In this episode, Dustin Lee and Brad Woodard run an honest “advice audit” on the most popular guidance floating around the creative and digital creator world.

We hit on ideas from people like Tim Ferriss, Seth Godin, Robert Greene, Alex Hormozi and other modern thought leaders.

They sort through what’s genuinely useful, what’s overhyped, and what sounds inspiring but falls apart in real life when you’re juggling clients, deadlines, and a creative business.

Along the way, they translate big ideas into practical habits you can actually carry into 2026 (so hopefully you’re not just consuming advice, you’re applying it).

If you’re hungry for new ideas to bring into your creative work and business in 2026, you’ll almost definitely walk away with at least one author or creator whose advice makes you rethink your approach, sparks a new habit, or sends you down a rabbit hole (books, interviews, deeper work) that levels up your practice in a way you didn’t see coming.

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• 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.

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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

In this special holiday episode, co-hosts Dustin Lee and Brad Woodard sit down one-on-one to unpack the emotional chaos creatives face during the holiday season.

From the thrill of hitting year-end sales goals to the creeping guilt of slowing down, they dig into the weird tension between hustle and rest. They talk goal-setting, holiday burnout, managing the “I should be working” voice in your head, and how to actually enjoy the quiet season without self-sabotage.

If you’ve ever felt torn between finishing client work and making gingerbread cookies with your kids, this episode will hit home.

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

Dave Arcade creates art that prompts viewers to pause and examine the landscape. It's the kind of work that invites repeated visits, revealing fresh details, small stories, and references to pop culture each time, all complemented by expertly executed craftsmanship.

In this episode, we get an unusually honest look at how those worlds come together: from obsessing over the concept to over-engineering (and then pulling back) to self-doubt. And, finally, the satisfaction of turning ambitious ideas into reality.

Dave shares how he builds complexity without losing soul, why reference and perspective are his quiet superpowers, and what happens when a commercial illustrator starts wondering where the “art” part actually begins.

Here's some of the stuff we'll cover:

• A behind-the-scenes look at Dave's process. His detailed work can be overwhelming, but understanding his approach makes it clearer.
• The setup for Dave's personal arcade game system in his office
• How to strengthen your idea muscles until a simple prompt becomes a universe
• A sprinkling of actionable software techniques you can use in your work to get incredible results

If you’ve listened to podcast episodes in the past aiming to improve your own process and felt disappointed, this episode will provide value.

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