Podcast Awesome

In this edition of the Nerd Show and Tell we chat with Ed Emanuel, Senior Developer at Font Awesome. Ed started programming at the age of 12 years old with a TSR 80, and hasn't looked back since. As part of Ed's  ongoing learning, he has been working on a new text-based game based on the Oregon Trail known as Space Awesome since last year. As Ed created Space Awesome, he also used it to learn Vue.JS, and the graphics are Font Awesome space-themed icons. The discussion also includes a look at the recent work that Ed and Mike Wilkerson have been doing on the Icon Wizard project. He also shares his love of 3D printers and Dungeons and Dragons.------------------TIMESTAMPS0:02:27 Working with Dave and Travis at Font Awesome0:04:07 Creating Custom Icons with Font Awesome Pro0:06:34 3D Printing and D&D Miniatures0:10:31 Exploring Icon Themes and Favorite Font Awesome Icons0:12:11 Space Awesome  Game Launch0:14:02 Text-Based Games and Working at Blockbuster Video Warehouse0:16:20 Discussing Ed's Interest in Dungeons and Dragons 0:19:21 Conversation on the Popularity of Dungeons & Dragons and Role-Playing Games0:21:51 The Role of a Dungeon Master in Dungeons and Dragons--------------------HighlightsWell, I think I can thank my brother in law for that one as well. When he started dating my sister, my older sister, they played DND and kind of introduced me and my other siblings to it. So I played Advanced Dungeons and Dragons back in the late eighty s a little bit. And then we didn't have any of the books. So we kind of homebrewed our own game for a while, just like everyone else. We kind of stepped away from it for a while and then, let's see, it's been five or six years ago actually.It went well. We had lots of traffic the first couple of weeks. Not as much since then, but when I designed the game, I wanted to kind of respect people's time. It does not require a huge investment in your time. You can sit down and play it for five to ten minutes, and while there are a lot of secrets to discover and things that you probably won't encounter your first time through. There's no timers. There's no anything that requires that you come back and play it every day.Well, I think we have a 20 sided dice that belongs in there. We have some swords, axe, the wizards hats. We have a bunch of icons, the cloak, the skull, stuff like that. I think there's probably definitely a few icons we could add along those lines. Some more DnD themed things. Oh, we have a dragon icon already, but I think there's some other monsters that would be cool to add some kind of slime or gelatinous cube or a beholder, but I suppose we couldn't call it a beholder.---------------------NOTESThe Icon WizardSpaceawesome.ioThe Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie MartinAudio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon ProductionsStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!

In this podcast, the Font Awesome team discuss the success of their 2017 Kickstarter for Font Awesome version 5. This was the most funded and most backed tech Kickstarter of all time. The team reflects on what contributed to the project's success, including the video, and the decision to add a paid, Pro version to Font Awesome. The team also discusses how they were invited to Y Combinator, a Silicon Valley tech accelerator, after making the decision to give Font Awesome a go as a viable business. To get their paid version of Font Awesome off the ground, Dave and the team decided to launch a crowdfunding campaign. They learned from the failure of their previous campaign for Font Awesome Black Tie. For the version 5 video, they'd need to hire professionals to create an engaging video to tell their story. After some research, they decided to work with Knox Avenue, who did a fantastic job. ---------------------------------TIMESTAMPS 0:00:09   Reflecting on the Success of Font Awesome's 2017 Kickstarter0:02:14   Was Y Combinator Worth It? 0:05:32   Lessons Learned from the Font Awesome Crowdfunding Campaign0:07:30   The Journey to Finding a Professional Video Production Company 0:09:03   The Risky Decision to Create the Font Awesome Kickstarter Video0:13:10   The 12-Hour Filming Session for Kickstarter Video0:14:58   The Font Awesome 5 Kickstarter: A Story of Success-------------------------------HIGHLIGHTS We have no idea how this is going to hit. But we think this is hysterical. We thought it was funny, so we launched the video. We did a few things right with it. We did a lot of things right. And we still got an article out there somewhere about all of the we think are good ways to run a Kickstarter. And it's a few years old, but most of it's going to be evergreen with that. And we set a goal for ourselves for $30,000.If Brian hasn't shared his nerd about baking, that would yeah, we should do that. The parallel we come up with [for the video] is a bakery. Because a bakery is we think of Font Awesome as this intersection of art and technology. We think of it as how do we make these Awesome assets. You get your icons. How do you make these real? How do you get these where they need to be in the way people want to use them so that everything can be better? As a company, we like humor. This is actually a core piece of who the company has become. Is that we value this so much, and so we're like, okay, so humor seems a clear way that we can try to make this more interesting. But also, what if we have nothing overtly digital in this? What if we tell this in the real world? What if we tell the story of Font Awesome 5, what we want to build? What if we tell this story in the real world? And so what's the biggest parallel, right? ---------------------------------NOTESFont Awesome 5 Kickstarter Video How Font Awesome became the most funded software project on Kickstarter  — and what we can learn from it The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie MartinAudio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon ProductionsStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!

🛡️ Sword Fights, Security & Memes: Meet Alex “Yellow Dart” PoiryIn this wonderfully offbeat episode of Nerd Show and Tell,  Matt chats with Alex Poiry, Head of Security at Font Awesome. But don't let the job title fool you — this isn’t just firewalls and protocols.Alex dives into how a background in history and German led him to a career in tech, how a classic Homestar Runner video gave him the nickname “Yellow Dart,” and how swinging a longsword in VR gave him tennis elbow.Yep. It's that kind of episode.🧠 In this episode, we explore:The role of a Head of Security at a globally used icon toolkitHow analog circuit metaphors help explain digital conceptsWhy early 2000s memes still live rent-free in Alex’s brainNerdy passions: from Klingon to Tolkien to longsword combat in virtual realityHow storytelling shapes tech, marketing, and public trustIf you love cybersecurity, weird tech journeys, or just want to hear a security lead talk about Klingon, this one’s for you.⏱️ Episode Timestamps00:08 – Meet Alex Poiry: Font Awesome’s Head of Security03:44 – From liberal arts to lock-downs: how Alex got into tech07:56 – What “security” actually means at Font Awesome12:30 – Data privacy, metaphors, and teaching tech18:42 – Klingon, Lord of the Rings, and meme nostalgia23:26 – Geek Squad war stories & unexpected repairs27:25 – HEMA swordplay and VR: a nerdery crossover33:22 – How storytelling influences PR, security, and connection🔗 Links & CreditsFont Awesome Security InfoHomestar Runner – Yellow Dart 🎵 Theme by Ronnie Martin 🎶 Music segues by Zach Malm 🎛️ Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon Productions----------------------HIGHLIGHTS "At what point in time when you get to a certain age, how do you tell if it's you getting old or if some things actually are worse? Because there's a definitive period in American cinema that's not as good as some of the other periods.  There's a fantastic storytelling section of American cinema that starts in the 1970s and kind of goes into the it goes into the then you start to hit that era of the blockbuster.The MCU is great. It's fun, and it's nice to see all this expansive stuff. But I wonder, are we going to look down the line in, like, 30 or 40 years and we're going to be like, these movies were fantastic storytelling, or if it's just going to just kind of be, like, fluffy." "What is your form like when it comes to historic European martial arts? And then you could do like a super hot thing where you just put a character up in front of it and just like whack him with a sword and he breaks and falls down or he blocks and you can try that stuff. So then you can actually work on your form without getting sword elbow."-------------NOTESSpintronicsThe Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger (original narration by Randall) G.I. Joe PSAs The Font Awesome theme song was composed by Ronnie MartinAudio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon ProductionsStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!

☕ Poo Storms, Pixels & Perfect Curves: Designing Font Awesome 6 with Jory RaphaelIn this iconic episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt is joined by Font Awesome’s Senior Icon Designer Jory Raphael and Co-founder Travis Chase to explore what made Font Awesome 6 not just a major update — but a major upgrade.From adopting Figma as a design tool to refining styles across the entire icon set, Jory shares how a more cohesive design system (and a few poop jokes) helped shape the boldest, nerdiest, most delightful version of Font Awesome yet.🎨 In this episode, we cover:How Font Awesome 6 broke from v5 with smarter, more consistent icon designJory’s favorite (and weirdest) icons from the new setsThe journey from Freelance Icon Jealousy™️ to hiring Noah JacobusCollaborating with the United Nations on meaningful icons for humanitarian workWhy the “Poo Storm” icon exists… and what that says about Font Awesome’s design cultureIf you're a designer, icon enthusiast, or curious nerd who loves the blend of polish and playfulness, this one’s a must-listen.⏱️ Episode Timestamps00:10 – Font Awesome 6: A new chapter in icon design02:30 – Rebuilding icons with rules, rhythm, and range04:01 – Designing with purpose across branding + UI06:30 – How to keep icon design fun (and sharp)13:39 – Meet Noah Jacobus: icon wizard, now full-time at FA14:36 – Jory & Travis share their favorite weird and wonderful icons🔗 Links & CreditsExplore Font Awesome 6Why We Switched to FigmaFont Awesome x UN OCHA: Humanitarian IconsMeet Noah Jacobus on Nerd Show and Tell 🎵 Theme by Ronnie Martin 🎶 Music by Zach Malm 🎛️ Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon ProductionsFont Awesome 6 Is Live! See the New Icons, Styles and Upgrade Without the Hassle10 Reasons We Switched to Figma For Icon DesignFont Awesome and OCHA Partner to Create Humanitarian IconsNerd Show and Tell: Meet Noah Jacobus, Icon Designer ExtraordinaireHighlights "..Noah Jacobus is one of those icon designers who his work just constantly has made me jealous. He posts things that I wish I had designed and his skill and detail and creativity I find amazing. We actually got him to work a little bit on some contract work for us a little while ago as kind of sneakily, get him excited working with us at Font. Awesome. He finally popped the question and he is here working with us. And I'm so excited because I'm excited because he's a better icon designer than I am. And so that means that our stuff is just going to get better, and it also means that I can focus on some other things as well at Font awesome.""... Part of the core of Font Awesome is to have fun with things. It makes it so much more interesting to include an icon like the Poo storm icon. That was a joke. I was designing a set of weather icons and a cloud icon has some very similar curves to an icon of Poop. And I was designing a cloud icon and it had a little lightning bolt. And so I just took the Poop icon and added a lightning bolt and it's resonated with a lot more people than I thought it would."Stay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!

🧑‍💻 Reuniting Remote Teams with Heart, Humor, and Cookies: Inside Font Awesome’s Biannual SnuggleIn this wholesome (and slightly nerdy) episode of Podcast Awesome, host Matt Johnson is joined by Font Awesome co-founders and longtime team members — Dave Gandy, Travis Chase, Rob Madole, and Mike Wilkerson — to share the origin story and magic behind The Snuggle, Font Awesome’s biannual in-person team meetup.Why does a fully remote company with async workflows and nerdy Slack threads still prioritize gathering face-to-face? Turns out, good software starts with great relationships — and a well-timed inside joke.🧵 In this episode, we explore:How humor shaped the name “Snuggle” — and why the team leaned into itReal stories about what in-person time means for trust, collaboration, and moraleHow remote work challenges like isolation and “missing the water cooler” are countered with deliberate bondingWhat cookies, karaoke, and late-night debates reveal about team dynamicsWhy investing in remote-first culture isn’t just smart—it’s essentialIf you’re building or working on a remote team, this one’s your cozy, cookie-filled blueprint for staying connected (no matter how async your GitHub repo is).⏱️ Episode Timestamps00:09 – The Snuggle: what it is and why it matters02:31 – Rob Madole on remote work trade-offs05:23 – Humor + connection: the glue for team culture08:00 – Why in-person bonding is worth it11:50 – Reuniting post-COVID13:36 – Chocolate chip cookies and late-night hangouts15:15 – Replacing the water cooler16:52 – Remote vs. in-office productivity at Font Awesome🔗 Links & Credits🎯 Learn about Font Awesome’s culture 🎵 Theme by Ronnie Martin 🎶 Music segues by Zach Malm 🎛️ Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon ProductionsRemote Work: How We Snuggle Our Way to a Healthy Company CultureMeet the Font Awesome Team Through Our Nerd Show and Tell Highlights“So clearly, the Snuggle is about as serious as its name, and yet the effect is that it helps build goodwill and trust among the Font Awesome team so we can work together better. While the remote work versus in office work debate will likely continue, Font Awesome has found a way to make the best of both worlds. And once you start working remote, you may never want to go back to the office again.”“ So people come in on Sunday. So Sunday is a travel day, and then they fly back out on Friday. That's a travel day. So we've got four days in the middle there for the actual Snuggle. Two of the nights we have where we expect everybody to be there hanging out two of the nights, and we've got two nights that are in some ways, kind of like recovery nights.”“We make up for a lot of the water cooler stuff that we miss. We make up for those shared experiences on a daily basis. We try to make up for that a lot of that here and compare it. I'm so excited that we got together, that we got to get together right now.”Stay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!

🎧 Exploring Sharp Icons, Retro Gaming & Design Rhythms with Noah JacobusIn the inaugural episode of Nerd Show and Tell, Matt Johnson chats with Font Awesome icon designer Noah Jacobus about the creative crossover between music, icon design, and visual rhythm.Noah shares how his background in music education unexpectedly shaped his approach to visual design, leading to his work designing the Font Awesome Sharp icon family — a bold reimagining of one of the web’s most iconic tools.They dive into:The design philosophy behind the Sharp icon aestheticHow musical hierarchy and rhythm translate to scalable iconographyThe behind-the-scenes grind of crafting over 20,000 iconsNoah’s obsession with retro handheld games (looking at you, Playdate 👾)Why design and game nostalgia often go hand-in-handWhether you're into SVG design, retro game consoles, or just love seeing how seemingly unrelated disciplines collide — this one’s for you.⏱️ Episode Timestamps00:08 – Designing the Font Awesome Sharp family02:59 – Music meets visual arts04:30 – Rhythm, hierarchy & design language10:07 – Joining the Font Awesome team12:32 – Sharp icon design challenges16:56 – Handheld retro gaming love19:47 – Pixel art, nostalgia, and iconography🔗 Links & Credits🎯 Add a Touch of Class with Font Awesome Sharp Icons 🎙️ Meet Noah Jacobus, Icon Designer Extraordinaire 🕹️ Playdate – retro-style handheld game 🎵 Theme by Ronnie Martin 🎶 Music segues by Zach Malm 🎸 Outro track “Man is He Mega - GLBML” by Geoffrey Burch 🎛️ Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon Productions-------------------Highlights"It can only do some specific things very well. And so there's some very creative solutions for how to make interesting games for that. That's the same kind of thing that interests me a lot about iconography in that way is that emphasis on working within constraints. And I think that's kind of what drew me to retro gaming and kind of the resurrection of it as well and kind of the preservation of it, too, is like a kind of focus on that, working with what they had and really making cool stuff.""... The Playdate by Panic has been really cool to see in development and I was finally able to get one earlier this year. And kind of the emphasis that goes into especially when you're creating a new handheld like this. It's kind of inspired by the Game Boy and a lot of old things and kind of choosing which design constraints you want to embrace to kind of set it apart because the playdate is kind of a weird form factor and it has a black and white screen that doesn't have a backlight and it's got some very unique inputs on it. It has some of the stuff you might expect with buttons and stuff, but it also has an accelerometer in it and it has a crank on the side of it and other things like that that are really interesting of like these are some new innovative things. But there's still cool ways to foster creativity because it's not a little wonder handheld that can do everything."Stay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!

The first episode of Podcast Awesome features host Matt Johnson talking with Jory Raphael about what's coming up in 2023, and gives listeners a taste of what they can expect in the first season. Podcast Awesome will feature "Nerd Shows and Tells," in which members of Font Awesome's team discuss the work they've done in recent sprints (referred to as "splits" in FA speak), as well as the company culture that stems from their semiannual company meetup, affectionately known as "the Snuggle". After feeling nervous at first, Matt was encouraged to take on the role as host of Podcast Awesome by Travis Chase. Matt has enjoyed learning to use the technology to put the podcast together and is also responsible for the media, social media, blogs, and web copy. In addition, Matt and Jory talk about the aforementioned bi-annual Snuggle, an event where the team can connect and have fun together doing nerdy activities like playing Dungeons and Dragons, and watching sci-fi shows and movies together — all activities that build trust and goodwill among the team.In the last Snuggle, Mike Wilkerson and Ed Emanuel developed a prototype for the Icon Wizard (in beta release now). Often, conversations during the Snuggle spark new ideas and lots of great work has come from several Snuggle times.Jory and Matt also discuss the 2022 year in review, which includes: The Launch of Font Awesome 6! How to Blast Your Boredom by Playing Space Awesome!Classing Up Your Project With Font Awesome Sharp Icons Shoelace Joins Font Awesome How to Wield Near Infinite Icon Magic With the Icon Wizard And more! --------------------------------Timestamps0:00:09Conversation between Matt Johnson and Jory Rafael on the Inaugural Episode of Podcast Awesome0:03:57Review of Font Awesome's 2022 Accomplishments and Plans for 20230:05:54The Benefits of Team Building Activities at Font Awesome0:11:25Exploring Nerdy Interests with Mike0:13:03Exploring Dungeons & Dragons, Nerd Show & Tell, and Traditional European Martial Arts0:17:45Conversation on Enjoying Hobbies and Passions0:19:05 Discussing the 2022 Roundup and Plans for 20230:20:46Font Awesome 6 Launch and Space Awesome0:25:16Exploring Space Awesome: How Ed learned VueJs 0:27:15Exploring Font Awesome's Icon Sets and Recent Releases0:31:54The Origins of Font Awesome's Icon Wizard Feature (it was originally called, "F.A.R.T.S")0:33:44Collaboration between Font Awesome and the UN Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to Create Humanitarian Icons----------------------------Links: Ronnie Martin composed the Font Awesome theme songZach Malm composed the 8-bit styled music segues Audio mastering by Chris Enns and Lemon Productions Stay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!

In early 2023, the makers of Font Awesome are launching a brand new podcast unsurprisingly called — wait for it — Podcast Awesome! In this podcast, we’ll be talking about icons, naturally. We’ll talk about how we think building healthy and sustainable workplaces is possible. We’ll also dive deep into the tech of how we build things. And, of course, we’ll nerd out along the way. I’m your host, Matt Johnson, and on Podcast Awesome, we’ll be talking about icons, design, tech, business, nerdery, and more with the members of the Font Awesome team. Subscribe to Podcast Awesome wherever you get your podcasts. Stay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!