A Good CompanyI started A Good Company in 2009 with my friend Caroline, just a few months out of school. We were both eager to learn and explore design, and we were determined to do things differently.
From being featured in renowned publications like .net Magazine and HOW Magazine to collaborating with industry giants such as NBCUniversal, Mozilla, the Discovery Channel, and Stripe — A Good Company consistently did better than we imagined.
This journey from 2009 to 2015 was more than just about creating designs.
It was about designing our way.
Rethinking Design as a Creative Practice
From 2009 to 2015, A Good Company wasn't just a design studio—it was an experiment in doing things differently. At a time when agencies kept their processes behind closed doors, we took a different approach: total transparency, radical collaboration, and an open invitation for others to learn from our work.
Over those years, we built a design studio that was equal parts client-driven innovation and creative exploration. We blended technical excellence—HTML, CSS, jQuery, Ruby on Rails—with branding, illustration, photography, and print design, always treating design as more than just aesthetics. Every project, whether for a client or ourselves, was about problem-solving, storytelling, and making something actually meaningful.
A Design Studio Built on Transparency & Trust
One of the most defining aspects of A Good Company was our candid, open-book approach to working with clients. Instead of the usual polished agency pitch, our FAQ pages read like conversations. We shared how we worked, why we did things a certain way, and what clients could expect—no jargon, no fluff, just clear, honest communication.
We asked clients to bring everything to the table—their elevator pitch, their budget, their real concerns—because great design isn't just about beautiful visuals; it's about solving the right problems. That mindset shaped every project we took on.
Beyond Client Work: A Studio That Learned in Public
Alongside client work, we built an active design blog—part experiment, part teaching tool, part creative journal. Posts like "A Day in the Life of a Designer: Learn Your Passion" tackled the messy reality of creative work, from bridging the gap between design and development to rethinking rigid design rules like the golden ratio.
We wanted it to be human, and real. We designed it in pencil, and crafted it in code.
We shared mentorship stories, favorite resources, and lessons learned—sometimes in the form of playful community challenges like our Lettering Contest.
Our tumblr exploded. Every post was an opportunity to break down barriers between disciplines and encourage others to take risks.
Design Experiments That Pushed Boundaries
Some of our most impactful work wasn't client-driven—it was self-initiated projects where we could experiment freely. Here are a few that defined our time as a studio:
A Good Portfolio™
A web app built for artists and designers who couldn't afford custom portfolios. We designed a flexible, drag-and-drop system with customizable themes—giving creatives a professional way to showcase their work without breaking the bank.
Lettercase
A project that experimented with what it would mean to make your font organization a social experience, shared with the world.
IRS
A bold redesign of government bureaucracy. We took one of the most frustrating systems imaginable and reimagined it with warmth, clarity, and usability—proving that even the most rigid institutions could benefit from thoughtful design.
And won an award for it.
Sidepaths
A metaphor for creative exploration, an idea for an online community that provides tools to gather, create, and share authentic experiences centered around hidden gems and local hangouts often overlooked by large publishers’ generic guide books.
The League
Born from discussions on design forums, this open-source type project — turned into the first open-source type foundry ever — that invited designers worldwide to collaborate and share free, high-quality fonts.
The League wasn't, and still isn't, just about type — it was about building a community around accessible, open-source design tools.
Balancing Client Work with Creative Independence
By 2011, we realized that in order to stay creative, we had to give ourselves space to explore. That meant balancing client projects with personal creative ambitions—whether that was me diving into product development (like my Etsy app, moneybox.me) or Caroline pushing forward with illustration, exhibitions, and independent work.
This balance kept our work fresh and experimental, allowing us to bring new ideas and new energy to every client project.
A Culture of Learning & Experimentation
We weren't just designing; we were constantly learning, iterating, and sharing. We sought out mentors like Jessica Hische and Aza Raskin, pulled insights from communities like Typophile and A List Apart, and shared resources freely with other designers.
The philosophy was simple: design is an ongoing conversation. The best work comes from a willingness to experiment, take risks, and share what you learn along the way.
A Legacy of Open, Human-Centered Design
Looking back, A Good Company was never just about making things—it was about challenging conventions, rethinking how design studios operate, and building a culture of openness and collaboration.
Even as the digital design landscape evolved, the core ideas we championed — transparency, creative risk-taking, and the belief that design is about more than aesthetics — still hold up today.
Our work proves that good design isn't just about making things look better. It's about building better systems, fostering real connections, and sharing knowledge to help others grow.
Key Takeaways
✅ Design is more than visuals—it's about solving real problems with clarity and intention.
✅ Transparency and collaboration create better client relationships.
✅ Creative detours and personal projects fuel better, more original work.
✅ The best design studios aren't just service providers—they build community, share knowledge, and push boundaries.
Want to work together?
If you're looking for a thoughtful, collaborative design approach, let's talk.