
Avinash Rajagopal is the editor in chief of Metropolis, an award-winning architecture and design publication. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at events related to interior design, architecture, and urbanism, and is an advocate for sustainable architecture and design. He is the author of Hacking Design (Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 2013) and has contributed to many volumes on design history, including The Culture of Nature in the History of Design (Routledge, 2019) and The Atlas of Furniture Design (Vitra Design Museum, 2019).
Hannah Viti is a professional with experience in podcast and video production, archiving, and event coordination. With a background in communication and multimedia, Hannah has worked with various companies and organizations such as SANDOW, WTTW/Chicago PBS, and ThinkLab. Hannah has also been involved in branded content production for clients such as Starbucks and MillerCoors. Hannah holds a Master of Arts in Sound Arts and Industries from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts in Conflict Studies and Gender Studies from DePauw University.
Amanda Schneider, LEED AP, MBA
Founder, ThinkLab
Cindy Kaufman
Vice President of Marketing, Mannington Commercial
Customers are expecting a seamless B2C user experience in the B2B space. How can manufacturers best combine physical and digital elements to showcase their products in this hybrid era?
Welcome to Design Nerds Anonymous, the interiors industry-focused podcast that sparks curiosity at the intersection of business and design, from ThinkLab and SANDOW Design Group.
Thinklab.design/design-nerds-anonymous
About
Amanda Schneider, LEED AP, MBA is a researcher, writer, and founder of ThinkLab. Amanda is a strategic thinker with a strong background including industrial design, market research, product management, sales, and strategic launch practices with a breadth of companies within the interiors industry. Amanda’s creative process stems from her education in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, while her natural business sense is augmented by her MBA from the University of Iowa. She is passionate about studying the latest workplace trends to make meaningful connections for the industry and regularly blogs about them in various industry publications. When she’s not busy working in her suburban Chicago office or visiting clients, you can find her trail running at freakishly early hours of the morning, dreaming about that book she’ll write someday, or ambushing her secret stash of dark chocolate and red wine.
Amanda Schneider, LEED AP, MBA
Founder, ThinkLab
Byron Morton
Vice President & Co-Head of Leasing, THE MART
Customers are expecting a seamless B2C user experience in the B2B space. How can manufacturers best combine physical and digital elements to showcase their products in this hybrid era?
Welcome to Design Nerds Anonymous, the interiors industry-focused podcast that sparks curiosity at the intersection of business and design, from ThinkLab and SANDOW Design Group.
Thinklab.design/design-nerds-anonymous
About
Amanda Schneider, LEED AP, MBA is a researcher, writer, and founder of ThinkLab. Amanda is a strategic thinker with a strong background including industrial design, market research, product management, sales, and strategic launch practices with a breadth of companies within the interiors industry. Amanda’s creative process stems from her education in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, while her natural business sense is augmented by her MBA from the University of Iowa. She is passionate about studying the latest workplace trends to make meaningful connections for the industry and regularly blogs about them in various industry publications. When she’s not busy working in her suburban Chicago office or visiting clients, you can find her trail running at freakishly early hours of the morning, dreaming about that book she’ll write someday, or ambushing her secret stash of dark chocolate and red wine.
Avi Rajagopal
Editor in Chief, METROPOLIS
Join us live from NeoCon 2024 as we dive into the transformative world of sustainable textiles with our special guests, Dean Lindsley, VP of Pallas Textiles, and Geraldine Blanchot, founder of Limn and Loom.
This episode explores the groundbreaking textile collection “In Good Company,” which embodies a new paradigm of responsible manufacturing, industry collaboration, and broader societal impact. Dean and Geraldine share the inspiring story behind “In Good Company,” revealing how it represents not just a collection but a movement towards sustainability in the design industry. Discover the innovative use of Sequel, an upcycled marine plastic yarn, and the philanthropic efforts tied to the Sequel Foundation, aimed at oceanic conservation.
We also delve into the technical and creative challenges faced in developing this collection, the significance of collaboration across the supply chain, and the broader market applications of these sophisticated, tactile textiles. From corporate workplaces to hospitality and healthcare, learn how specifying these materials can lead to impactful change. Click here to listen to this episode
About
Avinash Rajagopal is the editor in chief of Metropolis, an award-winning architecture and design publication. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at events related to interior design, architecture, and urbanism, and is an advocate for sustainable architecture and design. He is the author of Hacking Design (Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 2013) and has contributed to many volumes on design history, including The Culture of Nature in the History of Design (Routledge, 2019) and The Atlas of Furniture Design (Vitra Design Museum, 2019).
Avi Rajagopal
Editor in Chief, METROPOLIS
What did we learn during NeoCon 2024? In the final episode of this year’s NeoConversations series, SURROUND producer Hannah Viti turns the tables on this year’s host, inviting Rajagopal to share his top takeaways from NeoCon—and what they mean for the future of interior design. You’ll also hear from Gia Kieu, the winner of SnapCab’s Be You Pod Design Contest. You don’t want to miss this recap episode. Click here to listen to this episode
NeoConversations is produced by the SURROUND Podcast Network in partnership with Turf.
About
Avinash Rajagopal is the editor in chief of Metropolis, an award-winning architecture and design publication. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at events related to interior design, architecture, and urbanism, and is an advocate for sustainable architecture and design. He is the author of Hacking Design (Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 2013) and has contributed to many volumes on design history, including The Culture of Nature in the History of Design (Routledge, 2019) and The Atlas of Furniture Design (Vitra Design Museum, 2019).