Today we’d like to introduce you to Austin Nelson.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My love for creating really started in my childhood.
My parents, being creative themselves, always taught me that I could create my own world, which I feel is super powerful to hear as a child. I was able to make tree huts in my backyard, draw my own cars and planes, and craft my own pencil holders rather than going to the store to buy them. I was raised with an appreciation for making something from nothing, and this has helped my life in far more ways than simply being able to make things.
Leaving a smaller town in Oregon to LA’s ArtCenter College of Design helped me surround myself with talented instructors and classmates, and led me to product design internships in Portland, Oregon, Dallas, Texas, Santa Barbara, California, and Xiamen, China. I now do freelance product design and footwear design.
In all honesty, it was my family’s support and beliefs, the knowledge of my instructors, the friendly competition of my classmates, and the training from my coworkers that gave me the tools necessary to achieve all that I have achieved to this point.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s definitely been a wild ride! From managing monetary pains going through school, gaining the confidence to present my projects successfully in front of audiences, re-locating my home every four months for internships, and now cultivating clients for my freelance business, there has never been a shortage of challenges. It has all made me so grateful for the amount of supportive people I have in my life.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about A_Nelson_Design – what should we know?
As an industrial design freelancer, I get to work on developing and designing a wide range of products, from golf towels to blue-sky mobility concepts, running shoes, and women’s heels. My main specialty for designing though is soft goods, and primarily athletic footwear.
I’m especially proud of my ability to adapt to designing for different customers, and entirely different products altogether. I’ve designed production smartwatch dials, sneakers for high-end luxury brands, running shoes for medical device companies, and logos for small startup ventures.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I hinted at this earlier, and as cheesy as it sounds, my parents truly have always been my biggest supporters. I’ve also had amazing coworkers and managers over the years, but I have to say that Kevin Beard, a professor at ArtCenter College of Design, has helped me most powerfully. His great design talents helped me bring clarity to my own design process, he gave me insight into his leadership and management talents, and he’s an all-around stand-up guy.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.austinnelsondesign.com
- Phone: 503-956-2677
- Email: hello@austinnelsondesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_nelson_design/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-nelson-08b421112/
Image Credit:
Dice Yamaguchi
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