We chat about „Good Design” with One&Only Chris Do! – The ARQ Interview Special

Chris Do is a living legend in the creative industry and design business. He helps millions of young creatives build their companies and supports business leaders in creating their personal brands. His mission is to „teach” 1 billion people around the world. For us…? Chris is „one big inspiration”! His content on The Futur channel has helped us with many innovative projects in our industry. The ARQ probably wouldn’t have been created if it weren’t for the persistence he inspired us with many years ago. Check out an exclusive interview in which we ask him about the beginnings of his career, plans for 2025, his opinion on polish design community and his favorite brands and products.

Q1: You obviously are associated with branding and making a business out of creative work. What differences are there… comparing your first project and the world in 2024?

When I started in 1995, I worked on logos and broadcast main title design. It was a completely different world. It was the internet 1.0, Photoshop 3.0 had just added layers, Adobe had just purchased After Effects, and FAX machines & Rolodexes were necessary tools of the trade.

Now, we are in the era of social media and AI everything. Social media has changed the game in terms of our ability to reach potential clients and build community. We can search and find just about anything we are looking for via google and now can have AI assisted search and overviews. Today, more so than ever in history before, creators can make a living from anywhere on the globe and live a lifestyle that is more in alignment with their indiviual passions and interests.

Q2: Many of your fans in Poland know you from YouTube. „The Futur” was, most probably, the first channel to discover Chris Do. Do you still recommend YouTube as a great way to connect with your creative audience or maybe you inspire way too many of us and there are better platforms to do so?

I may be biased, but I still am a big believer in YouTube as a content distribution platform. We just completed an election cycle where long form content (3 hour podcasts) may have played a critical role in swaying public opinion. TikTok and IG reels are great at generating a log of new eyeballs, but aren’t great at building community and engagement. Based on our own data, observations and anecdotal stories, it seems like long form, lightly or even unedited content, outperforms short form content. People want to see who you really are.

I also admire YouTube’s investment in creators. They have creator events, awards, advisors, parties, networking functions, and their AdSense program actually pays creators to make content in ways that isn’t matched by any other platform. The shelf life for evergreen content is really long. People still watch and comment on videos we made 10 years ago.

The other platform that I recommend is Linkedin. Only about 1% of Linkedin users create content on a weekly basis. So that means there’s less competition. I f you’re a creative, you can create more designed or aesthetic posts which will naturally stand out. Linkedin still has great organic reach.

Q3: You’ve said many things about 'good design’. Can you tell us something about your favorite projects or products in 2024 that you consider „great”?

I love the innovative products that are happening at DJI—Osmo Pocket 3 camera (large sensor, portable, smart pairing with wireless mic), Ronin 4D camera (4 axis stabilization, modular design, wireless transmission, and LiDar focusing). On a personal note, I had some cool milestones this year. I was tapped to be on an Amazon Prime show “60 Day Hustle”, ran a series of Sales workshops in Los Angeles, Miami and London, am inching closer to hitting 1m followers on IG.

Q4: Our country was on your list of 'meetups’ in spring 2023. Are there any plans to visit Poland again and what was the one thing that struck you the most while visiting it?

Warsaw was on the Futur Euro Tour for 2023. I plan on coming back in 2025. Be on the lookout! I am impressed by the work ethic and direct style of communication. It is very much in alignment with the way I like to talk. People are very warm and welcoming.

Q5: You yourself have come a long way in creating content. You also have become more confident in front of a camera. Why do you think so many people hide behind simple social media ads instead of talking to their audience?

People do what’s easy, comfortable and safe. Being on camera brings a level of exposure that most people aren’t ready for. You are opening yourself up to all kinds of criticism. People on the internet aren’t very kind or thoughtful in their communication style. It’s hard to find your voice. It’s hard to show up consistently. It’s hard to learn how to communicate and be personable. But, it’s worth the effort.

Q6: At The ARQ, we implemented your strategy of being humble and offering „51% rule”. True story! We try to empower small businesses and entrepreneurs by offering them great editorial content. It’s easy to write about a celebrity, but almost no local media are focusing on people who start their journey. What else can be done by local newspapers and media to help young creatives?

Giving new or not well known people or companies an opportunity to showcase their work or thinking is a great approach. I would consider hosting networking functions, award galas and produce events to connect industry and creators.

Q7: Composure is a big word in Do’s dictionary we imagine. Do you remember a project or a meeting where your emotions took over and you regretted it later on?

I’ve had a few clients that managed to push my buttons by being very dismissive and unnecessarily curt. I don’t think I lost my composure but I’m not one to sit there and be insulted. I handled myself in a professional way, but I did get up and leave.

There was a potential client who invited us to a meeting and asked us to pitch ideas for their project. I told them on the phone that we don’t do that. They said it was fine, and just to show up and bring our capabilities deck, which I did. But when we arrived, they asked us to set up. As I was doing so, they asked, “what are your ideas?” I replied with, “I think there’s a misunderstanding.” Shortly after, we got up and left.

I don’t do this to be arrogant. It’s not pride. We have a belief that working on ideas without a commitment from the client is a foolish way to come up with bad ideas. We never spoke to them again, but that’s an instance of us being clear with our boundaries.

Q8: Chris, it was a true pleasure to have an interview with you. Can you tell us what’s your goal in 2025?

We are developing a series of companion workbooks for some of our most popular videos. These would fit under the micro product category and should be available for less than $25. It’s a way for people to take action on what they’ve learned and to support the creation of more content. I’m actively looking for new office space. I’m ready to get back into a studio environment and invite our community to live tapings. I’m writing a new book on my approach to sales. It’s an introvert’s guide to permission based selling.

Lastly, I’m working on a an army of AI bots that are trained to help creative entrepreneurs with implementation. These will include bots that: analyze sales call, write positioning statements, write an irresistible offer and a love letter sales page.

Interview by: [Krzysztof Skotnicki]