When We Don't Support Designer Innovation, We Fail the Entire Community

This is a bit of a rant, so hear me out...

Have you ever come up with a product or idea and thought, "What would it take to get this idea out there?" If you've seen the TV show "Shark Tank," what you didn't see is the community of support it took those founders to get there in the first place—the friends and family that helped get the ball rolling for that founder.

Recently, I featured Melinda Peters Elliott on my biweekly event, Design Tank, where one or two design professionals have two minutes to present a new product, service, or concept to an audience of peers for insights and feedback. Melinda has spent the past ten years developing a bag that can house all of her interior design tools, samples, and supplies to help make her job easier. She spent time and money perfecting the durability of the materials and the versatility of the design to meet her changing needs and everyday life as a designer. You know these bags. In design school, you went to the art supply store and bought bags and binders designed for artists. Or for job sites, you see your contractors carrying around a wide variety of durable and heavy-duty bags made by brands like Husky or Milwaukee.

Melinda didn't just make these bags for herself. She thought, "You know what? If I need this, maybe other designers do too!" That was her actual thought process. She is a designer who came up with a solution to make the lives of other designers easier.

Click the image to watch the Design Tank Episode:

Now, this is where I'm gonna rant a little...

And I'll say this as plainly as possible:

"The design community failed not only Melinda but the community as a whole, by not supporting her."

The Design Industry's Lack of Support for Innovation

The design industry has a horrible history of not supporting designer-led innovation. Now, I get it. You are too busy or focused on your own business to help or even be aware. But here's the thing: When we don't support designer-led innovation, but we show up in droves to shop from big brands, we kill the chances of designers creating solutions that DO matter to you.

After Melinda presented on Design Tank to a very small audience, I went for a walk. And on that walk, I saw a teenager wearing a backpack with his skateboard strapped to his bag. As I looked at that backpack, I realized that even skateboarders support their own community. Some skateboarder got tired of holding his or her skateboard and sewed Velcro straps to their backpack so they could walk hands-free, and other skateboarders supported this idea by buying it! Those are broke-ass skateboarders! And even THEY showed up to support their community's own innovation. Yet the design community simply does not.

Melinda is just one example, but I can go on and on about the many innovators in the design space who were met with blank faces and closed doors when they went out into the design community to share their new ideas. It's hard not to name a few. I've seen friends of mine as they try and launch their designer project management platforms, only to be met with community reactions like, "Oh. I tried it, but it was clunky, or it didn't work like I needed it to." In the home staging space, there is an inventory tracking program that was very "clunky" with a ton of "bugs." And because of these "bugs," early adopters were hesitant to come back and support them as they toughed through their product improvements. Do you know how hard it is to regain a customer's trust?

Even the big manufacturers in the space, which I will point out are no "Jeff Bezos," are very slow to meet with and support designer-led innovations. Unless it can translate to either a purchase of their products or an event that can attract customers, the design community just does NOT support innovations. They would rather shell out big bucks to literally ANYONE else.

I won't mention names on this one...But in 2020, a very well-known furniture brand President told me,

"Joe. I get your emails about all of the new things you launch. But you don't give us enough time to understand what you are doing. Did you know that I have actually been in a meeting where two years later I finally realized, 'Oh! That's what Joseph was talking about!' You need to give us time to catch up."

To which I replied,

"Or. If you've had that response, then get on board sooner."

I recently had a phone call with a designer who has been following me for a while, where I shared how she could use video to help her design business gain new customers. But instead of using my services, she went outside of the industry to a videographer who will, without a doubt, film a beautiful video for her but will NOT understand what it takes to market her interior design services like I would have.

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How We Can Do Better

I could go on and on about how the design community simply does NOT support the design community from within. But I want to focus instead on how we can do better.

As a design community, we need to support innovation. I honestly don't even care if the ideas are HORRIBLE! By supporting even the worst ideas, we build up an environment where we make room for the good ideas to get in. Where there is a chance that one day you might have an idea. And when you do, the community is available to support your idea.

How can we do this?

I have already created Design Tank, which is a platform that lets innovators come forward with their ideas. All you have to do to show the bare minimum support is show up. It's a FREE bi-weekly Zoom call, that if you did nothing but join the call and listen in the background, you would at least have shown up to support.

Manufacturers, invest! 

If you have found success in your own business, then commit to helping others by investing in our fund. We are raising a $10,000,000 fund, and creating an incubator and accelerator program, to ensure that we equip the community to build investable concepts that will help your investment succeed.

The Investment Fund would lead investments that would later seek funding from Silicon Valley funds, turning those initial investments into greater investment returns.

Where I need your help...

Initially the Investment Fund would seek funding from within the design community (manufacturers, brands, design celebrities, and successful design community members), who know and understand the potential for the industry.

You do not need to write a giant check. I am ONLY looking for a commitment of funds to establish fund and accelerator program of the following amounts: 

Tier 3: $50,000-$150,000 

Tier 2: $150,001-$500,000 - At this level, we would partner for hosting events for the Accelerator Program. 

Tier 1 - $500,001 or more - At this level, we would partner for hosting major events, annual investor summits and awards

20% of all funds commitment would be paid upfront, in order to fund the Accelerator Program and establish the Fund.

I believe the design community has a ton of investable concepts, ideas and innovations that are not being fostered, cultivated and launched. With your help, we as a design community can get in early on investable concepts that would produce a greater valuation when sold upstream to Silicon Valley giants.

Showroom owners, host events that feature designers who are innovating. And consider hosting a Design Tank Chapter right from your showroom. For information on hosting a local chapter, Click Here

Designers, when you see a fellow designer launching a product—like a custom wallpaper company or furniture item—hit the share button, buy their product, show up!

The food industry had Anthony Bourdain, who encouraged us to

“Eat at a local restaurant tonight. Get the cream sauce. Have a cold pint at 4 o'clock in a mostly empty bar. Go somewhere you've never been."

Well, I'm encouraging the design community to,

"Support the design community by signing up for their new program. Attend their event, ask questions. Hit the share button on their posts. Buy their product, even if it doesn't quite work perfectly yet. You aren't buying a finished product. You are supporting a community that understands you and your needs, so we can all grow together."

Let's make a conscious effort to support our fellow designers and their innovations. Together, we can build a stronger, more innovative community.