Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Kocek.
Chris, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I got my start in advertising and branding at BBDO New York and GSD&M before eventually launching my own branding studio, Gallant Branding, where I’ve had the opportunity to help companies like Vital Farms, Richard’s Rainwater, NadaMoo! and many others build brands for a better world.
After writing Any Insights Yet?, I launched a podcast by the same name, where I interviewed brand strategists and award-winning creative directors about how they came up with their aha moments. The book, podcast and my TEDxYouth talk about creativity led to guest speaking opportunities at universities and schools around the country.
The more time I spent with students, the more I realized two things: young people have incredible ideas and very few filters, and the tools available to bring those ideas to life have never been more powerful or accessible. The distance between “I have an idea” and “I made something real” is shorter than it’s ever been.
That realization led to the launch of Squizzle Brand Camp, which has since evolved into Squizzle Startup Studio — a hands-on youth entrepreneurship program designed to help kids transform their big ideas into compelling businesses and buzzworthy brands. Our goal is to give students the same creative tools and strategic thinking used by professional entrepreneurs and brand builders, but in a way that feels more playful, hands-on and empowering.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Building a new business is never easy, especially when it’s something as dynamic as a youth entrepreneurship program. In addition to securing a location, we’ve had to simultaneously refine our own messaging, build the curriculum, figure out the right combination of materials and tools, and design an experience that’s both fun for kids and meaningful for parents.
There’s also been a learning curve on the marketing and networking side. Most of my professional experience has been focused on national brands, so learning the ins and outs of local marketing has been exciting. There are so many PTAs, neighborhood groups and school communities, and they all operate a little differently. It’s a much more grassroots kind of marketing than what I’ve been used to, but I’ve loved getting to know the parents, teachers, and leaders in each of these communities.
In many ways, we’re living the same entrepreneurial lessons we teach the kids at Squizzle Startup Studio, which is to always have a can-do attitude and let your curiosity lead the way. It’s all about problem-solving, creativity and finding ways to make things work.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Squizzle Startup Studio is a hands-on youth entrepreneurship program that helps kids turn big ideas into compelling businesses and buzzworthy brands. Students learn about the business of differentiation and the art of standing out by practicing on exciting creative challenges, but underneath those projects, they’re really learning life and leadership skills that will help them tell their own stories.
As they develop their own brands, they think about their target audience, they do competitive research, and they come with their brand’s core differentiators. Once they’ve figured out what makes their brand different, they brainstorm names, design logos, visual identities, and packaging, and then they work on the rest of the brand ecosystem – everything from mascots to billboards to branded merchandise.
What sets Squizzle apart is the combination of entrepreneurship, design and physical prototyping. We don’t just want them to design things that live in the computer. We want them to feel the tactile materials and work through the challenges that inevitably come up when your idea goes from a sketch to a digital design to a tangible, physical thing. They’re measuring, assembling, and adjusting things in real time and they learn that iteration is the name of the game. We give them the same kinds of creative tools and strategic thinking used by professional entrepreneurs and brand builders, then let them apply those tools in a fun, age-appropriate way. The emphasis is always on doing, making and experimenting.
What I’m most proud of is seeing students become more confident in their own ideas. There’s something powerful about watching a kid go from “I have an idea” to holding something they actually created in their hands. That sense of ownership and possibility is really at the heart of what we’re building with Squizzle.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Taking risks is a big part of entrepreneurship and it’s something I’ve had to get comfortable with over the years. When I left GSD&M to start Gallant Branding, my daughter was around 9 months old. That was probably a pretty big risk and not exactly the best time to start a new agency. Or maybe it was the perfect time because it pushed me to do everything I could to make it work.
But I don’t want to romanticize risk-taking or being reckless because I think it’s really about taking calculated risks. When I started Gallant Branding, I had been moonlighting for SNAP Kitchen for a few months already, so when I decided to take that proverbial leap into starting my own business, I already had a client. If I hadn’t had several years of agency experience and connections and a good, reliable client, I’m not sure things would have worked out as well.
When it comes to building a business, you’re taking risks and stepping into the unknown every single day. There’s the risk of putting your ideas out there and having people critique or even laugh at them. There’s the financial risk. There’s the risk things don’t work out the way you originally envisioned them. Your ability to tolerate and work through uncertainty is a critical part of managing the fears and doubts that come with risk.
With Squizzle Startup Studio, I didn’t know if parents or their kids were going to be interested in a creative youth entrepreneurship summer camp. In fact, when I first started floating the idea around to a few parents, some people said, “Why would kids want to do that? Why would they think that’s fun?” Those kinds of questions, while frustrating and a little deflating at first, made me realize I needed to sharpen my own messaging and do a better job of bringing my vision to life.
Pricing:
- After-school programs, camps and workshops are offered throughout the year.
- Pricing varies by program, format and materials.
- Our summer camp offers an early bird discount in January and February, so make sure you sign up early to get the best deals.
- Visit Squizzle Startup Studio for current offerings and registration details.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.squizzlestartupstudio.com/
- Instagram: @squizzlestartupstudio
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kocek-52217a9/
