Jean Lin: Creativity, Community, and Building a Design Movement

Imagine being an independent designer, isolated and struggling to thrive in the competitive world of New York City’s design scene. That’s exactly what Jean Lin set out to change when she founded Colony—a gallery built on collaboration, creativity, and community. In this episode of MINDED, Jean reveals how she overcame industry doubts and built a thriving space for independent designers to grow and innovate. We explore her early challenges—convincing designers to take a leap of faith, battling industry skepticism, and staying resilient amidst competition. Jean also discusses the importance of educating consumers about the true value of design and objects, the impact of originality in today’s design landscape, and her thoughts on balancing expectations in a competitive creative field. Key topics covered include: - The founding of Colony and its mission-driven approach to community-driven design. - How designers thrive through collaboration rather than isolation. - The challenges of originality and combating design plagiarism. - Balancing high expectations and mental well-being as a creative entrepreneur. - The future of democratic and sustainable design. Discover how Jean Lin built a thriving design movement at Colony by fostering creativity and community. Explore originality, collaboration, and her vision for democratic design.