The first MFAD 15th Anniversary Alumni Conversation was an instructional on design entrepreneurship. Celia Cheng and Joanna Kuczek spoke about their businesses and the fun and seriousness of taking the independent leap. Moderated by co-chair Steven Heller.

The pair explained how their respective thesis products developed from earlier interests in food and food culture, and how the final academic outcome led directly into their start-ups. Each offered the other words of wisdom and advice with the take-away: If you don’t have fun doing it, don’t do it.

A video of the proceedings is being produced as part of the 15th Anniversary “fete.”