The Creative Friends Podcast

Breaking into the creative side of sports isn’t easy—but Katie Quinlan made it possible. Katie, a graphic designer for the Detroit Lion s and former student-athlete at Michigan State University, joins me to talk about her journey from college athletics to professional sports design. She shares what it’s really like to navigate mentorship, networking, and creativity in the fast-paced world of the N...

Pursuing a creative career often means stepping into the unknown—but with curiosity, community, and courage, the journey becomes something special. In today’s episode, Cass sits down with Ashton Masek, an experiential designer and former muralist, to dive into how creative paths evolve and what it really takes to grow through the process. From navigating social media perceptions to finding purpose...

From working in stadium operations in college to becoming an NFL photographer for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chris Kim shares how he turned his passion for sports photography into a full-time career. In today’s episode, Cass sits down with Chris to unpack his journey from sports management major to capturing some of the NFL’s most exciting moments. From training camp chaos to draft day excitement,...

Balancing a career in sports media while running your own business is no small task—but Lexi Ross is building a life that integrates both with purpose and creativity. In this episode, Cass sits down with Lexi Ross, owner of Spooky’s Studio . After working across the MLB, NBA, and NFL, Lexi now runs her own business while freelancing for the NBA, covering the Cleveland Cavaliers and blending her pa...

Breaking into sports media as a freelancer comes with challenges, but also unexpected opportunities—and Mike Hopkins Jr. shares it all. In today’s episode, Cass sits down with Mike, a sports video freelancer, to unpack his journey from internships and cold outreach to producing work for the Cleveland Browns and a documentary in Jamaica. In this episode, you’ll learn How freelancing can be rewardin...

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to run social media for an NFL team—or questioned if you’re “good enough” to belong in the creative industry, Alexis did too. In today’s episode, Cass sits down with Alexis Christie , Social Media Strategist for the Cleveland Browns, to unpack her journey from a communications major at Ohio State to shaping the online presence of one of the NFL’s bigge...

If you’ve ever found yourself asking “how do I actually make this creative career work ?” or wondered if anyone else is figuring it out on the fly, you’re not alone. On the Creative Friends Podcast, Cass and her guests dive into the real, unpolished side of building a creative career in your 20s—from breaking into design and media to navigating the questions no one really teaches you how to answer...