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# Under the Current Podcast: #1 - Joey Cofone
- URL: https://www.howardgray.net/under-the-current-podcast-1-joey-cofone/
- Published: 2020-12-15T23:33:00.000Z
- Updated: 2021-07-17T14:36:04.000Z
- Author: Howard Gray
- Tags: Podcast, Startups, Creative Business, Learning, Education & Growth

### the mirage of failure, recognising the spectrum of what’s difficult, and alternative approaches to rebranding

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[Anchor](https://anchor.fm/underthecurrent/?ref=howardgray.net) | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/3fOzIHeEhQIfprIX3NAbR6/?ref=howardgray.net) | [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/under-the-current/id1543982223/?ref=howardgray.net) | [Google Podcasts](https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy80MmMzOWRlOC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==&ref=howardgray.net) | [Pocket Casts](https://pca.st/hbz2ahrw/?ref=howardgray.net)

Think of a Thinker. Who comes to mind? Maybe Seneca, Aristotle, Newton, de Beauvoir? Ayn Rand, Bill Gates?  
  
Indeed, all great thinkers. But of course, everyone’s a thinker.  
  
It’s one of the guiding principles behind Baronfig, a company that seeks to champion thinkers around the world.  
  
From a speculative idea on Kickstarter, 7 years later their range of carefully designed notebooks, pens, and accessories to help cultivate better thinking are now sold around the globe.  
  
As well as most definitely being a thinker, Baronfig’s co-founder Joey Cofone is also a notable designer, and conveniently for a podcast host, a talker.  
  
In this wide-ranging episode we get into why failure doesn’t exist, recognising the spectrum of what difficult, what people really use Baronfig products for, rebranding Prince through one of the simplest ways imaginable , the magic of video games, and so much more.  
  
We also go into Joey’s extraordinary back story and what he’s learned from going through some very real adversity in his life.

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### Show notes

02:15: Learnings from two Luigis  
  
10:00: Developing a love of books  
  
13:00: Rebranding Prince – in an unexpected way  
  
21:00: What design means, and the fracture between two types of design  
  
28:30: Bringing literature into design school  
  
36:00: The catalyst for Baronfig  
  
39:30: Dealing with the unknown between Kickstarter and a ‘real’ business  
  
42:30: What failure really means  
  
48:30: The spectrum of difficult, and dealing with tragedy  
  
52:00: Are things fated? Exploring fate vs. free will  
  
56:30: Framing lack of fate in an empowering way  
  
57:30: Going remote in 2020  
  
65:00: What a notebook does for its owner  
  
70:00: Why video games are the ultimate form of creative expression  
  
73:00: How school needs to change post-pandemic