Creating Future Success – John Calabro

It’s our great privilege to be introducing the speakers to Gippslandia’s first-ever event, Creating Future Success.

Firstly, you met Brian Vella, then futurist Steve Sammartino and now, The View From Here founder and Gippslandia's publisher, John Calabro.

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JC, please describe your current roles.
I'm the founder of The View From Here Design Studio and Gippslandia, where I'm the publisher, is a collaborative side project of the studio.

At The View From Here (TVFH), we’ve always believed that design thinking can be a driver for positive change. Our skills specifically bring many methods of visual communication together with design thinking to seek solutions that are the outcome of plenty of research, discussions and subsequent experimentation. In both the studio and Gippslandia, I spend most of my time bringing people together and listening, thinking, then talking through the detail, trying to understand the bigger picture before embarking towards solutions.

Why should a new business get in touch with The View From Here? How can the design studio assist them?
We have dual mantras for our studio — ‘building the region through meaningful design’ and ‘building business through meaningful design'. We care passionately about the betterment of our region and believe that a strong local economy can create a stronger region.

Many in the studio have worked for world-leading design firms and this is a level of quality that’s hard to find outside the city areas. We’ve worked with small startups and large organisations, both private and government. We’re a good fit for most projects because we understand trends, recognise high standards, and simply strive to be good, compassionate and fun humans. The human element is a critical part of how we operate.

For example, if I'm an operator of a Gippsland small business and I have limited resources, what is the item that I should be most focused on designing well? A logo? Or a website? Or advertising?
Too many businesses focus their attention at their feet when the best move is often to look down from the sky. We always try to look at the bigger picture - a broad-reaching strategy. When you have a better understanding of future plans, and an appreciation for possible flow-on effects, it puts you in a far clearer position to make decisions that are going to provide greater efficiency and longer-term impacts.

Why are you looking forward to speaking with fellow Gippslandians?
I believe both the studio and Gippslandia are making positive impacts on the local region and we achieve this by seeking out likeminded people. Good things happen when good people come together and this why I excited about being involved in Creating Future Success.

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To be inspired by John, Steve and Brian, please join us at Creating Future Success via our Eventbrite page here.