In the Making

Whether it’s leaving the comfort of a steady paycheck to pursue photography, or checking out the possibilities of AI, sometimes the greatest rewards lie on the other side of fear. Teresa Au speaks to photographer Tobi Shinobi about his first career in law, making a name on Instagram, and why drone photography is so peaceful. Tobi also shares his perspectives as a brand strategist, advising the same types of corporate clients who hire him for their shoots.What you’ll hear in this episode:Learn about Tobi’s upbringing in East LondonWhy practicing law and photography are so oppositeThe importance of being exposed to the artsHow the shift from law to photography was both a jump and a pushThere’s no time for fear when you’re so busyGrowth and progress are not linearProfessionalism as a means to creativityListening to clientsWhat Tobi loves about photographyThe best way to shake a bad moodHow the AI revolution is like the Industrial RevolutionThe difference between fear and respectControversy over AI use in photographyThe AI we’re already using without realizing itTobi’s “real life” Photoshop techniqueWhat makes you more or less of an artist?The thing that makes both AI and photography excitingHow creative strategy is like storytellingWhy storytelling is so essential to human beingsAre you cut out for working with brands?Brand safety and authenticityTobi’s one word for 2023 (and 2024)Tobi Shinobi is an award winning photographer and videographer based between London and Chicago who was just named one of Adobe’s 2023 Firefly Creators to Watch. His work encompasses high profile events, product photography, architecture, and interviews. An early Instagram star, he has over 200,000 followers across online platforms. Tobi finds beauty in often gritty urban landscapes and his distinctive focus on detail, perspective, geometry, and symmetry allows for a new appreciation of architecture. Tobi provides social strategies for an array of digital content from video to photos for brands. He regularly works for clients such as Audi, Adidas, Coca-Cola and Samsung. He is an alumnus Adobe Lightroom Ambassador and Sony Global Imaging Ambassador. His first solo photo book, Equilibrium, is available now, and he starred in the award-winning documentary, I Take Photos. He is currently showing work in Brazil and in Chicago, some of which was recently selected as part of the 2023 MvVO awards. Teresa Au (@tautastic) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe. Her career spans diverse creative fields, primarily in New York’s fashion industry, as well as architecture firms, and now Silicon Valley tech companies. She has always prized working with distinctive design and the interesting people behind it–from designer Elie Tahari to start-up CEOs. Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. In the Making is brought you by Adobe Express and Adobe Creative Cloud. Past episodes of Wireframe can still be found in the show archive within this feed, or online on Behance. Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more. Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud

Learn about the challenges and rewards of having a side hustle in a creative field, including time management strategies, the relationship between UX design and entrepreneurship, and the benefits of finding a mentor and supporting worthy causes. Discover how Miranda Wong balances her day job and her illustration business, and how she finds inspiration for her artwork through walks and dancing. Gain insights into growing an online community and developing a personal art style, as well as navigating the shift from school to the working world.

For small business owners and creators, building your brand is the way to show the world what makes you great and why they should care. Teresa Au speaks to personal branding expert and content creator Phil Pallen about developing an authentic and consistent brand that will help you reach your goals. Phil explains why branding isn’t just about looking pretty on the internet, how your brand can help you stand out in a crowded marketplace, and the best reason to build a branded website. Plus, Phil gives tips on all things Instagram, from what you shouldn’t worry about when you post, practical tips for efficient posting, and how to make posting a growth experience.How Phil got his start in brand marketing thanks to a controversial Hollywood starThinking about what your audience is getting out of your social postsWhat is a brand?The importance of consistencyDefining and positioning your brandLogos and brand identityIs there a difference between marketing companies and people?The power of strategic distractionBranding vs marketingWhat makes for great photos for your personal brandPhil’s advice to the camera-shy creatorHow Phil went from brand strategist to content creatorThe nuts and bolts of brand partnershipsSelling via social media is a rapidly growing market segmentDo you need a website if you do business on social media?What building a website really does for youAll things Instagram–how much should we post, when should we post, and why should we postTimesaving tools for Instagram–Adobe Express templates and Adobe Express SchedulerWhy content creation is a learning opportunitySurprising information about when it’s best to postInstagram hashtags vs SEO termsGetting caught up chasing likes can be bad for businessPractical tips for growing your social media audienceGen AI ideas for small businessesPhil’s One Word for 2023Phil Pallen is a brand strategist and keynote speaker who helps people and companies position, build, and promote their brands. He founded Phil Pallen Collective in 2011 and has worked with hundreds of brands across all industries, including a Shark on Shark Tank, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, politicians, and some of the most important names in entertainment. He frequently speaks at conferences in cities all over the globe, including London, Tokyo, Dubai, São Paulo, Medellín, Auckland, Helsinki, and Los Angeles. Phil’s insights have been featured in media outlets around the world, including CNN, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, and The Daily Mail, to name a few.Teresa Au (@tautastic) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe. Her career spans diverse creative fields, primarily in New York’s fashion industry, as well as architecture firms, and now Silicon Valley tech companies. She has always prized working with distinctive design and the interesting people behind it–from designer Elie Tahari to start-up CEOs. Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. In the Making is brought you by Adobe Express and Adobe Creative Cloud. Past episodes of Wireframe can still be found in the show archive within this feed, or online on Behance. Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more. Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud

When a new creative venture is percolating in your mind, it might make sense to move to a more affordable or more nurturing area. Teresa Au speaks to Shannon Maldonado, who quit fashion design and New York to head home to Philadelphia and start her business YOWIE–it began as an online shop, and is now a design studio, store, and hotel. Shannon shares her strategies for finding and fostering community while you grow your creative business.What you’ll hear on this episode:Why Shannon named her company YOWIEThe beginnings of YOWIE: pop-up shops and unique merchandiseCreating YOWIE vs. working in corporate fashionThe dream of a gift shopHow Shannon quit her 9-to-5Serendipity and PinterestLessons from fashion on building a brandHow Shannon researched her new business venturePhiladelphia vs New York City for creative businessesWhy a sense of place is so important to ShannonThe connection between community and designHumility as a brand ethosHow to surprise your customer but also establish a recognizable brandThinking of how you do business as an additional creative outletPlanning ahead vs taking one decision at a timeHow big dreams can turn into reality, even if it’s not exactly what you’ve hoped forSocial connections can lead to new opportunitiesImagining a new life for a historic propertyBrand extension ideasHow being part of a team helps Shannon take on new projectsThe importance of nurturing employees to take ownership of different aspects of the businessWhy Shannon started her web TV show Small EnoughThoughts on finding personal time and work/life balance when you love your creative businessHow social media can lead to in-person communityThe role of AI at YOWIEHow Shannon defines successShannon’s One Word of 2023Shannon Maldonado (@helloyowie) is Founder and Creative Director of YOWIE, a creative platform, storefront and design studio based in Philadelphia. After over a decade working in design for brands like Ralph Lauren, American Eagle, Urban Outfitters and Tommy Hilfiger she moved back to Philadelphia to launch YOWIE. Since 2016 YOWIE has been a brand built on community and one-of-a-kind products, events and service. YOWIE is a hotel, shop, and cafe located in Philadelphia. Founded in 2016 and named “The Coolest Shop in Philadelphia” by Bon Appétit in 2019, the YOWIE brand has extended its outreach to include interactive design workshops, creative/art direction, product design, and interior design consulting for hospitality clients that include Ethel’s Club in Brooklyn, NY and The Deacon in Philadelphia and Dye House in Providence, RI.With the recent launch of its hotel, YOWIE is cementing itself as a design destination in Philadelphia and beyond. Nestled on a sunny corner of South Street, a block rich in the history of music, art, and makers, YOWIE is a new place to shop, eat, stay and explore the city of Brotherly Love from an insider’s point of view. Philadelphia native and co-founder Shannon Maldonado hopes guests will venture to the different neighborhoods and cultural spaces across the city and feel grounded in the space when they return at the end of their day.Teresa Au (@tautastic) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe. Her career spans diverse creative fields, primarily in New York’s fashion industry, as well as architecture firms, and now Silicon Valley tech companies. She has always prized working with distinctive design and the interesting people behind it–from designer Elie Tahari to start-up CEOs. Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. In the Making is brought you by Adobe Express and Adobe Creative Cloud. Past episodes of Wireframe can still be found in the show archive within this feed, or online on Behance. Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more. Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud

Whether you want to score brand influencer deals or promote a small business, a successful social media strategy needs to reach your audience in their favorite places. Teresa Au speaks to marketing expert and creator Jon Youshaei for tips on making social media content creation pay off for you. Jon shares insights from his years working for YouTube and Instagram and now running his own new media studio. Hear what Jon says is most important for creators to focus on, where the algorithm can help you, and the power of engaging your following. And if you want to go viral, Jon tells you how to plan for it–and what to do before and after.What you’ll hear on this episode:How the pandemic made Jon question his career planThe importance of taking your destiny into your own handsThe definition of “influencer”--and knowing what you can and cannot influenceJon’s goal: to create the best educational content on YouTubeWhat Jon learned at YouTube and Instagram that he can finally shareHow to manage social media in 2023Yes, you can plan to go viral–but should you?The importance of also making content that is not meant to go viralThe best way to grow your audience is to poll your audienceYour audience is your focus groupWhy it’s so powerful to bring your audience along with you as you createCreate goals based on what you can control, not what you hope will happen Tips on how not to get caught up in chasing “likes”What makes metrics most meaningfulBehind every great creator is a great partnerHow Jon diversifies his revenue streamThe difference between Stephen Colbert and James Corden on YouTubeThe importance of trying new thingsPutting the algorithm to work for youHow to determine the best platforms for your contentThe hot features within Instagram and YouTubeBeing realistic about how much content you can produceLooking outside your feed for inspirationOn creating the viral “24 Hours with Danny Duncan” YouTube videoWhat makes for the best interviews with famous and not-so-famous peopleKnowing exactly what your goals are vs. not knowing how high your ceiling isJon’s unexpected next big projectHow Jon is using Gen AI via Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Fill feature to streamline his workflowThe best ways to use AIJon’s One Word for 2023Jon YoushaeiOne of few marketers to work at both YouTube and Instagram, Jon Youshaei has been featured in Business Insider, Time, and Inc Magazine for "cracking the code to going viral.” During five years at YouTube, Jon was Head of Creator Product Marketing where he worked with YouTube's top creators and brands to grow their audience and their incomes. During his three years at Instagram, Jon helped build their creator team to empower even more creators to grow and monetize.Now a creator himself, Jon has garnered 500K+ followers, 300M+ views, and has interviewed Logan Paul, Paris Hilton, Terry Crews, Charli D'Amelio, Danny Duncan, Mark Rober, and more. He is also a sought-after advisor, investor, and speaker who serves as a Head Creator Advisor for TubeBuddy (analytics platform used by 9M creators), and was recognized by NPR as one of the best commencement speakers since 1774 alongside Steve Jobs, Oprah and John F. Kennedy. He has also been Forbes 30 Under 30 and LinkedIn named him as one of their Top Voices on the platform.Teresa Au (@tautastic) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe. Her career spans diverse creative fields, primarily in New York’s fashion industry, as well as architecture firms, and now Silicon Valley tech companies. She has always prized working with distinctive design and the interesting people behind it–from designer Elie Tahari to start-up CEOs. Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. In the Making is brought you by Adobe Express and Adobe Creative Cloud. Past episodes of Wireframe can still be found in the show archive within this feed, or online on Behance. Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more. Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud

Author Misha Blaise shares insights on combating perfectionism by embracing creativity and the power of breath. Topics include unconventional career paths, the connection between breathing and the nervous system, fighting the inner critic, and the importance of play for adults. Practical advice on shifting mindset and finding inspiration in imperfections.

When it’s time to make a change in your creative career, how do you figure out what you want to do next? Can you start your own business? What are your deal breakers and dealmakers? Use the principles of design to create a career you love. Teresa Au speaks to Puno, a web designer, content creator, and the founder of online education platform ilovecreatives, for guidance. Puno shares her journey from working on the Call of Duty video game, to taking a “gap year” to explore her creative muse, to building both a design studio and a trade school for digital design. Puno’s practical advice for taking a thoughtful, iterative approach to career building can help you take your next step.What you’ll hear on this episode:Why Teresa loves Puno’s Webby Award Honoree reel “Compressed PDF - Even Cat Can Do It"Puno’s marketing degree leads to her first, failed business attempt–which then leads to her first jobA peek at Puno’s work at Activision on Call of DutyWhat burnout looks likeThe financial aspect of quitting your job before you find a new oneWhy it’s OK not to know what you want to do, and not have a planAnalysis paralysis–why thinking is no substitute for doingWhat Puno did on her creative “gap year”The importance of skill-buildingTurning your most personal and creative projects into incomeWhat is a slashie? And how was Benjamin Franklin the first slashie?The power of iterative thinkingThree questions to ask yourself each dayPuno describes what inspired her to start ilovecreatives, an educational and community platform for digital creativesThe mistakes people make when quitting a jobDesigning a new career with intentionHow Puno defines success nowPuno’s one word for 2023Puno (@punodostres) is the Founder of ilovecreatives (@ilovecreatives), an online trade school where designers, illustrators, and animators can build their skills and find community. She is also Executive Creative Director of ilovecreatives.studio, a boutique design agency. She loves writing and directing funny videos and doing photoshoots with her Persian cat, the Instagram starlet Muad’Dib (Muad'Dib).Teresa Au (@tautastic) is an executive for community engagement at Adobe. Her career spans diverse creative fields, primarily in New York’s fashion industry, as well as architecture firms, and now Silicon Valley tech companies. She has always prized working with distinctive design and the interesting people behind it–from designer Elie Tahari to start-up CEOs. Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. In the Making is brought you by Adobe Express and Adobe Creative Cloud. Past episodes of Wireframe can still be found in the show archive within this feed, or online on Behance. Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more. Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud

Khoi Vinh, host of Wireframe, hands over the Adobe podcast feed to Teresa Au, host of the new podcast In the Making. Khoi and Teresa talk about finding great stories in design, the rise of the creator economy, and what even is a slashie?Learn more about this podcast, and find transcripts and links, at adobe.ly/inthemaking. In the Making is brought you by Adobe Express and Adobe Creative Cloud. Past episodes of Wireframe can still be found in the show archive within this feed, or online on Behance. Design flyers, TikToks, resumes, and Reels with the new, all-in-one Adobe Express. Create video, marketing, and social content. Edit photos and PDFs. Make it all in one app, including generative AI tools from Adobe Firefly and easy, one-click tasks like removing backgrounds.Adobe Creative Cloud provides apps, web services, and resources for all your creative projects — photography, graphic design, video editing, UX design, drawing and painting, social media, and more. Learn more about the apps in Creative Cloud

Mickaela Allison-Aliifua has big plans to grow her brand beyond just pet collars. Check out her work on Facebook and Instagram, and watch how she evolves her design and product line from “Avie Daisy Designs” to “Keiki’s Collection”.We pair Mickaela with Deja Foxx, a fierce and inspiring online activist, strategist and influencer. Deja talks about her own rebranding efforts for GenZ Girl Gang, an online community of young women. Deja talks about the value of engaging customers in Mickaela’s rebranding work, and encourages her to be fearless in expressing her heritage, her pride, and her voice in rebranding Avie Daisy. Follow Deja on Instagram, TikTok.Then, designer and creative director Carly Ayres guides Mickaela through a core values exercise to help her find design inspirations for her rebrand. Carly draws from her experience supporting the redesign of Google’s logo.This season of Wireframe is supported by Adobe Express, a new web and mobile app that helps anyone create great content from thousands of templates. Learn more about this podcast at adobe.ly/wireframe. (Most of the guests appearing in this season are part of Adobe’s CoCreate program.)Find a transcript of this episode here.

Natalie Ma and Melody Jung are roommates-turned-business partners who founded Hangover Coffee. Find the brand on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.They’re big fans of Philip Wang, so we bring him in to offer advice. He’s the co-founder of Wong Fu Productions and owner of Bopomofo, a bubble tea cafe in San Gabriel, California. They talk about the benefits of bringing the co-founders’ personality into their brand content, and about how to own their power as AAPI creators. Karlei Ayers is the designer-at-large in this episode. She borrows from her decade-long experience of working as a designer at coffee shops, and suggests exercises to draw out Hangover Coffee’s brand voice and personality. Find Karlei on Instagram.This season of Wireframe is supported by Adobe Express, a new web and mobile app that helps anyone create great content from thousands of templates. Learn more about this podcast at adobe.ly/wireframe. (Most of the guests appearing in this season are part of Adobe’s CoCreate program.)Find a transcript of this episode here.