Make and Design with Carina Gardner

Are you a new designer finding the road a bit bumpy? Carina shares three common mistakes she sees new designers make—and how to fix them. These simple solutions can help you build a more successful design business! ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degrees in the creativ...

2025 has been an interesting year for designers. Carina works with hundreds of creatives through her university and Design Suite programs, giving her a front-row seat to what’s actually working right now. Learn more in today’s episode. ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters d...

What’s the difference between someone with a hobby and someone who wants a business from the thing they love? Carina shares the mindset shift you need to turn your design skills into cash. ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degrees in the creative fields. Carina is also t...

Want to become a graphic designer and work from home? In this episode, Carina shares the two paths she took to build a successful design career—while also staying home to raise her kids. Discover how she made it work, what she would do differently, and how you can start your own journey as a work-from-home designer. ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the...

In today’s episode, Carina and her event coordinator Sarah have a fun, honest, and laughter-filled conversation about the University of Arts & Design, family, and work. Watch the full episode on youtube at www.youtube.com/carinagardner.   About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degrees in the creativ...

Pull the Weeds, Water the Roots, and so much more! Carina gives her 10 tips for how to grow a business that lasts. These gardening tips will help you remember what you need to do to help sustain your design business even when things get tough. About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degrees in the creati...

Carina explores the tricky balance between creativity and self-promotion. Carina dives into real stories, practical strategies, and expert insights to help designers market themselves without compromising their artistic integrity. About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degrees in the creative fields. Ca...

In this heartwarming episode, Carina sits down with her daughter Felicity for a candid chat about growing up with a mom who is a designer and business owner. From behind-the-scenes family moments to design inspiration, this mother-daughter duo dishes the tea on creativity, life, and everything in between. Don’t miss this special glimpse into their world! Full episode available on youtube.com/carin...

Right now is the best season for designers to really bulk up their sales. As we prepare for the coming season we need to act more like the ant than the grasshopper in Aesop’s Fable. Learn more about how you can really prepare for winter (literally). About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degrees in the...

This is a recap of the Design Business Conference we held at Ashton Gardens in Lehi Utah in March 2025. The original video can be found at youtube.com/carinagardner . Learn more about what we do in our live events! About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degrees in the creative fields. Carina is also the...

Do you feel like you are drowning in your design business? Carina uses one way to make sure that she doesn’t spend every day putting out fires in her business. Instead she focuses on the things that are the most important. Use her tactic for getting organized! About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degr...

Carina sits down with daughter Felicity to talk about growing up with a creative business household. Learn some of the sassy and sweet things Carina’s 17 year old has to say about design and business. This episode was originally aired on youtube.com/carinagardner. About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters...

Carina sits down with Pinterest expert Nadalie Bardo to dive into the powerful strategies she uses to drive traffic and grow a brand through Pinterest. Nadalie shares insider tips on optimizing pins, creating content that gets clicks, and leveraging Pinterest’s algorithm to attract the right audience.  Find more about Nadalie at https://yourpincoach.com/pin-popular/ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: C...

In this episode, Carina shares an inspiring quote from Charlie Mackesy’s beloved book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse and explores its deeper meaning. She reflects on the idea that we are all meant to "fly"—to embrace our potential, lean into our uniqueness, and rise beyond our fears. Join her for a conversation about self-discovery, creativity, and the power of recognizing what...

In this special episode, Carina sits down with her expert design coaches to share their top five tips for starting a successful design business. They break down the essential steps every new designer should take, from building a strong foundation to finding your unique style and landing your first sales. Whether you're just getting started or looking for insider advice, you'll hear first...

Struggling with the not-so-fun parts of the design process? In this episode, Carina shares four creative ways to gamify your workflow, keeping you motivated and inspired. From tackling design roadblocks to getting those perfect "dopamine hits" of excitement, these fun techniques will help you stay engaged and make designing a joy! Tune in now! About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the...

Carina interviews Susan Smith who teaches quilters. Learn more about her launch methods and running a creative business. Listen to her podcast at Measure Twice Cut Once and visit her www.stitchedbysusan.com . Episode 507 Marketing Hacks with Susan Smith ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certific...

The Sweet Life of A Designer Summit is coming NEXT MONTH! Carina tells you why this summit is different and what you can expect from this awesome virtual event. To get your free ticket, join us at https://www.designsuitecourses.com/sweetlifesummit Episode 506 Sweet Life of A Designer ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design....

Description It is the small things that can add up FOR US and AGAINST US. Carina talks about the Lighthouse Keeper’s Mistake as a cautionary tale for our own design businesses. Episode 505 The Lighthouse Keeper’s Mistake ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certificates and Masters degrees in the c...

Have you heard the old proverb about the cobber’s shoes? As a designer and artist, we need to be sure and be taking care of the most important things first. Sometimes this is really hard to do as other people ask us for things. Carina talks about the cobbler’s shoes and oxygen masks in this episode as a reminder and challenge to take care of yourself first. Episode 504 The Cobbler’s Shoes ________...

Carina interviews Amy Smart who is a fellow Riley Blake designer and blogger. Her quilt blog is a popular resource for many sewing enthusiasts. Learn more about Amy’s creative business in this episode. Find more about her at diaryofaquilter.com. Episode 503 Quilting with Amy Smart ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. Th...

Instead of worrying about AI, what if we took it as a resource that could help us in our businesses? Carina goes over several ways we can be using AI and practical examples of how it can help us build a business faster! Episode 502 AI Could Be Your Best Friend ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers c...

Your creative power is an important part of who you are as a maker, artist, and designer. But many times things can get in the way of that power. Carina walks you through some of those key things that can bring you down so you can avoid the traps that keep a designer from doing their best work! Episode 501 How You Are Losing Creative Power ___________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.:...

Carina’s friend and fellow designer Vanessa Christenson talks about owning two businesses. As a moda designer and coach, Vanessa inspires others to create the life they want. Learn more about Vanessa at https://vanessachristenson.com/ Episode 500 How to Time Manage Your Life Sustainably with Moda Fabric Designer Vanessa Christensen  __________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the...

Wondering what new products you should be considering in 2025? Carina walks you through some of the products she is seeing make a splash on the design scene! Learn more in today’s episode! Episode 499 3 Products Your Should Design For in 2025 _____________________________________ About Carina Gardner, Ph. D.: Carina is the CEO of the University of Arts & Design. The university offers certifica...