Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Woychick.
Hi Dan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I often tell people that being a designer is as much a personality type as it is a profession. Designers are problem solvers and – to put it nicely – control enthusiasts. We can’t help ourselves.
When I was a kid, I was a sports fan. Because I liked to draw, I started making up my teams, logos, and uniforms. Then I played games between my teams, kept statistics, and even published a magazine. So, I was doing design-like things from a very young age.
Fast forward a few years, and I launched my business in 1989. I believe design can be a force for good, which is why Woychick Design specializes in helping mission-driven organizations make great ideas happen. Our work is characterized by creative collaboration and a keen understanding of how to shape audience perceptions and behavior.
As a lifelong volunteer, I have served as a board member for several organizations, including as a president of AIGA Minnesota. I helped launch a local initiative to ignite, accelerate and amplify design-driven social change as an advisory board member of Design for Good. And I have worked to protect and promote Minneapolis Parks through my side project – LoveMplsParks and the Posters for Parks show.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I’ve been very fortunate to work at a job I love – and to be my own boss – for most of my career. But learning how to run a business, find clients, and manage complex projects – all through trial and error – doesn’t come without a few painful lessons. However, I’ve always had a bit of a DIY mindset, confident that I can figure it out. When the pandemic hit in 2020, almost all of my clients were hit hard and a lot of work was postponed or canceled. I wasn’t sure my business would survive that.
In my spare time, I launched a video podcast – Conversations with Quarantined Creatives. And helped a photographer publish a Kickstarter-funded, award-winning book of front porch portraits he shot around the Twin Cities in the early days of the pandemic shutdown.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Woychick Design?
Woychick Design helps mission-driven organizations grow awareness, inspire donors, and move people to action. Our work is characterized by rigorous inquiry that helps us form a more holistic view of the organizations we work with. We believe that successful outcomes are built on a deep understanding of our clients’ people, traditions, and audiences.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Minneapolis is a very livable city with lots of parks, lakes, and rivers. While the Twin Cities is a large metropolitan area, you can easily get away, rejuvenate, and recreate in nature without leaving the urban core. It has a great local music scene, lots of good restaurants, cultural attractions, and a thriving economy.
That said, the pandemic exacerbated the plight of disadvantaged populations – highlighting inequities in education, job opportunities, and public safety.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://woychickdesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woychickdesign/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danwoychick/
Image Credits
Murphy Byrne, Scott Streble, and Caroline Yang
