Sara Frisk

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER, UPTAKE, CHICAGO IL

Sara Frisk believes everything can be made better through design. This belief has fueled her career from Pentagram to IDEO, with the goal of creating deeper impact on her clients’ brands and businesses. A firm believer in the power of a first impression, she thrives on the complexity of how a brand evolves to integrate with services, products, environments and digital design across disparate industries. Her award-winning work has helped such clients as Divvy Bikes, the American Red Cross, Redbox, Brooks Sports, Sherwin-Williams, and Walgreens grow their brands and develop stronger, more meaningful customer relationships. She recently signed on as Chief Creative Officer for Uptake, a Chicago-based startup whose goal is to harness the power of underutilized data. An excellence freak with a wicked sense of humor, Sara is an avid cyclist, sure-footed runner, and no-holds-barred color addict. A long-time vocal advocate for all things Chicago design, she is honored to be AIGA Chicago’s president.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?

Seek out experiences that both empower you, and challenge you to be in a state of constant growth.

HOW DOES WHERE YOU WERE BORN, GREW UP OR LIVE NOW EFFECT YOUR DESIGN SENSIBILITY OR STYLE?

I grew up in Rochester NY amidst a giant family whose resourcefulness, quick wit, work ethic, and unyielding support and integrity have had far greater impact on my design sensibility than the city itself. I moved to Manhattan the day after I graduated from college, then migrated to Chicago several years later. New York taught me to move fast, be assertive, and that the devil was in the details. Chicago teaches through its heart, substance, and its ability look you in the eye and tell you the truth (over a beer on a sun-drenched patio). I’d love to think that I’m an amalgamation of all of those things – in my personality, my relationships, and my work.

FAVORITE COLOR?
Warm Red

FAVORITE TYPEFACE?
Currently, Harriet

FAVORITE APP?
Newly discovered Rivet Radio; Guilty pleasure Tetris

FAVORITE WEBSITES?
A personal gift from a friend up my departure from IDEO: frisky.ninja

FAVORITE TV SHOW?
Dexter

FAVORITE BOOK?
Anna Karenina

FAVORITE MOVIES?
Amélie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

FAVORITE MUSICIANS OR BANDS?
Changes by the day but been on an Ana Tijoux kick

GREATEST STRENGTH AS A DESIGNER?
Empathy

WEAKNESS?
Code

TALENT YOU WISHED YOU POSSESSED?
Patience

IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
No idea