Additionally, Brandan functioned as a freelance designer creating various web sites, brand marks, and promotional materials for various businesses. He also launched and maintained a local events website for six years called The UrbanStarr which provided users a resource for finding out what was going on socially in the city of Columbus, OH. The UrbanStarr was one of the first websites of it’s kind to offer streaming music (2001) and video (2004) to it’s users as well as widget-based functionality.
After seven years at Nationwide, Brandan decided to attend The Ohio State University to pursue his Master of Fine Arts. In addition to coursework and teaching, Brandan contributed to “Midnight Robbers”, an exhibit focusing on the artists of Notting Hill Carnival, a collaborative effort between Middlesex University (Adela Ruth Tompsett, Theatre) and Ohio State (Lesley Ferris, Theatre & R. Brian Stone, Design). The exhibit had an interactive (kiosk-like) component that allowed patrons to experience Carnival beyond the displayed pictures and costumes. As lead programmer, Brandan traveled to the UK in three subsequent years for research, interactive testing, and eventual implementation in London’s City Hall, the (inaugural) home of the Midnight Robber’s exhibit.
Brandan’s thesis study revolved around branding, specifically why and how a designer’s business model and an athlete’s value can be expanded to help increase the value of both individuals and their skill sets. Brandan played division I baseball at the University of Pittsburgh and was also a starting high school quarterback. Combining his two primary passions, being a designer and being an athlete, he wanted to research how designers could help and benefit from working with athletes at varying levels.
Since graduation, Brandan has formed Starr360, LLC, an umbrella company for everything he does going forward. He has also launched a fashion venture called ATHLETE Shirts where customers can customize and order shirts to proclaim what type of ATHLETE they are. He has taught at The Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College and is currently a professor in Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication.