Podcasts: How Designers Can Become the Center of Influence with the AIGA Boston Designcast

Stark / Raving Branding + Digital Marketing's Senior Designer, Michael Coleman, has established himself as a prominent voice in Boston's design community through his role as producer of the highly-acclaimed AIGA Boston Designcast – a podcast series that has become essential listening for creative professionals throughout New England. The show has garnered significant recognition for its thoughtful approach to highlighting the diverse talents, innovative processes, and compelling career journeys of Boston's most interesting and influential designers, from emerging creatives to established industry leaders.

Coleman's dual role as both practicing designer and podcast producer offers him unique insights into the challenges and opportunities facing today's creative professionals. At Stark / Raving, he applies his design expertise to help clients transform complex business ideas into visually compelling brand experiences, while his podcast work allows him to explore broader conversations about design's impact on business, culture, and society. This combination of hands-on client work and industry thought leadership positions him at the intersection of practical design application and strategic creative thinking.

The AIGA Boston Designcast has distinguished itself in the crowded podcast landscape by focusing specifically on the local design ecosystem while addressing universal themes that resonate with creative professionals everywhere. Each episode delves deep into guests' creative processes, business challenges, and philosophical approaches to design, offering listeners both inspiration and actionable insights they can apply to their own work and careers.

Coleman collaborates with co-producer Sarah Lincoln to create content that goes beyond surface-level design discussions, exploring how designers navigate client relationships, develop their unique creative voices, and build sustainable creative careers in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Their approach combines storytelling with strategic insights, making each episode valuable for both aspiring designers seeking career guidance and experienced professionals looking to stay connected with industry trends and best practices.

In Tracy Hazzard's latest article, Coleman and Lincoln share their perspectives on the growing influence of designer-focused podcasts and how these platforms are reshaping conversations within the creative community. They discuss the unique challenges of producing content that serves both local and global audiences, the importance of authentic storytelling in design media, and how podcasting is creating new opportunities for designers to build thought leadership and expand their professional networks.

Their insights reveal how podcasting has become an increasingly important tool for creative professionals to share knowledge, build community, and establish expertise beyond traditional portfolio-based marketing. The article explores how designer podcasts are filling a crucial gap in design education and professional development, offering intimate access to the thinking and processes of successful creatives in ways that traditional design publications often cannot match.

Learn what Michael Coleman and Sarah Lincoln have discovered about the power of designer podcasts and their impact on the creative community in Tracy Hazzard's comprehensive analysis of this emerging media landscape.