D.Talks is an ongoing series of panel discussions presenting practical information about current trends and hot topics in the world of design and business. Our goal is to foster robust dialog and critical thinking, so crowd participation is an integral part of each event.

It has never been easier or cheaper to turn ideas into goods and services that sell. Our goal is to provide attendees with practical as well as theoretical information on how to become a design entrepreneur.

Moderator:
Jay Ganaden serves as AIGA SF’s Business Outreach Chair and Treasurer. He’s a Connector from Gladwell’s Tipping Point, a relentless networker at AIGA events, and will probably invite you to his hundreds of connections on LinkedIn. Jay also started the unofficial AIGA SF Facebook group and makes random updates to it for fun.

Panelists:
Clement Mok is a designer, digital pioneer, software publisher/developer, author, and design patent holder. Mok, a former creative director at Apple, founded multiple successful design-related businesses — Studio Archetype, CMCD and NetObjects. He was the Chief Creative Officer of Sapient, and the president of AIGA. Currently, he consults for La Mesa LLC and other technology start-ups on a variety of design planning and user experience projects . Mok, a 2008 AIGA Medalist, has been published internationally and has received hundreds of awards from professional organizations and publications including I.D. 40 most influential designers, and Chief Executive Magazine, which named him 1998’s Tech 100 CEOs. He also serves on the advisory boards of numerous start-ups, technology companies, colleges and non-profit organizations.

Dora Drimalas and Brian Flynn
Principals
Hybrid Design, Hybrid-Home and Super7
Hybrid Design is a multi-disciplinary design firm in based in San Francisco. It was formed by the husband and wife design team of Brian Flynn and Dora Drimalas. By blending their complimentary, yet diverse design styles and methodologies, Hybrid produces unique concepts not usually expected from a traditional design firm.

Along with traditional clients such as Nike, Apple, Converse, and Starwood Hotels, they balance their workload with their own ventures and art projects: Super7 and Hybrid-Home. Super7 is a quarterly magazine, book publisher, toy manufacturer and a retail store located in the Japantown district of San Francisco. Hybrid-Home is a housewares company that also allows the duo to print and promote their own art projects and prints. Currently Super7 and Hybrid-Home have an extended exclusive distribution network for their projects throughout the US, Japan and Europe.

Robert Brunner, Partner
Ammunition
After graduating in industrial design from San Jose State University in 1981, Robert co-founded the design consultancy Lunar. Subsequently, he was hired as Director of Industrial Design for Apple Computer where he served for 7 years. In 1996, he was appointed partner in the international firm Pentagram, helping lead the San Francisco office. In 2006, Brunner and entrepreneur Alex Siow launched the start-up Fuego, a new concept in outdoor grilling. In 2007, Robert founded Ammunition, focusing on the overlap between product design, brand and experience. He continues to lead Ammunition and Fuego concurrently. In 2008, Robert co-authored the book Do you matter? How great design will make people love your company with Success Built to Last author Stewart Emery. He also teaches advanced product design at Stanford University.

Photo of Mok © 2001 by Erik Butler. Permission granted by photographer for PR use only.

If you need special assistance to participate in this program, please contact AIGA SF at aiga@aigasf.org or 415-626-6008. For reasonable assistance accommodations to be provided, please RSVP for the event and notify us at least five business days in advance. If we do not receive timely notification of your reasonable request, we may not be able to make the necessary arrangements by the time of the event.
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