Method

This week we introduce you to Molly, one of the Project Managers in our San Francisco studio. Between managing project teams and spending mornings at TRX bootcamp, Molly enjoys staying active both inside and outside the office. Learn more about her below:

What’s it like working as project manager? How did you get interested in the position?

I enjoy it a lot. Unfortunately for the studio because I’m often in heels, it means I’m out of my seat a lot, talking to my project teams, making sure everyone has what they need so we can get the client what they need.

I was drawn to project management because it involves a lot of variety. The projects are always different and my role shifts with each one—I get to work with several different teams, write and edit, talk a lot, cross things off, and do just the right amount of busy work. I was drawn to Method because the work we produce is exquisite, everyone I meet is impressive, and I think all of the “designer types” have made me a bit cooler. I’m wearing a lot more gray now.

What has your favorite project been?

The festival branding and identity for the San Francisco Film Festival was one of my first projects at Method and remains one of my favorites. All of the designers have an opportunity to submit concepts so we have a wealth of beautiful work to choose from, and we get to see the finished product all over the city during the festival. As an event sponsor, we also have access to most of the events so festival time is a lot of fun for the studio.

What are you passionate about?

People—I love connecting, learning about people and navigating different personalities. Luckily, that’s what this job is all about!

What are you really digging right now?

I’m pretty into suffering four mornings a week with some of my favorite coworkers and clients at TRX bootcamp. We’ve worked with TRX on a couple of projects and one of the designers thought boot camp would be a good opportunity for us to get a sense of the product and philosophy. Some of the stuff we do is humiliating and painful, but I’m on my third now and it’s becoming a hard habit to break.

Most memorable Method moments?

• Whitewater rafting with the SF crew on the American River – loved the slow patches where we dunked each other and talked about nothing just as much as the crazy rapids.
• Dodgeball tournament on my second day of work.
• Watching a colleague accidentally deflate the exercise ball he was sitting on with a Leatherman.

If you’d like to learn more about Molly, follow her on Twitter @mollywiebe!

Meet Greg Ervanian, one of the visual designers in our New York studio. Greg transplanted from Iowa to grace New York with his fervor for design, past-life musicianship, and love of dogs. Learn more about Greg below:

How did you get interested and started in graphic design?

I was always an artistic kid, but to a kid being artistic meant you wanted to be a painter or illustrator of some kind. It wasn’t until high school that a teacher recognized my misguidance and recommended I do some research on graphic design. My high school didn’t have a proper graphic design course, so she shipped me off to Minneapolis College of Art and Design to see what it was all about. I fell in love with it, and so here I am. The story isn’t too exciting, but it might provoke a semi-inspirational Vimeo short, but only if it was shot in HD with some Philip Glass playing over top.

Favorite project?

My favorite project at Method was working with Turner Sports to create the broadband streaming app, iPhone and iPad apps for NCAA March Madness. It was really amazing to work on a product that touched so many users, something to the scale of 40+ million users in the two week span of the tournament, not to mention every one of my friends back home. Additionally, the team here and the Turner client were all amazing to work with. It gave us some opportunities to travel Southward and eat some delicious fried chicken. March Madness is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, and I was ecstatic to be apart of it.

What are you passionate about?

Hmmm, passions. Although cliché, music is always the first one that comes to mind. In another life I was a guitarist atop with the Page’s and Hendrix’s, but instead I’m the guy with a guitar that’s more inclined to look up tabs to 4 Non Blondes songs, which, as a side note, one would make a killing playing 4 Non Blondes songs on the subway. Hehem, anyway, I’m more of a spectator and admirer. Couldn’t live without it.

…I bet you have a 4 Non Blondes song in your head.

What are you really digging right now?

Fellow co-worker Jennifer Brook shed light on a term to an activity I’ve been digging since I got to New York. The term is “dogling” and it was coined by The New York Times’ Schott’s Vocab, who describes dogless dog-lovers who ogle other people’s pooches. That’s right, a close friend of mine and I travel to local dog parks and just stare at other people’s dogs. I can’t afford a dog, so I choose to live vicariously through dog owners. This activity is illustrated perfectly above, where I’m holding Mellow, one of the lovely dogs that inhabits our office from time to time. Creepy? Maybe. Delightful? 100%

If you’d like to learn more about Greg, you can catch him at his weekly dogling at McCarren Park every Saturday at 11am.

Here at Method, our team of talented and passionate individuals are behind the great work we create, and why we have so much fun while at work. Every week, get introduced to a member of the team as we give you a peek into their interests and lives, inside and outside of the studio.

Meet Carola, a Project Manager for our New York studio. Carola has a dual citizenship in Italy and the U.S. and speaks English, Italian, and French fluently. Learn more about Carola below.

So, you’re a Project Manager. What does that mean?

As a Project Manager at Method, I see to it that projects stay on track in terms of time and budget. I keep clients happy. Coddle creative. Make lots of lists (I love lists and organization!).

How did you get interested and started in project management?

I’ve managed projects in a variety of professional settings ranging from the personal staff of an opera singer to a law firm catering to New York’s Italian expat community. I really enjoy seeing a baby project mature into a grown-up masterpiece! For me, that is so fulfilling.

What has your favorite project been at Method?

It’s always fun to work for a great brand. We just finished shooting a promotional video for the Finnish design company Marimekko (watch it below!), who we helped launch their US e-commerce site this summer. They are opening their US flagship store in the Flatiron District this October. This project was a lot of fun, and they were a great client to work with. Marimekko is going to color New York!

What are you passionate about?

Meeting people! There are so many fascinating people in this world to meet and to learn from. I love talking with people, and fortunately for me, interfacing with different people – at Method and client-side – is a part of my role at Method.

What are you really digging right now?

I just started reading John Updike’s collection of stories called Licks of Love. He always knows how to end a story with a good twist – I can’t put it down! I highly recommend it; it’s available on both the Nook and Kindle.

Follow @ccassaro on Twitter to get to know Carola even better.