Michael Pilla

“I’ve Been Doing This for a While.”
Designer. Creative Director. Strategist. Teacher. Writer. Entrepreneur.

I started my career as an illustrator, creating book jackets for Doubleday, before moving into direct-response design at Time Inc. That’s where I learned an important lesson: design isn’t just supposed to look good. It’s supposed to get people to do something.

I carried that idea into the digital world, leading creative teams at iVillage and Modem Media and working with brands including Clinique, Ford, IBM, GE, and UBS. Eventually, I founded Pilla Creative Marketing to bring that combination of strategy, creativity, and technology to smaller businesses and organizations.

Along the way, I’ve taught at Pratt Institute, Pace University, and Mercy College; spoken for organizations including the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, Arts and Business Council of New York, and Microsoft’s Mega Marketing Week; and written
You Oughta Be in Business, a humorous guide for serious entrepreneurs. I’ve also been quoted in The New York Times and on the Wall Street Journal Small Business Report on CBS Radio.

After years of designing, directing, teaching, writing, and building businesses, I’ve learned to strip away the unnecessary and focus on what actually matters.

And all of it has taught me something surprisingly simple:

The best solution usually starts with asking the right questions.

That is No Nonsense Design.