Tom Wilder, Creative Director at Collins
Originally from New Hampshire, Tom Wilder is Creative Director at Collins. Before he worked for MGMT.design and MTWTF. His work has been recognized by numerous design organizations and publications including the AIGA, The One Show, Creative Review, The Type Directors Club, The Art Directors Club, Communication Arts, Graphis, Print Magazine, Computer Arts, among others.
You received your bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Penn State University. What was your college experience like? Did you have any professors who influenced your work?
My college experience was challenging but extremely rewarding. Although…I had no idea what graphic design was when I entered college.
My time in high school was mostly spent drawing, painting and sculpting. However, I was also extremely fascinated by computers and technology. When I originally applied to Penn State, I applied to their School of Visual Arts program because I thought I was going to continue pursuing a career in fine arts. However, during the first year I took two classes, one named “Intro to Typography” and the other was “Graphic Design Studio”. Within the first few classes I was hooked.
I had two extraordinary professors within the design program. Lanny and Kristin Sommese. They have been teaching in the program for over 30 years. I’m not sure how much they influenced my work but what they taught me was how to think. How to problem solve. How to push an idea. How to execute. How to have a work ethic. I think all of those things have helped shape the designer I am today.
How did you land your first job as a Designer?
My first job was at a small studio in Soho. We were about eight people. I actually had an internship there the summer prior to being hired with my now friend and mentor David Heasty of Triboro Design. David taught me more in a summer than I could have learned from a two year masters program. I returned to Penn State for my senior year and right before I graduated the studio offered me a position.
Prior to joining Collins, you were a Senior Designer at MGMT where you led work for clients like Columbia University, MIT Press, Yale, Modern Farmer, The International Center of Photography and The New York Times. What were some of the biggest lessons you learned while working at MGMT?
Wow. I think managing and designing the diversity of projects we had coming through the door. The projects ranged from exhibition design, to publication and book design, to magazines, restaurants, posters, infographics, identities.
At MGMT the studio was only four to six people, so that meant I got to work on every single element of a design project from conceptual development to the execution. Co-founders Alicia Cheng and Sarah Gephart were amazing at teaching me how a design studio is run and make it feel like family.
When someone is applying to work at Collins, what are you looking for?
Cultural fit. I think most people who I’ve met that apply to COLLINS have an amazing portfolio. So the question is not really about the work. It’s about the person.
When reviewing portfolios, what are some of the things you are hoping to see and what are some things that might disqualify/prove the candidate is not fit for the job?
I think personally, I look for ideas first and if the candidate can speak about their work. As I mentioned earlier, usually the work is fantastic so it’s not about the portfolio necessarily. I look at can the person articulate the problem, concept, strategy and solution behind their idea.
What’s the most practical piece of feedback you’ve ever received?
I think the most practical piece of feedback I received in my career was from Brian. It was very simple.
“Don’t be afraid to fuck it up and make it weird.” — Brian Collins
Outside of Design, what inspires your work?
New York. Hip Hop. My colleagues at Collins. My Wife.
What advice could you give to someone who just graduated college and is new to the design world, but does not know where to begin?
Find mentors. Work with people that are smarter and more talented than you. Read and then read some more.
The purpose of this podcast is to bridge the gap between entry-level designers and the industries best practitioners. I also want to point out that they fail along the way. Do you have any stories?
I fail all the time. At all sorts of things. I think failure is great in a lot of ways. Usually it makes me reevaluate what I thought was a certainty and push it into a new surprising place.
Over the course of your career, what have been some of your favorite moments?
I think my favorite moments earlier in my career were finishing a project and seeing people experience it. Whether it was a restaurant or a book or an exhibition, I got a lot of happiness from seeing the reactions from other people about the work. Now, I get a lot of happiness from designing things that have impact at a huge scale. Projects that change entire organizations, cities or even cultures.
What moments have been the most challenging?
I think the most challenging moments I’ve had were always leaving a studio or job and moving on to the next chapter. Most studios and cultures I’ve been a part of feel like family, so when it’s time to move on it’s really difficult to say goodbye.
Do you have anything you’d say to your younger self when you were starting out?
Don’t doubt yourself or your gut. Not sleeping and working all the time will pay off in the future.
Who has influenced your work the most along the way?
I think I’ve had different mentors throughout my life. When I was young it was obviously my parents. When I went to college it was Lanny and Kristin Sommese. When I came to New York for the first time it was David Heasty, then Sarah Gephart and Alicia Cheng. Now it’s Brian Collins.
What makes a great mentor?
Someone who pushes you to do the things you’re scared of or thought were not possible.
You currently serve as Creative Director at Collins, where you lead the design team on client work for companies like Facebook, Coca-Cola, Eos Skincare, The Type Directors Club, Target, AIGA, Chubb, The Museum of Moving Image, Nourish Snacks, Mission Athletes, and Babyganics.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Constantly trying to push our work and our culture to be the best possible it can possibly be.
