Janet Odgis is President and Creative Director of Odgis + Company, a New York-based, woman-owned, design firm with a prestigious list of clients, and a seemingly unending list of awards and accolades. She retains the same passion and enthusiasm as she must have had, when setting up her firm 30 years ago.
Chatting with her is like topping up the creativity tank. She believes strongly in the importance of developing strong relationships, seeking out synergy and building mutual trust.
She joins Meghan Labot, MD of Spring Design Partners, in a conversation about their work and process, led by ASPP ED Darrell Perry at Visual Connections New York on the 25th of October 2017.
Some highlights from a recent chat:
Your portfolio is a diverse one – you have varied clients and industries. Who/what is on your bucket list and why?
We work with top-tier companies who value the power of design across all industries. We have focused on Financial and Professional Services and Legal. We have also developed an expertise in Real Estate Development.
A bucket list project would be to work with architects and developers from inception to give a building identity from the beginning.
As a top level female executive, what advice do you have for young women entering the field of Brand Marketing?
Work for quality design firms whose work you admire. Get a mentor in the industry. Stay on top of the new developments and study history.
Look at everything all the time. (I would add – see about internships at Odgis + Company!)
Who inspires you? What well do you draw from for creativity?
Nature, color and the built environment. Architecture: specifically Modernism. Fine Art, Abstract Expressionism. Great designers in all fields. I studied with the best designers: Paul Rand, Armin Hofmann and Bradbury Thompson, Wolfgang Weingart, Herbert Matter and Edward Tufty at Yale.
What else do we need to know about Janet + Odgis?
My company is 30 years old, and we are constantly in the process of reinventing ourselves. My team is amazing, so talented that they bring ideas and perspectives that broaden the possibilities incrementally. We also have student interns that are brilliant. We enjoy teaching and learning from each other.
Our expertise is in gaining an understanding of our clients on an emotional level and being able to make that visual. Making their business beautiful and making their business understandable.
Janet is a frequent contributor to HuffPo. Her posts and articles are informative and inspiring. Some of her personal favorites:
What Is Abstract Visual Language?
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction: The “RFP blues”
Invest in Design: Manolo Blahnik and Me
More about Janet and Odgis here: http://www.odgis.com
