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.

And as we talked the cool stuff he's done Travis kept talking about how he just… tried things.

He wanted to be in movies. He saw an ad in the back of the newspaper. Faxed in an audition (which already tells you how long ago this was). Months later, it worked. No sacred path. No years of training under a master. Just a willingness to take a swing.

And once you hear that, you start seeing the pattern everywhere. Acting, fighting, and founding his own creative agency. Same underlying belief every time:

This is figureoutable.

What made this such a great conversation wasn't how impressive Travis is (although he definitely is impressive), it's how human he is about it. Self-deprecating. Curious. Not precious about his wins. Somewhere along the way, the intimidation faded and turned into permission.

The big takeaway was: most of us don’t try enough stuff.

Here’s some of what we talk about:

• Why trying things beats waiting to feel ready
• How early wins quietly change what feels possible
• Letting go of linear career stories
• Hiring for taste and curiosity (not perfect résumés)
• And yeah, we talk some about AI (is it even possible to avoid these days)

If you’ve been telling yourself stories about who gets to do meaningful work, this episode is for you.

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• Behind-the-scenes content
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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

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 changed, how life pressure reshapes the work, and why staying small was always the point.

Here’s some of what we cover:

• How to build a small design studio that lasts (Eight Hour Day has just celebrated 20 years)
• Levers to bring in work when things are slow
• How personal work quietly shapes future client opportunities
• Simple little things you can get today to help bring joy to your day
• How life, family, and creativity intersect
• Simple habits that support creativity when things feel heavy

If you’ve ever wondered how to keep making meaningful work without turning your career into your entire identity, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and a more sustainable way forward.

Join the Creative Slash Patreon

Want more than just the episode? Join our free Patreon community for:
• Early episode access
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Bonus clips and tools
• A space to connect with fellow creatives

It’s free, fun, and helps keep the podcast ad-free.

Join the Creative Slash Community

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

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 quit. Expect real talk on controversial design tools, email marketing platforms, productivity stacks, and what happens when the tools start shaping the work.

Whether you’re running a design business, shipping digital products, or trying to stay sane while doing both, this one’s for you.

Join the Creative Slash Patreon

Want more than just the episode? Join our free Patreon community for:
• Early episode access
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Bonus clips and tools
• A space to connect with fellow creatives

It’s free, fun, and helps keep the podcast ad-free.

Join the Creative Slash Community

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