Creative Excellence with Paul and Jan, Co-founders of Hyperfocus

Fresh from the Common Matters stage last night in Manchester, the Hyperfocus Co-founders join us for a podcast reflecting on creative excellence, collaboration, and content creation.

Having built a YouTube platform that acts as a twenty four hour PR machine, Paul and Jan know what it means to have a point of view, and what it takes to get it out there – with positive business impact.

“Everyone is looking at the same stuff and you can see this in the work.”

In this context, excellence now requires something else: “to create something that stands out” – and sometimes that calls for a trip to the local library. Cards out.

Collaboration is central to the Hyperfocus ecosystem; with one another, of course; with clients, yes – but also with the global design community…

You might know Hyperfocus for their awesome brand projects, but an emerging audience (designers AND clients) are becoming hyperaware of their YouTube presence – particularly the Brand Review format.

The original motivation was strategic: while most studios rely solely on case studies, while they were building their own, they also built a platform that made them visible.

The channel evolved into what they describe as a “twenty four hour PR machine.” Prospective clients arrive already familiar with their personalities and way of thinking.

They also emphasise that the content aims to “demystify things” and create conversation within the design community, not just attract business.

We have a cheeky round of ’strengths and weaknesses’ between the founders. They have a killer yin and yang dynamic which clearly makes them well-matched in business as well as creativity.

Have a watch to learn:
– How to treat your own brand like a client
– The messiness of creative process, and why that’s essential
– How we can all benefit from reaching beyond design, with cross-industry learning