stodt GmbH - Carsten | Creative Director / Owner / Managing director

Creative Director / Owner / Managing director

He is stodt. And has been for over 35 years.

Creative Director / Owner / Managing director

He’s the boss and keeps the business together. Creative through and through, with an extreme passion for good design and photography. Our international customers appreciate his concepts and strategies – oh, and yes – he’s also the managing director of the company.

Warm-up question for getting started:

What’s your name?

Carsten Stodt

Titles, titles, titles:

What is your job title?

Creative Director / Owner / Managing director

Master, Dipl.-Ing. or Dr. med.:

What is your educational title, meaning what did you actually study?

Life...

I went through various stages before I became self-employed. Technical design college, apprenticeship in artwork production, different agencies… But I started my own business when I was 20. Well, and that’s what I’ve been doing since 1990 – over 30 years of communications and design...

What everyone has always wanted to know:

What do you do at stodt?

Strategic brand and product communications consulting, regional and international communications strategies. Lots of work in Asia and South East Asia, but also in India and MEA.

Design, design and design

But of course, a little management, too ;)

Look behind the scenes:

What can you do and why?

I can photograph people and interview them: I trained under a photographer for a while, which is how I discovered my love of photography, and I covered the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) race for years, photographing it for a client. Even then, it was more the people in the paddock that attracted me...

Presenting and strategic workshops: I like to work with people (not with everybody, and only when it makes sense!!!), and to help companies get ahead...

Communications strategies, brand development, concepts – but with a holistic approach and when it makes sense ;)

Internationally adapted strategies and measures. Lots and lots of travel and experiences in so many countries with so many marketing colleagues...

Experience is a good thing, too:

How long have you been with stodt?

Since 1990 ;)

Customers, machines, pixels, a warm office or coffee:

Why are you passionate about your job?

There are still people you can work with on an equal footing. (Even though their numbers are dwindling!) You can help companies get ahead. You can develop designs and strategies that are fun and get noticed.

Development: Designs, strategies, people

Be honest, but not so honest we have to censor your answer:

What gets on your nerves sometimes?

People – mistrust, suspicion, presumptuousness, arrogance…

My favourite quote by Erik Spiekermann:

“Don’t work for assholes. Don’t work with assholes.”