A Podcast Series: The Story of The Local Project with Aidan Anderson

Welcome to Episode 17 | From Carpenter to Founding A Global Brand reaching an audience of 3 Million - The Story of The Local Project - Aidan Anderson.

Nine years ago, Aidan Anderson was a chippie with a passion for design. A single Instagram post with 30 likes sparked what would become The Local Project, now one of the most influential digital design publications amassing over 3 million followers. Fast forward to today, he’s expanding the brand internationally, breaking into the New York market, and redefining the design and architecture media landscape and continuing to shape the industry in a way that feels both personal and innovative.

In this episode, we uncover the real story behind The Local Project’s rise, going beyond the curated social media image to explore:

• How Aidan built a multi-million-follower brand from scratch

• The challenges of scaling a digital publication without a roadmap

• Instagram vs reality - balancing brand growth with personal identity

• Overcoming any self-doubt and betting on yourself as a founder

• The role of mentorship, partnerships, and investment in long-term success

• Expanding globally while strengthening the Australian design industry

• The future of The Local Project and what’s next for Aidan

Aidan is a quiet achiever, incredibly humble, and one of the most easygoing founders you'll meet. His journey proves that sometimes, the best businesses are built from intuition, resilience, and the willingness to just start, even when you don’t know exactly where it will lead.

This episode is packed with insights for entrepreneurs, creatives, and anyone building something from the ground up. Don’t miss it. Listen now!

Credits //

Guest:
Aidan Anderson | The Local Project | The Local Production

Produced by:
Andrew Cooney // Think loud official

Location | La Porte Furniture | Totem Road

“Our secret sauce, so to speak, in terms of working with clients and partners is, it really came from me sitting down with my team and saying, how can we work with industry-leading brands and actually create content together that is beneficial to them obviously, to get their product, their name, and the people in their business out there, but is also a massive win for us, where it’s actually content that people want to watch or consume as well.”

— Aidan Anderson - The Local Project, Founder & Editor-In-Chief