CAPTN OffScript

Episode 30 of Season 2. The 80th episode I've recorded since starting this show. And honestly, I couldn't have picked a better guest to mark a milestone like that. Andy J. Pizza is the host of Creative Pep Talk, an illustrator, a children's book author, and one of the people who has quietly shaped how thousands of designers think about their own creativity. He's also the guy who chose to call hims...

He grew up in Salamanca. Spent 20 years as an art director in Amsterdam. His father died. He boarded a plane to Japan for a sabbatical — and 14 years later, he's still there. Luis Mendo is a Spanish illustrator and the founder of Mundo Mendo — a personal membership project built on illustrated stories, shipped directly to readers with no algorithm in between. This is a conversation about finding y...

He wakes up at 4:30am. Two kids under two. Three hours of work before the house comes alive. This is how one of the most sought-after artists in America currently operates. Temi Coker is a Nigerian-American artist and creative director based in Dallas, Texas. His work has appeared in campaigns for Adobe, Apple, ESPN, AT&T, and the Oscars. He launched a home collection with Walmart in 2025. And...

She chose graphic design over photography because she couldn't afford a camera. She chose it over philosophy because her teacher said get work first, study ideas later. Now she runs a studio of exactly three people, plays guitar in an all-women punk band with no expectations, writes articles on the bus, and has just started her philosophy degree. Ingrid Picanyol is a Catalan graphic designer based...

She designed a Vogue cover during COVID while riding her motorcycle through Barcelona without a helmet. She made over 300 logos before landing on the one for a Nike Haaland campaign. She survived a pandemic across two countries paying two rents simultaneously — and ended up in a farmhouse with bats, eagles, and rats for four months. Marta Cerdà Alimbau is a Catalan graphic designer, AGI member, an...

He's back. And this time we accidentally planned a Madrid book event live on air. Elliot Jay Stocks is a designer, writer, editor, and the person behind Fine Specimens — a brand new book showcasing contemporary type design from 69 foundries, including three of mine. We talked about the book, the five-stop tour, joining Adobe after 18.5 years of freelancing, the love-hate relationship with Instagra...

He founded Serial Cut in Madrid in 1999. For nearly 30 years it became one of the most recognised creative studios in the world. And then he let it go — not because he failed, but because something new had already taken hold of him completely. Sergio del Puerto is an art director, image maker, and one of the most influential creatives in the Spanish design industry. This is the story of Serial Cut...

She learned Photoshop at 12 on multiple 30-day trials. She got into five art schools and couldn't afford a single one. She moved to New York with no job, no safety net, and no plan B. And then her artwork went around the world on a UPS box. Sophia Yeshi is a New York-based illustrator whose bold, colourful, inclusive work has appeared in campaigns for Google, Spotify, Adobe, Instagram, and UPS. Bu...

Lettering legend Jessica Hische sat in a room full of ultra-successful entrepreneurs — and realised they all dreamed of doing exactly what she was already doing. Drums, stained glass, creative hobbies, time with their kids, work they actually love. Her life, right now. In this episode, we go well beyond the portfolio. Jessica opens up about imposter syndrome, building a creative life entirely on h...

Jacob Cass started a blog in 2007 as a design student in Sydney, documenting his learning journey. That simple act of sharing imperfect work caught the attention of a New York agency and launched a career designing for Disney, Nike, and Red Bull. Nearly 20 years later, Jacob has traveled to 88 countries as a digital nomad, hosted the Just Branding podcast for six years, and founded Brand Builders...

What do you want to be known for in five years? Austrian brand designer Geri Kriechbaum asks himself this question constantly — and it's transformed how he builds Stroncton, his brand design studio. In this episode, Geri shares his journey from technical engineer to self-taught designer, the trademark setback that led to Stroncton's creation, and why putting your work out there (even when it's imp...

In this episode, I sit down with Scott Fuller to talk about what it truly means to succeed as an independent designer. We move beyond surface-level advice and dig into the realities of building a sustainable design career. Scott shares how consistency, reliability, and long-term thinking have shaped his path, and why independence requires more than just talent. A large part of our conversation foc...

In this episode, I talk with Armin Vit and Bryony Gomez-Palacio about building a creative life together and what that really looks like behind the scenes. We discuss their path into design writing, publishing, and criticism, the origins and evolution of Brand New, and the choices that led them away from traditional career structures toward independence. This conversation explores how creative iden...

In this episode, I sit down with Paul and Jan, founders of Hyperfocus, to talk about building a design studio with intention in an industry that constantly pulls your attention in a hundred different directions. We discuss how Hyperfocus was founded during a moment of uncertainty, and how that experience shaped their approach to work, culture, and decision-making. From the influence of skateboardi...

In this episode, I sit down with Alex Trochut for one of the most personal and reflective conversations we’ve had on the podcast. We talk about creativity, identity, and what it really means to stay human in a world that constantly pushes optimization, speed, and output. Alex shares stories from growing up in Barcelona, discovering graphic design early, and being shaped by a family environment whe...

Cat How is the co-founder of How&How and one of the most thoughtful voices in purpose-driven branding today. In this episode, we talk about her journey from journalism into design, founding and growing a global branding agency during the COVID pandemic, and what it takes to build a business that reflects your values in practice, not just in theory. Cat shares how storytelling shaped her approa...

Michael Flarup is a designer, creative entrepreneur, and co-founder of Northplay. His career spans icon design, self-published books, and independent game development, shaped by curiosity rather than a fixed plan. In this conversation, we talk about growing up not fitting into traditional systems, discovering creativity through making, and building long-term projects that take years to mature. Mic...

Kieron Anthony Lewis is an editorial designer, speaker, educator, and Adobe Live host whose work is deeply rooted in culture, community, and meaning. In this conversation, we go far beyond design portfolios and talk about the life experiences that shaped how he works and why he creates. We discuss the monumental Lagos publication, designing books as cultural artifacts, and how Kieron’s love for ma...

James Barnard is one of the most recognizable logo designers working today, but this conversation goes far beyond logos. We talk about how he entered design at 25, why he left agency life, and how freelancing became the turning point that gave him freedom and clarity in his work. James shares how a single TikTok changed everything, why he only presents one concept to clients, and how he built a pr...

In this episode of CAPTN OffScript, I sit down with UK based designer, creative director, and community builder Angela Lyons for a grounded and deeply honest conversation about the creative life. Angela has worked in the industry for more than 20 years across branding, editorial design, magazine design, web design, and podcasting. She is also the co creator of Freelancer Magazine and the host of C...

In this episode of CAPTN OffScript I sit down with David Airey, a designer whose books, thinking, and calm perspective have shaped how countless creatives approach identity design. But we go far beyond the craft in this conversation and explore the human side of a long creative life. David talks openly about growing up during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, finding his way through early jobs, an...

In this episode of CAPTN OffScript I sit down with Mat Voyce, the designer known for his expressive type animation work and his instantly recognizable visual language. We go far beyond the craft in this conversation and dive into the emotional and personal side of being a creative today. Mat talks openly about growing up as an introverted kid, finding his way through graphic design and agency life...

Bill Gardner has reviewed more logos than almost anyone on the planet — over 450,000 through his work with LogoLounge . But behind the numbers is a deep-thinking, long-game designer who believes that real identity design isn’t about trends — it’s about clarity, consistency, and curiosity . In this episode of CAPTN OffScript , Bill shares the winding story of how a childhood fascination with magic...

Jennifer Taback didn’t set out to become the co-founder of one of Canada’s leading Indigenous creative studios — but that’s exactly what she’s built with Design de Plume. In this episode of CAPTN OffScript, Jennifer shares her journey from tech burnout to co-leading a values-driven design agency that works with clients like Indigenous Tourism Ontario, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Johns Hopkins Uni...

From art teacher to tech CEO, Adrien Piro has taken one of the most unconventional paths to the top of the design world — and she’s now leading one of the most recognized creative platforms on the planet: Creative Market. In this episode of CAPTN OffScript, we talk about what it really takes to lead with purpose in an industry where growth is often prioritized over people. Adrien opens up about he...