We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Liza Sperry a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Liza, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

There is a great quote by Paul Tillich that is “Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.” When we founded Talley-O Design 10 years ago (we’re celebrating 10 years – yay!) we knew we were taking a tremendous risk in venturing away from agencies and firms. Anyone pursuing their own business is taking a risk, as it is ALL in your hands. We knew we wanted the freedom to work independently. Create work we are proud of. Work for clients we are proud of. And in this process, align our personal values to our work values—honesty, integrity, creativity & independence.

Liza, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Rachel Cochrane Taylor / Co-Founder & Studio Director:

Liza Kelley Sperry / CO-Founder & Design Director:
I am the creative director behind Talley-O. I earned my BFA in graphic design from Maine College of Art & Design and started my career as an art director at The VIA Agency, an advertising agency here in Maine. I’ve always loved letterforms and the intersection of letterform with visual—how do they inform each other. The power of a beautiful smart logo mark makes me smile. We provide the whole gamut of design services ranging from a one off poster to entire design systems. Dedicating our entire team to each project sets us apart, we are small but mighty with a highly skilled team that can take your project beyond the original scope requested. I am most proud of our work that pushes the boundaries and thinks outside the box. Our many logo designs that reflect each brand in an eloquent way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

We have had so many wonderful partnerships and worked with a great range of clients. We value these relationships and connections that are forged during the creative journey. We work alongside our clients and have the opportunity to tell a visual story about something they are so passionate about. This is just the best.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

We want to create great design that works hard for our clients. Simple and straightforward. Not everyone has the same design needs, some need to be pushed a bit more, some need to be guided back. The design can be outstanding, but if it isn’t fitting the needs for the project at hand it will never feel quite right. Listening and valuing the needs of our clients for us is key and helps the creative process.

Contact Info:

• Website: Talley-0.com
• Instagram: @talleyodesign