E1: Why We Left Agency Life: The Origin Story of the Studio
Welcome to the debut of The Flatlandery Show!
In this first unscripted conversation, Flatlander Studio founders Megan Thome and Nate Voss reveal the "why" behind digital product design studio. We pull back the curtain on the journey from agency roles to launching a company committed to building digital products people genuinely love.
We cover:
• The frustrations of the "Big Giant Agency" model and why it drove us to prioritize craft and quality over volume.
• Our philosophy on blending UI/UX design and product branding for cohesive customer experiences (CX).
• Why, in an age of AI slop, we still believe that human connection is THE sustainable competitive advantage in digital product design.
• Insights into when your business truly needs a dedicated app—a tease of Nate’s upcoming talk, "Maybe It's an App."
09:41 The Defining Moment That Made Flatlander Studio
13:18 Lessons Learned (and Unlearned) from Agency Life
24:58 Frustrations that Led to Founding
29:43 Why Craft and Quality Beat High Volume
36:39 The Purpose of The Flatlandery Show
If you're a founder, product manager or designer who believes that human design matters in digital products, this conversation is for you.
Human Interest Mentions:
Todd McFarlane
Jim Lee
QuikTrip
French Paper
Grant Snider
Fiona Apple
Jay Schwedelson
Flatlander Pizza
Subscribe for more honest insights into digital product design, innovation and brand identity.