Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Duration: Since 2009.

Staff: Just two—myself [Jefferson Perky] as creative director and the newly hired graphic designer, Kelton Carter.

Education: An MBA and AAS in graphic design from Parsons The New School of Design.

First big break: While in design school, I was offered an internship with Paul Roeraade, creative director at Cloudberry. I still remember his email. I was at a breaking point due to lack of sleep and he asked if I wanted to come join his small studio in Tribeca. I said yes, then cried a little. Coming from a small town in Tennessee, I learned a ton working for a Swedish designer in New York City.

Work environment: We work out of a loft in an old car factory from 1890 with floor-to-ceiling windows and great light. It’s a wide, open studio that we share with another design firm. I’ve worked in shared spaces ever since moving back from New York City and I love it.

Technique: Typically in this order: phone, e-mail, pencil & paper, computer, e-mail.

Philosophy: We strive to be plain-spoken, but always ambitious. Strong typography and a heavy emphasis on craft are mandatory no matter what the project is. Our philosophy doesn’t fit on a bumper sticker and it’s a stretch to say it’s truly unique, but we work really, really hard at it.