The creative force behind Jaunt Motors - cofounder and CEO Dave Budge - joins us to talk about building electric vehicles that put experience first. Dave shares his journey from digital innovation to hardware, the joy of tactile design, and why great products hide their complexity. From satisfying switches to platform strategy, it’s a conversation about design, storytelling, and doing things the right way - even if it’s the hard way.On this episode: Brendan Hutchieson and Jason McGinnitySubscribe to Play&Conversations to listen to new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music.
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Thomas Belhacene
This episode, we sit down with Thomas Belhacene to trace the winding road from ArtCenter to global brands like Bugatti, Nike, and Adidas. We talk about lessons from big-brand innovation, knowing when to leave your dream job, and returning to his roots to launch the rally-inspired brand Survirage.On this episode: Matt Locascio and Jason McGinnitySubscribe to Play&Conversations to listen to new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music.
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Julie Anne Quay
We’re joined by Julie Anne Quay - founder of VFILES - for a wide-open conversation about curiosity, energy, and why trying to be for everyone is a creative dead end. We cover the essentials: football, fashion, failure, footwear, and yes - monster trucks.On this episode: Brendan & Karen Hutchieson, Matt Locascio, and Jason McGinnitySubscribe to Play&Conversations to listen to new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music.
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Ryan Helps
This month, we catch up with our friend Ryan Helps - Senior Director of Design at Loop Earplugs - for a look back at his journey from agency life at Above to helping shape a growing lifestyle brand. Ryan shares hard-earned wisdom on scaling a design agency, building a healthy creative culture, and why great design leadership isn't about having all the answers.On this episode: Brendan Hutchieson & Jason McGinnityThis episode was recorded in January 2025.Subscribe to Play&Conversations to listen to new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music.
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Sean Kelly
Get cozy in the conversation pit as we chat with Sean Kelly, Lead Designer at Grovemade and Product Design Instructor at the University of Oregon. We explore the intersection of creativity and parenting, finding your career path in design, and why less effort often leads to greater impact. Most importantly, Sean instructs us on the art of slowing down to find true inspiration. On this episode:Tyler Wilkinson, Michelle Passe, and Jason McGinnityThis episode was recorded in December 2024.Subscribe to Play&Conversations to listen to new episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music.
Play&Conversations is a podcast where the Play&Co design team connects with fellow designers and creatives to gain fresh perspectives and expand our knowledge. Each episode is an unscripted, authentic conversation about creativity, design, and the processes that drive our work, We explore what inspires us, the challenges we face, and how we keep things fun while getting the job done.
New Zealand