{"id":13074,"date":"2025-08-01T15:29:27","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T08:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/design-leader-outlaw-co-founder-elissa-obrien\/"},"modified":"2025-08-01T15:29:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T08:29:27","slug":"design-leader-outlaw-co-founder-elissa-obrien","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cstc.vn\/blogtsk\/design-leader-outlaw-co-founder-elissa-obrien\/","title":{"rendered":"design\/leader: Outlaw co-founder Elissa O\u2019Brien"},"content":{"rendered":"

Elissa O\u2019Brien is strategy director and co-founder of Outlaw<\/a>. The Bristol-based agency works on branding and packaging for clients like Peroni, Mitchum and G\u00fc puddings.<\/p>\n

Design<\/h4>\n
What would your monograph be called?<\/h5>\n

100 Things I Didn\u2019t Want to Do: Why Boundaries Maketh the Woman.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0What recent design work made you a bit jealous?<\/h5>\n

The Longbottom & Co Mary range by Derek&Eric<\/a>. The design is beautifully arresting and deliciously crafted. I love all the hidden details that make you smile.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clever, considered and delightfully different in a category that\u2019s increasingly chaotic. Who doesn\u2019t want to drink from a can showing Queen Mary in a tomato headdress?<\/p>\n

Derek&Eric\u2019s work for Longbottom & Co<\/p>\n

What\u2019s an unusual place you get inspiration from?<\/h5>\n

Daytime reality TV. It\u2019s a perfect window into the Great British psyche.<\/p>\n

As a strategist, it can be tempting to get swept up in exciting, yet niche, micro-trends that feel cutting-edge, but have limited relevance outside of Hackney.<\/p>\n

Whilst there\u2019s absolutely a place for these, nothing helps you understand the general population and its idiosyncrasies better than Four in a Bed<\/em> or A Place in the Sun<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Name something that is brilliantly designed but overlooked.<\/h5>\n

Sanex roll-on deodorant. I challenge anyone to find a better piece of user-centred structural design for under \u00a32.<\/p>\n

It fits perfectly in the hand, the lid fits on the body when in use, and the roller ball faces down rather than up when not in use, meaning you can use all the product inside.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s proof that value products don\u2019t need to feel cheap and great design is a reason to believe.<\/p>\n

What object in your studio best sums up your taste?<\/h5>\n

A custom \u2018Elissa\u2019 desktop Henry Hoover, made for me by Rex, our design director. Why would anyone want to use a boring and technical Dyson when a happy little red chap can help you hoover your living room?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a reminder that soul outshines performance every time. And it helps me keep my desk crumb-free.<\/p>\n

Elissa O\u2019Brien\u2019s mini Henry Hoover<\/p>\n

What feedback felt brutal at the time but turned out to be useful?<\/h5>\n

When it comes to experience, there\u2019s no substitute for time. It\u2019s not something you want to hear when you\u2019re early on in your career and hungry for progression, but it\u2019s true.<\/p>\n

In his book Outliers<\/em>, Malcolm Gladwell popularised \u201cthe 10,000-hour rule\u201d \u2013 if you want to truly master something, you need to practice and perfect it for 10,000 hours. So while talent and aptitude are important, experience is what really makes the difference.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s an underappreciated skill that design leaders need?<\/h5>\n

I think self-reflection and self-awareness are undervalued qualities in design leadership.<\/p>\n

As a leader, you don\u2019t just set the bar, you also set the tone. How you handle difficult conversations, setbacks, and manage team dynamics are vital to the environment you create.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t always get feedback from your team, so being honest with yourself on what you could do better, and how your actions influence others, is important.<\/p>\n

What keeps you up at night?<\/h5>\n

How to deliver exactly the right amount of strategy. Too little and things are unclear. Too much and things are overcomplicated or constraining. It needs to be just right. Like porridge.<\/p>\n

What trait is non-negotiable in new hires?<\/h5>\n

Proactivity and a fire in the belly. It\u2019s impossible to be everywhere at once, so people who take initiative, ownership, and bring things to the table are essential.<\/p>\n

Complete this sentence, \u201cI wish more clients\u2026\u201d<\/h5>\n

\u2026dropped their poker faces, especially in a world of Teams presentations.<\/p>\n

The best presentations feel like conversations, full of energy and discussion. The worst feel like presenting into the void, with no reactions from rows of tiny faces at the top of the screen.<\/p>\n

Any agency worth their salt loves challenge and dialogue, so let us know what works for you, what doesn\u2019t, and why. And don\u2019t be afraid to let it show on your face.<\/p>\n

\nWhat to read next: <\/strong>design\/leader: TEMPLO co-founder Pali Palavathanan<\/a> | design\/leader: NewTerritory founder Luke Miles<\/a> | design\/leader: Robot Food founder Simon Forster<\/a> | design\/leader: Studio Nari founder Caterina Bianchini<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Elissa O\u2019Brien is strategy director and co-founder of Outlaw. The Bristol-based agency works on branding and packaging for clients like Peroni, Mitchum and G\u00fc puddings. 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