We’re looking forward to introducing you to Matthew Manos. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Matthew, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
I’m lucky to not have any “normal” days. Most often, I’m balancing check-ins with the verynice team across active engagements while jumping in as a strategist or designer on projects that need extra support—or simply spark my curiosity. I also spend a lot of time with students, both in and out of the classroom. Working with people who are in the midst of discovering what drives them is a constant source of inspiration; they remind me why I chose my own path and reveal all the other directions I could have taken. Beyond work, I’m a twin dad, continuously unlearning and relearning how the world works through their eyes.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Matthew Manos — a designer, educator, and strategist who’s endlessly fascinated by how creativity can shape systems, stories, and lives. I founded verynice, a design strategy practice that gives half of its work away for free to nonprofits, and I serve as Associate Dean for Academic Planning at the USC Iovine and Young Academy, where I help students navigate the intersections of design, business, and technology. My work lives at the crossroads of imagination and impact — building new models for how design education and creative consulting can expand access, scale generosity, and inspire futures that are a little more hopeful, human, and weird (in the best way).
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I grew up skateboarding and competed for several years. One of my favorite moments was learning to do an inverted handplant. Launching upside down in a bowl, balancing on a single hand, and rolling away clean. There’s nothing quite like that feeling.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
You are absolutely weird and different, and that’s wonderful.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, except the public version of me has no bad days 😉
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Probably a lot of strange drawings. Between meetings and even on calls, I’m doodling. Lately, I’ve been drawing owls and aliens. So, if I gave up everything that the public sees of me, we’d be left with a pile of art.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.verynice.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veryniceinstagram/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewmanos/
