The Typecast: Grow Your Art Business

Latest Episodes:

What If I Became an Expert By Making Content About It with Zachary Winterton | The Typecast Episode 76 Sep 22, 2026

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This week we’re joined by Zachary Winterton, a creative director based in Portland, Oregon, who you’ve probably already seen teaching design on TikTok. Zachary has built a huge following breaking down design history and sharing design case studies in short-form video, all while working full-time as a creative director.

We get into how he taught himself design, how he made the jump from a marketing career into full-time design, and how a genuine friendship led to his first big agency job, eventually designing for brands like Nike and Jordan.

We also dig into the content side of his career: why he started making TikToks back in 2019, how his content format has evolved over the years, why he thinks of content as a “future opportunities machine,” and how he’s worked through the ego and view count pressure that comes with posting consistently. Plus a preview of what he’ll be speaking about at this year’s Kernference. Grab your ticket here: https://thekernference.com

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

How Zachary taught himself design without going to art school
His path from a marketing career into full-time design
Why he takes time to mentor designers who reach out to him
Juggling a full-time creative director role with content creation
How his TikTok journey started with daily Photoshop tips
Evolving his content format over the years, from tutorials to design case studies
Working through ego and view-count pressure
Why being on camera is his least favorite part of making content

Connect with Zachary Winterton

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zacharywinterton/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zacharywinterton

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharywinterton/

Mentioned in this episode:

Laundry Service Creative Agency
The Kernference

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What If You Built a Creative Studio Around Nature & Illustration? with Brad Woodard | The Typecast Episode 75 Aug 25, 2026

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This week we’re joined by illustrator, studio owner, and self-described “friendly dad” Brad Woodard of Brave the Woods (and the massively popular kids’ channel Brave Kids Club). We get into how a pandemic side project turned into a YouTube channel with hundreds of thousands of subscribers, what happened when a nature short went unexpectedly viral, and why Brad dropped “art” from the channel name.

Brad also shares his approach to teaching kids to draw, how he balances giving them structure with leaving room for their own creativity, and why so many kids stop calling themselves “artists” somewhere around second or third grade.

We also talk about texture, and why too much texture can sometimes mask a weak drawing. Plus a candid conversation about what it actually takes to keep a creative business afloat when you’re juggling client work, a studio, two YouTube channels, books, and a podcast: including the reality of what a kids’ channel with millions of views actually pays.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

Where the idea for Brave Kids Club came from
How one viral short changed the direction of the channel
Why dropping “art” from the name helped the channel grow
How Brad teaches kids to draw with structure while protecting their creativity
Why kids stop identifying as “artists”
The difference between running a solo illustration practice and calling it a studio
What Brad’s dream illustration projects actually look like
Why teaching and sharing your process can position you as an expert, even before you feel like one
The “reps, not results” mindset for showing up on social media without burning out

Connect with Brad Woodard

Instagram: https://instagram.com/brave_the_woods

Brave the Woods: bravethewoods.com

Brave Kids Club: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBraveKidsClub

Mentioned in this episode:

Creative Slash Podcast
“Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman” by Richard Feynman
Wild Kratts
Jason Munn
Mark Kistler / Imagination Station
The Monster Project
Emily Ballsley on the Creative Slash Podcast
The Ocean Explorer’s Drawing Guide for Kids
The Dinosaur Explorer’s Drawing Guide for Kids
The Nature Explorer’s Drawing Guide for Kids

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

What If You Quit Your Job for a One-Month Freelance Gig with Christina Kwiek | The Typecast Episode 74 Aug 11, 2026

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We’re back from a little hiatus, and we’re kicking things off with Christina Kwiek of X and Co., a lettering, illustration, and branding studio based in Brooklyn.

Christina walks us through her path from a childhood spent training as a ballerina to a last-minute pivot into art school, and how she’s found her way back to ballet as an adult, just for the joy of it. We get into the reality of freelancing for the last 8 years: the moment she quit a full-time job for a one-month freelance gig, the ebbs and flows that never fully go away, and how her slow seasons have actually led to some of her biggest projects.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you have to hustle nonstop or post every day to build a creative business, this episode is a really honest look at another way to do it.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

Christina’s jump from ballet to art school
Why she quit her job for a one-month freelance contract
The ebbs and flows of 8 years of freelancing
How slow seasons have led to her biggest projects
Inside her business: branding, murals, and licensing
Where her clients actually find her (Instagram, Pinterest, and cold outreach)
How cold outreach has changed, and why she still does it
Why she stepped back from posting and treats Instagram like a portfolio
Finding cohesive creative style without forcing it

Connect with Christina Kwiek

Instagram

Mentioned in this episode:

X and Co.
The Kernference 2026

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Learn more about Art Licensing with Goodtype

Grow your art licensing portfolio with 5 free prompts!

Grab your tea, coffee, or drink of choice, kick back, and let's get down to business!

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

What If Your Subtitles Could Express Emotion? With Frederik Merkel | The Typecast Episode 73 Jun 23, 2026

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What if your subtitles could whisper or shout, just like the person speaking? That’s exactly what Frederik Merkel (aka Freddi) is building. We met Freddi at South by Southwest and were instantly blown away by his startup, Phont, which is developing expressive caption technology that analyzes audio and translates it into dynamic, emotionally-expressive subtitles. Think kinetic type but automated, accessible, and built for real content.

In this episode, we dig into the full story: how Freddi went from finishing a master’s thesis in type design to co-founding a startup with no business experience and what it really takes to go from concept to product. We also get deep into the neuroscience side of things: synesthesia, aphantasia, the Ira Glass gap, and how understanding different brains perceive the world shaped Freddi’s research from the very beginning.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

How Freddi’s master’s thesis became a startup idea
What expressive captions are and why they matter
The transition from type designer to co-founder
How Phont navigated public funding in Germany
Building demos without a parametric font (yet)
The Phont Adobe plugin that’s coming soon
Synesthesia research and how it shaped the font design process
How to support or pilot Phont right now

Connect with Frederik Merkel

Phont: https://phont.ai/

Phont on IG: https://www.instagram.com/phont.official/

Freddi on IG: https://www.instagram.com/freddimerkuri/

Freddi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederik-merkel-design/

Mentioned in this episode:

Phont: https://phont.ai/
Michael Havakamp - Synesthetic Design
Melanie Scheer - Aphantasia
OHno Type Company

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

What If Your Whole Career Was Just Practice for the Work You Were Meant to Do? with Jeanetta Gonzales | The Typecast Episode 72 Jun 02, 2026

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She’s been a fine art major, a print designer, a Barbie packaging designer at Mattel, a surface pattern designer, an art licensing exhibitor, and, for the past 10 years, an artist coach.
In this episode, we sit with Jeanetta Gonzales, Ilana’s first art licensing mentor, for a conversation that goes way beyond business strategy. We’re talking about the long, winding road of building a creative career, what it was actually like to exhibit at art licensing trade shows, and why the seeds you plant at a show might not sprout for years.
Jeanetta also shares all about her brand new book series, Free Pass, four illustrated coupon books published with Chronicle that are essentially permission slips for creatives, workers, resters, and parents. The creativity book was born directly out of her coaching work after she noticed that the moment she gave an artist the green light, everything changed.
If you’ve felt stuck in a creative funk, wondered if your winding career path was “wrong,” or needed someone to just give you permission to rest, this one’s for you.
All that and more when you listen to this episode:

How Jeanetta went from UCLA fine art major to Barbie packaging designer at Mattel
Stumbling into art licensing and what Surtex was (and why it mattered)
Whether art licensing trade shows are still worth it, and what the long game really looks like
What it’s actually like to design and work on a trade show booth
The story behind her new book series, Free Pass
How she illustrated 72 pieces in the middle of a cross-country move
Working with ADHD: procrastination, pressure, and finally getting it done
Why your environment has more impact on your creativity than you think
Being honest about being in a creative funk, and not rushing to fix it
Her plans to rebrand for the first time in 10 years

Connect with Jeanetta Gonzales
Website: https://www.jeanettagonzales.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nettdesigns
Free Pass Book Series: https://www.jeanettagonzales.com/freepasscoupons

Jeanetta select client work: NY Times, Pantone, Target, Michaels, Edible Arrangements, and Brumate.
Mentioned in this episode:
Free Pass, Jeanetta’s 4-book series
Surtex (art licensing trade show)
National Stationery Show
Las Vegas Trade Show
Upper Limit Challenge (concept from The Big Leap)

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

What If Selling Your Art Online Was Easier Than You Think? With Liz Kohler Brown | The Typecast Episode 71 May 19, 2026

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What does it actually look like to build a creative business that works for you, not the other way around?

In this episode, we’re joined by the incredible Liz Kohler Brown, a surface designer, letterer, and mentor for creatives who want to sell their work and find their style. Liz has built a business that looks like it’s all her, but the secret is a thoughtfully built team that handles everything so she can focus on what she loves most: making art.

We talk about the real strategy behind print on demand, how to hire people you actually like working with, and why front-loading the investment in training pays off in ways you can’t imagine. We also get into the AI conversation, how Liz thinks about it with a level head and why she’s not worried about it replacing her.

If you ever felt like you’re doing all the things but can’t find the time to just make? This episode is for you.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

Liz’s journey from ceramics to print on demand and why the iPad changed everything
Why print on demand platforms aren’t saturated (but certain search terms are)
How to use SEO to plan what art you make (before you make it)
The Venn diagram method for finding your profitable niche
The real cost of not hiring and the books that will change your mind
Why you should hire for personality first and train the skills
The membership breakdown: trend reports, live critiques, and real-time creation sessions
Liz’s dream greenhouse studio

Connect with Liz Kohler Brown

LizKohlerBrown.com

https://instagram.com/lizkohlerbrown

Sell Your Stuff Guide: https://www.lizkohlerbrown.com/sell-your-stuff-field-guide/

Mentioned in this episode:

Spoonflower
Etsy
Minted
Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell
Who Not How by Dan Sullivan
Insight Timer (free meditation app)
10% Happier
Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by Dan Harris

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

What If We Shared Every Tool We Use to Run Our Business? | The Typecast Episode 70 May 05, 2026

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Ever wonder what’s actually running behind the scenes of a creative business? We’re pulling back the curtain. In this episode, we’re breaking down every tool and platform we use to run Goodtype. From our website and course platform to payroll, bookkeeping, email marketing, and everything in between. We’re keeping it real: what we love, what gives us the sweats (hi, Zapier), and how we built a functional system over time without losing our minds.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

Why we use Squarespace for our website
How ThriveCart, Stripe, and PayPal all work together for course sales
What we landed on to host our courses and The Kernference
How we use Notion to manage everything, and our A/B/C priority system
Our all-day-every-day communication hub
The Adobe Acrobat Spaces features we’re genuinely nerding out over
What we use to automate and communicate between our different apps
Our banking setup
Our email marketing breakdown
Using DM automations and scheduling tools
Podcast recording and hosting faves
Email inbox management using Shift
Our honest (and very curious) thoughts on AI workflows

Mentioned in this episode:

Try Acrobat Spaces! https://goodtype.us/acrobat #ad
Squarespace
Kate Christy at Folk Founded
Nolan Pelletier
ThriveCart
Circle
Our Notion Dashboard Template
Adobe Creative Cloud
Zapier
Novo
Bench
Gusto
Kit (formerly ConvertKit)
Flodesk
ManyChat
Adobe Express
Metricool
Riverside
Buzzsprout
Shift for Email Management

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

What If the World’s Biggest Type Company Could Predict the Next Font Trend? with Tom Foley | The Typecast Episode 69 Apr 14, 2026

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In this episode, we sat down with Tom Foley, Executive Creative Director at Monotype–the biggest type company in the world–for a conversation that went way deeper than we planned (in the best possible way). From his family’s legacy of stonemasons and sign painters to his graduate research on Irish typography, Tom gave us an entirely new lens through which to see typography.

We also dig into the big questions: what actually makes good type, how type trends work (and why they’re so hard to predict), what Monotype’s research reveals, and where variable fonts are actually landing in the world.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

The fascinating origin story of what we now call Irish type
What makes good type
Whether design knowledge and historical context make you better or worse at type design
What Monotype’s research reveals about purchasing habits across generations
Whether giving users more font choice in apps is actually what people want (or need)
Type as a deeply human invention–linked to language, identity, and culture

Connect with Tom Foley

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tom_foley_type/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-foley-75062158/

Mentioned in this episode:

Monotype https://www.monotype.com/
Monotype’s ReVision Report 2025 https://www.monotype.com/resources/ebook/unlock-report-revision-2025
Montotype’s Report 2024 https://www.monotype.com/resources/ebook/unlock-report-type-trends-2024
What the font https://www.myfonts.com/pages/whatthefont
Brethren Brothers https://www.brethrendesignco.com/

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

What If Your Side Hustle Paid Your Mortgage? With Adam Vicarel | The Typecast Episode 68 Mar 24, 2026

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What does it actually look like to run a thriving creative business? One with branding projects, murals, fonts, and a coffee company in the mix?! In this episode, we’re joined by the endlessly curious and wildly productive Adam Vicarel, who is proof that creative experimentation paired with smart systems can take you a long way.

Whether you’re figuring out how to balance creative freedom with financial stability, trying to find the headspace for things that aren’t immediately due, or just wondering if LinkedIn is worth your time, this one’s for you.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

How Adam structures his day using the Pomodoro Technique (and why creatives need structure to be creative)
The “be everywhere, always” approach to marketing and why it’s really just being authentically top of mind
How to build passive income streams without overthinking them first
Font sales, SEO, and why Adam’s “little turd fonts” now pay his mortgage
Why financial stability is the foundation for creative experimentation
The $100k conversation: what it actually means and why it looks different for everyone
Batching content and staying consistent on social media
Raising rates with confidence: what it signals to clients and why it matters
Project management and getting ideas out of your head so they stop taking up space

Connect with Adam Vicarel

Website: https://www.adamvicarel.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vicarelstudios/
Coffee Company: https://www.instagram.com/allclevelandcoffee/

Mentioned in this episode:

Follow Your Art Book
Pomodoro Technique
Brethren Design Co.
Asana

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

What If You Built a Design Studio With No Rules? with Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz | The Typecast Episode 67 Mar 10, 2026

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What happens when a journalist from Venezuela becomes a self-taught designer, typeface foundry founder, and curator of one of the most ambitious graphic design exhibitions in recent memory? You get Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz, and our conversation with him does not disappoint.

Lope is a partner and project lead at In-House International, a design studio and typeface foundry. He’s also a TED Fellow, a Knight Fellow at Stanford, and the curator behind One Hundred Points.

In this episode, we dig into what it actually looks like to build a creative practice rooted in curiosity and systems–not just style. Lope shares his take on design rules (and whether you should bother learning them) and how his journalism background still shapes every creative decision he makes. We also get into the realities of working with nonprofits, font piracy, and how he pulled off a massive exhibition without taking a sabbatical.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

How Lope went from journalist to publisher to self-taught designer and typeface founder
Why being self-taught may actually be a creative advantage
His philosophy on design rules, systems, and building a practice around curiosity
The studio structure at In-House International
The truth about font piracy and typeface licensing
How One Hundred Points came to be and why he thinks every designer should participate in an exhibition
Tips for funding a creative exhibition through sponsorships
The “Alphabet of Tomorrow” talk at South by Southwest

Connect with Lope

In-House International: weareinhouse.com
Instagram: weareinhouse
One Hundred Points Exhibition: onehundredpoints.org

Mentioned in this episode:

Run Studio Run https://nopicnicpress.com/shop/run-studio-run
South by Southwest, “Alphabet of Tomorrow” talk, March 18, 2026 https://schedule.sxsw.com/events/PP1150035
Follow Your Art by Katie Johnson & Ilana Griffo (book releasing March 17th!) https://goodtype.us/follow-your-art-book
Book Launch Event @ Roommate Collective at Springdale General, Austin: March 18th, 5-8pm
Tactical Guide to Sponsorship PDF

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

We wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!

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