Studio Mast

Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?

Arizona State University, I know, I know. Most people tend to think of ASU as a huge party school. It was and still is. However, the design program at ASU is extremely rigorous. While a lot of the school was partying, the design students were in the studio until the wee hours of the morning getting ready for critiques. Often sleeping under their desks to maximize time in the studio. This program gave me a solid foundation in design and a great appreciation for design history. I’ve worked at Tunnel Bravo, Sterling Brands, Fervor Creative, and Foundry Collective before starting Studio Mast.

What was your plan for graduating and what actually happened?

Well, like a lot of students, I was pretty focused on just making it to graduation. I didn’t have much of an idea of where I wanted to go after graduation. I toyed with the idea of moving to New York, but nothing was turning up as far as a job was concerned, so I stayed in Arizona. While I was in school, I was fortunate enough to work at a studio called Tunnel Bravo (they have since closed). This gave me a glimpse into how a smaller studio operated. The personal connection with clients was something I really appreciated. That is one of the main reason Mast has stayed the size it has; so we are able to have a personal connection with all our clients.

After graduation, I moved to a multidisciplinary studio called Fervor Creative in Phoenix. I stayed there for about a year before moving to Dallas to work At Foundry Collective. Sometimes going with the flow can work out in your favor. I tend to find that when I over-plan, that is when things go the most wrong. Now, I’m not saying that I just wake up every morning and wing it. I think plans and rules are great, but you can’t control everything.

Give us the elevator pitch on what you do.

I run a branding studio out of Denver called Studio Mast. Where I’m the principal, creative director, project manager, receptionist, janitor, and dog walker. We create lasting brands and visual systems for clients large and small.

What does a typical day include for you right now?

The typical work day is anything but typical. That is why I like to start the same way (almost) every day. I have coffee and reply to emails at home. This allows me to get caught up on admin responsibilities before getting into the office. It also gives me some extra time with my wife—she works from home most of the week so we get to work together for a couple hours in the morning. My dogs come with me to the office most days. When I have time, we hit the dog park in the morning. This makes for happy dogs that sleep most of the day.

Once I get into the office, I sit down with my lead designer, Jake, and go over the tasks of the day. If its a Monday we take inventory of the tasks for the whole week. Then its time to work. I work closely with Jake on all projects, we sit back to back and rapidly critique each other. This allows us to work a lot quicker than if we were remote. I think working remotely is great, but sometimes the technological barrier can hinder the design process. I try to schedule calls and meetings on the same days as much as possible so I can have as much uninterrupted design time as possible. Sometimes, that is a lofty goal.

Once the workday is over I try to get a workout in, I sit for 6-8 hours a day, have to combat that somehow. Its hard not to go home and throw on Netflix after a long day, but if I can get a workout in I feel like I earned that Netflix time, ha. My wife and I are currently re-doing a 50s ranch-style house, so that takes the place of a workout some nights. My wife is a great cook. I’m good at making fried eggs. My creativity ends when it comes to the kitchen. I try to help take on some of the responsibilities when I can, we’ve been doing Blue Apron which helps me get into the kitchen more.