I. A design firm
frog was usually mistaken for a design firm.
Even frogs struggled hard to define frog
because we were not a family,
although we bonded together like one.
frog was not an agency,
although we billed our time.
And it wasn’t a consultancy either,
even though we gave advice.
It was not a think-tank
because we also built stuff,
but neither a workshop
because there was more to it than the craft.
We were not a school
even when if taught others,
And neither a museum, even when we safeguarded historial artifacts.
It wasn’t just a brand or label.
Because there was no brand without frogs.
We were also not a cult: the stories we passed along weren’t dogma. The giants before us were never gods, only good examples. And there were no holy books or a divine “frog way”.
But i do think frog was a monastery.
II. A Monastery?
A monastery for the study and improvement of the human experience.
The temples — our studios — physical space for reflection, work and community.
The dharma — our disciplines of design, technology, strategy and program (project) management.
The service — the commitment to care for and work to solve problems that went beyond our personal interest.
Our rituals — shared moments to ground ourselves, connect, and share with others.
Our mantras — Form follows emotion and Make Your Mark, full of practical meaning.
Our teachers — stewards of the temple. Mindful and compassionate seniors that cared for their students through guidance, support and challenges to deepen the practice.
Our common search — to understand and improve the human experience.
“Creative Agency” was just the way to keep it going.
The best business model the monastery could find.
Slightly profitable, barely sustainable.
It was never perfect, but it worked beautifully.
We held each other accountable to the highest standards,
as if we worked for something bigger than ourselves.
Not for money, power or status
but the chance to be frogs.
(ribbit!)
III. When they took over
When they took over the monastery rapidly declined.
The monks were replaced by power-hungry and clueless administrators.
They labeled us as “ignorant hippies”, “hopeless romantics” and “infantile dreamers” and were asked to be more “aggressive” and to care less.
Some fought… others disassociated.
Temples were closed down.
Others were taken over, to be grossly rebranded.
The sense of community dissolved,
a sense of self preservation took over.
“A new era”.
IV. It was just another job
No it wasn’t.
Or was it?
I am still not entirely sure.
You don’t hear a lot of people describe jobs this way…
at least not s a n e people, right?
Were we… in s a n e ?
Nah, we were in love.
With the mission, the work, the people. Our people.
–
The loss has been different for all of us,
but we’ve shared one thing: the heartbreak.
We didn’t leave because work was hard, nights were long or business was tough. Most frogs described leaving in those terms. Not burnt out, but heartbroken.
Maybe in the end we were truly “ignorant hippies”, “hopeless romantics” and “infantile dreamers”…
…in the best of ways.
And that’s probably what made frog frog.
V. Once a frog, always a frog
Writing this took about a year.
I share it with respect of whatever's left.
And with a sense of acceptance.
Because I finally understand that everything’s not lost.
That the learnings are carried over.
And that nobody actually died.
Whatever happened will live on history books
(or probably just a FastCo article)
of another failed design firm acquisition.
And the heartbreak
eventually goes away.
Making space… for the new.
