In this episode of Managing Creative Studios, Susan Mann is joined by Islay Wharton, founder of Christchurch-based design studio Forme, for a deeply practical and honest conversation about what meaningful design actually looks like in business.

Islay shares her journey from studying design in Wellington to building a values-led studio in Christchurch, explaining why she never saw herself as a “freelancer” — even in the early days — and how treating her work like a business from day one shaped everything that followed. She unpacks the realities of starting before you feel ready, letting go of perfectionism, and learning where to sweat the details and where to release control.

The conversation explores brand strategy, emotional decision-making, and why a brand is not a logo, colour palette, or font, but the feeling people walk away with after interacting with a business. Islay also shares her views on AI, creative ownership, handing over working files, client trust, and why internal culture matters more than any brand strategy document ever could.

Thoughtful, grounded, and full of hard-won insight, this episode is essential listening for designers, studio owners, and creative leaders who want to build work that is both beautiful and effective.

Mentioned in this episode:

Forme Creative ➡️ https://formecreative.co.nz/

TED Talk: Glaze & Nightshade ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdJZPG4nTv8

Struan Macdonald (Instagram) ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/struanmacdonaldartist/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.