Dinesh Dave

A mini basketball hoop! There’s a great story behind this that aligns with our ethos at Work is Play Studio. When I worked at an agency in Portland, we had a small, wonderful team supporting the Nike client. Our office manager decided to buy a basketball hoop and set it near the creative team's desks. We loved playing with it so much that eventually we started going into the office over the weekends, sliding around in our wheely chairs, and playing sit-down team basketball. It was a lot of fun and created many team-bonding moments, as well as birthed spontaneous ideas. I truly believe that sometimes the best thing you can do is step away from your desk and then come back with fresh ideas to rethink a creative challenge. Playing with this new little toy for five minutes a day not only improves my hoop skills but also brings joyful moments to the work I do.

People. Although I love having toys and trinkets around my studio that bring me joy, I truly strive to meet people and get to know them on a deep level. Whether through Zoom or in real life, understanding other human experiences gives me significant perspective on life and allows me to consider how others think about creative work outside my own little bubble. It provides tremendous insight. However, those knick-knacks do serve a purpose. I often enjoy inviting people over to our studio/home, and the knick-knacks can sometimes spark conversations or lead to unexpected ideas. Whether it's someone picking up a book and discussing its design or content, an item I've acquired from my travels where I can share the story of how I came to possess it, or even art, the environment fosters conversation with anyone. This can deepen human connection in many ways. People matter most.

Our mornings always start with our espresso machine! After our daily morning ritual, my partner and co-founder at Work is Play Studio, Sofya, and I enjoy a flat white while playing a few puzzles like NYT Connections or Apple Crosswords to get our minds going. Then we set the mood for the day with lo-fi music or a random Soulection Radio episode streamed to all the speakers in the studio. When it’s sunny, we open the doors to the garden and meet in the front garden to discuss updates on existing projects, new business, and goals for the day. The rest of our day varies and often includes working on live design projects for clients, Zoom meetings with our team and clients, and some in-person meetings with creatives around LA. We love to end our day with a good hot sauna session.