In this episode, Josh Horton sits down with Austin Dunbar—designer, entrepreneur, and studio owner. Austin is the Principal of Durham Brand & Co. and a partner at Wenzel Distillery, and he’s built multiple businesses and long-term client relationships through some of the most volatile years the creative industry has ever seen.
Together, they talk candidly about what it actually feels like to be a creative right now—the emotional whiplash of being on top of the mountain one day and completely gutted the next. Austin shares why the work isn’t just about talent anymore, but about your nervous system—how you handle pressure, uncertainty, and the shrinking middle of the industry.
Austin opens up about one of the hardest seasons of his life: surgeries, injuries, loss, and trying to keep a business and a family moving through it all. They talk about staying present, building grounding practices outside of work, and what it really means to show up—as a creative, a partner, and a dad.
They also zoom out to the state of the industry—AI, shrinking budgets, and why relationships will always outlast portfolios. They talk about design as a trade, not a trend, the danger of chasing what’s cool over building real craft, and why Austin believes in a “we economy” over a “me economy.”
If you’re feeling fried, questioning your path, or wondering how to build something more resilient than a social feed—this one’s for you.
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