What If Building a Design Studio Was Actually Supposed to Be Fun? with Brethren Design Co. | The Typecast Episode 62
What happens when two brothers decide to stop overthinking it and build a design studio around the kind of work they actually want to make?
In this episode, we’re joined by Jordan and Jeremy Coon of Brethren Design Co., a two-person studio built on trust, contrast, and a shared love of making things that are fun, expressive, and a little chaotic (in the best way). We discuss what it’s really like to work with family, how they naturally fell into different roles, and why embracing each other’s strengths has been key to their success.
We also dig into how they educate clients, move past the “I just need a logo” mindset, and create space for projects that don’t neatly fit into one box, from branding and packaging to fonts, board games, and beyond. Along the way, they share honest insight from quitting their day jobs, navigating LinkedIn as designers, and why doing work you genuinely enjoy tends to attract the right opportunities.
All that and more when you listen to this episode:
What it’s like building a studio with your sibling
How different creative strengths naturally turn into clear business roles
The chaos vs. structure dynamic and why both are necessary
When and how they decided to quit their full-time jobs
Why educating clients is a designer’s responsibility
How showing process helps clients understand value
Why they don’t niche themselves into a single category
How fun, personality-driven work attracts the right clients
Why they removed pressure from fonts by not tying them to revenue goals
Cold outreach, long-game visibility, and unexpected referrals
Designing a full board game and how that opportunity came together
Letting curiosity lead to new creative directions
Connect with Brethren Design Co.
Website: https://www.brethrendesignco.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brethrendesignco/
Mentioned in this episode:
Chicken and the Wolf
Sliced Beer https://www.brethrendesignco.com/work/slicebeer
Four Fathers (Website Design) https://forefathersgroup.com/
Joe Moore
Vision Board Kit https://www.ilanagriffo.com/in-your-dreams
Solid Roots https://www.brethrendesignco.com/work/solid-roots-branding
Mind the Gap https://www.solidroots.com/games/mind-the-gap
Netflix Project https://www.instagram.com/p/DSCzVLMDTGk/
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