Fail. Hard. with Will Hall
Fail. Hard. is a By Design podcast that explores the relationship between fear, failure, and creativity. Each week, host Will Hall sits down with top designers and makers to explore the various ways that failure and iteration can lead to breakthrough ideas and remarkable creative executions. Sponsored by Adobe.
Episodes
42 episodes
Bonus Episode 1 of 2: Prediction Results
Each year, host Will Hall makes six predictions about tech, design, and innovation. In this first of two bonus episodes, Will shares the results from his predictions last year and revisits his forecast about TikTok’s looming ban. Don’t miss thi...
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Season 3
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22:23
036 — Giorgia Lupi
In the season finale of Fail Hard, host Will Hall welcomes Giorgia Lupi, partner at Pentagram and the visionary behind data humanism, for a conversation that bridges the worlds of creativity, design, and data.From her groundbre...
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Season 3
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Episode 36
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52:58
035 — Mike Perry
What does it mean to create without compromise? Emmy-winning artist and designer Mike Perry joins host Will Hall to unpack just that. From the hand-drawn charm of his early work to the endlessly playful animations of Broad City, Mike h...
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Season 3
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Episode 35
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1:05:29
034 — Memphis Pyramid: The Great Indoors
What happens when a city’s grand vision for an architectural icon goes hilariously—and gloriously—off the rails? In this episode of Fail Hard, we unpack the bizarre and captivating tale of the Memphis Pyramid, a towering stainless steel structu...
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Season 3
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Episode 34
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39:16
Travel Update
We're on the road this week filming Hotels by Design, so are away from the recording studio. We'll see you next week with a shiny new episode!
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Season 3
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2:00
033 — Tim Shih
In this episode, we dive into the power of storytelling in design and innovation. Host Will Hall speaks with Tim Shih, a visionary designer in the automotive industry, as they explore how we live, shape, and even rewrite the stories that define...
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Season 3
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Episode 33
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31:45
032 — THE SUCKLORD
In this episode of Fail Hard, host Will Hall dives deep into the world of subversive pop art with none other than THE SUCKLORD, a pioneer in the art of bootleg toys. Known for embracing the "suckiness" in his work, The Sucklord reflect...
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Season 3
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Episode 32
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37:01
031 — Wisdom
We're living in a time where the pace of innovation is accelerating so rapidly that it feels almost instantaneous. The systems we're building—especially in AI—are often black box, with consequences that remain largely unknown. So, who is shapin...
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Season 3
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Episode 31
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16:04
030 — Angelina Lippert // Poster House
In this episode of Fail Hard, Will Hall sits down with Angelina Lippert, executive director and curator of New York’s Poster House, to dive into the fascinating world of posters, design, and ephemera. From the fascinating history o...
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Season 3
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Episode 30
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36:55
029 — Frank Ockenfels III
In this episode of Fail Hard, host Will Hall sits down with legendary photographer Frank Ockenfels III, whose iconic imagery has shaped some of the most defining moments in entertainment. From Breaking Bad and Mad Men to The Bear and American H...
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Season 3
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Episode 29
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31:37
028 — Scott Henderson
In this episode of Fail Hard, host Will Hall sits down with acclaimed industrial designer Scott Henderson for a conversation about design, intuition, and the creative process. Scott, founder of his own design studio in Brookl...
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Season 3
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Episode 28
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29:26
027 — The Night
In this episode of Fail Hard, host Will Hall dives deep into the creative chaos of insomnia and the strange beauty of late-night life. Will reflects on his lifelong struggle with sleep, the surreal experiences that come from wandering ...
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Season 3
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Episode 27
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11:05
026 — Friction
What does it truly mean to be a professional? Beyond dedication, discipline, and perseverance, there's another key factor that often goes overlooked: mindset. In this episode of Fail Hard, host Will Hall unpacks this question, exploring how men...
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Season 3
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Episode 26
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12:04
025 — Creative Seasons
After a two-year hiatus, Fail Hard is BACK! In this season three premiere, we dive into the idea of creative seasons—those periods of intense growth, reflection, and everything in between. Host Will Hall shares his journey ov...
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Season 3
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Episode 25
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12:12
024 — Listener Mail
We answer some listener mail in this Season Two Finale (Season Three is just around the corner!). Questions covered the pesky topic of procrastination, promoting iteration within organizations, professional advancement, and the somewhat questio...
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Season 2
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Episode 24
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23:01
023 — Matters of Time
Creativity is born from constraints. And of all the limitations we have to deal with, the restriction of time is the most profound. In this episode, we explore the topic of time and its relationship to expression and meaning. CREDI...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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14:41
022 — 'Owe' Canada // Learning from Montreal
Montreal's Olympic Stadium is often considered the most poorly managed construction project ever. What started as a $140 million project ballooned to over $3 billion. Every moment of this stadium's 50-year legacy is laced with failure.
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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25:28
021 — 1924us // Christian Watson
Internet fame is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, having a large audience opens doors and builds influence. On the other, it can also become a burden and warp everything around you. In this episode, Christian Watson of 1924us sat down wit...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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37:28
Travel Update
In this short teaser, host Will Hall gives an update on travel and next episodes.
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Season 2
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3:20
020 — Art & Science // Ways of Seeing
There's an artistic whisper before every significant scientific breakthrough — an intuition of what's to come. In this episode, host Will Hall explores the unexpected relationship between creative exploration and scientific discoveries.
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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22:40
019 — Matt Owens // Athletics
Matt Owens is a Designer and partner at Athletics in NYC. In this episode, Matt sat down with host Will Hall to discuss his early days in music, his time at Cranbrook, the future of creative agencies, and the value of creating programs for your...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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1:03:12
018 — Draplin // Part 2
In this second installment of our two-part interview, Draplin of DDC and Field Notes fame sits down with host Will Hall to discuss running a merch empire, the surprise success of his book, and speculations about the next ten years. Hint: sweatp...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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55:57