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Alice Xiaoyu Gu Of Design Next Agency On Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career…
Thank you for joining us today! Can you share the story of what led you to pursue a career in commercial design?
After working in corporate roles, my husband and I decided to follow our passion for food and hospitality by opening our own restaurant. During this time, a friend approached me to help design his new café and bakery for visual identity and interior design. I focused on visual design while my husband handled the interior, seamlessly blending our skills.
Unlike residential design, commercial design requires targeting a specific audience while effectively communicating a brand’s identity. With a master’s degree in advertising and over 10 years of experience in visual design, I have developed a strong ability to articulate a brand’s vision through design. Additionally, when my husband and I worked together as a visual and interior design team, I realized that when visual and interior elements work hand in hand to deliver a cohesive experience in the hospitality industry, it tends to resonate more with the intended audience and lead to higher customer return rates.
My first project was highly successful — our friend’s café gained instant popularity, not just for its food but also because the design attracted a larger…