President of Peopledesign, author of Brand Identity Essentials, adjunct at IIT Institute of Design; leader at AIGA, APDF.
In this economy of choice and connection, I help leaders find ways to differentiate their organization from competitors. I focus on design-led innovation methods to achieve better strategic focus and alignment.
I worked directly and indirectly with Kevin on several projects in a partnering relationship. He and the other BBK teammates are very professional and produce the highest quality of work.
Kevin and his firm have worked on many business strategy, branding and design projects for me and my team at Herman Miller, over the past 10 years. He and his team's work has always been highly creative, out-of-the-box and outstanding. I highly recommend he and his team.
Whether you're from an organization working toward design-inspired strategies or a designer looking for an opportunity, Kevin will lead the way to success.
Kevin (and People Design) were instrumental in the strategy and business model formation stage of our start-up (Creative Byline). Kevin is great at ensuring that the big picture issues are being explored throughout the creative process.
You would be lucky if Kevin and his remarkable team put their creativity, passion and dangerous intelligence to work for you.
I mean, like, really lucky.
I was.
And, oh yeah. He never learned how to be a jerk, either. Which, in this business, is as wonderful as it is rare.
Onward, Kevin! Onward, People Design!
Brian Collins
It has been a great pleasure to know and work with Kevin over the years through APDF (Association of Professional Design Firms). Kevin is our current board President and has made real change happen in a very short time for this great organization. He has the rare ability to develop and guide strategy as well as dig in and get things done. I've learned a great deal from him and I know that anyone who works with Kevin will find it to be time well spent.
Kevin is smart, inspiring, witty. I have learned more from Kevin than any other boss. He is always evolving the firm to better meet the needs of our clients. A pleasure to work with and a great mentor.
Kevin's passion for design and community is inspiring! The beginnings of the AIGA West Michigan chapter were an exciting time and Kevin was able to coalesce the large group of designers that didn't have a collective voice in our area before—a group of designers that didn't really even talk to each other before. Kevin helped pave the way for a very successful AIGA chapter and set a solid foundation for design’s future in West Michigan.
People Design; the name of his firm speaks volumes about Kevin’s motivations, because he is truly gifted at helping organizations develop and implement effective design strategies. Through rigorous focus on the important, not just the urgent, he helps collaborative groups be effective agents of change. Kevin has a unique ability to cut through the fog of complex issues competing for attention and foster alignment on the core actions required for an effective team. He amazes me with his humble yet relentless focus and inspires me with his sharp and purposeful intellect. Under Kevin’s leadership and guidance as president, the APDF (Association of Professional Design Firms) continues to improve as the expert business resource for design firm owners and managers across North America. If you ever have the opportunity to work with Kevin or his firm, don’t hesitate, do it - and prepare to be challenged!
During my term as Association of Professional Design Firms (APDF)Board Chair, I recruited Kevin to our board. It may have been my most valuable contribution. In only his third year on the Board, Kevin was elected President and, as such, he is now guiding our organization into a new era. Kevin has outstanding listening skills and is able to assess complex challenges and distill them into the most significant issues and opportunities. He is then able to galvanize stakeholders into a cohesive group to develop a solution. And he does it all in a way that is engaging, relatable, and yields results. Obviously, I've just described the attributes of a very effective marketing and creative leader . . . and Kevin Budelmann epitomizes that description.
I have served on the Board of Directors for the Association of Professional Design Firms for 11 years. In that time, I have not seen a more effective leader than Kevin Budelmann. He served the past 3 years in various committee roles and is currently our President. He is an excellent leader of the organization and is well prepared, extremely dedicated, and has an outstanding rapport with members and fellow board associates. Kevin is a visionary backed by a pragmatic substructure. Leadership is one of the most critical characteristics of personal and professional success. The tricky part [that Kevin has mastered] is maintaining such a high level of commitment while running his own successful firm. I admire the man greatly and would not hesitate to engage him in my own business or personal affairs should the opportunity arise.
