S2.E6. Creating Emotion on the Web with Self Aware Studio

Today on Low-Key Legends, I am joined by Jenny Heintz and Mike Wagz, the founders of Self Aware, a design and technology studio based in Philly and established in 2018. Partners in life and business Jenny and Mike focus their synergistic skills on bringing brands to life online, creating fun and dynamic solutions that are both beautiful and performant.
They have worked with a variety of organizations and institutions, big and small-from local businesses like Middle Child to major institutions such as the Institute of Design and MIT, as well as Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's production company, Artists Equity. Jenny and Mike share how and why they decided to publish the Notion Doc "Every Project We Have Ever Charged For" shedding a light on how they price creative work. We explore the idea of transparency and business and how it breeds the conditions for open conversation, trust, and a healthier industry.
Jenny discusses the importance of being systematic and organized in their design studio, Self Aware. They share how they use processes and systems to guide their clients and ensure they stay on track. They also talk about the benefits of transparency in the industry, including sharing their project budgets and prices. We discuss the challenges of pricing services and the importance of valuing your work.
Notion Doc:
selfaware.noti...
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Social:
Website → selfaware.studio
Twitter → x.com/selfawar...
Instagram → / selfaware.studio
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Topics:
02:40 Early Formation and Foundation of Self-Aware
11:33 The Self-Aware Style: Digital Playfulness and Self-Expression
37:11 Building Trust: The Proactive and Transparent Approach
46:08 The Importance of Systematic and Organized Processes
48:04 The Benefits of Transparency in the Design Industry
51:25 Inspiring Others with Budget Transparency
54:19 Setting the Right Prices and Valuing Your Work
55:19 Learning from Other Studios and Sharing Knowledge
59:38 The Confidence to Charge What You're Worth
01:06:53 Working as a Couple: Communication and Support
01:08:18 Balancing Personal and Professional Lives
01:14:28 Narrowing Down the Studio's Focus
01:22:29 Fast Fun Questions

[@ThisDesignLife]

That Notion doc is brilliant. Never seen a company that transparent before.

[@lolabonoldi]

Loved this episode. =)

[@Rogueworldwide]

Woohoo! We are so excited to hear that!

[@kdotamoh]

Love the pod! What's the studio Jenny mentions at 48:40? I can't quite make it out

[@Rogueworldwide]

HAWRAF, they are no longer a studio but here is their old Instagram - instagram.com/hawraf/?hl=en