Al Gore arrived with mountains of research and a compelling, vital message. He left with a Keynote presentation fit for the silver screen.
“The presentation went GREAT! Best yet. Thanks so much to everyone on the Duarte creative team for doing such a fantastic job.”
2007 Oscar for Best Documentary
2007 American Cinema Editors' Eddie
2007 BFCA Award
2007 Image Award
2007 Stanley Kramer Award
2006 Satellite Award
2006 NBR Award
Technology is increasingly abstract. So when Mark Templeton needed to bring complex ideas to life at iForum, we collaborated closely with him to express his concepts clearly through animation and infographics.
“You guys are awesome business partners and your commitment is amazing. You make it easy and a joy!”
“The Communicator” 2006 Print Media Awards
–Honorable Mention
Bill McDonnough is the preeminent green architect. He’s one of the world’s best storytellers. And his vision is irrefutable. It’s even better once you see it.
We’re all aware of global climate change, but other environmental crises are equally deserving of our concern. Promoting health by making clean water available to all is one of Mike Magee’s biggest initiatives; making us all aware of this plight is one of his biggest challenges.
As a nexus of the open source movement, Mozilla depends on the loyalty and vigor of the developer community. Hacking their id through presentations is one way to show you care. Legos, anyone?
Delivering a moving presentation in 18 minutes that will impact the world is not easy, so we helped John Doerr make it look easy—he made it personal.
You’re out to change the world in an industry out to make a quick buck. Sound impossible? Not when you can show how helping others is a sure way to help yourself.
What could make us prouder than handling over 300 JavaOne speaker presentations onsite over a period of six days? Winning the trust to do it year after year for a decade.
Casey Cameron, Executive Producer,
JavaOne Conference, Sun Microsystems:
“You handled things beautifully, with great patience, efficiency, and humor—all the good stuff.”
Sometimes being the presentation experts goes much deeper than the presentations themselves. Providing event support for the world’s largest biotechnology company means our expertise in regulatory compliance is critical to the success of set-up, pre-show, and onsite environments.
On behalf of the team, I would like to thank you for your invaluable contribution to the S1 Meeting, specificially for: reformatting and developing the presentations and executing all the required revisions; maintaining version control for all presentations despite the variations in timelines and individual Speaker preferences; and your untiring and cooperative on-site presence, finding solutions for the needs that arose unexpectedly. We were particularly amazed at your ability to pull together a video montage and the related powerpoint decks in a little less than 48 hours resulting in positive feedback from our Marketing Partners.
When you have to rely on a kiosk instead of a real person to promote a product, you have a small amount of time to make a big impact. That’s even tougher for Aladdin, who needed our help to illustrate the details of high-level abstractions such as computer security and virus protection.
2007 American Design Awards—3rd Place in Flash Animation
Making a convincing sales pitch is difficult enough in person. Try it from half a world away. So we provided TrendMicro with media that empowers their sales force via remote presentations and offers customers the potential to find solutions on their own.
2007 American Design Awards—1st and 2nd Place in Flash Animation
What better way to educate employees about your brand than to use one of your own applications? We converted their existing presentations into interactive, self-paced deliverables perfect for showcasing the company.
How do you kill the competition? Focus on the superior speed and value of Citrix GoToMeeting in relation to WebEx and show everyone what they’ve been missing all along.
“These animations spread quickly company-wide. I heard back from sales that not only are these animations helping them achieve new sales, they are also helping them retain existing customers. One sales person sent the customer the comparison animations and after having viewed the animations the customer realized the mistake they were about to make and decided to stay with Citrix.” —Ashley
2007 Horizon Interactive Awards—Silver in Business to Business category
Build a new integrated user interface on a short clock. Extend it across the entire company. Create an image that attracts the nation’s top college minds. There’s a reason why we’re Symantec’s preferred multimedia vendor.
“The Communicator” 2006 Print Media Awards
—Award of Excellence
We play well with others. When HP needed a mass of icons in a desperately tight timeframe, we were happy to make friends with Web Associates to craft deliverables that captured the essence of the brand.
HP is a global brand with 160,000 brand ambassadors worldwide. Because they should all be projecting the same thing, HP challenged us to create a one-size-fits-150,000 presentation template.
Salvador Barrena, Partner Relationship Management, HP: Congratulations to the team who put the new PowerPoint templates together. The templates are the best corporate documents I have ever seen.
Adobe’s primary audience is designers, so they have to look good. Of course, no one would have predicted that our template design for one of their directors would make Adobe look so good they would adopt it across the entire company.
How do you build a broadcast-quality presentation for a house of brands that gives equal opportunity to the parent and its subsidiaries without any messy crossover?
“I just have to tell you THANK YOU! Today’s presentation was extremely well received. The presenters were comfortable, the audience was engaged, the graphics were beautiful and relevant, the technical aspects were as close to flawless as I’ve ever seen. I was so thrilled I had to hold myself back from high-fiving everyone until after the guests left. Really, I am in awe of your talents.”
After revamping Cisco’s corporate overview on home soil, we’re making the Cisco brand relevant to diverse audiences in 19 international locations. Languages may differ, but the power of imagery and well-designed information needs no translation.
Sue Bostrom, Sr. Vice President, Cisco Systems: “Our CEO, John Chambers, has called the presentation ‘world class.’ The audience was equally impressed with the package. The outstanding graphics and visuals truly brought our message and content to life. Your talents and efforts were an essential part of our success and our entire project team is very, very thankful for your support.”
ICTV smashed the couch potato image with a dynamic new interface that transforms TV into an interactive, personalized experience. But asking customers to change their behavior is difficult without a compelling vision to push them over the hump—which is exactly what we offered them.
Ed: “Duarte honed in on our main concept—interaction—immediately and carried it through all the deliverables. I've never seen a more integrated launch, and I've been bringing products to market for 30 years.”
Too often products fail because they target the wrong audience. When Pearson acquired PowerSchool and needed an identity overhaul, the administrators were targeted. After all, they’re the ones with power of the purse.
2007 Summit Creative Awards—Bronze in Trade Show/Display category
What more needs to be said?
100 logos. 20 designers. 7 weeks. A drain on our creative juices? Just the opposite—it puts the think in our tank.
Cisco figured out a way to convert abstract customer loyalty metrics into hard financial data. Our challenge was not only to express the value of this to their partners, but to occupy permanent mindshare by developing inspired ways to continually reinforce the message.
When you’re new in the business of creating premium wines, you need a premium identity. For this Oregon producer, branding is all about a mark of quality.
“Winemaking is like the new cattle ranching. Seriously. It sounds funny, but we want to put our brand on everything that comes from our property—having a great logo makes that a joy.”
2007 Summit Creative Awards—Bronze in Consumer Product Logo/Trademark category
Alliances are big. The world is big. Protecting stuff can be a huge undertaking. So how do you make a logo that telegraphs all these elements while maintaining a sense of elegance and layered meaning?
“At the risk of being gushy, my business cards are the coolest cards I’ve ever had. I received many compliments on them today! So thanks for the cards and hand crafting.” —Cathy
Citrix delivers applications. They needed icons that could deliver the right message about those applications’ functionality—all as a comprehensive system.
Concepts capture the big idea—but they do more than that. They express relationships. They show causality. They tell stories. We ensure they do it in a way that is beautiful, poetic and highly memorable.
There’s no shortage of content in the world—but there is a huge need for editing. Great presentations don’t try to communicate everything, just the things that matter to the audience. Great presenters know that if they can convey that information via a simple, memorable story, their audience will carry their ideas into the world.
It’s not about the slides; it’s about the experience. Presentations can move people by showing them something they’ve never seen before. We succeed when we combine story and structure and design and expression to form something that’s more than the sum of its parts.
Identities are, infographics do. But each communicates complex ideas in simple, meaningful, memorable ways. For the former, it’s character, beliefs and values; for the latter, it’s processes, programs and products. We strive for a simplicity and accessibility that transcends words and accesses a rich visual vocabulary.
We don’t think of information as something people approach linearly. We see them gather data now and assimilate it later, forging their own stories and patterns. We use interaction design to replicate that process: it’s something in which to be immersed, that should be navigated and explored—and experienced by everyone in their own way.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s a moving picture worth? Our lives aren’t composed of static views and unchanging vistas; ideas, stories, relationships, the world itself are all fluid, and we’re all part of it. We strive to reflect that through design because motion, at its best, can move all of us.
It’s funny. As soon as the client figures out we can handle 200 presentations for their next event—all at the same time—another 100 people show up looking for help. That they do this at the last minute is something we’ve just come to expect. We’ve trained ourselves to be flexible and scalable, so it’s something we take in stride.
Compliance can mean adopting our clients’ security protocols or it can mean following federally mandated guidelines. In either case, the price for failure is high. That’s why we’ve elevated compliance to the same level as our design practice: the integrity of your information is as important as its implementation.
Technology affects people in ways they don’t always notice. The improvements in special effects, graphics and sound all derive from technology. The result? Technology has become another means to gain mindshare, and that’s why we’re so passionate about it: your presentation is competing with all the other media out there. So it had better be good.
Rockin’, roastin’, drinkin’, and Collective Organizin'
My friends and family inspire me in a positive way. Average folks who do extraordinary things are good inspiration. Also, I am constantly inspired by negativity in the world to fight for something better.
I give up. What do you think?
Wonder Woman! Who doesn’t want an invisible car, a snazzy outfit, and pretty gold bracelets that deflect bullets?
A cat named Pua. She would fall asleep on the arm of my couch, and about 20 minutes into her slumber she would start slightly rocking back and forth. The movement causing her to fall to the floor with an awakening “Thud!” Poor thing didn’t learn her lesson and it became a nightly ritual.
Compassionate, happy, observant, funny, and really tall “for a girl.”
Snowboarder. Naturalist. Javascripter. Lover of Christ. Conservative. Problem solver. Nerd.
I wouldn’t be a programmer, that’s for sure. I like to imagine myself in the tropics leading scuba diving trips off a 200ft sailboat. Or spending my life following Winter, looking for places to snowboard. Or flying helicopter tours over natural parks.
The feeling of learning… specifically, that “AHA!” moment you get when it all comes together. Knowing the answer, but also understanding why. The sense of accomplisment when your work is appreciated. Absorbing the millions of bits of information that will someday give me my big picture.
“I just love it when a plan comes together!” The catchphrase uttered every episode by the leader of that campy '80s TV show “The A-Team.” Also, this character, played by George Peppard, was forever “on the jazz”—meaning he craved the adrenaline of performing under pressure. Cool language, absurd plots. At least no one ever died on the show.
“Hey I can fly!” It was a bold claim designed to command instant respect. On my first day of kindergarten, strong winds blew as I stood atop the play structure. Spreading my yellow raincoat as wings, I leapt out—body horizontal—and a gust actually pushed me aloft for a second. Then another threw me back into the middle of the metal bars—requiring 13 stitches to my chin. (Unfortunately, the sobbing and tears undermined my desire to move up the food chain.)
Most of all I love helping others discover, master and share their unique talents. Beyond that, I recently overheard my teenage son describing me to friends. “Dad is really just a big kid. He thinks everything is one big adventure, likes all the same stuff we do—and mom tells him no a lot. ”It’s true, I’m still about 16”with over 30 years of experience.
My favorite line from a movie has to be Dirty Dancing. C’mon, admit it—you like to watch it whenever you flip through the channels and “TNT” is showcasing Patrick Swayze movies…you just can’t get enough of him in those tight, silky black pants! YIKES! But the funforgettable line at the end gets me every time… “Nobody puts Baby in the corner!” Ugh, that had to be the CORNIEST line ever…but I love it. Over and over again.
I know, it’s so cliché, but my inspiration comes from my kiddies. All four of them inspire me on a daily basis. Their sweet innocence and complete honesty is so refreshing. Seeing the world through their eyes and rediscovering things that I have either taken for granted or gotten “too adult-like” to play with, is very rewarding. Pure simplicity. Pure fun. Pure inspiration.
If I were a superhero? Shoot, I AM a superwoman! Underneath all my fluff, I am definitely a woman of steel…and blueberry scones and chai lattes, and those little heaven-sent Dove chocolates!! I can leap over dogs and tower over small children, I have supermom strength and a very handsome sidekick. Yep…just your regular old super woman!
In a nutshell, I’m a passionate, determined, adrenalin junky, Gemini, son, brother, artist, and surfer, who will go out of his way to help anyone.
Surfing and waterskiing are my biggest passions. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of riding waves on a surfboard or cutting across a wake at 60mph on a water ski.
My career as a graphic designer, listening to music, fishing with my father, sailing with my mother, baseball games with my sister, camping with friends, and the freedom to do nothing.
I would define myself as the type of person who can be very focused, driven, and who takes pride in all that he does. But I also know that you must stop and take time to enjoy life, as we are here for a very finite time.
Family, friends, movies, music, classic cars, fishing, and anything outdoors.
“I will be your Huckleberry,” from Tombstone, where Doc Holiday calls out Johnny Ringo to a gunfight. I say it whenever I am looking for a gunfight...just kidding!
Father to a pair of four-legged children. Caretaker of a blonde-haired dinosaur. Husband to my friend and financial advisor. Disciple of a man I’ve never seen. Artist in engineer’s clothing. Wannabe Jedi who does his own special effects.
“Daniel-san, close eye. Think only tree. Make perfect picture down to last pine needle. Open eye. Make tree like picture.” (Mr. Miyagi—The Karate Kid) This is my philosophy for tackling basically anything: sketching, costuming, dancing.
I would build an animatronic version of the Loch Ness Monster, take it to Loch Ness and drive it around in the water for a while. Then I’d make the monster say things like, “Eh, I’m ooover ‘ere, ya’ ‘oooligans!”
Light and sound.
Orson Welles. Visionary artist. Multi-faceted talent. Fierce passion. Few have pushed themselves so far in so many different areas of media and art in their lifetime.
Music and food. Both warm the soul when you find the right stuff. For me it’s blues and barbeque. You know those back-alley, grimy, newspaper table-topped, holes-in-the-walls? That’s where you’ll find me with smoky pork ribs in hand, lip smackin' and feet tappin' to the grind of an electric guitar.
My son and William Shakespeare. Reading Shakespeare has taught me that we humans really do make the same mistakes over and over. My love for my son inspires me to try to break that pattern and challenge the status quo.
1) Travel; experiencing the beauty, history, and cultures of our amazingly diverse planet.
2) Promoting cross–cultural understanding, one trip at a time.
3) Reading.
Michelangelo, whose work spanned so many disciplines and who was so intensely curious about the world around him. His “David” is the greatest piece of art I’ve ever seen.
I’m a happy person—sometimes I smile so much my cheeks hurt. I’m focused, but don’t take life too seriously. I love to eat and I’ll try anything at least once. And I love to be around the people I love, my husband Kit more than anyone.
My black-and-white border collie, Macaroni (named after the Macaroni Penguin). My husband and I were warned against border collies—high energy, will try to outsmart you. But I can’t get enough of him. He makes me smile about a million times a day. And he’s amazing with a Frisbee.
So I’d give anything for Jennifer Aniston’s hair, or Nicole Kidman’s wardrobe. But more than any other celebrity, I would want to be Oprah. She’s a mover/shaker, but has an extraordinary ability to connect to everyday people. She’s inspiring, courageous, and looks like she’s having a blast. Plus, all the celebrities come and spill their guts on her couch!
My family has been a huge inspiration to me. They have always encouraged me to pursue my goals and dreams and supported me in all of my aspirations. My girlfriend for keeping me balanced and having the ability to turn any situation into a positive and make me laugh. Finally, grace as it is granted to each one of us on a daily basis.
Sports are a huge passion. I love to watch and play sports. They have been a huge part of my life since day one. They have molded me into the person I am today and allowed me to both set and achieve goals from a very young age.
Flash. He is one of the most underrated super heroes. Not to mention, he is the fastest man in the world.
A listener, someone who can see multiple perspectives and encourage others to consider another view. Think of how many world problems could be solved if people would listen to one another and consider a different perspective.
Photography. I am inspired by beautiful landscapes and moments with people I love. Photographs bring me back to special moments, people, and places I’ve been. Capturing those moments reminds me of how blessed I am.
Sports of all kinds, especially the ones I like to play. At this point in my life it is golf and softball. It used to be swimming, tennis, basketball, and bike riding.
I love Saturday mornings with nothing to do. I love traveling and tapping into a greater sense of being. And I love a painless workout before a deliciously guiltless meal with a glass of red wine...and chocolate.
Since my dad passed away, I’ve been more proactive in steering my life’s direction. I have a developed a keener sense of mortality and a better appreciation for being accountable for my own fulfillment.
Kristin. My name’s Kristeeeeeeeen.
Spelled like Kristin, pronounced Kristeeeeeeeen.
When I realized that I’m pretty much a “grown-up”. I think it happened when I got married. It’s no longer being responsible for just myself, but for US! Marriage comes with its hardships, but serving my husband and reaping its rewards has been the best time of my life! I couldn’t imagine a more perfect fit. He is my joy, my caretaker, my soul mate, and my best friend.
First of all, my friends and family. They are so important to me and I LOVE spending time with them! More of my favorite things are watching movies, playing games, summertime, sunsets, the ocean, giraffes, peonies, Lost, Mexican food, Texas Hold ’em, shopping, babies, music, Mexico mission trips, shoes, massages, The Food Network, dancing, and more and more!!!
“We got no food, we got no jobs… our PET’S HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!” –Dumb and Dumber
“I’m a Cotton-headed-ninny-muggins” –Elf
“Nobody makes me bleed my own blood. Nobody!” –Dodgeball
“Frick on a stick!” –Scrubs
“I know him… I KNOW him!” -Elf
My son, my daughter, good food, and of course THE GIANTS!
Moron drivers, litterbugs, and people who put recyclable objects in the trash can that sits right next to the recycle bin.
A day game at AT&T Park, a creative plate from a chef or pastry chef, my Willie McCovey bat, my convertible Mustang, and my beloved SF Giants.
I am a quiet, yet perceiving person. I love wisdom. I love being a dad and find it hard to watch my kids grow up so fast. I still like looking out the window, and watching Christmas movies. Nancy says that food is my love language, and I must admit, I do enjoy tasty foods and fine wine.
When I started Duarte Design, it was birthed from a passion for design and technology. I’m passionate about my faith, and my family. I’m passionate about playing my guitars. However, my latest passion is golf. If I could play golf more often I would, but the reality of life and work dictate otherwise. I’d like to break 80 more.
Likes: Honesty, humor, dancing, good friends, my husband, family. Pet Peeves: Drivers who don’t use their turn signals and people with 30 items in the “15 item or less” checkout lane at the grocery store.
Cyd Charisse, the dancer. I would have loved to dance in those wonderful MGM films, and to have her talent. She had the best partner in the world, Gene Kelly.
My first starring role in a play, as Goldilocks in “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” My co-stars were three little boys I had crushes on, so what could be better than that?!
I traveled to China and loved it! It was my first time, traveling outside of the U.S. and it was such a learning experience to see how people (poor and rich) live on the other side of the world. It was amazing to visit places I’d only ever seen in books. It made me appreciate my life in America, and also appreciate the differences in other cultures and ways of life.
I love noodles, Nintendo, spicy food, design books, traveling to new places, vanilla lattes, tea, the smell of printed paper, staying up late and sleeping in, and, of course, spending time with the people I love!
“Missy.” I can’t explain why I don’t like it, I just don’t.
Now that’s a good question. I guess it’s safe to say that I am just a guy who is trying his best to be a good husband, father, and friend.
Coming to the realization that regardless of what I do, both good and bad, my Lord loves me for who I am.
“Madmex”… it’s a long story.
I’m a conquistador who liberates the undiscovered, sets boundaries for safe play, and builds fortresses where dreams can be realized. I create, protect, and conquer the future with extreme respect and reverence for the past.
My husband inspires me the most. We’re together almost all day, but he never ceases to be my calm in the storm, a listener, a rock, empathetic, and a coach. He and I can talk or not talk for hours.
My favorite line from a movie that we use often is from So I Married an Axe Murderer—“It’s a Juice Tiger, it juices everything, ya know?” We say it in reference to our dog; I think you can figure that one out on your own.
“Don’t forget your sandwiches…that I made you!”
“Whatever I feel like, GOSH!”
“…Bow hunting skills, computer hacking skills… you know, skills!”
“FREEEEEDOOOM!!!!!”
“You have bewitched me, body and soul…”
My husband Marco, he is my most favorite thing of all. My puppy, Pallina (“little soccer ball” in Italian). Mexican food, Thai food, Italian food, sushi from Nobu, and Spicy Orange Peel Chicken from Pick Up Stix. Rain. Music that brings Heaven to Earth. Sleeping on my favorite pillow, often. Coca-Cola, right up there with foo-foo yummy coffee drinks.
I am deeply mystical, deeply spiritual. I am a seer. I see things how they should be and work to make it reality. I am a builder. I find the good and draw it out. I am a dreamer. I see the challenge and relentlessly pursue it until it has been conquered. I am a believer. I love deeply and grieve deeply. I am a best friend, daughter, wife, lover… I am deeply loved. I am genuinely free.
When I realized the ‘D’ in the Disney logo was in fact a ‘D’ and not a backwards ‘G’—that was pretty huge. Also, graduating from college.
Giraffes. The last bite of an ice cream cone (regular, not sugar) when the little crosshatched part has gotten nice and mushy. Watching/quoting Arrested Development. Naps. Hugs so good people pick me up a little. Word blends and puns. Indie music. Darkroom photography.
None—I take all motherly advice. She’s the smartest woman in the world. I love you, Mama. P.S. I need money.
Farm kid, hardworking, conservative, thoughtful, quick to adapt, quiet, bossy, animal-lover, loyal, gullible, stubborn, graphic designer.
In high school, the “got milk?” campaign caught my attention. It piqued my interest in design and lead me to a career as a graphic designer.
Caddie, my Jersey dairy cow. I received her as a calf from my parents when I was 10 and showed her at the county fair through high school. She passed away a while ago, but she’s still in my thoughts.
My parents. My dad because he taught me to love life, people, and hard work. My mom because of her unending drive and her big heart.
“Do I look like a cat to you boy? Am I jumpin' around all nimbly bimbly from tree to tree? Am I drinking milk from a saucer? DO YOU SEE ME EATING MICE!?” —Foster, Super Troopers
Mr. Sunday Nite. You’ll have to track down a ragtag group of Chico State alumni to dig up the story behind that one.
It would definitely be my kids, Kimberly and Aaron. I never know what they are going to ask me to help them make or do. They always keep me on my toes with the comments and questions they come up with. God has blessed me with a wonderful family.
My family, scotchmallows, camping, Girl Scouts, baking, scrapbooking, sewing, and driving my dad’s race car.
I wished I had listened to my mom when she said, “Don’t run with a stick in your hand.” I was running from my sister while carrying a long stick from my Tinker Toy set and ended up falling and scraping my throat with it. I know my parents enjoyed taking me to urgent care, (along with my sister who by that time had gotten a bean stuck in her ear.)
My favorite things are actually my favorite people…my family. My husband, son, parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles…I am blessed to have a truly incredible family.
One of my favorite lines from the movies is, “As if!” from Clueless. I pretty much never say it…but I think it!
My proudest moment when I was five was learning to ride my bike. My Dad must have spent hours trying to teach me to ride my bike without success and 15 minutes after he finally threw in the towel, my determination paid off and I was pedaling around the driveway all by myself!
I’m still a kid at heart. I try to make the most out of everyday and enjoy life every chance I get. My interest revolves around sports, movies, cars, food, and of course art and design.
I’m a huge movie fan so I actually have a lot of favorite lines. But here’s a couple that were just too funny.
“Are you a Mexican…or a Mex-i-can’t?” —Johnny Depp in Once Upon a Time in Mexico (You have to see this scene to really appreciate it)
“The man ate bacon at every meal…you just can’t do that.” —Daniel Stern, City Slickers
Successfully drawing on every wall of my parents’ house, and surviving the punishment.
I am an optimist, devoted friend, wife, perfectionist, listener, runner, photographer, chef, spiritual being…I believe that we all have a purpose in life and I have faith that everything happens for a greater reason. I love to laugh and try to always keep a sense of humor.
Traveling, running, laughing, lattes, visiting with old friends, big family dinners, fresh flowers, homemade margaritas, the changing of the seasons, mastering a new recipe, great design that inspires me, dessert, learning new things, and sharing my life with my best friend.
When I was in college, my roommates and I had a fish that would swim to the top of the tank and kiss your finger. Sometimes it would be more like a lunge at your finger. I know it sounds strange! He was the most interactive fish I’ve ever had. If there were such thing as a circus fish, he would have been it!
Alan Arkin’s monologue from “Little Miss Sunshine.” Unreal. And completely inappropriate for this site. You’ll just have to rent the thing.
The good stuff on French and Japanese menus: foie gras, boudin noir, butabura, uni, ikura—and then trying to get my dining companions to eat them.
Poor grammar. Bad punctuation. I once had a writing prof who told the class they could use commas and semicolons interchangeably. I don’t know what that was all about.
Fresh-baked bread. Elegant design. A nap on the couch with my cat. The work of Aaron Sorkin. My husband’s laugh. Summer picnics with family. A great board game with friends. Irreverent humor. A little TV show called “Heroes”. Great speeches. New technology.
“I know kung fu.” Neo says this after his first training session in The Matrix. The teacher in me lives for moments like that.
Jim Henson influences me every day. Most people remember him for Sesame Street and the Muppets, and I love those, too, but what most inspires me about his life is the way he never stopped reaching for the next great idea. He never stopped trying to make the world better. And he always did it with a gentle heart. I hope to do the same.
Art in unusual places. The Great Outdoors. Hiking. Quentin Tarantino films. Starbucks. Food grilled to perfection. Enjoying all of the above with my best friend (who also happens to be my wife).
Jimboy. (Like the tacos.)
“Riiiiiiiiiight.”
—Dr. Evil, from the Austin Powers trilogy.
I use it a handful of times a day.
I enjoy the magic behind laughter, friendship, food and great wine. I have a love for my wife that overflows, and an eternal joy for God who has given me grace, character and the blessing of creativity. Oh, and college football Saturdays...GO PENN STATE!
I am blessed with the most amazing best friend, my wife. Everyday she lifts me to become something better and wiser than the day before. It is because of her that I can always know were to find peace, and most importantly love.
God, spending time with my wife, my friends, special FX, magic, motion graphics, remodeling my home and preparing for fatherhood.
I love digging in the dirt in my garden, making music with my friends, riding my bike along the California coast, shooting hoops in a pickup game and just hanging with the family doing whatever. I love being both a student and a teacher in my life. I try to bring something to, and learn something from, every situation.
“We figured there was too much happiness here for just the two of us, so we figured the next logical step was to have us a critter.”
—H.I. McDunnough, Raising Arizona.
Choosing to be a parent shouldn’t require an explanation, but I have found many occasions where the above quote has come in handy. It really says it all.
When I was five years old my parents gave me a drum set for Christmas. I rocked my entire neighborhood for exactly 2 days with extended solos that I imagined were met with wild adoration from screaming fans. When the din of my frenzy died down, I realized that I was not hearing adoring screams, but imploring screams from my father to, “Get those drums out of the house!”
The drums were taken back to the store, but I learned the power of volume.
Pronunciation: 'dan gärd
Function: proper noun
Usage: often eccentric
1 : one who professes and practices an imaginative art
2 : of strange or extraordinary character
3 : being beyond what is normal or expected
Could go on for days, but I’ll cut it short. Self-expression is what I’m most passionate about. Whether it be music, photography, painting, or any other artistic form of self-expression. Most of my free time is wrapped up in my hobbies which for the most part are derivatives of self-expression. The end.
I chose to answer this question in a different way than I think most would. I have always been told I would not amount to much in life because of my behavior and look. So I have always tried harder to prove these people wrong. Not really much for inspiration, but it’s nice to be where I’m at without having compromised myself.
Family, comedy, music, and the NFL. Probably in that order.
Dude?…Dude…You are being very un-dude…
One of the rich ones…but without the fame, obligation and all the pressure. So I guess I’d settle for the cash.
I am extremely literal and yet I have a very dry sense of humor (which most people miss!). I like life to be very simple. I don’t need a lot of material “things” to make me happy. However, the few things I possess do mean a lot to me.
My favorite things involve order and logic, although one might not perceive that by looking at me. I like everything to have a place. I cannot relax when my world is out of order. And I like to figure out how things work.
When I gathered up all my dolls and put them in my wagon, then went door to door in my neighborhood and sold them all. I made about $100. I was so excited, until I got home and my mom made me go and buy them all back.
Being outside and getting dirty; a long run to start my day; taking a few hours to listen to a new album; laughing; spending time with friends and family; exploring and learning everyday.
Anything/anyone from Canada!
“This is Janet Reno’s dance party, NOW DANCE!” (from SNL). I tend to say this after my “man voice” comes out.
Taking 2nd grade math, and reading at the 4th grade level. I was so smart! But then I caught up to myself and it wasn’t as exciting.
Living in Spain for 4 months. I acquired an appreciation for anything drizzled with oil, as well as a (deeper) love for flan, and all things fried. And other non-food related things. Like culture and travel and stuff.
John Legend’s girlfriend. Sorry, Jeffrey.
My parents and my husband, for teaching me that anything is possible if you really want it and encouraging me to go after my own dreams. Their never-ending force and dedication to strive for the best are an inspiration.
Prague (my hometown), art, yoga, painting, wind in summer, walks after rain, gardens, forests, fall colors, books, good movies, talking to old friends over coffee, reading dessert menus and eating high quality sweet bites, enjoying a clean house after hard work, the feeling of finishing a project and knowing I’ve left a mark on the world.
“She almost had me for lunch!” “It wasn’t her fault, Baroness, she is a lion. Doesn’t that outfit come with a rifle?” “Yeah… It’s on my saddle.” “Better keep it with you. Your horse is not much of a shot.” –Out of Africa
I have not had a chance to say these exact words yet, but I’m like that—a pragmatic/sarcastic smart ass.
A fun loving and dedicated son, brother, uncle, friend and husband. Somebody who loves to laugh and tries to live life as much as possible. I’m also a sports fanatic, self proclaimed wine snob and food critic, and hopefully world traveler one day.
My wife who is my best friend and the most upbeat and positive person I have ever met. She keeps me balanced, has an unwavering dedication to our families and friends, and always continues to bring out the best in me no matter how stubborn I am!
Bad table manners, poor service at restaurants, whiners, air travel, drivers who are on the phone, bad wine corks, and million dollar athletes who can’t hit, pass, run, or shoot.
“Why don’t you go practice, fallin’ down, I’ll be there in a minute.” — Joe Dirt
“Hey guys. Oh, Big Gulps huh? Alright! Welp, seeya later.” —Lloyd Christmas
God, who has blessed my life with so many wonderful people and opportunities. My incredible family, who have always given me support and made me into the person I am today. My friends, who taught me to always keep it real. Also, a variety of teachers, musicians, and designers.
When I made a necklace out of macaroni and pipe cleaners, and gave it to the cutest girl in my kindergarten class.
I would have to say going nomad and traveling the world. I’ve been to several parts of Europe, Mexico, Japan, Canada and all across the US. But if I could, I’d spend my life on the road, seeing new things and meeting interesting folks along the way.
When Joanie loved Chachi. Man, I miss that show.
The Hoff. For reasons you can already guess.
Art, Music, Physics, Philosophy…
I think the story of modern physics is one of the most romantic tales available to us.
“I don’t know how to put this but I’m kind of a big deal… I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.” I say it whenever possible.
I AM a super hero.
I’m a perfectionist tempered by eastern philosophy and the humility forced upon me by taking up tennis at an advanced age. The qualities I value most in people are kindness and courage. I’m a shy extrovert who would secretly love to be a stand up comedienne in my next life. Or maybe a tap dancer. Or maybe a blues singer.
I’m inspired by nature—from the great outdoors to the microscopic workings of our own bodies. I’m forever in awe of the beauty and the elegant design of the natural world. The forms I see in nature, simultaneously complex and simple, serve as models for me of successful artistic expression.
Betsy Wetsy—that darn doll with the incontinence issues was popular when I was in first grade—a sensitive time for teasing of that nature.
Bad manners! “Thank you” and “you’re welcome” are not used enough day to day. When people are rude I really freak out. Making noise while you eat, not watching where you are going, all the above!
“I want my two dollars!” –From Better off Dead.
That newspaper kid was crazy!
I try to be a good human being and hope that will influence others to be caring and compassionate in their daily lives. I also hope to one day be a good father and pray that my family will help change the world with their presence and good energy.
Determined with a hint of ridiculous.
Dedicated to family & friends.
My wife, our son, family/friends, music, art, heritage, creating good times all the time.
Keeping my heart in my art, soul in my step, and ear to the street. I love going home to my family, reminiscing with old friends, and keeping traditions intact.
Bono from U2. He is committed to being an artist and to the creative process, he consistently makes really good music, and he chooses to use his talent and influence to do tremendous good.
"Burnt toast makes beautiful children." I think it was more of a way to get us not to waste a piece of bread. I'm not sure if it is true (I don't have kids yet) but find it humorous all the same.
I seek after adventures, I take risks, I am inspired by beauty. I love people and often find myself in conversation with strangers in coffee shops and on street corners. I find great joy in putting hands and feet to ideas and vision. Helping others discover and go after their dreams is probably my most favorite thing; it's an honor to be part of someone's story.
In 1988, Duarte Design launches itself into the corporate cosmos, powered by one man, one Mac, and one mission. The company is housed in a one-bedroom apartment in Mountain View, CA, where Mark’s computer sits on a sewing table in the corner of the bedroom. Eventually Nancy stops harassing Mark to “get a real job” and realizes that he does indeed have a vision and that maybe she doesn’t have to “get a real job” herself. Side by side, they begin to build a new industry, sustaining late night shifts by listening to Letterman.
Duarte is born. Mark flies solo with PageMaker 1.0, a 1200-baud modem, and a 30 MB external hard drive.
4-digit income milestone is eclipsed.
Mark and Nancy own a bedspread with matching dust ruffle for the first time!
Nancy officially comes on board, finally leaving behind the world of "real jobs."
Apple eliminates its Large Business Marketing department—one of Duarte’s largest clients—during a massive layoff and work slows to a crawl. Within a few months, former Apple marketers begin to land at other companies and re-establish ties with Duarte. This is the birthplace of our referral pool and our business potential attains new heights. In 1993, Derek McDavid (no, not from Braveheart) shows up and his first task is to figure out how to hire himself. He does, along with three other employees, to make six in all. We start to look and feel more like a real business (except for the pool in the backyard) and it quickly becomes apparent that we need more space.
Upgrade to the Apple Macintosh IIcx computer with 8 MB of RAM. The consensus is that we will never need a faster, better machine…ever!
Begin snow globe-alization. The first few acquisitions are now half-evaporated and boast a healthy yellow hue.
Six strong, Duarte relocates from the living room of Mark and Nancy’s apartment in Mountain View to a larger office space—the back of Mark and Nancy’s apartment in Mountain View.
First company trip and the destination is Great America.
Duarte makes a major evolutionary leap by moving into “real” office space and hiring an additional staff member (Diandra) all within the same month.
In 1995, the fellowship grows to 13 and Duarte settles into a 1,300 square foot office in Mountain View. Real office space means we start using a sophisticated network and accounting stops handling A/P from a shoebox. By the time we celebrate our 10-year anniversary the company has exploded to 21 employees, has an official server room, and even boasts e-mail addresses with our own company name.
We win Adobe as a client.
We launch our first Web site that stays up entirely too long.
Cisco surpasses Apple and Adobe as our largest client and still carries that title today.
A handful of our accounts grow to the point where we have to restructure our organization into dedicated account teams, bringing more efficiency to the process and focus to the teams.
10 years! We celebrated with a company trip to San Diego.
At the turn of the millennium, with the bubble still booming, Duarte boasts 39 employees and a contractor base of 30. A wide area network and video conferencing accommodate our new Chico, California satellite office. Our server racks almost touch the ceiling as Y2K draws near. We turn down huge amounts of business and revise the employee handbook.
In February 1999, we hire a General Manager to bring rhythm to the chaos. He begins to hire per our strategic plan and groom the managers into leaders.
We establish a satellite office in Chico.
Duarte introduces a new logo and launches a fashionable line of “Duarte Wear.”
The dot com bubble bursts. After years of having the phone ring off the hook, it falls silent. We sustain a small stream of work, but are forced to cut our numbers and reorganize. A dark day that we hope we will never have to repeat. Debt-free and with cash in hand, we have the reserves to endure with our core intact. When the market bounces back, we are leaner, smarter, and laser-focused.
The Boom busts.
We hold the fort with 25 tenacious, committed people and contract a ton.
We install a firewall and grow to 8 servers and 3 routers.
Duarte opens over 1,000 job numbers; spirits are high heading into 2003.
We hire more and move uptown into a Class A office space. The move is the perfect excuse to upgrade to Gigabit Ethernet and equip the team with lightning fast CPUs and slick flat-panel monitors. In 2004, the flywheel is spinning faster than ever as Al Gore, HP, Nortel, and Borland all love working with us. We win the world’s largest biotech company as a client and develop a custom process and team to meet the regulatory demands. In 2005, we expand and implement an extensive training program to increase our offerings of media-rich deliverables. Flash projects skyrocket and we even get to whip out 3D applications. We surpass our sales record with Cisco and set new company benchmarks for revenue, quality and growth. Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” opens new doors for Duarte in 2006 and makes it easier for us to articulate what we do.
We move into our amazing new uptown digs.
Nancy becomes a regular contributor to Presentations magazine.
The largest biotech company in the world calls and, as a result, our snow globe collection grows!
New clients push the Duarte seat count to 37 and the contractor base to over 50.
More high-profile accounts are added: EDS, Pixar, SAP, Scripps Network, and Symantec.
“An Inconvenient Truth” is awfully convenient for Duarte. The visibility helps us win new F1000 clients in 2006.
It feels like the beginning of a new era. 2008 is our 20th year in business. Our new building gives us room to grow and room for a ping pong and pool table! An Inconvenient Truth gave us some global recognition and the team is cranking out award winning work for presentations and rich media. The flock is marrying and procreating like crazy. We have real training programs, a dedicated photo studio and four stocked fridges. It’s noisy and busy but we love it.
We move into our new 19,000 sq. ft. office space, finally giving us enough room for beanbags and a Nintendo Wii.
It’s a combination of things, really. From the beginning, we’ve gone out of our way to serve clients and give them what they need. Early on, when you’re starting a business, it’s kind of a feast-or-famine scenario. When the work was there, you worked until your fingers bled, because you didn’t know when the phone was going to ring again. So we went out of our way to be really service-oriented. Also, we had a certain value set—as far as honesty, friendliness, and integrity—that we had learned from my previous studies. We decided, “we’re going to serve these people and do all that we can to help them be successful.” We really think that pushed us a long way.
Mark: Originally I didn’t plan to start a business. I saw desktop publishing as a hobby and maybe a way to make money to get me through seminary. At the time, I bought a MacPlus for papers and, having been an artist, I discovered that I could create art on a computer. So I began to explore that, doing jobs for friends and family. About a year later, at the end of a semester, I was driving down Highway 17, trying to decide whether to continue in school and go further into debt or break away from that and pursue this new business opportunity, make some money, and give my wife a break. She was having a baby. (Was that really a break?) I asked, “God, what do you want me to do?” and the scripture came to my mind that “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” I decided that whatever was going to take more faith to pursue was the thing I wanted to do.
Mark: Desktop publishing a book on PageMaker 1.0 for a music publishing company. It was a startup company and they paid me what they could and the rest of it was just fun. Later, I began doing technical illustrations, manuals, slides, and grants. I made $11,000 my first year. A lot of the income I generated in the first years I turned around and reinvested in equipment. Stuff was expensive; my first 30 MB hard drive cost $636. As the business grew and technology changed, we just went to the next-generation machine, and have been doing so ever since. A couple of years after Nancy brought her marketing skills to the table in 1990, our living room looked like a warehouse for computer equipment. The business exploded.
Nancy: Well, besides growing much larger than we ever dreamed, we intentionally decided to narrow our focus on the niche of cinematic presentation in any media. We realized pretty quickly the huge demand for creating compelling, well-told and clearly designed visual stories in business, education and causes. We enjoy taking the innovative ideas that the Silicon Valley is famous for and making them visible, tangible and actionable. We believe in the power of the epiphany, and the very human, profoundly personal experience that comes from these moments of clarity. Even though companies spend millions of dollars in advertising and marketing to try to get customers to notice their brand, many companies don’t work hard enough on the story that’s told when they finally get an audience that wants to hear what they have to say. Duarte makes sure when those face-to-face, on-line or on-device presentations are delivered, the audience “gets it” easily.
Mark: Nancy and I enjoy working side by side. We’ve found that it doesn’t really work well if I’m giving her projects to do or if she’s handing off work to me; we really like to collaborate. We’ve learned each other’s strengths and weaknesses as far as running the business; for instance, I step in when we have to sit down with the CPA and do taxes. When it comes to meeting with the client and developing strategy and content for a project, that’s natural turf for Nancy. Fortunately, our strengths and weaknesses complement each other, which is not always true with couples.
Nancy: There are times during the day we don’t talk or see each other much, so we e–mail each other to keep in communication. We also try to get away periodically for a “let’s catch up and find out what’s happening” date. There are some real horror stories out there of husband/wife teams. Our journey together has been exhilarating; we love spending time together and even flirt at work.
Mark: We went through the slump the valley had in 1992. We learned at that time that the valley isn’t invincible, but more importantly we realized that the times of pruning bring about the greatest fruit.
Nancy: Yes, even though our phone didn’t ring for a few months, our clients that were getting laid off were all landing at new companies. We can honestly say that the layoffs that Apple had in 1992 were what created the flashpoint for our business. So, in this last (long) slump, we made business decisions from that vantage point. We knew that in some way, this could be very good for us. This valley seems very small, so we made decisions that were ethical, generous, caring, and prudent. Some decisions were even the opposite of what common sense would dictate. In the end, our team is intact, we still have no debt, and the phone rings like crazy.
Mark: When it moves, we move. We keep up with reading, looking at the industry, staying a step ahead. A lot of our clients are cutting-edge technology leaders, so we get an inside scoop of knowing what direction they’re going and anticipating where we need to be. But nobody knows where it’s really going to end up. It takes discernment; sometimes there’s nothing more than a gut feeling. Fortunately, we’ve been right on with the intuition, and trusting in the Almighty regarding where we need to go. We’ll be ready.
Nancy: One thing we don’t do is advertise. We’ve watched the business grow by word of mouth and by reputation. That was always a key for us; it’s better to have a good name than a huge financial success. The other thing, though, is remembering that our clients are people, not companies. We’re more interested in developing relationships with people than we are in creating a “strategic alliance” with a company. That’s why we’re still doing business with the same people we were 20 years ago, and why we get calls from new customers who have heard about us or seen our work. In the end, people are going to buy services based on reputation, on a good word from a friend or a colleague. Your clients become your best evangelists, your best sales team, if you remember to keep that in the forefront and just do a good job every time. We’ve always kept the value of a good name in high regard.
Nancy: Coping with change. Our business is growing, and the challenge has been to control the growth and flow with it, learn from it. It’s also a challenge to build a team that can maintain our vision and values as we grow. When you hire people with different backgrounds and different levels of experience, you have to mentor and groom each of them to the same team level. But it’s also incredibly satisfying when we’ve done something as a team, served the client, with the same values and energy and passion. There’s always a moment of “this is really what it’s all about”; these are victories we experience all the time.
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Mountain View161 E. Evelyn Ave Press ContactTracy Barba |
Chico372 E. 6th St |
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Perspectives |
Presentations Magazine |
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Duarte Design is always looking for creative people to join our studio. It’s the people who bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm to our clients and the workplace.
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