What began as a creative outlet for one overworked designer has grown into a globally distributed design studio with a cult following in the cannabis and CPG worlds. We catch up with Studio Linear founder Andrea Beaulieu to talk laidback leadership, Seth Rogen-shaped turning points, and designing from sailboats.
When Andrea Beaulieu launched Studio Linear back in 2011, she wasn’t building a brand agency; she was carving out a corner of creativity in her off-hours.
“At the time, I was a working mother, and my day job left me feeling unfulfilled and drained,” she recalls. What started as a few logo and packaging side projects soon gathered momentum. “I needed to make a decision: either step back or see this vision through. And that’s exactly what I did. I haven’t looked back.”
Fourteen years later, Studio Linear is a thriving, remote-first creative studio with a speciality in branding for consumer packaged goods, cannabis and wellness brands, music, fashion and more. With a global team, a four-day work week, and creative outputs spanning from minimalist record sleeves to regulation-savvy dispensary drops, it’s the kind of business that reflects Beaulieu’s original ethos: authentic, flexible, and built with soul.
Finding freedom in design (and location)
Studio Linear began life in Maine, where Beaulieu was born and raised. But the studio’s shift to a remote model came just before the pandemic hit—a move that turned out to be both prescient and liberating. When a client introduced her to 30A, a scenic stretch of Florida’s Gulf Coast, Beaulieu and her family relocated to embrace a different pace.
“Being close to the ocean and spending most of our time outside helps balance work and life,” she says. “Living like you’re on vacation every day… to me, that’s how I measure success.”
However, remote certainly doesn’t mean disconnected. Studio Linear runs on a fluid blend of autonomy and accountability, with Slack, Zoom, and good old-fashioned trust keeping things humming. Team members work from wherever suits them best – be that an RV in Maine, a flat in Mexico City, or a sailboat in the Bahamas. “It makes them most happy,” Beaulieu adds simply. And happy creatives do better work.
The moment everything changed
Every studio has that career-defining moment, the tipping point between quiet growth and mainstream recognition. For Studio Linear, it came courtesy of one particularly well-known client.
“Seth Rogen’s Houseplant was our big break,” says Beaulieu. “When their marketing team emailed us, I genuinely thought it was spam.” Fortunately, she retrieved it from the junk folder just in time. “It brought tears to my eyes to realise they wanted to work with our little team.”
Since then, Studio Linear has continued to attract clients across cannabis, CPG, and culture, building a reputation for design that is both beautifully executed and culturally in tune. From hip record labels to psychedelic startups, the studio thrives on variety – even when navigating thorny regulatory terrain. “Each state has its own rules on packaging and branding,” says Beaulieu of the cannabis sector. “But it keeps us on our toes.”
Culture-first creativity
Beaulieu’s early experiences in a male-dominated industry left a lasting impression on how she built her studio culture. “We had clients come to us saying their voices weren’t heard, that their vision had been bulldozed,” she says. “It made me think deeply about how female business owners are treated and what I wanted Studio Linear to stand for.”
That led to a culture rooted in respect, equality, and open communication – regardless of a client’s size, gender or background. “We work with everyone, but we make sure every client feels heard and seen.”
It’s also a studio that rejects the hustle-for-hustle’s-sake mentality. Studio Linear has worked a four-day week since day one, favouring deep focus and well-rested brains over performative busyness. That commitment to balance extends to their process, too. “We’re equal parts laidback yet organised,” says Beaulieu. “Caring but focused.”
Personal meets professional
One of Studio Linear’s defining features is its versatility. The team works across a range of sectors but brings a tailored approach to each. “Our portfolio isn’t one-size-fits-all,” says Beaulieu. “We spend time learning who our client is and how their business ticks. That discovery phase shapes everything we do.”
That deep-dive approach makes for brand work that is both strategically solid and full of heart. Beaulieu has a particular soft spot for packaging, especially in the food and beverage space. “It’s so rewarding seeing your designs out in the real world,” she says. “On shelves, in fridges, in people’s hands.”
Music, too, remains close to her heart. “I went to college for music,” she says, “so any client in the music industry gets me really excited. Creating branding for a record label was a personal highlight.”
What’s next for Studio Linear?
Looking ahead, the team is shifting gears. “We’ve spent years in cannabis, but for 2025, we’re really focusing on the CPG market,” says Beaulieu. To support the pivot, the studio is undergoing its own refresh, with a new brand identity and website set to launch in spring.
Personal exploration is also on the cards, as Beaulieu hopes to take a trip to Oaxaca with her family. “I want to learn more about the Mezcal-making process, meet local agave farmers… and, fingers crossed, work on some branding and packaging in that space,” she says.
If Studio Linear’s journey so far is anything to go by, that Mezcal brief might not be far off. And wherever the next client comes from – be it New York or Oaxaca, psychedelics or pet food – one thing’s for sure: it’ll be approached with care, curiosity, and a sense of balance that feels refreshingly modern.
After all, for Beaulieu, success isn’t measured in billings or awards. It’s measured in sunlight, sea air, and the freedom to build a business that feels good to run. As origin stories go, that’s a hard one to beat.
