Hi, I’m Callum Flack. I’m a designer and engineer from Australia.
Started designing in 1999 and coding in 2011, now with fluency in both. From fragile idea to prototype to product and distribution, I shorten feedback loops and nail the details that “make it talk”.
I believe that discerning judgment across disciplines is the antidote to any mediocre outcome, including AI slop.
Cold emails and new online friendships are welcome.
I’ve done the rounds: founded a startup engineering team through to its sale, launched a viral AI product before ChatGPT, run my own agency, my own record labels, and created brands at Saatchi & Saatchi. I enjoy the scrap.
Some highlights:
- Currently working on personal data sovereignty at Vana, a San Francisco-based start-up. This is my second stint (my first was 2022–2024). We built a viral generative AI app before ChatGPT existed. More soon.
- Built Cleared from initial commit in 2019 through to its sale in 2022. I assembled and lead its engineering team, and designed and built the app.
- Ran my own agency 2015 to 2020 for Australian and US clients, remote from Cairns. I planned, designed, built and managed projects from brief to launch.
- In the 00s, I did brand design at Saatchi & Saatchi, London among other places. You can still find my 2000-era brand work in Australian supermarkets.
You can also check out some case studies.
I collect music of all kinds and ran multiple vinyl record labels with friends between 2007 and 2013, for which I designed (or rebuilt) all the record covers.
I read books and watch films voraciously; Gerald Murnane’s “Border Districts” or Jonathon Glazer’s “Under The Skin” are current favourites. My favourite artist is either Agnes Martin or Joseph Cornell.
I’ve lived in 3 countries and 8 cities. Home is now tropical Cairns, Australia with my wife and children.