Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Sticky Notes with CJ Cawley and Jack Chitty

This week, we’re asking each other the awkward questions others might not usually answer, from money and self-worth to creative process, client mistakes and whether either of us could actually be replaced on Sticky Notes.

Do you actually need a degree to become a good designer? Or can you teach yourself everything you need to know?

We get into:

0:00, Introduction05:42, Do you need a degree to become a designer?14:52, Was university actually worth it?18:23, Can you work at a top agency without a degree?25:29, Can taste actually be taught?32:38, AI, education and the future of learning design42:10, Are designers taking too many courses?57:32, Should you charge friends and family for design?

This week, we’re doing something a little different.

No big topic or case study. Just an honest conversation about why running a creative business feels really hard sometimes.

We’ve both had a few turbulent weeks recently, so we wanted to go properly behind the curtain and talk about the stuff that doesn’t normally make it onto Instagram: unpaid invoices, difficult client conversations, financial pressure, changing expectations around AI, slower leads and the constant pressure of having to go out and earn every single pound again next month.

This week, we’re going behind the scenes of one of CJ’s favourite brand identity projects to date: the complete rebrand of Mike Lane.

Mike has spent the last 10 years building an incredible business creating highly detailed modifications for scale models inspired by films like Back to the Future, Batman, Jaws, Terminator and Fast & Furious.

But after a decade of growth, the brand had outgrown the handwritten signature logo Mike had created himself.The challenge was to take something incredibly personal, handmade and full of passion, and evolve it into a brand that felt more established, engineered and trustworthy, without losing the personality that made people love Mike Lane in the first place.

This week, we’re doing something a little different and playing a game of Would You Rather: graphic design edition. Some of the questions are stupid. Some get surprisingly deep. And a few reveal far more about how we think as designers than either of us probably expected.

This week, we're getting into the uncomfortable conversation you have to have with yourself when promoting your business on social media. The line between marketing yourself as a designer and becoming a design influencer.

This week, we’re talking about the red flags we look for before agreeing to work with a new design client.

Finding clients is one thing. Finding the right clients... well that's a whole other story.

After years of working freelance, running our own studios and making plenty of mistakes along the way, we’ve both developed a pretty good radar for the little signs that can tell you whether a project is going to be brilliant… or an absolute nightmare.

This week, we’re talking about everything it takes to run a successful creative business that has absolutely nothing to do with being good at design.

We share the skills, traits and ugly lessons we’ve picked up while building our own independent studios.

We get into:

👉 Why being a great designer doesn’t automatically mean you’ll run a great design business

👉 The sacrifices we’ve made to build our studios

👉 Why sometimes you have to put the pencil down and think like a business owner

👉 How your ego can damage otherwise healthy client relationships

👉 Why marketing yourself isn’t optional when you work for yourself

👉 The importance of ambition, hunger and continuing to push yourself forward

👉 Why resilience matters when your work, content and ideas are constantly being judged

This week, we’re continuing the case study series with a look behind the scenes of Jack’s latest brand identity project for Verdex - a premium all-wheel-drive robotic mower.Rather than leaning into the same overly technical, futuristic visual language used by much of the industry, Jack took a completely different approach: retrofuturism.We get into:👉 How retrofuturism became the central creative direction for Verdex👉 How Jack developed a logo around slopes, freshly mown grass and the letter V👉 The small optical adjustments that make simple logo marks actually work👉 How tone of voice can make highly technical products feel more human👉 Why one strong creative lens makes every design decision easier👉 How finding the right client can lead to some of your best creative work

This week, we’re doing something a little different and taking you properly behind the scenes of a real brand identity project.CJ breaks down the identity he created for Anti-Boring Content Club, a Berlin-based influencer marketing agency built around one very simple belief: most branded content is boring, predictable and completely forgettable.We get into:👉 How CJ approached designing for a brand with an extremely long name👉 Why the logo was deliberately designed to feel boring at first👉 How the idea of hijacking and hostile takeover shaped the entire visual identity👉 How to know when a creative concept is being pushed too far👉 Why clarity should always win over cleverness👉 Why even something as small as a business card can become part of the brand story

Using the recent Allan Peters and A$AP Rocky situation as a case study, we're taking a look at social media, self-promotion, and what it actually takes to market yourself as a designer in 2026.We get into the fine line between creating content that gets attention and creating content that actually builds the kind of reputation, audience and client base you want long term.We also talk honestly about our own relationship with social media, why millions of views don’t necessarily equal better clients, and why both of us are starting to rethink what successful creative marketing actually looks like.We get into:👉 What creatives can learn from the Allan Peters and A$AP Rocky situation👉 Why controversial and divisive content performs so well online👉 The difference between getting attention and building trust👉 Whether “fixing” other designers’ work is good marketing or damaging to the industry👉 Why millions of views don’t automatically lead to the right clients👉 How to build a social media strategy that actually reflects the creative career you want

This week, we’re talking about the projects that never saw the light of day. We're talking rejected ideas and identities that were maybe signed off but never launched. We share the stories behind some of our biggest creative disappointments, including Jack’s rejected Six Nations identity and the moment CJ decided to walk away from one of the largest and most meaningful projects of his career.

We get into:👉 Why even your best design work might never make it into the world👉 How too many stakeholders can derail an otherwise brilliant creative project👉 Why a rejected idea doesn’t automatically mean the work was bad👉 What happens when the brief and creative direction suddenly change👉 How to recognise when you’re no longer the right designer for a client👉 What to do with unused, rejected or unfinished creative work

This week, we’re talking about how to protect yourself as a freelance designer.We're talking contracts, payment terms, scope creep, unlimited revisions and difficult clients. We get into the business side of creativity that most designers are never taught.We also share some of the biggest mistakes we made early in our careers, including the project that grew into nearly a year of work for just £4,000, and the systems and boundaries we now use to protect our time, money and creative energy.We get into:👉 Why every designer needs a proper contract👉 What should be included in your scope of work👉 How to stop clients adding “just one more thing” to a project👉 Why you should never begin work before receiving a deposit👉 How to avoid chasing unpaid invoices👉 How to handle clients who ask for discounts👉 The red flags that can reveal a nightmare clients👉 Why saying yes to everything can cost you time, money and better opportunities

This week, we’re finally talking about AI... but not as a hypothetical debate about what might happen to the creative industry one day.We’re talking about something that has already happened.After discovering that his original artwork had been used without permission to promote a generative AI product, CJ takes us through the full story: how he found it, how closely the generated imagery copied his work, what happened when he publicly challenged the company responsible, and the conversations that followed behind closed doors.We get into:👉 How CJ discovered his artwork being used to advertise a generative AI product👉 What happened when CJ publicly challenged the company responsible👉 The reality of protecting your intellectual property as an independent designer👉 Why so many creatives are too frightened or under-resourced to defend their own work👉 The responsibility design influencers have when promoting generative AI products👉 How creative communities can use their collective voice to demand better👉 Why protecting human-made work is about more than saving our own jobs👉 What we might be able to do next to stand up for the future of creativity

This week, we're back after a short break, catching up on everything that's happened.Jack opens up about losing confidence in his studio, comparing himself to other designers, and the difficult decision to walk away from the work and content that had made him successful. We also talk about why changing direction isn't failing, why your business should evolve as you do, and why sometimes you have to burn down what got you here to build what comes next.We get into:👉 Why comparing yourself to other designers can kill your creativity👉 The moment Jack realised his business no longer reflected who he was👉 Why changing direction in your freelance career is often the right move👉 How social media validation can stop you building the business you actually want👉 The importance of backing yourself instead of chasing what works for everyone else👉 Why the thing that got you here won't always get you where you want to go next👉 How to know when it's time to start again

This week, we tackle one of the most uncomfortable conversations in the creative industry: money.How much should you charge for your first logo design project? We talk honestly about the fear of quoting too high, the temptation to undercharge, and why so many freelance designers struggle to separate the value of their work from their own self-worth.We also share stories from our own businesses, the pricing mistakes we've made along the way, and the mindset shifts that helped us build more sustainable creative careers.We get into:👉 Why talking about money feels so uncomfortable as a creative👉 How to think about pricing your logo design and brand identity projects👉 Why clients are paying for far more than just a logo👉 The biggest pricing mistakes we've both made as freelance designers👉 Why undercharging can actually hurt both you and your clients👉 How confidence, experience and value all play a role in what you charge👉 What we'd tell every designer who's struggling to price their work

This week, we get into the thing that separates work with soul from work without it. From copying the designers we admire to chasing critique over praise, we unpack what it actually takes to develop real taste and creative instinct. We also share stories from our own journeys, including a proper dressing-down, the danger of being told you're great too often, and the uncomfortable question of whether you have "the thing" or not.We get into:👉 Why creativity, talent and taste might be three completely different things👉 The case for tough love over empty encouragement when giving creative feedback👉 How copying the work you admire can help you find your own creative voice👉 Why curiosity is the best supplement for your creative muscles👉 The power of finding one central theme or metaphor before you start designing👉 Why stripping ideas back beats throwing everything at them👉 How bad do you really want it

This week, CJ and Jack get into the one thing that makes or breaks a creative career — getting your work signed off. From presenting ideas in front of a class for the first time, to spending an entire summer studying sales techniques, they share the hard-won lessons behind building a presentation process that actually works. Plus the uncomfortable truth that great work alone will never be enough

This week, CJ and Jack unpack the reality of finding clients as a freelance designer. From saying yes to everything in the early days, to learning how to attract the right opportunities as your career grows. They share stories from their own journeys, including cold emails, awkward client experiences, social media, passion projects, and the uncomfortable truth about what it really takes to get noticed.

We get into:

👉 How we both found our very first freelance clients

👉 Why most cold emails and DMs don't work (and what to focus on instead)

👉 The role social media played in building their design careers

👉 Why finding clients and finding the right clients are two completely different challenges

👉 How passion projects can lead to paid work in the industries you actually want to work in

👉 Why saying no to the wrong project can be harder than finding a new one

👉 The question every freelancer eventually has to answer: "How bad do you want this?"

We quit our 9-5's to work 5-9. This week, CJ and Jack unpack the guilt that comes with being a freelance creative and finally putting your 'out of office' on.

We get into:
👉 Why freelancers often feel guilty taking time off
👉 The pressure of running a business when everything stops if you stop
👉 Why rest can feel like something you have to earn
👉 The hidden 9–5 mindset many creatives still carry into freelance life
👉 How overworking quietly becomes normalised when you work for yourself
👉 And the uncomfortable truth that sometimes… we’re the ones creating the pressure

What happens when the wins stop coming? When projects drag on, self-doubt creeps in, confidence drops, and you start questioning whether you even know what you’re doing anymore.

We get into:

👉 Why freelance creatives become dependent on “wins” to keep going
👉 What happens when you stop getting sign-offs, leads, or momentum
👉 The dangerous spiral of self-doubt, comparison, and “maybe I’m not cut out for this” thinking
👉 Why nobody celebrates your wins for you when you work for yourself
👉 How to manufacture motivation and create your own small wins
👉 And why having the right people in your corner can completely change everything

EPISODE SPONSORSilverStag Type Foundry | Fonts that feel real, intentional, and full of character. Grab 20% OFF all fonts here

You know that feeling where your taste is up here… but your actual ability feels way down there?

Well, we unpack the constant battle of knowing what “great” looks like, but struggling to create work that lives up to the vision in your head.

EPISODE SPONSOR

SilverStag Type Foundry | Fonts that feel real, intentional, and full of character. Grab 20% OFF all fonts here

TOOLS FOR BRAND & LOGO DESIGNERS 🤙✏️

CJ's ToolsJack's ToolsWHERE TO FIND US 👇

CJ's InstagramJack's Instagram

Well... this week’s episode took a completely unexpected turn.What started as a conversation about social media, sharing your work online, and building a personal brand quickly became a very real discussion about criticism, hate, parody videos, and what happens when putting yourself out there publicly suddenly blows back in your face.CJ opens up about waking up to a viral parody video mocking his content, personality, and creative style, and the emotional whiplash that comes with becoming the target of public criticism online.We get into:👉 The reality of sharing your work online as a creative👉 Why social media can be both life-changing and mentally exhausting👉 The fear of judgment, criticism, and “cringe”👉 Constructive feedback vs straight-up hate👉 Why you can’t please everyone on the internet👉 The importance of finding your “North Star”👉 And why putting yourself out there is still worth it anywayThis is probably our rawest and most honest conversation yet and it's only episode 1! 😅

Welcome to the very first episode of Sticky Notes - the unfiltered podcast for creative professionals, where we ungatekeep the arts of our careers nobody talks about but everyone goes through.

In this episode, Jack Chitty and I sit down after a long day of building this podcast from scratch (literally by hand) and talk about why we’re even doing this.

We get into:

👉 Why running a freelance graphic design business can feel so lonely

👉 The importance of having someone in your corner

👉 Why there’s no “right way” to build a design career

👉 The problem with gatekeeping in the creative industry

👉 And why we wanted to create a space that’s more honest, raw, and human

This is just the start. Future episodes will dive into topics like finding clients, pricing, burnout, self-doubt, and everything in between.

If you're a graphic designer, brand designer, or creative professional, you’re in the right place.

Welcome to the first-ever episode of Sticky Notes. The podcast for graphic designers, logo designers, and brand designers who are figuring out how to build a freelance design studio.In this episode, we’re tackling one of the biggest questions in the design industry: To niche or not to niche? Should you specialise in one style, one industry, one type of client? Or should you stay broad, flexible, and take on a bit of everything?This is something Jack has been wrestling with, so we break it down properly:– The pressure to niche as a designer– Whether niching actually helps you get clients– The risk of boxing yourself in– My experience niching (and not niching) as a brand designer– How to figure out what you actually want to be known for

If you’re a freelance graphic designer who’s ever felt lost, stuck, or unsure where to start, this episode might just be what you needed. I have a raw and honest conversation with Abi Connick, a self-taught graphic designer and creative entrepreneur who went from charging £10 for logos and freelancing from her bedroom, to building a thriving online design business, enormous social media audience, and a life travelling the world on her own terms.But nothing about Abi’s journey was easy or linear. She lost her job. Had no business plan. And started putting herself out there before she had it all figured out.In this episode, we talk about:🔥 How Abi found her first clients with zero strategy🔥 Juggling 20+ clients a month and avoiding burnout🔥 Creating content while still learning herself🔥 Turning a shed studio into a global brand🔥 Discipline, imposter syndrome, and staying consistent🔥 And… yes, the time she blocked me on Instagram 😅🤙 Follow Abi Connick:INSTAGRAM: @itsabiconnick YOUTUBE: @abiconnick🔗 USEFUL LINKS from this episode! ABI'S PENCIL TOOL COURSE: https://www.abiconnick.co.uk/pencil-tool-courseABI'S NEWSLETTER: https://www.abiconnick.co.uk/newsletterPRO TOOLS & TEMPLATES FOR DESIGNERS 🤙✏️https://www.seesidestudio.com/Where else can you find me? 👇Instagram: @cj.cawley.designYouTube: @cjcawleydesign

Being a graphic designer on social media isn’t as easy as it looks…In Part 2 of my conversation with Jack Chitty (@chittco), we dive deep into the brutal reality of building a freelance graphic design career online—the hate comments, the self-doubt, the validation trap, and how social media can either make or break you as a creative.Jack opens up about:🔥 How going viral almost destroyed his confidence🔥 The imposter syndrome that still haunts him🔥 Why designers obsess over numbers (and why it’s dangerous)🔥 The real reason clients find him through social media🔥 His game-changing mindset shift for staying creativeIf you've ever felt burnt out, stuck chasing likes, or doubted your own skills, then buckle up matey. Being a successful designer isn’t about followers—it’s about the work.👉 Watch Part 1 Here:    • From ZERO Clients to Designing Logos ...  🤙 Follow Jack:   / chittco  ✏️ Sign up to The Fellow Designers Club: https://www.fellowdesignersclub.com/🔗 USEFUL LINKS from this episode! PODCAST:    / @chriswillx   DESIGN STUDIO: https://smith-diction.com/BOOK RECO 1: https://amzn.eu/d/1ts8y4sBOOK RECO 2: https://amzn.eu/d/dyJdxZ4AWESOME TOOLS FOR DESIGNERS 🤙✏️https://www.fellowdesignersclub.com/c...Where else can you find me? 👇Instagram:   / cj.cawley.design  TikTok:   / cjcawleydesign  

If you're a designer struggling to make it, you need to watch this episode of how Jack Chitty (@chittco) went from having no degree, no job, and nearly no hope to landing one of the biggest branding projects of his career – Six Nations Rugby. But the journey wasn’t as smooth as you think.In this raw and honest conversation, we talk about:🔥 How Jack built his design career from scratch (no qualifications needed!)🔥 The brutal rejection of his best logo idea & what he learned from it🔥 The truth about freelance design, burnout, and self-doubt🔥 Why social media almost broke him – and how he overcame external validation🔥 The moment his life changed forever thanks to an Instagram DM📌 Whether you're an aspiring designer, freelancer, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is packed with real, unfiltered lessons on surviving and thriving in the creative industry.💬 Drop a comment: What’s YOUR biggest struggle as a creative right now?🔗 Follow Jack Chitty:📸 Instagram: @chittco🌍 Website: www.chittco.co 🎙️ More Creative Legends episodes coming soon! Subscribe & turn on notifications!AWESOME TOOLS FOR DESIGNERS 🤙✏️https://www.fellowdesignersclub.com/c...Where else can you find me? 👇Instagram:   / cj.cawley.design  TikTok:   / cjcawleydesign