Explore every episode of the podcast Creative Confessions
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dealing with Loneliness as a Freelance Designer with Frankie Harry | 02 Sep 2024 | 00:36:29 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by Frankie Harry to talk honestly about loneliness in freelance design, building real community, and finding your rhythm as a creative. The Creative Confession(s)™ we're discussing:
CONNECT WITH FRANKIE! ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Designer Anxiety & Why Being Yourself Online Wins with CJ Cawley | 12 Aug 2024 | 00:53:03 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by CJ Cawley, designer, content creator, and all-round creative to talk about anxiety, authenticity, and showing up online even when it’s uncomfortable. After getting a handful of confessions from creatives struggling with social media confidence, we dive deep into what it really feels like to put yourself out there. From overthinking how you look or sound, to the pressure of chasing numbers and staying “on brand", CJ and I unpack fear and insecurity of the creative process. The Creative Confessions(s)™ we're discussing: ✷ “My anxiety is stopping me from getting in front of the camera and talking, but maybe I need to because that’s what everybody else is doing.” ✷ “I love what I do and I want to be a successful designer, but when it comes to social media, I just don’t have the motivation all the time.” CONNECT WITH CJ ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Things Designers Need to Hear - Q+A | 13 Jun 2023 | 00:12:20 | |
DISCLAIMER: This episode is from before Brand Your Brain became a confession-based podcast. At this time, the podcast was more about answering listener questions and sharing my own freelance journey. As of July 2024 and onwards, the podcast now shares anonymous confessions sent in by listeners to show the real, unfiltered side of freelancing. If that’s what you’re here for, start from July 2024 onward! Got a confession to share? Submit it here Follow Robin on Instagramhere Follow the Podcast Instagramhere Get The Newsletter, Templates & Design Freebieshere Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!. | |||
| Should I Ditch My Corporate Degree for Freelance Design? With CzarCreates | 05 Aug 2024 | 00:48:04 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by CK, the designer behind CzarCreates, to talk about balancing creative careers with traditional ones, transferable skills, and finding your way into design from unexpected paths. We chat about creative identity, using past experience to your advantage, how “non-creative” jobs secretly prepare you for design, and the mindset shifts that help you make peace with doing both. CK also shares how she transitioned from law into brand design, built two creative businesses, and found her groove as the pocket-rocket branding pal she is today 🚀 The Creative Confession™ we're discussing:"I've always been creative and I want to pursue design but I feel like I can’t. I’m studying psychology and I’ve been doing it for a few years. I’m worried that I can’t do both or will disappoint people if I try to build a creative career instead of following through with my plan to get a degree. I think you mentioned studied psychology so any feedback helps" CONNECT WITH CK: ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Does Using AI Devalue your Design Work? With Morgan Hastie of The Logo Lassie | 16 Sep 2024 | 00:41:26 | |
Today I'm joined by Morgan of The Logo Lassie and we're talking about the use of AI in design work, mostly for creating mockups and product visualisations. We explore the pros and cons of using AI-generated content and share the importance of transparency and disclosure when presenting this work to clients. The Creative Confession™ we're discussing: "I want to use more AI in my work for mock ups I designed for aestheticians and I find it hard to find good mock ups.I feel like I have to disclose that I'm using AI online and to my clients and I'm nervous that people will value my work less" CONNECT WITH MORGAN! Resources Mentioned in this Episode: This episode is not sponsored or endorsed by any of these products/brands ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| How Embracing Rejection can Benefit your Design Business with Liz Mosley | 23 Sep 2024 | 00:40:44 | |
Today I was joined by Liz Mosley to talk all about rejection in your business. Liz created her 'Rejection Challenge', a fun challenge allowing her to reach out for more opportunities than she normally would and embracing rejection as a normal part of running a business.
Today's Creative Confession™: "I saw a TikTok of a designer going into their local stores to market their graphic design services - and I want to do this, but I'm worried that the store owners will laugh or straight up ignore me." Connect with Liz! ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here | |||
| How Finding & Owning Your Unique Style Can Transform Your Business with Kristy Campbell | 07 Oct 2024 | 00:44:06 | |
I'm chatting with Kristy Campbell, founder of Pink Pony Creative, to talk about how embracing your unique style and personality can transform your business. We're talking all about the challenges and rewards of going all in on what makes you stand out, from creating a team to leveraging a unique name to building a brand that people can’t forget. The Creative Confession™ we're discussing: “I have heard it’s good to show your personality through your work and business but I’m scared people won’t take me seriously” CONNECT WITH KRISTY: ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here | |||
| Reading The Scariest Confessions of Designers with Craig Reid | 28 Oct 2024 | 00:41:42 | |
It’s the Halloween Special 👻 This week, I’m joined by Craig Reid; Scottish designer, art school student, and certified chaotic good for a Halloween episode full of creative horror stories and designer confessions that’ll make your blood run cold. We read through anonymous creative confessions™ from real designers who confessed everything from designing logos in Photoshop and skipping contracts… to staying awake for 24 hours to finish a brand and getting ghosted anyway. CONNECT WITH CRAIG: ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Sharing My Confessions as a Brand Designer | 16 Dec 2024 | 00:23:22 | |
Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your Creative Confession here Follow Robin on Instagramhere Follow the Podcast Instagramhere Get The Newsletter, Templates & Design Freebieshere Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| 6 Designers Get Real About 2024: Wins, Fails, Lessons & Confessions | 30 Dec 2024 | 00:58:27 | |
This year, I invited six incredible designers to reflect on their 2024 journeys. In this special end-of-year episode, they get real about their biggest wins, their hardest fails, the advice they’d give to new designers, and their creative confessions. This is a raw, honest look at the ups and downs of life as a creative. Whether you’re starting out or you’ve been in the game for years, these stories will inspire, motivate, and remind you that you’re not alone. GUESTS, LINKS & TIMESTAMPS Guest 1: Kristy Campbell - Brand & Graphic Designer & Owner of Pink Pony Creative (Segment Starts at 01:07) Guest 2: Liz Mosley - Brand & Graphic Designer & Podcaster (Segment Starts at 11:56) Guest 3: Frankie Harry - Freelance Brand & Graphic Designer (Segment Starts at 22:20) Guest 4: Craig Reid - Typography & Identity Designer (Segment Starts at 33:10) Guest 5: CK - Brand Designer for the Multi-passionate (Segment Starts at 40:36) Guest 6: Morgan Hastie - Brand & Packaging Designer at The Logo Lassie (Segment Starts at 48:45) ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Designing for Clients vs Designing for Content with Jenn Stank | 14 Apr 2025 | 00:28:43 | |
This week I’m joined by Jenn from Stankin Good Design to talk all about the pressure to perform on social media, designing for visibility instead of value, and the real cost of chasing validation from other designers instead of your actual clients. Together we unpack:
If you’ve ever caught yourself designing for likes instead of purpose, this one’s for you. Connect with Jenn! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stankingood_design/ More links: linktr.ee/stankingood Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit it here Follow Robin on Instagram here Follow the Podcast Instagram here Get The Newsletter, Templates & Design Freebies here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Should You Put Your Prices on Your Website? With James Barnard | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:28:34 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by designer James Barnard to talk about pricing transparency. After reading a confession from a creative who said listing their prices might have scared off all their leads, we talk about why this advice doesn’t work for everyone. We also get into how to communicate your value without putting numbers on your site as well as some of James' tips for social media content. If you’ve ever second-guessed your pricing, or wondered whether you’re making things harder for yourself, this one’s for you. The Creative Confession™ we're discussing: "I saw designers on Threads saying that if we want to be as transparent and as accessible as possible then we should put our prices on our websites so I did. I've noticed I haven't had a single lead since. I had a good flow of leads before and I think I tried to fix something that wasn't broken. " CONNECT WITH JAMES: ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Designers Are Googling Each Other’s Clients? | Community Reaction Episode | 23 Jun 2025 | 00:32:06 | |
In this episode, I’m doing something a little different. Recently, I sent out a newsletter about how I noticed designers Googling each other’s clients to “check if the projects are real.” I didn’t expect much. But then… my inbox exploded. Turns out, people have thoughts. Some agreed with me. Some challenged me. So in today’s episode, I’m reading out a bunch of those anonymous replies and reacting to each one with my honest take. We’re talking:
If you’ve ever hesitated to share a mock project or worried you’d be seen as “less than” for doing passion work, this one's for you MENTIONED EPISODE: When pretending to have clients backfires Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit it here Get The Newsletter, Templates & Design Freebies here Follow Robin on Instagram here Follow the Podcast Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| The Truth About Going into Business with your Friend | With Jess & Rach of StudioMorii | 04 Aug 2025 | 00:23:05 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by Jess and Rachel, the duo behind Studio Morii to talk all things business partnerships, friendship, and honesty. After getting a confession from a creative who said starting a business with a friend feels scarier than going solo, we dig into what it’s actually like to build a brand with your best friend. We chat about keeping communication open, navigating finances together, managing stress in totally different ways, and how to protect your friendship when business gets serious. The Creative Confession™ we're discussing: “My friend and I have a plan to go into business together as a partnership and I am more anxious than her. I am nervous about starting a business with another person and it actually feels scarier than going solo.” CONNECT WITH JESS & RACH! ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Using AI in Design Client Work, Yes or No? Here's What Designers Think... | 28 Jul 2025 | 00:29:19 | |
In this episode, I'm exploring an anonymous confession about using AI in creative work through a community-driven discussion. I collected anonymous responses that represent a range of viewpoints, highlighting the conversations happening in the creative community. DISCLAIMER: This episode aims to create understanding and encourage a conversation rather than shame. Even though all responses couldn't be read in this episode, I aimed to read multiple responses with differing viewpoints. I acknowledge the complexity of the issues discussed & I do want to emphasise that I am still unsure where I stand on the topic. My approach with this episode is to present various perspectives and let you draw your own conclusions. Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit it here Sign up for the newsletter & Get involved with the podcast here Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| What Completing a 100 Day Design Challenge Teaches You with Gareth Robertson | 02 Jan 2026 | 00:41:48 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by Gareth Robertson; designer at Gr-aphic Studio to talk all about his recent experience with completing a 100 day design challenge. After getting a confession from a creative who said they started a 100 day design challenge and gave up after 1 week, we talk about what it’s like to keep pushing and complete a challenge like this Gareth and I talk all about accountability, pushing yourself, protecting your creativity and the pressure we feel to be perfect when creating. The Creative Confession™ we're discussing: “I started a 100 day design challenge and gave up after 1 week. I was posting the designs daily but I wasn't getting anywhere it felt like a waste of my time. Is it even worth it?” CONNECT WITH GARETH ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession™ here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Why creatives need co-working spaces with Vickie Moore-Gourd | 30 Jan 2026 | 00:23:05 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by Vickie Moore-Gourd; designer at Design Some Moore to talk all about free co-working sessions for designers and creatives who want to connect and make friends with others in the industry. Vickie and I talk all about what it takes to run an unpaid community, why we feel creatives need spaces like this, and what it takes to start your own. The Creative Confession® we're discussing: "There are hardly any unpaid communities. Every group chat or session seems to be behind a paywall and it's hard for designers who just want to make friends not take a course to find like-minded creatives” CONNECT WITH VICKIE: ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession® here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Building a Successful Design Business as a University Student with Morgan Hastie | 27 Feb 2026 | 00:35:57 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by Morgan Hastie, also known as The Logo Lassie, a Scottish designer and university graphic design student to talk all about balancing freelancing and student life. Morgan and I talk all about what it's like balancing freelancing with brands all over the world and getting her degree. The Creative Confession® we're discussing: "I’m a student and I want to build my own business but I have no idea where to start. I thought my course would help me prepare for the “real world” but I do not want to go into a studio ” CONNECT WITH MORGAN: ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession® here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Why Instagram Views & Likes Don't Matter with Trent Duffy | 27 Mar 2026 | 00:27:44 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by Trent Duffy, founder of Duffy Design Co to talk all about promoting yourself on social media. For the first time on the podcast, Duffy has come on to discuss his own confession of what it means when content 'performs well'. The Creative Confession® we're discussing: “I have found that some of my worst performing posts on social media were the ones that landed me my biggest clients. This changed the way I looked at social media numbers. It’s not about how many people see it as long as the right person does.” CONNECT WITH TRENT: ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession® here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Making a Positive Impact with your Creative Skills with Briony Davis | 24 Apr 2026 | 00:27:44 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by Briony Davis to talk all about making a positive impact using your creative skills. Briony is the founder of a program called Branding For Impact which makes brand identities accessible for small, women-led businesses, while donating money to PCOS awareness. The Creative Confession® we're discussing: “I gave up my graphic design biz because it felt I was encouraging consumerism. I went into copywriting/comms and wider branding for orgs instead. (Still use my skills ofc, but differently) ” CONNECT WITH BRIONY: GET INVOLVED WITH BRANDING FOR IMPACT: Chat with Briony / Become a sponsor ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession® here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||
| Is Niching Down The Right Move For Creatives? With Jess Goldsmith | 30 May 2026 | 00:25:26 | |
In this episode, I’m joined by Jess Goldsmith, illustrator, author and founder of Women Of Type and Chick Of All Trade to talk all about whether niching down as a creative is the right choice. Jess has worked with big name brands and been on stages all over the world by doing one thing; being herself. The Creative Confession® we're discussing: “I really want to work with everyone but to get high ticket clients I've heard that you need to niche down. I really don't know what to do" CONNECT WITH JESS: ✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? Submit your own Creative Confession® here CONNECT WITH ROBIN: ✷ Get Design Freebies here ✷ Follow Robin on Instagram here Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it! | |||