Meet Benjy Stanton, our graphic designer and illustrator.
Which three words describe you best?
Friendly, Stubborn, Unconventional
You ran your own design business before joining James Good. How does life here compare to working for yourself?
I have a lot more time to concentrate on designing now, plus I'm enjoying working with a team. We can bounce ideas around quickly and I feel like I'm picking up lots of new things. I don't have all the business admin hanging over me, so when I go home, I can switch off. Plus there's freshly brewed coffee every morning and a bacon sandwich on Fridays.
Describe your perfect design project.
Creating a brand for an eco friendly, down to earth business like Innocent Smoothies or Howies. The more illustration that's involved the better!
Do you ever get creative block? What do you do about it?
All the time. I think the best solution is to get away from the screen. I like to go outside with a cup of tea and a Kit-Kat to get some fresh air, and a new perspective.
Where do you get your creative inspiration from?
I try to read lots of design blogs and follow other designers on twitter, but I think inspiration can come from anywhere. Having an iPhone means I've always got a camera and a notepad on me to make sure I don't miss inspiration when it hits.
You’re a bit of a social media geek. What do you love about it and what’s your favourite platform?
This is true. I guess it's the fact that it's people powered. It's perfect for sharing photos with friends, discovering new bands and even finding out the latest news without switching on the TV.
Foursquare is my favourite at the moment. It allows you to share your location using the mobile phone app. The technology has been around for a while but Foursquare seem to have cracked it by combining social networking, gaming elements and the ability for businesses to offer localised tips and offers. There's a lot of buzz around it (Barack Obama just joined up) and I think it has the potential to break through to the main stream like Twitter and Facebook have done.
[Excuse this interruption to Benjy's interview, we just have to remind him that Ed is in fact the current Mayor of James Good.]
What’s the most beautifully designed object you own?
Right now I'm loving my surfboard. Not only is it a one of a kind, hand shaped object, but it's perfectly designed to catch waves and be a lot of fun in the water. Now, if only I was designed in the same way!