Jen Bilik

Background

Bilik was born on July 21, 1969, in Berkeley, California.

Education

University of Michigan.

Career

After attending college at the University of Michigan, she moved to New York City and pursued a variety of creative interests including writing, editing, design, and arts and crafts. She freelanced as an apprentice film editor, architectural draftsperson, and newspaper proofreader before becoming a book editor at Rizzoli International Publications. After a freelance stint that included editing many books as well as co-authoring two (Todd Oldham: Without Boundaries and Women of Taste: A Collaboration Celebrating Quilt Artists and Chefs), Bilik moved to Los Angeles in August 1998.

The company is based in Venice, California, where Bilik also resides.

Bilik founded Knock Knock in order to be able to “write and design at the same time” and all of Knock Knock’s products exhibit this union. She is an adept humorist, and Knock Knock’s products are known for having a distinctive, non-homogenized voice of humor via social observation.

She is a designer, creative director, and avid crafter. She has also learned the principles of running a business through trial by fire.

Contributor to The Huffington Post

Contributor to Incorporated.

(magazine)

Company-president of Dog Beach Now

Guest lecturer at Art Center College of Design

Featured speaker: Design Indaba Conference in 2011

Featured guest on the "Work Awesome" podcast in 2011

Featured speaker: The Dieline Conference in 2013

Keynote speaker: PubWest Conference in 2013

Featured guest on Design Observer"s Design Matters with Debbie Millman in 2013

Featured speaker: American Institute of Graphic Arts Blueprint Law for Creatives in 2013

Featured as one of Los Angeles Weekly"s Most Fascinating People in 2014

Featured speaker: TYPO San Francisco in 2015

Profiles of Bilik have appeared in:

Los Angeles Weekly

Incorporated. (magazine)

The New York Times

Wall Street Journal

The Dieline

Design Milk

Dog Milk

Kern and Burn

Daring Female

TalkTech Communications

Design*Sponge

Blogcritics"

Ladies Who Launch

Design Observer.

Connections

Friend:

Knock Knock