Creative Slash

This episode features artist, illustrator, greeting card designer, and licensing powerhouse Kate Smith on what happens when you stop trying to make work that looks “marketable” and start making work that sounds, feels, and thinks like you. Kate talks about building a creative business from her own weird little ideas, emotional instincts, funny phrases, and need to put more joy into the world.  Tha...

This episode features illustrator, author, YouTuber, and accidental Adobe Fresco evangelist Chris Piascik on building a creative career by staying weird, making a lot of work, and refusing to turn art into a fake polished performance. Chris gets into his 14-year daily drawing project, why YouTube changed his business more than Instagram ever did, how his new book The Accidental Illustrator came to...

This episode features designer, artist, and Piedmont Brand Company founder Brad Stoneking on building a creative life that doesn't run on chasing algorithms, copying trends, or pretending every designer has to be an influencer. Brad gets into his work under the name Deadtooth, how personal art differs from professional design, why production work deserves more respect, and how years inside ag...

When we sat down with Ilana Griffo and Katie Johnson of Goodtype, we expected to talk about typography, online education, and what it’s like to run one of the most recognizable brands in the creative space. And we did. But there is so much good stuff underneath that. Funny, inspiring stories and philosophies that will change how you think about your creative business.  In this episode, we talk abo...

In this episode, we sit down with designer, illustrator, and longtime Creative South community member Jeremy Slagle to talk about building a creative career by following curiosity wherever it leads. From raising two graphic designers under the same roof to turning a pickleball obsession into real client work, Jeremy shares how some of the biggest opportunities in his career came from personal proj...

For years, Lenny Terenzi built the kind of creative life designers dream about. He ran a beloved studio and screen printing shop, taught workshops to hundreds of creatives, spoke at conferences around the country, helped build creative communities, and created work that genuinely impacted people’s careers and lives. And yet underneath all of it, he secretly felt like he was failing. In this episod...

In this episode, we sit down with legendary illustrator Orlando Arocena (Mexifunk) to talk about building a creative career by leaning into the things other people run away from.  While most designers saw Adobe Illustrator as limiting for hyper-realistic illustration work or something to outsource, Orlando saw an opportunity. He spent decades pushing the software far beyond what people thought it...

We spent the week talking with designers, illustrators, educators, and other creative professionals from across the country about why they keep coming back year after year, what makes Creative South different, and whether creative conferences are actually worth the investment. The conversations drift from creative burnout and imposter syndrome to bizarre conspiracy theories, typography pet peeves,...

In this episode, we sit down with Trust Design , a two-person studio run by Hannah Smith and Jesse MacKenzie, to talk about how they’ve built a reputation for delivering big-agency-level work—without becoming a big agency. They share how they stumbled into starting a studio (with no clear roadmap), why they rejected the idea that design has to be cutthroat, and how discovering the creative communi...

At some point in your creative career, the stakes shift. We go from just making stuff… to overthinking. Obsessing. Optimizing. And it sucks the the fun out of the entire thing. In this episode, we talk with illustrator and designer Mikey Burton about that shift. And honestly, it's refreshing, like talking to a design monk who makes everything feel like it's going to be okay. From editori...

What began as a personal shift toward plant-based living turned into a bigger question: what if your work could actually support the kind of world you want to live in? We talk to Jeff about building a values-driven creative career, plus a lot more, including: Bringing your beliefs into your work. How a personal lifestyle shift turned into a long-term creative choice that influenced clients and bro...

In this episode, we talk with illustrator and designer Tyler Pate. He has worked with brands like Adobe, Wacom, and StickerApp, and he’s built his career through steady effort, a clear process, and years of showing up for the work. There are no shortcuts in Tyler’s story. It’s about making the work, getting better at it, and sticking with it long enough for that effort to add up, whether people no...

In this episode, we talk with illustrator Shea O’Connor about building a creative career that grows through personal work, community, and consistency over time. She shares how she approaches social media as a place to explore ideas and connect with people while building work that attracts the right opportunities. We get into how she balances personal projects with client work and how that balance...

In this episode, we talk with illustrator Rob Zilla, whose work spans pro sports teams, major brands, and a career built on discipline, adaptability, and doing the work (whether anyone’s watching or not). No shortcuts, no chasing trends. Just years of sharpening skills, building systems, and finding creative parallels in unexpected places (like sports, teaching, and even rejection). We talk to Rob...

In this episode, we talk with illustrator and toy designer Chris Lee (AKA The Beast is Back ), who built his career mostly through word of mouth and steady visibility.  No cold emailing campaign, no hard sell, just years of getting better at what he does, following what genuinely interested him, and putting the work out where people could find it. We talk to Chris about making great work that you...

In this episode, we talk with Thomas Marnin, co-founder of MarninSayor, a toy shop inside Seattle’s Pike Place Market. The shop grew out of a passion for handcrafted toys and the nostalgia of classic donut shops.  In this episode, we talk about: How a tiny pencil sketch and a handmade toy turned into a product they could actually sell. What it’s like building a handmade brand piece by piece. From...

What happens after you “make it”? This week, we sit down with Don Clark of Invisible Creature to talk about creative longevity, building brands from scratch, and why your obsession might be the only real compass you need. Here's some of the stuff we dig into: How Don built a 27-year studio career (without ever pitching for work) The tension between dreamer energy and financial reality Why som...

A lot of creatives are feeling it right now: the market shifting, projects slowing down, the fear of asking “wait… is it just me?” causing a spiral into the anxiety void. This week, we're thrilled to get to talk to one of our heroes, Dan Kuhlken of DKNG. We'll dig into what it actually looks like to stay sharp (and sane) through years of creating, risk-taking, and what it's critical...

This might be the most vulnerable episode we’ve done. If you’ve ever felt like you’re a strange mix of interests… and haven’t figured out how they’re supposed to fit together — this one’s for you. After 25 interviews, we realized something The real pattern in creative careers isn’t in portfolios. It’s in the weird stuff. So in this episode, it’s just us. We dig into our own obsessions. Magic trick...

We sat down with Nathan Yoder and, somehow, the chat immediately swerved past tools and trend-talk into the good stuff: craft, philosophy, faith, and how to make work you actually care about in a world that keeps yelling “faster.” Nathan’s an analog-first illustrator, but the real takeaway isn’t how he works, it’s why . He’s thought hard about what matters, what he wants to put into the world, and...

This episode caught me off guard. Travis Robertson has done things that are, honestly, a little intimidating. Not just successful creative intimidating but hey-I-watched-you-in-movies-as-a-kid intimidating. The kind of stuff that makes you wonder if you’re qualified to be in the room. So yeah, I was a little nervous. But less than a minute after meeting him, it felt like talking to an old buddy. ...

Katie Kirk makes work that feels bright, generous, and deeply human. As one half of Eight Hour Day , she’s spent her career building a studio known for warmth, clarity, and work that quietly holds up over time. In this episode, we get an unusually grounded look at what it actually takes to sustain a small independent design studio. Katie talks candidly about how her relationship to creativity has...

It’s a new year, and Brad and Dustin are taking inventory of their apps. In this no-fluff episode, they go deep into the creative, business, and life tools that actually made a difference in their workflows (and headspace) last year. From Adobe staples to surprise MVPs like CapCut and Headspace, they break down which apps earned their spot, which ones got the axe, and why some are just too good to...

In this episode, Dustin Lee and Brad Woodard run an honest “advice audit” on the most popular guidance floating around the creative and digital creator world.  We hit on ideas from people like Tim Ferriss, Seth Godin, Robert Greene, Alex Hormozi and other modern thought leaders. They sort through what’s genuinely useful, what’s overhyped, and what sounds inspiring but falls apart in real life when...

In this special holiday episode, co-hosts Dustin Lee and Brad Woodard sit down one-on-one to unpack the emotional chaos creatives face during the holiday season.  From the thrill of hitting year-end sales goals to the creeping guilt of slowing down, they dig into the weird tension between hustle and rest. They talk goal-setting, holiday burnout, managing the “I should be working” voice in your hea...