The Futur Podcast with Chris Do
Episode 396: The Art of Everyday Innovation w/ Paul Rowan
Aired: November 8, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, Chris Do sits down with Paul Rowan, co-founder of the globally recognized design company Umbra, to explore the art of everyday innovation and the journey from humble beginnings to iconic design. Rowan dives deep into how curiosity, resilience, and a passion for practical, beautiful objects fueled Umbra’s rise, and shares insights on creativity, entrepreneurship, failure, mentorship, and the evolving role of design in the age of AI. The conversation is candid and personal, offering both practical wisdom and inspiration to designers, innovators, and anyone chasing creative change.
Key Themes & Discussion Points
1. Paul Rowan’s Background and the Origin of Umbra
- Hardware Store Roots: Paul grew up in his father’s hardware store—a formative experience that exposed him to the problem-solving nature of physical products from an early age.
- “By the time I was 12 years old, I knew 50,000 SKUs, how to something and... I call it applied technology.” (04:47)
- First Steps in Design: After noticing a lack of stylish window coverings, Paul built his own, then partnered with Les Mandelbaum to start Umbra.
- DIY Entrepreneurship: There was no market research or business strategy—just solving a need, making samples, and driving them personally to stores.
2. Umbra’s Business Evolution
- From Local to Global Manufacturing: Started with North American manufacturing, but due to competition, built a factory in Asia for scalability and survival.
- Brand Ethos Formation: Iterative product design, driven by market demands, organically formed Umbra’s brand centered on affordability, modernity, and simplicity.
3. On Formal Training vs. Learning by Doing
- Graphic Design as a Communication Tool: Two years at George Brown College taught Paul how to communicate ideas—vital for entrepreneurship.
- The Value of Generalists: Paul advocates for broad foundational learning before specialization, encouraging hands-on, multi-disciplinary education.
4. Entrepreneurship, Failure, and Pivots
- Leap of Faith: Paul left a stable job in early digital typography to start Umbra—a risk that required courage and multi-disciplinary skills.
- Embracing Failure: Umbra’s first product failed, but feedback led to new product lines and opportunities.
- “Even though you're confident… you don't know what's going to happen in the marketplace, but to have the courage to pivot and to reinvest to figure it out... that was a huge turning point.” (00:00, discussed again at 42:08)
5. Role of Curiosity and Youthful Energy
- Lifelong Curiosity: Both Chris and Paul recount stories of exploring stores purely out of curiosity—a habit that breeds innovation.
- Value of Young Designers: Internships and university collaborations (like with Pratt, which birthed the Conceal Bookshelf) kept Umbra’s creativity fresh and provided mutual benefit.
- “Stay close to your school because this is where you're going to get your recruitment... new ideas.” (14:42)
6. Mentorship, Company Culture, and Ethics
- Win-Win Collaborations: Umbra pays student designers royalties and supports schools—a rarity in business.
- “I wish every manufacturer out there would reach out to their local design schools and universities and create similar programs.” (17:44)
- Empathetic Leadership: Paul describes himself as an accidental mentor and “therapist,” crediting success to compassion and deep relationships.
7. Product Pitching and the Sales Journey
- Overcoming Shyness: Despite being introverted, Paul pushed himself to pitch and present—a skill that grew with necessity.
- “I'm the shyest person you could ever know...but you have to overcome it somehow.” (22:09)
- Early Sales Experiences: Paul’s straightforward pitch—"I’ve got a new idea... please try it”—opened doors. Testing and relationship building were key.
- “You never know which ones are going to really take off... Get into the space somehow.” (29:15)
8. Iconic Products and Democritization of Design
- Designing the Garbo Trash Can: A collaboration with Karim Rashid brought iconic, curvaceous design to a low-cost, everyday object, leading to mass success and a MoMA permanent collection spot.
- "We've proved that there is such a thing as democratization of design. Design doesn't have to be expensive." (40:44, 41:08)
- Iterative Success & Scaling: The Garbo’s massive sales were unlocked by simply resizing it to fit bathrooms—demonstrating the value of continuous iteration and market listening.
9. Learning from Failure
- Flops and Lessons: Not every idea works—Paul shares stories of product failures, including a collapsing storage ottoman, underscoring the importance of pairing creativity with engineering.
- “If you have pure creativity without really good engineering, I think it can be a flop.” (49:27)
10. Innovation, AI, and the Future of Design
- AI as Tool & Threat: Paul sees AI as a powerful tool for rapid prototyping and presentations, but warns against losing originality and human imagination.
- “The only way to face the future is through imagination. And I think the computer is only going to... there's a whole sameness about AI output.” (57:12)
- Human Imagination’s Role: He emphasizes the irreplaceable need for imagination, foundational knowledge, and foundational art training, even in an AI-driven future.
11. Giving Back and Designing the Next Generation
- Education & Mentoring: Now retired, Paul focuses on knowledge sharing—especially in Latin America, where he finds deep respect for educators.
- Workshops & Teaching: He encourages both respect for teachers and fostering client-facing, imaginative, and engineering-literate designers.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Imperfection and Innovation:
“In a perfectly designed world, you wouldn't need a hardware store. Your houses would be perfect, your car would be perfect. ...I sort of built my career on creating hacks like that.” (07:17) -
On Courage and Pivoting:
“Even though you’re confident… you don’t know what’s going to happen in the marketplace, but to have the courage to pivot and to reinvest to figure it out…that was a huge turning point.” (00:00, revisited at 42:08) -
On Team and Youthful Energy:
“The young people kept me young. ...The young people were the ones that really... were driving great product development.” (14:42) -
On Mentorship:
“I always felt like I was almost a therapist in my office. ...I’m so proud when these people I worked with, like 20, 30 years ago reach out to me ...what a great feeling.” (20:04) -
On Democratization of Design:
“We've proved that there is such a thing as democratization of design. Design doesn't have to be expensive.” (41:08) -
On Failure & Learning:
“If you have pure creativity without really good engineering, I think it can be a flop.” (49:27) -
On AI & The Future:
“The only way to face the future is through imagination. And I think the computer is only going to... there's a whole sameness about AI output.” (57:12) -
On Advice to Entrepreneurs:
“This is the time to get going, and this is the time for all companies to innovate... whatever you do, don't cut your design department.” (36:10)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Paul’s Introduction & Background – [00:34–01:33]
- Umbra’s Early Days & Entrepreneurial Leap – [01:33–04:38]; [10:11–14:17]
- Hardware Store Roots & DIY Spirit – [04:47–07:17]
- Product Pitching & First Sales – [25:26–30:26]
- Working with Students & Knowledge Sharing – [14:42–18:15]; [61:18–63:22]
- Design Process, Failure, and Engineering – [48:44–54:30]
- Iconic Product Stories (Garbo, O Chair, etc.) – [37:47–45:58]
- AI, Innovation, and the Future of Design – [55:28–60:36]
- Paul’s Current Work & How to Contact – [61:18–65:27]
Further Resources
- PaulRowan.ca: www.paulrowan.ca (speaking, consulting)
- YouTube: "Undesigned with Paul Rowan"
- Instagram: @paulrowan
Takeaways for Listeners
- Start with curiosity; scratch your own itch and see where real needs and opportunities live.
- Be ready to fail and pivot—almost every breakthrough relies on listening and adapting.
- Build relationships at every level: with team, vendors, retailers, and educational institutions.
- Balance artistic imagination with engineering practicality, and don’t be afraid to let failure teach you.
- In the age of AI, human originality, empathy, and imagination are more vital than ever.
- Stay connected to learning and teaching; collaboration and mentorship drive innovation forward.