Listener Maker Communicator
Biography
Jake Trussell is the founder and Creative Director of Metabolize, a brand strategy and communications consultancy using human-centered design to help engage audiences by metabolizing business complexities into concise brand stories that resonate.
He has designed and managed numerous brands, from the creation of his renowned Mashit record label, to positioning Chicago as a global business destination (#1 for corporate investment 7 years in a row) during his time as Creative Director the city’s economic development organization chaired by the Mayor.
In addition to producing music at Mashit, Trussell is a DJ, recording artist, and film score composer who has toured internationally and released a discography of over 50 records.
He writes about music at Mood Bling, and about human-centered design at Design Innovation.
Trussell serves as vice chair of the board of directors for the Arts and Business Council of Chicago, is a member of the GreenHouse Innovation Braintrust, and has also spent time mentoring startups at the 2112 music & creative industry business incubator, and as a member of the Chicago Ideas Radical Creators.
He has a BFA in Interrelated Media from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, an innovation certificate from IDEO U, and a blockchain certificate from the Linux Foundation.
Advocate
by understanding goals, needs, and problems to be solved
Solve
by creating empathically delightful experiences that create value
Human-Centered Design Leads to Innovation
Thoughts
While many organizations have become adept at designing great customer experiences that lead to strong brand affinity, there are far fewer as skillful at creating this level of resonance with their employees, even though companies with a focus on employee experience tend to outperform their competitors … Read on
Black music not only defines the American canon but in one form or another it has dominated global popular music for the past 100 years. Chicago a major global platform for that immense creativity for the past century and its role as a hub of Black musical innovation continues today. … Read on
To innovate is to alter established practices by introducing new ideas. It’s fundamentally creative, but it’s also a science. So why and how do we innovate? … Read on
Refreshed positioning and identity shed new light on the who, what and why. … Read on
Designing and developing an application for mapping optimal business locations … Read on
The New York Times piece “Why Do Kids Love Terrible Music” underestimates kids’ ability to develop their own complex musical tastes. … Read on
How Does the Creative Economy Impact Economic Development? … Read on
Meaningful brand interactions can forge positive relationships with customers. This is amplified when employees also feel good about their company. … Read on
Retirement sounds nice, but what if you love your job? How might we deviate from the social norms around aging in the workforce in order to shift from the industrial age into the knowledge economy. … Read on