Don Synstelien

Current

• innovator and pirate at MySpace
• Creative Director at Fox Interactive Media

Past

• Chief Creative Officer and Director of Product Strategy at Sidereus Technologies
• Owner at SynFonts
• Principal / Owner at Synstelien Design (Sole Proprietorship)

• VP / Experience Architect at Talisman Creative
• Creative Director at Caribiner International

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Education

• Dallas Institute of Art at Omaha

Recommended

2 people have recommended Don

Connections

362 connections

Industry

Internet

Websites

• My Blog
• My Website
• My Company

Don Synstelien’s Summary

I have experience in new business development, strategy and acquiring talented teams, both creative and technical. I've successfully launched several products for companies like Myspace, Fox Sports and The Weather Channel among many others. Most recently, My team and I designed MySpace for the iPhone, an app that was commented by users as the best way to access Myspace *ever* and that is rated at four stars in the iTunes store. (Facebook only got two)

Other products of note: I founded SpringWidgets.com, Initiated and led the creation of a complete cross FIM analytics/metrics product, I demoed, conceptualized or spearheaded nearly every major initiative at FIM for the first two years, including such diverse projects as a self serve ad system, a developer network, an ad network, Financial website, Several redesigns of Myspace products, more top-secret projects than public ones and helped influence over 30 million in sales across Myspace and other various FIM properties.

Currently I'm working for Myspace, co-heading FIMLabs, leading design/experience efforts for Myspace Mobile, providing strategy for several secret projects and working with patent attorneys.

Don Synstelien’s Specialties:

Specializing in strategy, vision and R&D for social networks. Very knowledgeable about widgets, apps, mobile, brand advertising in social networks, monetizing social networks, advertiser metrics and building companies and products on a shoestring.

I dream.

I tilt at windmills.

I run the gauntlet.

Don Synstelien’s Experience

• innovator and pirate

  MySpace

  (Public Company; 201-500 employees; NWS; Internet industry)

  2008 — Present (less than a year)

  It's all secret.

• Creative Director

  Fox Interactive Media

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; NWS; Internet industry)

  July 2005 — Present (3 years 3 months)

  Provide disruptive R&D, Strategy and guidance in relation to Social Networking and new advertising and interaction models.
  
  Discover and suggest ways to monetize "Blue Ocean" opportunities that are in line with company goals.

• Chief Creative Officer and Director of Product Strategy

  Sidereus Technologies

  (Internet industry)

  November 2002 — July 2005 (2 years 9 months)

  (Sidereus Technologies was purchased in 2005 by Fox Interactive Media.)
  
  Prior to acquisition by FIM, I led all creative and product efforts and provided guidance to all departments and disciplines as needed in order to generate and implement company and product vision.
  
  Some highlights were:
  • Powercast, a set of tools geared towards local television stations that allowed for a complete set of alerting tools across desktop, mobile and web products.
  • DirecTV GameTracker, a desktop based sports scoreboard and fantasy game. Achieved performance of 1200% above client expectations set by the prior year’s application
  • Desktop Weather Platinum, the Weather Channel’s premium subscription product. This product has been called the most comprehensive desktop weather solution available

• Owner

  SynFonts

  (Internet industry)

  January 1994 — July 2005 (11 years 7 months)

  SynFonts is an internet based type foundry that has been engaged in the online selling of type since 1994. SynFonts has clients in all current world countries and states and features 31 truly unique typeface designs and is known for originality and creativity.

• Principal / Owner

  Synstelien Design (Sole Proprietorship)

  (Sole Proprietorship; 1-10 employees; Computer Software industry)

  October 2000 — November 2002 (2 years 2 months)

  Provided solutions for several companies and agencies around the globe, fulfilling needs for high-end interactive and award winning creative. Highlights include:
  • Provided creative for Audi MarketSphere product, a powerful lead generation tool
  • Provided all IA and creative for Counselware, the most easy-to-use comprehensive automated legal document system available for use by lawyers and paralegals

• VP / Experience Architect

  Talisman Creative

  (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Internet industry)

  April 2000 — October 2000 (7 months)

  Led the design arm of a digital media start up:
  • Insured brand consistency and creative excellence for all projects
  • Contracted freelancers, recruited, hired and mentored in-house designers
  • Led shut down procedures and closed the business - trust me, this might be the most valuable experience that I have and certainly was the most costly.

• Creative Director

  Caribiner International

  (Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; cwc; Events Services industry)

  December 1998 — April 2000 (1 year 5 months)

  Caribiner International
  Digital Media Creative Director
  Atlanta, GA - December 1998 - April 2000
  Led the creative and visual efforts of the Atlanta Digital Media Group, including:
  • Led all creative efforts for the 3M Volition lead generation tool. The total amount of leads generated exceeded expected performance by over 300% with an increased quality-of-lead ratio shown
  • My work directly influenced the 3000+ employee events-production company referring to the Atlanta office as it’s Center for Creative Excellence

Don Synstelien’s Education

• Dallas Institute of Art at Omaha

  associates, advertising and commercial art, 1986 — 1988

Additional Information

Don Synstelien’s Websites:

• My Blog
• My Website
• My Company

Don Synstelien’s Interests:

Web 2.0, Philosophy, Fencing, Motorcycling, Objects of great beauty.

Don Synstelien’s Groups:

Published Work

• Co-Authored 'The Site Speaks for itself' for Glasshaus publishing, a book on usability
• Co-Authored Director Studio 8.5 for Friends of Ed Publishing
• Wrote the introduction for the book, In Your Face, The Best of Interactive Interface Design. Also included in the book as a featured interactive designer
• Wrote the introduction for the book Typography on the Web
• My type has been included and featured in a wide range of published books including The Adobe Type Magic Series, Emotional-Digital and Faces on the Edge amongst several others

Speaking Events

• Keynoted Widgets Live, 11/2006
• Mix06, 03/2006
• TypeCon2001 8/2001

•    Executive Suite
•    TalentBar: HR and Recruiter Network

Don Synstelien’s Honors:

• Winner Two 2005 Addy Awards
• Winner 2003 Best of Show and 1 Gold Addy Award
• Finalist in the 2001 Amsterdam Flash Forward Film Festival in the E-Commerce Division for the SynFonts Type Viewer
• Winner of the 1999 ShowSouth Gold Award, Interactive Division
• Winner of the 1996 Optima Silver Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement
• My personal Web site won several web-based awards including AOL "member homepage" in 1996 for it's innovative layout and ease of use
• Founding member of Typeright. An online advocacy group for type copyright protection. Winner 1997 Publish Impact Award

Don Synstelien’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch