Thinking
Grill the Arsonist – Paul W.
Design Arsonist Paul Wanjoeh joined MindFire in February 2020 and quickly showed us his MAD design skills. Whether he’s working on print campaigns or website redesigns, Paul is extremely talented and knocks it out of the park every time. Get to know more about Paul below!
What drew you to join the MindFire team and become a Design Arsonist?
For me, it was the company culture. Everyone is so nice, helpful and very welcoming. Becoming a Design Arsonist was simple – having creative freedom and working on various projects simultaneously has kept me on the edge of creativity.
You are new to the Quad Cities area – what is your favorite restaurant you have discovered to date?
Before moving to the Quad Cities, I lived in Memphis, Tennessee (hello BBQ!) and worked at a business-to-business (B2B) marketing firm. I actually received my graphic design degree living in Kenya (where I grew up). While in the QC, I discovered Barrel House. They have delicious burgers!
What has been your favorite project you have worked on thus far?
Websites are very fun to me. I really enjoyed working on the Stratman Solutions website as it was very fun, and I was able to be creative. At MindFire, we put the brand first and commit to creative approaches – all things I feel strongly about! I’ve been doing design work on websites for years as I used to work on hotel websites at a previous job. It’s very rewarding to watch a website evolve during the design process.
What gets your design juices flowing?
A great workout – from just a walk to a 20-mile bike ride. The fresh air gets me going!
What is your favorite tv show?
I really enjoy the show “Billions.” The show is well-executed and put together in a neat way. It details closing deals and finding loopholes, which I find very exciting. I’ve also been watching “Seinfeld” for years, so that’s also a good show to put on. Any stand-up comedy is very entertaining to me and is always good for a laugh!
What keeps you busy outside of work hours?
Cycling, DIY projects and spending time with my fiancé are just a few. I started a new hobby during the COVID-19 quarantine refurbishing old furniture to look modern. It started with an old table of my fiancé’s. After that, I moved onto a mirror and sanded it. It has been fun to learn a new trade and to make things new again.
If you could trade lives with a celebrity for one day who would you choose?
I would love to trade lives with Kevin Hart because he is hilarious. Since I enjoy stand-up comedy, being able to live like Kevin Hart for a day would be funny!
Do you have any secret talents that no one at MindFire is aware of?
Back in Kenya, I was a sound engineer at my church for more than six years. I actually went to school to be an engineer and then switched to graphic design because I fell in love with the work back in 2006 as a hobby. Once I started college, I realized design was what I wanted to do. I’m not giving anyone the links, but I actually have created some songs that are out on the world wide web. Shhhh….
How would those close to you describe you in one sentence?
A person who loves to be challenged and is always looking for ways to be better. 😊
