ADVANCED
ADVANCED
ADVANCED

BE A BETTER BRAND DESIGNER

Heyo, brand designers. Ideal for mid- and senior-level designers, we’ll help you increase your confidence, level up your craft & portfolio, and even land a meaningful gig. Featuring our signature workshops, talks, and more.

This 12-week virtual class is on 1 weeknight per week. The curriculum below was for a previous cohort, and will be similar for future cohorts. Apply now.

EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
EVERy MONDAY, 6 to 8pm est, for 12 weeks
TBD

WEEK 1:
DECOLONIZATION 

AGENDA

Due to Labor Day, this session will occur on Tuesday, Sep 5

Student intros

Review course outcomes & individual project

Decolonizing & divesting from European design perspectives, methods, and approaches to design

HOMEWORK

Create a visual moodboard that represents your personal and cultural identity

SPECIAL GUEST

Azeez Alli: co-founder of Àròko Cooperative, Former Principal Product Designer at Netflix

TBD

WEEK 2:
CONFIDENCE

AGENDA

How to use your personality to your advantage and benefit

Workshop: crafting sites that convert into sales; collaborate to improve each others’ portfolios

HOMEWORK

Write down your intro statement

Make 3 high-impact, low-effort changes to your portfolio based on the critical feedback

Bring a past/current design brief to next week’s session

SPECIAL GUEST

Waqas Jawaid and Andy Chen: Partners at Isometric Studio

TBD

WEEK 3:
BETTER BRIEFS

AGENDA

Workshop: Crafting a better brief

HOMEWORK

Make 3 more high-impact, low-effort changes portfolio based on the critical feedback

SPECIAL GUEST

Eric Ng: Executive Creative Director, DesignStudio

TBD

WEEK 4:
CAREER PLAN

AGENDA

Workshop: Building your personal development plan, including your ideal career path in the next 3-6 months

HOMEWORK

Map out your existing network, identify who will be useful in your journey as sponsors, and create an action plan

SPECIAL GUEST

Rich Tu: Partner & ECD at Sunday Afternoon

Temi Coker: multidisciplinary artist & entrepreneur

TBD

WEEK 5:
ASKING Q’S

AGENDA

Each student presents their work, design journey, and advice for others in class pt 1

The most effective questions to ask throughout your creative process

HOMEWORK

Rewrite the questions you ask during your creative process

SPECIAL GUEST

Rebecca Brooker: Design Director at Ghost Note Agency, co-founder of Queer Design Club

TBD

WEEK 6:
PRESENTING

AGENDA

Each student presents their work, design journey, and advice for others in class pt 2

Each person shares a presentation and receives critique

HOMEWORK

Update your presentation based on the feedback you received

SPECIAL GUEST

Lee-Sean Huang: Director of Design Content and Learning at AIGA, co-founder & CD at Foossa

TBD

WEEK 7:
BRANDING

AGENDA

Overhauling and refining your personal brand

Workshop: Color branding (a past class favorite!)

HOMEWORK

Update your portfolio with your new branding

SPECIAL GUEST

Jade Purple Brown: artist & entrepreneur

TBD

WEEK 8:
SALES

AGENDA

Getting meaningful clients

Workshop: update your pitch deck

HOMEWORK

Finalize your pitch deck and portfolio

SPECIAL GUEST

Holley M. Kholi-Murchison: Managing Partner at Oratory Glory

TBD

WEEK 9:
CONTRACTS & 
NEGOTIATIONS

AGENDA

Reading, creating, and editing contracts

Negotiating for higher rates and salaries

Workshop: assembling roles and minimum rates/salaries

When and how to walk away from a predatory situation

HOMEWORK

Reach out to the roles you want; update your pitch deck and salary requirements

SPECIAL GUEST

Antionette D. Carroll: Racial equity & design specialist, President/CEO of Creative Reaction Lab, speaker & coach

TBD

WEEK 10:
COMMUNITY

AGENDA

Building your POC creative community in a safe, supportive, and healthy way

Finding unconventional places to support you

Managing mental health alongside your design career

Workshop: building a community plan

HOMEWORK

Write an action plan for getting involved with other communities that will support you

SPECIAL GUEST

Annika Hansteen-Izora: Lead Product Designer at Lex, ex-Somewhere Good, ex-Hyperakt

Roshannah Bagley: Creative Operations Manager at Futurimpose, Partnerships Director at Where are the Black Designers?

TBD

WEEK 11:
COMMS &
PROCESS

AGENDA

Communicating better with clients

Educating clients in a mutually beneficial way

Running an efficient process

Workshop: refine your current process

HOMEWORK

Update your social media profiles and portfolio

Other homework TBD based on class needs

SPECIAL GUEST

Silas Munro: Founder of Polymode Studio and Co-creator of BIPOC Design History

TBD

WEEK 12:
GRADUATION

AGENDA

Graduation activity!

HOMEWORK

None!

SPECIAL GUEST

Forest Young: Global Head of Brand at Rivian, Former Chief Creative Officer at Wolff Olins

More flavor for less

The only thing we’re serious about is food.

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order online
More flavor for less

The only thing we’re serious about is food.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.

order online
More flavor for less

the best part of your day

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