Explore every episode of the podcast Better: The Brand Designer Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| S12 E13: Going from “Freelance” to “Studio” (and Surpassing $10k Months!) with Shani Josefovits | 04 Nov 2025 | 00:37:37 | |
The Design Minimind - Accepting Applications NOW OPEN! - Apply Here. ___ This week, I had a past Design Minimind student Shani of Shani Jay Creative on to talk about her experience in the program and how much of an impact it had on her business and the revenue goals she hit and surpassed! We talk about the importance of confidence, going all in, proper mindset, and strategic investments in building a sustainable and profitable design & web business. Guest Name: Shani Josefovits Guest Website: shanijaycreative.com Guest IG: @shanijaycreative Reclaim Your Brand in 15 days: Sign up here. Links: The Design Minimind - Applications NOW OPEN! - Apply Here. Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S12 E12: Spooooky Client Stories (Round 3!) with Audrey Humphreys | 28 Oct 2025 | 00:57:05 | |
I’m back with another spooky client story episode in celebration of Halloween, with Audrey who is my production designer here at Hello June. We read your spooky stories that you submitted anonymously and Jen shares a spooky(kinda) lead that reached out to her as well! Guest Name: Audrey Humphreys (HJC's production designer!) Guest Website: audaciouscreativestudio.com Guest IG: @audaciouscreativestudio Episodes Mentioned: S8 E12 | Spooooky Client Stories (Round 2) with Lauren Braier S6 E12 | Spooooky Client Stories Kenzi’s Podcast: The Unapologetic Designer Podcast 00:00: Intro & info about my NEW offer *Scale with Confidence* 13:24: Jen’s Spooky (kinda) Inquiry Story 18:16: Spooky Client Story #1 24:38: Spooky Client Story #2 30:16: Spooky Client Story #3 35:04: Spooky Client Story #4 38:13: Spooky Client Story #5 43:23: Spooky Client Story #6 45:37: Spooky Client Story #7 46:21: “The Day I Met a Ghost..Kinda of” #8 48:20: Spooky Client Story #9 49:38: “The White Roses Incident” #10 55:06: Halloween Plans Links: • Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025 Download my FREE Creative Direction Figma Template (includes 4 audio trainings as well) Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S12 E03: How to Use AI in Your Branding Business & The Future of AI in Boutique Branding with Liz Martinez-Nelson | 26 Aug 2025 | 00:50:09 | |
✨ **Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE** ✨ Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below! 👉🏼 Grab the template here! — Coming Sept 1st! Episode Description: As the first guest of season 12, I talk with Liz from Favorite Things Studio to discuss the integration of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in brand strategy and design. Liz shares her journey from casting director to boutique brand designer, emphasizing the value of AI tools (ChatGPT being her bread and butter) for creating more efficient and high-quality outputs and how to use them elsewhere in your business and systems. We discuss all things skepticism and the advantages of using AI in the creative industry, and how AI is reshaping the way designers approach their projects. Liz also shares details about her Brand Strategy Purrr-fection course and how she's helping other designers master the fundamentals of strategic branding. 00:58: New Updates to the Upcoming Design Minimind Course 06:06: Liz's Journey to Brand Design 08:10: Starting from Scratch: Learning the Tools 14:06: Customizing AI for Your Business 19:16: The Future of AI in Brand Strategy 26:33: Leveraging AI for Client Questionnaires 29:09: Transparency with Clients About AI Usage 32:13: Exploring Visual AI Platforms 36:57: Creating Custom AI Workflows & Systems 40:30: Legal and Ethical Considerations of AI 43:16: Brand Strategy Purrr-fection Course Guest Name: Liz Martinez-Nelson Guest Website: www.favoritethingsstudio.com Instagram: @favorite.things.studio Liz’s Course: Brand Strategy Purrr-fection Links: • Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025 Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *Some are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, design studio, design business, brand designer, better podcast, better designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S8 E2: How to Craft a Top-Notch Client Experience with Danielle Joseph from Willowspace | 22 Aug 2023 | 00:44:04 | |
Danielle Joseph is the visionary founder and creative director at Function Creative Co. and founder of Willowspace, the newest CRM tool for designers! Jen and Danielle chat about the importance of crafting a strong client experience and Danielle’s experience building a startup software company. Guest Information: Guest Name: Danielle Joseph Guest Business Name: Function Creative Co. and Willowspace Guest Website: https://willowspace.app/?lmref=s7e3YA Guest Instagram: @hellofunction @willowspace.co Links Mentioned: Enjoy a free month trial of Willowspace using the code BETTERBRAND here. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S8 E1: Catching Up with Jen & How to Take a Summer Sabbatical | 15 Aug 2023 | 00:29:42 | |
Welcome to season 8! In today’s episode, Jen discusses her summer sabbatical and how she’s been able to run her business while being out of office. She also gives tips for designers to plan time away from their own businesses without the worry of missed opportunities. Links Mentioned: Showit Shortcuts by Seedling Studio Inbox Question: "What are some of the best ways to improve workflow?” - Abbey Cabler Connect With Us: | |||
| From the Archives | S5 E20: Connecting and Selling in an Organic Way on Social Media with Ashleigh Henry | 25 Jul 2023 | 01:06:53 | |
This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 8 on August 15th! Guest Information: Links Mentioned: Inbox Question: Connect With Us: | |||
| From the Archives | S6 E10: Burnout, Baby, Burnout | 18 Jul 2023 | 01:04:41 | |
This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 8 on August 15th! Inbox Questions: Links Mentioned: Connect With Us: | |||
| From the Archives | S4 E2: Work Less & Make More with Kelsey Kerslake from Pinegate Road | 11 Jul 2023 | 01:13:11 | |
This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 8 on August 15th! Connect With Us: | |||
| From the Archives | S1 E11: Attracting Dream Clients and Building Your Design Business with Abbey McGrew | 04 Jul 2023 | 00:52:55 | |
This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 8 on August 15th! | |||
| S7 E23: Answering Your Inbox Questions | 27 Jun 2023 | 01:02:19 | |
It’s the last episode of Season 7! This week Jen is joined by her new employee and brand design studio owner Lauren from Elby Creative to answer all of your burning inbox questions related to design, business, and everything in between. Links Mentioned: Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E22: 3-Year Update on Motherhood & Business | 20 Jun 2023 | 00:33:33 | |
This week Jen opens up about what her third year as a mom while running her business looked like. She goes over some of the top lessons she learned this year, sharing some perspective on her early years as a mom/business owner and also getting pretty deep about some challenges and personal growth she’s experienced this year in particular. Whether you’re a new mom, seasoned mom, or not a mom at all and just curious about her perspective and life, this episode is probably one of her most personal (and favorite) episodes she’s ever recorded! Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E21: Brands and Bias — Avoiding Blindspots in Branding with N. Chloé Nwangwu | 13 Jun 2023 | 01:11:31 | |
N. Chloé Nwangwu is the Brand Scientist, a brand visibility and Digital Diplomacy (like actual diplomacy!) advisor who unabashedly believes brands and visibility strategies not built with power dynamics and biases in mind should consider the old Thanos snap treatment. In this episode Jen interviews N. Chloé about how brand practitioners can be on the lookout for blindspots in brands and bias. Guest Information: Guest Name: N. Chloé Nwangwu Guest Business Name: NobiWorks Guest Website: nobiworks.com/ Guest Instagram: @nobiworks Guest Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/nobiworks/
Stakeholder Spectrum Blog Post from NobiWorks.com N Factor Group Intensive June 19, 2023 Why We Should Stop Saying “Underrepresented” article from HBR
“How we can all be working towards making a better impact to help reshape the industry?” - Kate Carman Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E20: How I Went from Feast/Famine to Booking 5 Months Out | 06 Jun 2023 | 00:48:59 | |
This episode was inspired by a question from one of the students in my group program for designers The Design Minimind! She wanted to know how I went from the (seemingly) never ending cycle of being overworked, followed by really slow seasons. I go through what I learned in my 1:1 marketing mentorship with Ash from The Cheetah Company, what I did on my own, and things I recommend to designers wanting to break the feast/famine cycle in a way that works best for their businesses and lifestyles. Links Mentioned: Sign Up for the Waitlist for my small group program for designers The Design Minimind! The Timeless Sales Method (Ash's Course) Podcast Episodes I Recommend Related to This Topic: Going From $0 to Six Figures Post-Maternity Leave with Chaitra Radhakrishna - S6E8 Connecting and Selling in an Organic Way on Social Media with Ash Henry - S5E20 Inbox Question: “I'd love to hear more about how other designers go about researching new industries or niches. I've mostly worked on referrals and on topics I was already familiar with, and am working on branching out.” - Libby Miner Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S12 E02: How to Name Your Business (or Your Clients’ Business) | 19 Aug 2025 | 00:18:49 | |
✨ **Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE** ✨ Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below! I'll send it out September 1, 2025 (or automatically after that date) - are you ready? 👀 Episode Description: In this solo episode, Jen talks about the intricacies of naming your business or your client's business. She covers the emotional (yes, that’s a thing!) and psychological aspects of naming, common pitfalls to avoid, essential checks in the naming process, and best practices for creating memorable and unique names. 00:00: Intro 01:11: Exciting New Freebie Announcement and What That Includes 04:11: Diving into Episode Topic 06:20: Psychology and Emotional Impact of Naming 08:02: Abstract and Compound Naming Strategies 09:30: Things to Avoid in Naming 12:35: Naming and Brand Design Considerations 14:32: Ensuring Name Availability and Suitability 16:11: Conclusion and the Upcoming The Design Minimind Cohort 5 Reminder. Website Mentioned: Links: • Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025 Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E19: Working for (or Hiring) Another Designer with Lauren Braier | 30 May 2023 | 00:45:47 | |
This week Lauren Braier of Elby Creative (and now Branding Bestie podcast!) joins Jen for a chat all about hiring - whether that’s for your own studio or for someone else’s studio. Lauren is now (officially!) Jen’s first part time employee but has been with Hello June as a subcontract Production Designer & Admin Assistant for the past one and a half years. We chat through do’s and dont’s for hiring, mistakes we’ve made, recommendations for how to know when to hire, and what you should be doing as a studio owner to prep for your first (or next) hire. Links Mentioned: Packaging Design Master: www.packagingdesignmaster.com - $50 off PDM enrollment with the code BETTER Branding Bestie Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2OjqjljCGrxhsFy2I3WQAH?si=908e23762b754b9d Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E18: Leveraging Your Expertise & Value in Pricing | 23 May 2023 | 00:41:48 | |
Pricing is a crucial aspect of any business, as it can make or break the profitability of the business. Leveraging your expertise and value is a great way to ensure that you are pricing your products or services appropriately. In this episode we talk through some important points to consider when leveraging your expertise and value in pricing, how we determine the value of our expertise (and constantly monitor and adjust it!), and methods we use to communicate our value. Inbox Question: "How do I position myself as an expert?” - Iannah James-Smith Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E17: Podcast Updates / Esther’s Farewell | 16 May 2023 | 00:37:41 | |
In this episode Esther announces her decision to depart from the podcast due to focusing more time on her rapidly expanding design studio Sereth Design. The hosts discuss what’s next for the podcast (Jen is going to host solo alongside some amazing guests!) and they review their favorite Esther episodes from the past three seasons. The Better community is so grateful to Esther and all the time, passion, creativity, and heart that she’s brought to the brand over the past three seasons, and she will be missed but wholeheartedly supported in this next phase of her career! We love you Esther! Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E16: Learning to Trust Yourself as a Designer with Bonnie Bakhtiari | 09 May 2023 | 00:39:01 | |
This week we did a podcast swap with the lovely Bonnie Bakhtiari from The Brand Strategy Podcast! We chatted all about how difficult it can be to trust yourself as a designer - and what tools we use to strengthen our confidence and self-trust. Brand Strategy Podcast Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E15: Would You Ever… | 02 May 2023 | 01:00:04 | |
Play a game with us! Think the opposite of “Never Have I Ever” - this week, we’re playing “Would You Ever…” We’re doing a Q&A-style episode where we ask some (juicy) questions about being a designer and business owner, working with clients, and our preferences. We also polled our audience (you guys!) on Instagram and share the results alongside our own opinions. Let’s have some fun! Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E14: Making your Website Stand Out from a Copywriter’s Perspective with Alice Brown | 25 Apr 2023 | 01:05:07 | |
Alice Brown is the pen behind Alice Writes Copy, from Cornwall, England: a website specialist, copywriter and SEO strategist for passionate business owners. In this episode Esther interviews Alice about how copy is crucial to websites - and is as important (if not more!) than design. They talk about first impressions, hooking customers and motivating them to move through your site, common mistakes to avoid, and how copywriters work hand-in-hand with designers. Guest Information: Links Mentioned: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E13: Catching Up with Esther & Jen / Our Q1 Recaps | 18 Apr 2023 | 00:47:07 | |
This week Jen and Esther chat about life updates (Jen’s recent move and Esther’s travels) and business updates (how things are going and what we’re working on). We also review how Q1 went for Sereth and Hello June, and what’s in the pipeline for Q2 and beyond. Links Mentioned: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E12: Working with a Developer with José Roa | 11 Apr 2023 | 01:00:43 | |
Jose is a Venezuelan born self-thought web developer & wellness enthusiast. After 7 years working in all sorts of different non-fulfilling corporate jobs he discovered his passion for coding and the limitless possibilities that it offers. His expertise lies within front-end web developing, and the main languages in his tech stack are JavaScript, and of course HTML and CSS. In this episode, Esther interviews Jose about the designer-developer relationship, his experience developing the Better Podcast website with Esther and Jen, and how overcoming the fear of failing is the key for effective coding and problem solving. Guest Information: Inbox Questions:
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer | |||
| S7 E11: In the Eyes of the Beholder: Taking Customer + Clients’ POV Into Consideration | 04 Apr 2023 | 00:29:31 | |
When it comes to creative work such as brand design and website design, it is important to keep in mind the end user's perspective. After all, they are the ones who will be interacting with the final product. In this episode, Esther shares some tips for taking customers' and clients' points of view and needs into consideration to create the best result for them. We do this by researching, using customer-centric language, considering user experience, and testing your designs by cross-checking how the audience will see them. Because at the end of the day, the designs are not about us as designers, trends, or what we like - it’s about moving the needle for our clients, telling a story, and making something worth remembering (call back to S7 E6!) Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: | |||
| S7 E10: Font Design, Digital Products, Burnout, & Industry Culture with Jen Wagner | 28 Mar 2023 | 01:09:07 | |
This week Jen chats with Jen Wagner, a type designer - and the conversation was incredible. We went totally off-script and talked through some really personal things. Jen shares her story and recent experience with burnout, we chat about culture shifts we’re noticing in the independent designer industry, and then we talk through how to get started in font design and what that looks like for Jen W. and her business. Guest Information: Links Mentioned: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S12 E01: How to Thrive During Slow Seasons | 12 Aug 2025 | 00:27:16 | |
✨ **Grab my Creative Direction template for FREE** ✨ Curious what the first stage of my brand design projects looks like? Grab the Figma template (and four bonus audio trainings walking you through how to populate it!) below! I'll send it out September 1, 2025 (or automatically after that date) - are you ready? 👀 In this first episode of season 12, Jen is talking about something we've all experienced as business owners—slow seasons. But here's the thing: these quiet moments are actually golden opportunities! She shares ideas and ways for thriving during slower months, like creating low-cost services, launching digital products, or reconnecting with past clients, invest in learning and take courses (hint: The Design Minimind), and more! Slow seasons don't get to define your business—you do. 00:00: Intro/welcome to season 12! 01:27: Upcoming freebie announcement and Info 05:25: The Design Minimind success testimonials 10:00: Diving into the episode topic - slow seasons 12:34: How to generate quick cash in slow seasons 19:36: Ways to make the best use of the extra time 25:51: Final thoughts and encouragement Episodes Mentioned: S8E12: Spooooky Client Stories (Round 2) with Lauren Braier S6E12: Spooooky Client Stories S3E9: Difficult Client Stories Links: • Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025 Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S7 E9: Boundaries & Expansion | 21 Mar 2023 | 01:02:32 | |
As we build our businesses, we find that we’re constantly monitoring and evaluating our models, as well as taking into account the lessons we learn along the way in order to expand into the higher levels of success and growth we desire. In this episode we’re talking about two very separate things that work closely together: Boundaries and Expansion. We’ve found that you FIRST need boundaries in order to step into a space where you can THEN expand and grow. We talk about how we prune and cull our business models and activities and watch them bloom. Inbox Question: “What are the biggest red flags when a client is inquiring about a project? What are the most important lessons the designer has learned when working with clients?” — Kristy Lee Ueda Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our Free Facebook Community Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: www.betterbranddesigner.com/disclaimer | |||
| S7 E8: How Much Does it Cost to Run a Design Studio? | 14 Mar 2023 | 00:55:13 | |
Anyone ever been afraid of looking at their books? This week Jen pulled back the curtain on her business expenses. She goes over what the last few years of running Hello June have looked like financially, trends she’s noticed, goals she’s had, mistakes she’s made, and things she’s doing now to help her business stay lean and profitable. Links Mentioned: Inbox Question: "As a freelancer what are the options for self-employed insurance and plans for retirement savings? How do you approach retirement savings and health insurance when you’re a full time freelancer?” - Miroslava Ruth Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E7: Being a Multipassionate Creative | 07 Mar 2023 | 00:56:57 | |
We’ve been taught to think that being multi-passionate means we’re not good at any one thing, lack focus, and are easily distracted. BUT THAT’S JUST NOT TRUE. Being multi-passionate means you’re curious, interesting, driven to learn, excited about life & being creative. In this episode we talk about what it means to be multi-passionate, how to celebrate and honor you many creative ideas, how to identify the type of multi-passionate you are, and how to do it all - in the best way that works for you. We discuss 4 models which are written in the book “How to be Everything” by Emilie Wapnie:
Links Mentioned: Inbox Question: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E6: Creating Designs Worth Remembering | 28 Feb 2023 | 00:31:10 | |
As designers, it is our job to deliver designs to our clients that are unique, ground-breaking, and ultimately: worth remembering. We are bombarded with brands, website, ads, day in and day out. But how many of those brands stick out to you? Very few! As you’re designing, it’s important to keep that in mind and work towards being the brand that sticks out. In this episode Esther talks about her 4 step fool-proof way to ensure she’s delivering brands that are each unique in their own way:
Inbox Question: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E5: The Power of Having Your Ideal Clients Coming to You on Autopilot with Adrienne Johnston | 21 Feb 2023 | 01:05:11 | |
Today Adrienne Johnston joins Jen to talk all about how she generates 5+ leads per week WITHOUT doing active content marketing! This was such an interesting and insightful conversation all about using the power of simple, effortless SEO shifts to start capturing leads that may not have been aware of you. Guest Information: Links Mentioned: Inbox Question: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E4: How to Structure, Price, Market, and Sell Design Intensives | 14 Feb 2023 | 01:01:50 | |
If you guys are as curious as we were about adding design intensives into your offer suite, this episode is the one-stop-shop guide you’ve been looking for! We go through who intensives work best for, the pros and cons of offering them, and best practices for pitching and selling them to clients. We also go through some of the mistakes we’ve made when offering intensives - and what we’ve learned along the way. Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E3: How to Invite Simplicity into Your Life, Business, and Design Style | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:39:38 | |
Ever wanted your business and life to feel simpler and easier? This week Jen goes over one of her biggest values - simplicity - and how she lives out that value in her design work, business, and her life. She’s always saying, “Let it be easy,” and hopes that this episode feels like a breath of fresh air and an invitation to a more spacious business and life. Links Mentioned: Paula Scher Citibank Story Inbox Question: “What is the most time consuming aspect of brand and web design?” - Ellie Johnson Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E2: Elevating African Narratives Through Modern Design with Fungi Dube | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:59:51 | |
Fungi Dube is a creative solopreneur and ardent Pan-Africanist Brand, Visual, and Webflow Web Designer who is passionate about elevating African narratives through modern design and cultivating Afro-positive sentiments. Her work is heavily influenced by the profound nuances that are embedded in African cultures, likes the use of patterns, textures, historical writings, graphic symbols, and color as a form of visual and global communication. She is also a speaker and mentor; also currently works with Flux Academy as a Brand Design Coach. We speak with Fungi about her positioning and how she uses culture to impact her design and share powerful stories! Guest Information: Inbox Question: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E1: Business Lessons We Learned the Hard Way (So You Don’t Have To) | 24 Jan 2023 | 00:56:35 | |
There are a couple things that we learned the hard way - and we want to help you avoid those mistakes! We chat through client communication errors we’ve made, our philosophy on hiring, standing up for yourself, and weathering the ups and downs of business. We’re curious - what’s one lesson you learned the hard way in your business? Inbox Question: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S7 E0: Catching Up & What to Expect in Season 7 | 24 Jan 2023 | 00:21:51 | |
Happy 2023 and welcome to Season 7! Esther and Jen recap their holiday breaks, talk about their goals for 2023, and discuss new changes for Season 7 and what to expect. Can’t wait to have you guys along for the ride! Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S11 E21: Answering Your Inbox Questions | 05 Aug 2025 | 00:40:40 | |
Wrapping up season 11 with a fun one! I’m answering your questions straight from the inbox. Questions: 5:03: I’m a branding designer currently and I was wondering if you had an episode on pricing brand projects with and without websites? 6:55: How do you professionally incorporate Ai into your process? 12:05: If client "A" offers 10K for a project but you're a little iffy about some portion of the project vs client "B" offers 8K for approximately the same amount of time, which do you choose? 16:39: Creative directing is a role I thought I was ready for this spring and realized quickly that I was not. Can I ask where you get your leads from? 19:39: How do you stay creative when you have multiple projects? 21:44: How can you market yourself as a Brand Designer when you’re too working on your own brand and figuring out how to establish yourself? 22:49: Best places to learn and stay up to date with trends and best practices? 27:16: What must haves should a brand designer have in their contract? 28:20: How do you look for inspiration without comparing yourself to others and making yourself feel small? 29:54: How to help your client keep an open mind during the creative process. 32:00: How to say no when clients ask extra work? 33:35: Does it ever get easy? 35:24: How do we demonstrate our value as designers in an increasingly DIY landscape? 36:47: How people deal with direct competitors to their current client reaching out for branding help in a small market? Episodes Mentioned: S10 E7:What Should You Charge? Pricing Survey Results S1 E10: How to Identify Good Clients and Avoid Red Flag Clients S10 E1: Our Red Flag List(Avoid These Clients!) with Lauren Braier S11 E19: 5 Year Update on Motherhood & Business S10 E5: Why, When, and How to Start an Internship Program S8 E17: Rethinking Social Media Marketing with Xanthe Appleyard S8 E 18: How to Launch Your Services with Kelsey McCormick S6 E19: Turning Your Services Page into a Sales Page with Kelsey McCormick S5 E2: Finding Creative Inspiration S11 E11: Branding Bestie Chit Chat: Designing a Life You Love with Lauren Links: The Design Minimind • Sign up to be notified - Applications open Nov 1st, 2025 Connect: Facebook Community | Website | Podcast Insta | Hello June Creative Insta | The Design Minimind | The Creative Diaries | |||
| From The Archives | S4 E3: All About Brand Strategy with Melinda Livsey | 17 Jan 2023 | 01:12:29 | |
This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th! Brand strategy is the foundation upon which meaningful brand identity design lives. It's important for brand designers to understand the "why" behind brand strategy so they can use it to improve their design work and sell it to their clients as a package with design or standalone service. Today Jen chats with Melinda Livsey all about Brand Strategy. Melinda is a brand strategist and online educator from Southern California. She currently helps graphic designers become brand strategists so they can develop entire directions and personalities of brands. Her courses Brand Strategy Bootcamp and How to Sell Brand Strategy can be found at https://www.marksandmaker.com. Links Mentioned:
Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| From The Archives | S1 E6: Getting Paid on Time | 10 Jan 2023 | 00:45:59 | |
This From the Archives episode is all about getting paid on time and ensuring things don’t get lost in the black hole that is the internet:
Enjoy these call-back episodes. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th! Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| From The Archives | S3 BONUS: How Giselle Made $10k+ With Her First Digital Course Launch (And How You Can Too) | 03 Jan 2023 | 00:36:31 | |
This episode was so wonderful to listen back to! We hope you enjoy it. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th! In this solo episode, Giselle opens up about why and how she launched a digital course. What seems like a couple of months of preparation for the course was really three years in the making. Giselle spills it all to encourage those that dream about making digital products but hold themselves back for many reasons — just like she did to herself. Giselle covers: product ideation, goal-setting, pre-launching and launching, imposter syndrome, progress over perfection, Essentialism by Greg McKeown, business coaching, overcoming shame, mental health challenges, and future ideas for the course. From Giselle: First off, I have to give a huge shoutout to the women that impacted my professional and personal lives, my previous coaches, and current friends: Avani Miriyala, Jane Scudder, and Kelsey Kerslake. I also wanted to address the importance of taking care of one’s mental health in this episode. My hope is that we as entrepreneurs can have the space to step back when our personal lives call for it and not feel ashamed nor lose the momentum we worked so hard to build for our businesses. It's ok to step back, it's ok to take care of yourself first. Plus, our community is built to support you in both the highs and lows. Links Mentioned Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| From The Archives | S2 E7: Crafting a Growth Mindset with Avani Miriyala | 27 Dec 2022 | 00:56:04 | |
This From the Archives episode is chocked full of knowledge from Avani Miriyala, Giselle’s business coach. In the episode Avani, Jen, and Giselle talk about:
Enjoy these call-back episodes. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th! Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S6 E20: Answering Your Inbox Questions | 20 Dec 2022 | 00:59:32 | |
It’s our final episode of Season 6 and we’re answering your burning questions! Listen to hear your questions about client processes, brand design, business, and more! Some of our questions include:
For the next 4 weeks, we’ll be releasing From the Archives episodes featuring our most listened-to episodes over the seasons. We will be back with Season 7 on January 24th! Happy holidays! Links Mentioned:
This Episode’s Partner: The Brief Collective Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: Our podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: | |||
| S6 E19: Turning Your Services Page into a Sales Page with Kelsey McCormick | 13 Dec 2022 | 01:11:24 | |
Everyone wants to attract the right clients and easily sell high-ticket services - but when was the last time you reviewed what was on your services page? This week Jen chats with Kelsey McCormick from Coming Up Roses all about her journey from climbing the ranks in the music industry to running a brand and web studio, and how Kelsey developed a framework specifically for crafting services pages that convey the transformation you’re selling and that support your sales process from the start. Guest Information: Links Mentioned: Inbox Question: This Episode’s Partner: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: | |||
| S6 E18: Supporting a Partner Who Runs a Design Business with Jake Dekoning | 06 Dec 2022 | 01:00:14 | |
This week we turn the tables as Jen interviews Esther and her husband, Jake, about how Jake has played many roles in her business — as a spouse, partner, support system, cheerleader, quality control, and accountant… among MANY others. Jake shares some of the challenges associated with supporting a partner who runs her own business, and how they worked through them together. They also talk about things they’ve learned during a career transition and ways that Esther has felt most supported. If you’re a partner (or roommate, or bestie, or parent!) of a business owner, this one is for you! Inbox Question: Upcoming Events: This Episode’s Partner: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: | |||
| S6 E17: Peek into Our Gratitude Journals & Goals For 2023! | 29 Nov 2022 | 01:07:55 | |
Happy Thanksgiving! In this special episode, we wanted to get personal and share things that we’re grateful for this year both personally and professionally! Spoiler: lots of love fest moments. We also talk about things we’ve learned this past year and then flip it on its head to how we’re moving forward and setting goals for next year. Stay till the end to hear some of the questions we use to check in with ourselves and set goals, so you can start thinking ahead too! This Episode’s Partner: Packaging Design Master Set yourself apart from the competition with the specialized and niche skill of packaging design. Visit packagingdesignmaster.com and use the code BETTER to get $50 off enrollment. | |||
| S6 E16: How to Earn More as a Designer Without Working Longer Hours with Bonnie Bakhtiari | 22 Nov 2022 | 01:26:41 | |
Have you ever wondered how you could grow your design revenue without spending hours chained to your desk or taking on more clients than you can handle and hiring a huge team? This is the question of the hour for a lot of you - and we’re SO excited to welcome Bonnie Bakhtiari from B is for Bonnie Design to chat about how to earn more while working less! We discuss pricing, sales, offer suite, slow seasons, client objections, and what goes into raising your rates in a sustainable way. Guest Information: The Design Minimind by Hello June Creative Inbox Question: Upcoming Events: This Episode’s Partner: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: | |||
| S6 E15: Using Unique Premium Positioning to Attract High-Ticket Clients with Liz Cholhan | 15 Nov 2022 | 01:08:14 | |
This week we chat all things positioning with Liz Cholhan from Highlo Designs - what it means, how to craft yours, and how positioning can impact your business (not only by helping you attract and book higher-ticket/higher-value clients, but also by finding that soul-aligning feeling of clarity in who you are and who you serve). Liz has been running her business for over 10 years, and shares in the ins and outs of her personal positioning journey as well as her best advice for designers looking to stand out in what feels like a crowded industry. Guest Information: The Design Minimind by Hello June Creative Inbox Question: This Episode’s Partners: The Arcoiris Design Co Squarespace Template Shop Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: | |||
| S11 E20: My Favorite Adobe Illustrator Hidden Gems | 29 Jul 2025 | 00:19:34 | |
In this solo episode, I’m talking about the tools and shortcuts I use every day in Adobe Illustrator (my favorite Adobe software!) while designing for my clients. Plus, I’m sharing exactly where to find them in Illustrator and how I use them. Follow along in more detail over on the blog post while you listen! - hellojunecreative.co/blog. 00:00: Intro 03:52: Pattern Brush Tool 05:31: Duplicate Shortcut 06:27: Smooth Tool 07:39 Pattern Tool 09:21: Width Tool 10:42: Join Tool 11:47: Pathfinder Tool 12:55: Puppet Warp Tool 14:53: Recolor Artwork Tool 15:56: Outline Stroke Tool Head over to hellojunecreative.co/blog for more tools that I didn’t talk about on the podcast in the blog post! Or go comment on my instagram post over on @hellojunecreate if you know of a tool/shortcut that you use and love that I didn't talk about! Links: • Sign up to be notified - Applications for cohort 5 opens Nov 1st, 2025 Get 30% off of your HoneyBook subscription - The CRM I use in my studio.* Enjoy 1 month of Showit FREE with my code “HelloJune” when you sign up.* Earn $100 after you run your first payroll with Gusto, my payroll and compliance software.* Get 50% off your first year of Flodesk, my email marketing software.* *These are affiliate links which means I may earn a commission. Connect With Us: Join The Creative Diaries (my email list) Tags: designer, design, brand design, brand identity design, design studio, design business, graphic design, brand designer, better podcast, brand designer podcast, logo design, brand identity design | |||
| S6 E14: Squarespace, Showit, and Shopify Walk into a Bar… | 08 Nov 2022 | 00:56:47 | |
Ever been confused about whether you’re using the right website platform for your studio and your clients? We’re breaking it ALL down today with pros and cons lists for the major websites platforms we see boutique design studios using: Squarespace, Showit, Shopify, Webflow, Wordpress, and Wix. There’s no “wrong” or “right” here (although we know designers have a LOT of opinions!) We’re just here to give our opinions and help you find the right platform for your next project! Links Mentioned: Inbox Question: This Episode’s Partner: Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: | |||
| S6 E13: LIVE from the Studio… it’s Brand Presentations! | 01 Nov 2022 | 01:27:19 | |
We’ve never seen this shared publicly before… we’re pulling back the curtain in today’s episode to share the audio from actual client presentations from our studios! We watched each other’s Strategy/Creative Direction videos and then reacted live to them - noting what we loved about them and making some really juicy suggestions for making them even better. We hope that this episode inspires you to mix things up and gives you some ideas to try in your own brand presentations. Check the Facebook group to see the visuals behind what we discuss in this episode! Inbox Question: Upcoming Events: Become a $10 Patron here. This Episode’s Partners: Standout Shopify Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: | |||
| S6 E12: Spooooky Client Stories! | 25 Oct 2022 | 00:59:05 | |
It’s officially SPOOOOKY szn around here and we wanted to get a little festive. We had our listeners (you guys!) anonymously submit your scariest/most difficult client stories and we read them, react to them, and listen to what they learned from the experience. We truly believe that difficult client experiences are one of the hardest parts of running a design business, but this episode serves to remind us that we’re not alone, it happens to everyone, and what we can do to avoid those situations in the future, or deal with them in the present. This Episode’s Partners: Standout Shopify Special thanks to our producer Jon from Wayfare Recording Co. Connect With Us: | |||