Never Went to Business School – Details, episodes & analysis

Designer and studio owner Erik Herrström shares his journey from Sweden to Vienna and the experiences that shaped his career. He talks about working with global brands like Nike, Google, and Spotify, the leap from freelancing to running his own studio, and the lessons learned along the way. Erik reflects on the value of networking, learning from others, and embracing mistakes as essential steps in building a successful creative business.

Website

Instagram

Freelance photographer and podcast host Ulrich Aydt shares his path into photography and freelancing, the challenges of pricing creative work, and what he’s learned from hosting creative therapy sessions. He talks about building community, staying balanced while juggling projects, and why collaboration and asking for help are essential for any creative.

Website

Instagram

Podcast

In this solo episode, we reflect on what it’s been like having guests on the podcast so far; what surprised us, what challenged us, and what we’ve learned. We also share a behind-the-scenes look at our newest side project: a pricing calculator for creative work in collaboration with Daniel Gremme, which we’ve started building in public. Plus, we hosted our first ever event with Ladies Wine & Design at the studio to have a conversation about pricing here’s how it went.

Daniel Gremme: Website

Take our survey and become a Beta tester

Pricing in the creative industry is one of the hardest things to learn. Through a lot of trial and error the Rebeccas were able to gain confidence in knowing their worth and also asking for an amount that represented it. Jump in and learn what NOT to do, and take away some tips on how to get better at pricing your work.

Who are we and what are we doing here? In this intro episode the Rebeccas from Same Same Studio talk about how they got to where they are now, their motivation for starting a podcast, and what to expect in future episodes.

This episode is in German. Julia and Clara, the founders of Frendz Club, share how they built a branding studio rooted in creative clarity and smart business thinking. They tell us all about managing finances and adapting to market changes as well as building strong client relationships and staying true to their values. They give us insights into what it really takes to sustain a creative business today.

Website

Instagram

Hongwei Tang, a creative technologist, shares his journey through the creative industry, discussing his diverse background in graphic design, photography, and coding. He reflects on his transition from internships to freelancing, his experiences with Spark AR at Meta, and the impact of the platform's closure on his career. Hongwei also addresses the evolving role of AI in the creative field and offers valuable advice for aspiring creatives, emphasizing the importance of community and overcoming fear in the pursuit of self-employment.

Website

Instagram

In this conversation, Gernot, a seasoned brand designer and strategist, shares his journey from Austria to various global cities, including Dublin, London, and New York, before returning to Austria to establish his own branding studio, Duo. He discusses the evolution of his career, the unique business model of his previous company, Proxy, and the challenges and opportunities in the branding landscape, particularly in Austria. Gernot emphasizes the importance of creative strategy, client education, and authenticity in branding, offering valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Duo:

Website

Instagram

Happy Pride Month! This is a more serious episode where we discuss the implications of rainbow washing and what companies really need to be doing to support the LGBTQIA+ community.

In this short snippet from our course Creative Business Essentials, I highlight four reasons why you should not be using hourly-based pricing for you creative services.

Get our full course