Think & Link with David Rubin and Eric Ryan

Starting off ‘26 with another dose of great design playing a role in publishing, entrepreneurship and consumer products. 

We have Eric Ryan, most known for co-founding Method Products and Olly and dramatically less known for having spoken at an annual AMA event back in the early 2000s at the request of Aaron Keller. Eric’s photo should be on the Wikipedia page for “serial entrepreneurship” because he can’t seem to stop going after boring categories with great design and category leadership. 

To make this a January to remember we’ve got David Rubin, CMO of The New York Times. David is returning to our Think & Link stage due to popular demand and because he is adored by the Capsule team. You can go back to the podcast episode (2020) and listen to David and Fernando Machado at Burger King -- thoroughly enjoyable. 

We'll be looking for red threads on the role of design in all of Eric’s ventures and inside the New York Times. And, like many of our events, we’ll be covering a variety of other topics designed to give you a view of what Eric and David are seeing on the near horizon. 

Areas of learning from this event;

One: Design is the process of thoughtfully creating something for a purpose and audience. What role has design played in your organization and life? 

Two: How does a good cause and a good business come together?  

Three: Will design become more important in the age of artificial? Just so you know our bias, we’re on the side of it becoming dramatically more important. 

Capsule started Think & Link as a french-style salon, to discuss the relevant topics of the day, connect with other like-minded individuals and share inspiring stories. 

These events are sponsored by:

Capsule, a special projects agency in Minneapolis working with brands like PepsiCo, Patagonia, Osprey, Tyson Foods, Arc’teryx, Curaleaf and Kwik Trip on complex marketing, design and brand challenges.

Lake One, a modern growth and technology partner helping B2B brands navigate digital transformation across marketing, sales and customer experience.

August Ash, a web design, development, and digital marketing firm based in Bloomington, Minnesota. They have helped countless organizations in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors solve complex challenges by aligning strategy, sales, technology, and marketing. 

Co-hosts:

Dustin Studelska, PhD, Brand Communication Strategist, Capsule

Abby Kelsey, Co-Founder, Always Social

In-Person Attendance Details:

3:00 - 4:00 pm CST: Arrival Grain Belt Brewery. Parking is free. 

4:00 - 5:00 pm CST: Conversation with our guests.

5:00 - 6:00 pm CST: Close, networking, and looking forward to the next one.

Drinks and appetizers will be served. RSVP required for event entry. Parking, entrance and additional attendance details will be sent via email prior to the event.

Attendance is $35. Food, parking and libations are included. Active participation is expected.