473 - Michael Kern

Michael Kern is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Playfight, a brand transformation studio that helps businesses design a new future with strategy, creative, story, technology, art and culture.

He has worked with countless brands including Nike, Adobe, American Express, Starbucks, Google, Pinterest and more.

Prior to founding Playfight, he founded Welikesmall, a digital agency that was acquired in 2019 by Thinkingbox.

He works alongside Co-Owner Ryan Gass (also pictured) in this creative workspace.

LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/kerrrn
Work → letsplayfight.com/work

Michael's Workspace Tour

On The Desk

• Macbook Pro
• Mac Studio Display
• Google Pixel 9
• Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro Headphones
• Davinci Resolve Micro Color Panel
• Wacom Tablet
• Grovemade (Monitor lift, mousepad, Headphone holder)
• Tascam Model 12 Mixer
• KRK Rokit 8 Speakers
• Boss Dr. Sample
• Ableton Push
• Drumbrute Impact
• Teenage Engineering OP-1
• Arturia Keylab 88
• Shure Mic mounted to a Gator Arm
• The Service Course Mug
• Trusco toolbox
• Fujifilm Instax Wide

Art

• ‍Bennett Kern (my son)
• Jeff Soto
• David Habben
• Nicholas Felton
• Some magic Amethyst
• $50 Squire Strat

Construction

• Lots of White Maple
• Stugastudio wide plank flooring
• Eris Bifold Doors
• Senville Leto Split AC
• Shou Sugi Ban exterior

Do you feel it is important to have your workspace physically separated from the home?

Having my workspace physically separated from home is super important for me. Work tends to bleed into family time, so that physical separation is key for us.

My calendar is always packed, and I've learned that having dedicated work focus blocks without interruption is absolutely essential to getting anything meaningful done. I'm always trying to get some solid focus time, you know?

Our space does double duty as a music studio and library too, which is pretty cool.

Plus, Ryan (my business partner) uses it as well, which honestly saves us from the awkwardness of him always being in our house. Makes it way easier to switch off when I'm done, I can just walk away and actually be present with my family instead of still being in work mode.