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 tricks, antique hunting, grade-school nostalgia, expensive tools, and self-doubt. Then connect the dots we hadn’t fully connected before.

Here's what we're digging into:

• The fifth-grade teacher who changed Brad’s life
• Why not feeling “smart” shaped what he built
• How magic tricks led directly to RetroSupply
• The difference between curating a persona vs. being aligned
• Why your hobbies might be clues (not distractions)

If you’ve been trying to “find your thing” and it keeps feeling elusive, this conversation might shift how you see your own life.

In fact, it was the catalyst behind our NEW 5-Part Off the Record Email Series.

In the series, learn the creative philosophy, habits, and weird obsessions that quietly shape creative success, featuring industry experts like Aaron Draplin, Mary Kate McDevitt, Jen Hood, and more.

Yes, take me to the 5-Part “Off the Record” Email Series

Plus, we'll send you an email about every new Creative Slash episode including stories from the creatives, links to recommended resources, and products recommended by your favorite creatives.

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

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 how to stay honest inside that… even while tech (and now AI) keeps rearranging the furniture.

In this episode:

• Why analog still matters
• How philosophy shows up in the work
• AI: navigating it without spiraling
• Speed vs. meaning (the eternal knife fight)
• Making choices that match your values

If you’re feeling weird/pissed about AI… tired of trend-chasing… or trying to hang onto the part of making that made you fall in love with it in the first place, this one’s for you.

You’re allowed to slow down. Think deeply. Make the kind of work you can stand behind.

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

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.

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