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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

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

• Goodtype Website
• Goodtype on Instagram
• Goodtype on Youtube

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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

• Goodtype Website
• Goodtype on Instagram
• Goodtype on Youtube

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

Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Subscribe to the show

Tag us on Instagram @Goodtype

Follow us on Tiktok @lovegoodtype

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

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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

Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!

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Tag us on Instagram @Goodtype

Follow us on Tiktok @lovegoodtype @ilanagriffo

Keep the conversation going on Slack

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

• Goodtype Website
• Goodtype on Instagram
• Goodtype on Youtube

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

Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts

Subscribe to the show

Tag us on Instagram @Goodtype

Follow us on Tiktok @lovegoodtype

Learn from Katie and Ilana

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