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 editorial work on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver to building a career across studios, freelance, and printmaking, Mikey shares a perspective that cuts through a lot of the noise around “getting better” as a creative.

We talk to Mikey about staying loose, staying human, and building a career without sanding off the parts that made your work interesting in the first place, including:

• The sweet spot. That moment before you fully “master” something is often where your best work lives
• Fight over-polishing. Why the final version is often worse than the sketch (and what gets lost in the process)
• Be more human. In a world of AI and optimization, why leaning into imperfection might be your biggest advantage.
• Sharing vs performing. How the shift from gatekeepers to social media changed what it means to “put work out there.”
• Careers aren’t linear. How timing, visibility, and just sticking around long enough still matter more than people admit

Later in the episode, Mikey talks about everything from building a body of work over years (not weeks), to why printing in his “basement dungeon” keeps things grounded, to the strange reality of contributing to something culturally massive without it being your “purest” creative expression.

Listen to this. By the time you're done you'll feel some fresh creative energy flowing through your spirit.

Hey, check out Mikey Burton!

View Mikey Burton's website here

Follow Mikey Burton on Instagram here

Buy his Pile O' Prints here (Brad and I did, and it's 100% pure awesome)

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

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 brought personal fulfillment (as opposed to just financial fulfillment).
• Redefine “sustainable”. Sustainable doesn't have to mean monk-like discipline. See why small businesses and imperfect efforts still matter more than people think.
• Niche without limiting yourself. You can build a values-based studio without boxing yourself into a tiny market. Jeff digs into practices that are fulfilling (without alienating your market).
• True growth inevitably takes time. Why meaningful careers are built slowly (even if social media makes it feel otherwise)
• Human work still matters. I think we all agree on this, but it's important to get different takes. Jeff shares why people will always value things made by people.

Later in the episode, Jeff shares how his path from making Call of Duty graphics as a kid to running a purpose-driven studio was shaped less by a clear plan and more by following curiosity, interests, and a growing sense of responsibility.

If you’ve ever felt torn between doing work that pays and work that actually matters, this conversation offers a more honest way to think about both.

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

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 notice right away or not.

We talk with Tyler about how to build a creative practice that grows over time, along with topics like:

• Staying busy on purpose, and why the work you make now can lead to opportunities years later
• Sharing your process, how that builds trust, and why there doesn’t need to be any "secret sauce"
• Using a back catalog and simple systems to stay visible without burning yourself out
• Keeping things *simple*, and how limits in your tools, style, and thinking can lead to better work

Later in the episode, Tyler talks about his path from a small town, where there wasn’t an obvious creative roadmap, to speaking at major events. He figured things out as he went, and in the process became the example he didn’t have when he was younger.

Follow Tyler (AKA The Creative Pain) on Instagram

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

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 shapes her creative direction and business, plus a lot more, including:

• “One for me, one for them.” How balancing passion projects with strategic work actually fuels growth
• Why social media works best when you treat it like a portfolio and not a popularity contest
• Building an engaged audience instead of chasing bigger numbers
• Creating work that attracts licensing deals, agents, and brand partnerships
• Why people can feel when you are trying too hard and how to avoid it

Shea also talks about how her priorities have shifted as her career has grown. She focuses less on doing everything and more on doing the right things well. She shares how she is thinking about licensing and passive income as a way to grow without trading more time for money.

If you have ever felt stuck between making what you love and making what sells, this conversation offers a clear and honest look at how those two things can support each other.

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

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 about building a creative career that actually lasts, plus a lot more, including:

• Drills build skills. Why the boring reps are the real difference-maker for creatives
• Rejection is fuel. How to turn setbacks, limitations, and even spite into momentum
• Credit is currency. Why visibility matters just as much as the paycheck
• AI as a tool (not a crutch). Using it to communicate ideas without losing your edge
• Business over talent. Why knowing contracts and money matters more than perfect technique

Later in the episode, we get into creative careers in the real world. We're talking contracts, net terms, getting paid, and why young artists should think twice about how they position themselves from day one.

If you’ve ever felt stuck chasing clients, frustrated by the system, or unsure how to turn your skills into something sustainable, this conversation offers a grounded (and honest) perspective on what actually works.

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

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 stand behind, plus tons more, including:

• His early obsession with toys, aquariums, and tiny made-up worlds turned into a real career.
• Advice people love to give creatives, especially "just make what you love," and where that starts to fall apart.
• Protecting the work you care about while still paying the bills.

Later in the episode, we talk about physical products and why so many people want to skip straight to mass production. Chris explains why starting small usually makes more sense, both creatively and financially.

If you've been doing all the usual things and still feel stuck chasing work, or you're trying to figure out how a personal obsession turns into a career, this conversation offers a different way to think about it.

It's honest, practical, and a lot less polished than the usual creative-career advice, which is probably why it lands.

Enjoy the episode, and if you love toys, nostalgia, and design, be sure to follow Chris Lee on Instagram.

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

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 sewing toys to designing packaging to creating a retail space inspired by the characters.
• Why Pike Place Market is such a unique place to start a creative business, and how its “meet the producer” philosophy helps small makers thrive.
• Practical lessons that come from turning a small creative experiment into something people genuinely want to buy.

If you’ve ever tried to turn a side project into something real, or wondered how a simple creative idea slowly grows into a business, you're going to love this episode.

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

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 sometimes you need to start things you have “no business” starting
• The punk rock DIY ethic behind his new Western apparel brand, Westersen.
• And what changes when you hit your “second mountain”

Don shares how he turns curiosity into real products (toys, watches, pencils, apparel), how he sources partners when entering completely new industries, and why he believes great artists aren’t asking “where do I start?” They’re already obsessed.

f you’re a designer or illustrator wondering whether you should finally start the thing you keep thinking about, whether you’re too old to pivot, or how to take creative risks without blowing up your life, this conversation is for you.

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström