The people at Big Medium have always been so much more than colleagues. This wildly talented crew of kind, supportive creatives has been my friend group, my social network, my compass. We’ve cared for each other during highs and lows both personal and professional—and that also means cheering each other on at bittersweet moments.
Brad Frost, Ian Frost, and Jessi Hall are all moving on to new adventures. These turn-the-page moments tug the heart in every direction. I’m grateful and proud of what we’ve done together, excited for what this crew will do next, and sad that I won’t get to see them every day. But ultimately, I’m just really happy for these dear friends and longtime collaborators as they open new chapters.
Brad Frost and Ian Frost are going indie. The brothers Frost are launching a new set of projects that focus on what they do better than anyone: explaining and demonstrating best practices for design systems and front-end design/dev. Brad and Ian are shifting from bespoke client services to focus on publishing and teaching at scale—starting with their first online course, Subatomic: The Complete Guide to Design Tokens. Nobody knows this stuff like they do, and I’m excited to see them bring this course (and many more) into the world. I’m even more excited for the people who get to learn from these two. Brad and Ian offer more than know-how; they bring goofy fun and enthusiasm to everything they do. They make learning this stuff a pleasure.
Brad and I have worked arm in arm since 2013 (12 years!), and Ian joined the fun three years later. Brad developed the Atomic Design methodology throughout our projects together, and we formalized our collaboration as Big Medium partners two years ago. Brad’s been a brother to me, not just a creative and business partner. It’s the end of an era to see Brad and Ian go, but I’m proud of them for following their hearts and creative interests. I look forward to seeing what comes next, and you should, too. Follow Brad and Ian at bradfrost.com and ianfrostweather.com.
Jessi Hall is taking a hiatus to travel with family and consider her next chapter. Jessi has been the steady hand of Big Medium for nearly six years as producer and operational impresario, but that hardly begins to describe her contribution. Jessi is skilled at process, sure, but her real superpower at Big Medium is caring deeply about people—colleagues and clients alike—to understand what they need to unlock their most creative work. She has the rare skill of fostering safety, openness, and common vision in all the teams she works with.
Jessi is also incredibly creative herself. She’s a talented singer—a professional musician for many years—and a designer of stunning interiors and gardens. After years of using her considerable talents to organize the creative work of others, she’s taking time to nurture her own. Jessi has done so much to help our team connect our work with meaning, and I’m so glad she’s taking some deep time to do the same for herself. I’m grateful for everything Jessi’s done for Big Medium, but I’m even more grateful for her friendship. I’m a better person for knowing her—and you’ll be a better person for following her on LinkedIn.
New adventures for Big Medium, too. The new year already has us on exciting new paths but following the same compass: design for what’s next. We have a bunch of fascinating, forward-looking client projects that all signal some larger trends afoot in 2025 for product design and innovation.
We’re fortunate to have a deep bench as we shift gears and climb into the year’s challenges and opportunities. But I miss these three already, and it won’t be the same without their terrific talents—or seeing their faces on the daily. Giant thanks and much love to all of you.
