We recently connected with Brando Zellars and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brando , 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.

It feels like my whole life has been one leap of faith to the next. At some point I got used to being in that space. It wasn’t until my job with Clemson when I finally understood the comforts of job security. I resigned from my position in 2021. It was the biggest risk in my life at the time. Covid was still a thing affecting daily life and to make matters better, we had recently become parents to our wonderful little boy. So the timing of it all wasn’t ideal, but then again, is it ever?

For me it was one of those instances of “when you know, you know”. My job with Clemson had run its course. I felt that I had accomplished all that I set out to achieve there. By that time I had been working remotely from home for about a year, so I was starting to learn the balancing act of Dad life and work life. At some point it just made sense.

It’s definitely been an ongoing positive learning experience. I haven’t struck gold yet by any means but I do notice the progress and growth as a creative and business operator. I took this risk, stepped out on my own because it was time to pursue my calling to create on my own terms.

It’s funny how the two things (newborn and COVID) that in any normal setting would have been what kept me in locked into the 9 to 5 turned out to be what created my exit strategy. Somehow it worked and I was able to step into self employment pretty seamlessly.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Many moons ago, a friend turned me on to the world of design via a random book lying on their coffee table. It was called Masters of Gig Poster Design and upon opening it, it gave my life meaning. I remember flipping through it in awe, thinking to myself, “I want to do this”. From that book I discovered my design idols at that time, a studio named Aesthetic Apparatus out of Minneapolis. Years later I was fortunate enough to be a part of an art residency program with them. That was a pivotal point in my career as a designer.

My company, Defender Creative Studio, is a design studio that focuses on illustrative and graphic design, brand identity design and anything else you can throw at me. That sounds kind of boring, so another way to put it is, I create great shit for great business. Defender takes the craft seriously without taking itself too seriously. I love a good story and a good joke and don’t mind being the butt of it either.

Through true creative passion, Defender helps its clients find their voice and tell its authentic story to it’s audience, in a way that’s engaging, interesting and sticky. In a word, I am a value creator. Defender has a certain aesthetic I would describe as “bootleg vintage”. It’s timeless and approachable, yet rebellious yet playful. It’s inspired by the artists / designers of the midcentury golden era. I love to work with clients who’s brands and business compliment this aesthetic.

The most popular service I provide is brand assets design or in other terms merchandise design. This is where my heart truly resides. This is where my creative brian gets to play. This is where all the fun is had and in my opinion where Defender shines the brightest. Also because of this, I am developing a house brand to pivot the business into “product provider” territory. It’s been a goal of mine to create a brand that celebrates the place I call home. This brand is part lifestyle brand, part storytelling. I thought it’d be interesting to tell the forgotten stories of our past through collectible merch. Finding sustainable approaches to how and what I create has become a main focus in my career as of late. How do we as creatives add value to otherwise disposable things? This question is always being explored and is another aspect that sets Defender apart from the rest.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

We live in the Golden Age of information and skill sharing. It’s a special time to be alive… I spend a lot of time on Youtube to be honest. This is where I get my fill of inspiration and education. Lately, I’ve been delving more into understanding the purpose of becoming a creative entrepreneur. It’s been a lot of question asking and answer seeking this year.

And through asking these deeper questions, I’ve been led to certain content creators such as Dan Koe. He’s a brilliant mind wise beyond his years and a true modern entrepreneur. His philosophy is the “One person Business Model” which he projects to be the standard for small businesses of the near future. Very interesting stuff, well produced and easy to digest, I’ve really been enjoying his content lately.

Outside of that, I’ve been digging deep into content that deals with spirituality and creativity integration. I’ve been tapping into individuals like RJ Spina, Joe Dispense, Regan Hillyer and Matt Kahn, Ester Hicks. I Highly recommend giving these folks a listen or read. Each are masters of their own particular disciplines, and their information seeks to give insight on what drives us all to create.

Other than that, for industry specific resources, The Futur (Chris Do) and Skillshare would be some of the most valuable content currently out there. Do is an creative industry expert and has pretty much written the book on how to successfully operate a creative business in today’s market. Skillshare, if you for some reason don’t know, is the world’s most comprehensive creative tutorial platform. One can learn just about anything that falls under the umbrella of the creative career industries for $20 a month and spare time.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The path of the creative is such an interesting ever-evolving adventure. For me it’s been a state of continuous discovery and growth. Over time my goals have become clearer while I feel my mission has remained fixed. My original goal, which fueled the desire to create Defender Studio still stands, I want to rebrand the City of Greenville. It’s a lofty one, but I’m still holding on to it.

But really the main mission is to spread the gospel of living an inspired life. Find your passion, embrace your calling, make fun of life. That to me is what truly changes the world. This energy is what fuels me as a creative, as designer, and as a person. I love that this skill set allows me access to the people, environments and things that inspired me to follow my dreams.

As of late, working with the community focused programs has become a thriving passion of mine. I have developed a “service based” design mentality that really led me into exploring: How do I leverage my creative skillset to assist my community? How can I creatively engage with the community to create awareness and support? How do I express myself truly and authentically in ways that inspire?

When it’s all said and done, for me, it’s all about discovering purpose because this creates value, and in my opinion, value is the only true currency.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.defendermade.com
• Instagram: Defender Creative Studio
• Linkedin: Defender Creative Studio

Image Credits
Rony Rivera – Mad Space GVL – Flying Fox photos Chelsea Kocian – portraits