Tell Me Why tells the story of the first two years of New York design firm karlssonwilker inc. Hjalti Karlsson and Jan Wilker started the company in 2000, on a small budget and even smaller client base. The book proves to be an inspiration, and a wake-up call, to those looking to freelance or start a firm of their own.
Designer Stories
Every step of the process of setting up and maintaining a small (in this case, very small) firm is described in detail, and truthfully. They talk about how they found their clients, paid their bills, and threw their parties. They cover their clever methods of promotion, the design process, and foolishly saving up for a foosball table. They even discuss how much they made for their projects, and while it’s certainly not a reference book, it’s refreshing to see in an industry where designers are reluctant to discuss their per-project income.
Examples & Photos
Tell Me Why is just as much as book to look at as it is to read. For starters, every project the company worked on in their first two years is presented in the book. With the pair’s excellent and unique style, this makes the book a great source of design inspiration. Along with these examples of design, the photos in the book give you a true sense of the experience, from their office furnishings to their favorite, and often visited, Dunkin’ Donuts.
Charts Made Fun
The book ends with a series of charts that cover everything from “Our Eating Habits” to “Typefaces Used” to “Where Did Our Money Go?” Aside from being fun to read, it really gives designers some ideas on what type of data to track, to be put to use later. Seeing that 30% of the work was from recommendations by Karlsson’s “girl,” and 1% from dropping of their portfolio, makes you think!
Tell Me Why is a recommended read for designers at all levels. It’s a truthful tale of two designers stumbling, and succeeding, in the competitive New York design scene.
