Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad Makerson Michael.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
This is my second feature with Voyager, and excitingly so. I’ll skip the origin story and jump straight to when I opened my design studio in 2014. From day one, the sole focus was to develop, design, and break the mold for every beverage client that came through our doors.
Package design has always been an incredibly rewarding career for me. Every morning, I wake up energized knowing that I get to walk 50 feet to my office and help companies bring their brands and products to life. Gratitude doesn’t begin to cover it.
Over the last 12 years, I’ve developed, designed, and guided more than 125 brands through manufacturing on behalf of my clients. Historically, the studio has focused almost exclusively on the spirits industry, but over the past year I’ve expanded into new categories, bringing on fragrance, caviar, and olive oil projects.
The common thread that binds them all? Every project begins from scratch and features fully bespoke bottles, jars, closures, or other custom packaging elements. Creating something entirely unique for each client remains the most rewarding part of what I do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t believe it’s ever a smooth road when you set out to build something yourself. I’ve faced plenty of challenges along the way, the biggest being teaching myself every facet of running a full-service design agency while doing it largely on my own.
Contracts, presentations, brand development, packaging innovation, client meetings, accounting, production management, SEO, self-promotion, you name it. Along the way, I’ve fired clients, been sued once (a professional rite of passage, perhaps), and endured a few unusually large production runs only to discover a print error after every asset had been approved and finalized.
Every challenge comes with a lesson. The goal isn’t to avoid mistakes entirely, but to learn from them and never make the same one twice. You’re going to fuck up at some point but it’s all about how you handle it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I build and design brands, most often within the alcohol industry, that seek to break away from their competition. I push myself hard to create work that commands attention on the shelf, which is no small feat when consumers are faced with thousands of products competing for their attention.
In simple terms, a distillery or other client often comes to me with little more than a product and asks, “We have a great product. Now what?” That’s where I take the helm. I develop, refine, and translate their story into a tangible brand and package design system that, ideally, introduces something genuinely new to its category. The goal is for a consumer to pick up the bottle because of the design and return because of the product inside.
My work is often meticulous, not because it is overloaded with design elements, but because of the attention given to even the smallest details. Every element should serve a purpose and reinforce the brand’s story. Whether it’s a custom bottle, an emboss, a closure, a naming decision, or a material choice, I try to ensure every detail contributes to a cohesive narrative.
What am I most proud of? The diversity of the work. Over the last twelve years, I’ve had the opportunity to develop more than 125 brands, many of them completely from scratch. No two projects look alike because no two stories are alike.
What sets me apart is a combination of strategic brand development, a refined design hand, and a deep specialization in bespoke glass and packaging innovation. At least, that’s what I’m told.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I’m an avid listener of talks, podcasts, and interviews from people who have truly raised the bar in their respective fields. The common thread among them is that they saw an opportunity and acted on it.
The reality is that many people know what needs to be done to succeed, but very few are willing to put those ideas into motion. Execution is where most dreams die.
A few pieces of advice I’ve carried with me over the years are: “There will always be someone better than you,” “Be fearful when others are greedy,” and “The moment everyone agrees with your idea, it’s probably not that interesting.”
Each serves as a reminder to stay humble, remain disciplined, and not be afraid to pursue a path that others don’t yet understand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chadmichaelstudio.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/chadmichaelstudio/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chadmichaelstudio
- Other: https://www.behance.net/chadmichaelstudio
