CIRCLE OF TRUST MEMBER SECTION JUNE 2015

Episode 208 - Kyle T Webster “The T Is For…”

A first time ever Monday appearance by Billy Baum ann & James Flames to say thanks to Kyle T Webster for making their artwork better by using his amazing brushes.

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 208
- How Kyle took his custom brushes that he had been sharing with his friends and turned it into a business that would forever change his career in just 15 minutes.
- Handling the ego after changing up your career’s path several years in.
- How active you need to be to earn passive income.
- Being a realist when overnight success finds you and working twice as hard to say in first place.
- How click bait can attract the wrong people to an article about your career.

The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Mark & Kyle bond over their newly found careers in digital products and how each of them is always trying to expand the products they offer their customers.
- The difficulties of your business existing in someone else’s world such a Creative Sweet or iTunes.

Episode 207 - Shop Talk with Mark Brickey, Billy Baumann & James Flames

The gang is all back together for a Friday shop talk about

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 207
- Should the stars and bars be banned?
- Billy’s Inside Out review turns into a heartfelt talk about Billy’s parenting fears.
- Billy and James try to explain comic book character creation to Mark.Brickey@mac.com
- James talk about his visit to Heroes Con.
- Celebrating James Flames accomplishment with making a Billy Joel poster for The Garden.

The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Dudes hang out.

Episode 206 - Chad Tafolla “A Helping Hand Tattoo”

Chad Tafolla shares with us the details in his role as a Creative Director in the digital advertising world.

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 206
- The shift in digital advertising importance, what use to be dessert had now become advertisings main dish.
- A debate over what’s worst, too little time on a project or too little budget.
- Creating a team of creatives around you, so that you’re always prepared to take on any project.
- How Twitter has helped Chad land 3 of his biggest career moves.
- Focusing on doing the best work and how that’s a agencies best strategy of getting top jobs.
- Working directly with big clients versus doing it through middle man agency.

The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Having a hand tattoo in the boardroom.
- Chad shares with us a app that he and friend have been building and hope to release soon.
- Using his free time to work on different things than what he does at his day job.
- Carving out time, to make time for your dreams.
- Chad starts a new job on Monday. We ask him his goals and what he’s looking forward to the most on this fresh start.

Episode 205 Sean Mort

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 205
- Mark & Sean talk about the last season of Game of Thrones (SPOILERS) Hannibal and update us all on The Summer Movie Game.
- We examine the pattern of success Sean has seen over the last two years by closely following a plan that he and Mark designed for his career. Mark on the other hand debates the best play for his summer schedule and how that will effect his fall.
-  James Flames, Billy Baumann and Dan Kuhlken’s careers are reviewed by Mark & Sean as they ponder the perfect schedule and creating a life balance. Each of these guys are hugely successful and they do the math on their career paths as well as their own.
- Sean pushes Mark on the schedule of the show, his commitment to it’s schedule and ponders if Mark over services the audience. Sean also questions the future of the show if Mark isn’t actively pursing design.
- Having spent the last 10 years of his life balancing too much, decides he has two dream projects in his life and that he just wants to enjoy them and leave behind his overwhelmed days. 

The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Before recording Mark took questions from folks over on Periscope. 
- How to get your name out in the world of design.
- Mark & Sean share their experiences with college.
- Mark gives printing and live printing tips.
- Knowing how to pick the proper jobs to create the career you want to have.
- The guys review their Apple Watches. 

Episode 204 - Antonio Garcia “A Wonderful World of Random Stuff”

Antonio Garcia is doing the day job thing right by making sure everything else he does professionally is very different. Antonio loves to act as a consultant to fellow creatives tying to get big ideas off the ground.

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 204
- Antonio’s simple two step rule to tell if your job is right for you.
- Letting go of your ego and being able to help others find their time in the spotlight. 
- How chasing a passion can yield a profits but a chasing a profit rarely yields a passion.
- Having a future that is fueled by past goodwill.
- Antonio lets us in on his speech for WMC Fest this August and how he’s created a simple list of 15 lessons that anyone can apply right away to their career.
- Teaching others to professionally respect you by laying down ground rules and showing you respect yourself.
- How giving so much to others in only making Mr Garcia a better student of life. 

The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Antonio and Mark break down common friend trends and showcase the traits that make people successful as well as the traits that seem to hold people back from trying.
- Things that fathers do for their sons.
- Allowing yourself to dream big, but also making dreams that are realistic to your path

Episode 203 - Jay Fanelli of  The Cotton Bureau  “Promotion Is Just As Important As The Product”

Jay Fanelli is a co-founder of The Cotton Bureau and shares with us his company’s unique business model as well as what designs he does and doesn’t allow to make it’s way on to their popular website. 

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 203
- The curation process of keeping their collection narrowly focused on today’s best graphic design trends.
- Allowing your business to find it’s own path in life and allowing to keep it evolving.
- A debate on the Threadless business model. 
- Respecting your users, customers and partners while allowing your business to grow and make money.
- Respecting the laws of supply and demand to keep growing but not burning out.
- United Pixel Workers and other projects that naturally evolved into the Cotton Bureau.
- Making strong relationships with other businesses that support your business.
- Focusing on doing one thing really well and not trying to catch every dime that comes your way.
- The backstory on “Blowing Up Overnight”.
- Using the Cotton Bureau as way to test your talents and get a taste of passive income.
- Focusing not on what your heroes are doing but what’s best for you.
- Mark presses Jay on making sure every designer walks away with some sort of reward for having a produced design.

The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Jay shares with us some entries and cliches in their user submitted Hall of Shame.
- Designers who foolishly fight back and argue when their designs aren’t picked.
- The cold stone truth of commerce.
- How Jay takes time to give rejected designers advice on how they can improve their work.
- How marketing is just as important as the product.
- Dealing with copyright infringement and toeing that line.
- All the little steps along the way that make you better for the long haul and help you create what you’re meant to create

Episode 202 - Shop Talk with Mark Brickey & Billy Baumann

Kicking it old school today, Mark & Billy crank out an episode together just like they did for the first time 201 episodes earlier. 

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 202
- Mark & Billy can finally share their story about Mark working for Delicious earlier this spring.
- Reverse engineering projects or opportunities to forward think your way into bigger returns on your time and investment.
- A Billy Baby Update!
- Mark & Billy talk current events. 
- Mark confesses that he’s considering buying a Selfie Stick. 
- A social media confession. 
- Taking up for immigrants and defending hard working people looking for a better life called America. 

The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Billy talks about the current state of business and confesses of something huge brewing at Delicious Design League. 
- Mark returns the favor and talks for the first time about his pending decision on fully retiring from design to focus all of his business time on Adventures In Design. 
- Mark debates and ask Billy if it would be possible to do a solo episode of Adventures In Design.
- A special announcement about the future of Two For Tuesdays.
- Billy reminds Mark of a failed gig poster attempt and the last time Mark worked for the National. 
- Mark talks about his new love Periscope and dreams of his new Selfie Stick.

Episode 201 - Luke Drozd “Professional Dicking About”

Luke Drozd is a London based illustrator printmaker who has incredible amount of wit and personality that often finds its way into his beautiful but always clever work.  

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 201
- Having a body of work that matches your personality.
- The subtle but bright color palette of Luke Drozd.
- Exploring his early works and rebellious nature of his early work like the Hey Kids Fuck You alphabet series. 
- Never intending to have a career just following a long line of happy accidents.
- Designing for the medium or product versus downsizing work that you have already created.
- Drew’s amazing Scout Merit Badges that all celebrate a life of crime.
- Making fine art pieces when that’s where the idea best fits. 
- 38B a crazy idea of turning his living room into a gallery and 4 years later it’s still happening. 

In The Ring of Friends (paid content)
- When you realize the labor of a fun side project.
- Getting back to creative and enjoy the stopping point of artwork where as administrative never seems to end. 
- Being blown away by the work flow of other designers and wanting to work with others to learn more about their process.
- Talking about the mental side of retail, what makes a customer purchase what they buy.
- Being shocked when you sell your artwork in a room full of talent.

Episode 200 - Alex Pearson “Family Tree“

Alex Pearson is the creator of FamilyTreeDesign.net where he not only showcases not only his clever illustration and printmaking work, but his collaborative efforts with some of today’s best in the business. 

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 200
- The 2 Cs “Always check your calendar and calculator before you commit to anything.”
- Alex shares with his painful 2013 where in trying to create more business he almost went out of business.
- Cleaning out your online store to only show the best items and to give up on items that don’t sell but only confuse shoppers and prospective clients. 
- The common mistake of trying to over calculate success instead of following your true creative path.
- How an open edition print saved Alex’s year and started him on his current career path.
- In 2015 Alex is well on his way to being client-less and we break down this amazing transition step by step.
- The magical spreadsheet that Alex created teaching him that he earns 5X the amount of money when working for himself versus clients. 
- Viewing art as product and treating your talent like commodity that can earn your financial and creative freedom.
- The concept behind the new Family Tree Fairy Tale Series of art prints. 
- A thank you to everyone who supports the show and helped it get to 200 episodes.  

In The Circle Of Trust (paid content)
- Mark bullies Alex into admitting that he’s a good illustrator.
- The balance of doing creative work versus doing administrative work.
- Time management and how a calendar can actually set you free versus making you feel trapped. 
- Facebook ads and how Family Tree has seen great results with highly targeted ads.
- Paying people to do things you hate, so that you can spend more time earning money doing what you love. 
- The results from Family Tree hiring a Digital Marketing Specialist.
- The “McRib Factor” sometimes everything should sellout. 
- Mark thanks Alex for starting him down the path of custom brushes in Photoshop.  

Episode 199 - Brian Romero “Mr. Connecticut"

Talking Points you’ll hear on Episode 199

- The rise and of Deathwish and the expansive role of an In House Designer.
- Developing artwork when you’re not the only one with a say in the piece and its direction.
- Creating a series of illustrations through a set of self imposed rules and making each piece unique enough to stand on its own be a part of something greater than itself.
- Researching a concept thoroughly to create a parody that has your own voice or breaking away altogether and using the research to create something new.
- Believing in your artwork when marketing it.
- Seeing how your artwork translates in its intended retail environment and how that can also influence you.
- The illusion of East Coast Privilege.
- Developing passive income and managing your workflow in a freelance environment.
- Recognizing the limitations of the market you work in and deciding where else you can apply your talents.

In The Circle Of Trust (paid content)
- The benefits of working on your own time and with your brutally honest spouse.
- The education you gain through upper level education versus the education you gain from employment.
- What’s missing for art students in the educational system and how Adventures In Design fills that gap.
- Never saying “Yes” on the phone and checking your calendar before committing to a project.
- Putting in details for the ones who love it that will eventually see it.
- Things people say about pet dogs that are never said about pet snakes.

Episode 198 - Sarah Tidwell “The Inking Dragon”

Sarah Tidwell is a Louisville, Kentucky based painter who often uses her work to celebrate her love of all animals. 

Talking Points You’ll Hear on Episode 198
- We explore the reason why Sarah uses so many different types of organic materials as her work’s canvas.
- The balance of keeping her prints small to keep them affordable.
- We explore the subject matter and narrative in some of Sarah’s pieces.
- How to emotionally double check your pricing to make sure you’re selling an original work for the proper amount. 
- Mark encourages Sarah to raise her prices of private commissions.
(Her pet portraits are a steal!)
- Owning and caring for exotic animals AND what does it mean when your bird pukes on you.
- Mark gives Sarah a hard time for loving reptiles, mainly snakes.
- We hear about Sarah’s time spent working at a veterinary hospital. 
- The pricing structure behind her “Compendium of Cute” self published Tidwell copyright book!
- Sharing life and art with her husband and fellow artist Jeral Tidwell.
- Mark’s read’s the Rainbow Bridge to everyone.

In The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Sarah’s involvement with Comic Cons.
- Managing her email list and the benefits of sending out her newsletters.
- Meeting Jeral at a computer gaming party.
- Attending a pagan festival and dating a fire thrower.
- Doing body painting and what it feels like to be in public only wearing body paint.
- Having a mom that’s a former PlayBoy Bunny.

Episode 197 - Shop Talk with Mark Brickey, Derrick Castle & Sean Mort

Billy didn’t bring his computer home and James Flames is slammed. Time to bring the JV squad composed of global heathens. 

Talking Points You’ll Hear on Episode 197
- The huge gap between first place and second place in many industries.
- Derrick Castle is burning the candle at both ends and starting to feel the exhaustion at the start of the busy summer season.
- Making big moves in life and the stress that comes along with them and how to turn that fear into motivation as failing is never an option.
- Derrick gives us a update on his wife leaving teaching and joining Straw Castle, officially making it the family business.
- Derrick gives Sean Mort a video tour of his Tennessee taxidermy collection.
- With so much going on in his career Castle is starting to feel like theres always something on his mind, Mark tries to help commit to a plan to get his stress out of his head and into a system.
- The lack of respect for vacation time in America compared to Europe’s love of holiday.

In The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Sean Mort talks about his mini print give aways, what worked and what didn’t.
- Playing with pop culture prints and how the perception can give customers and peers the wrong impression.
- Derrick and Sean celebrate giveaways while Mark is unhappy with Sean giving away his work.
- The planning of Sean Mort’s USA Bachelor Party.
- Mark opens up new listener gifts.

Episode 196 - Sara Dick “Crafty Bastards”

Sara Dick is the creator and festival director of Washington D.C.’s Crafty Bastards. 

Talking Points You’ll Hear on Episode 196
- Why it’s important to fully explain to your customers and even to craft fairs that your items are made by hand by you.
- How having your artwork hanging in someones bathroom is really the best compliment.
- The importance of charging admission for events and how to use that revenue to strengthen your event.
- The event decision to put everyone under giant festival tents versus having all the vendors in their own tents.
- Mark makes a list of services and perks that makes Crafty Bastards the most artist friendly event that he’s ever sold at.
- Making your event part of the community.
- After 11 years of running Crafty Bastards Sara tells us how the makers, products and customers have changed over the last decade.
- In a personal moment Sara shares with us the roughest part of her last year and possibly her life.
 
In The Circle of Trust (paid content bottom file)
- Our most detailed description ever in how to apply successfully to be a vendor at events. Sara give us all the most honest and insightful look at what to do to get picked. 

Episode 195 - Luke Wessman “Tattoos’ Pretty Boy”

Today we’re hanging out with Los Angeles based tattoo artist Luke Wessman. 

Talking Points You’ll Hear on Episode 195 
- Embracing social media, allowing people to identify with you and standing out in your industry as a result. 
- Being self made and earning your place at the table.
- Shaking off the “shame of success” from the punk rock or hardcore scene.
- Making yourself a winner by choosing to not be a victim.
- Mark & Luke talk about the inspiration and meaning behind their PMA tattoos. 
- Keeping a positive mindset to take one step forward a day toward the future that you want.
- Easy come, easy go… What you fight for you hold sacred.
- The influence of reality TV on tattooing and Luke’s role on Miami and New York Ink.
- Keeping it real after being on reality TV.
- The extreme working conditions and output of being a tattoo artist.
- Painful side effects from working in a chair for 20 years. 
- What it means to be a gentleman. 
- How painting and illustrating can effect your tattooing. 

In The Circle of Trust (paid content bottom file)
- Tupac not living to see his lyrics stand corrected. 
- Finding your own answers in life.
- Tips on how to get a good tattoo and how to be a good or bad customer. 
- Earning your way to the finish line and not starting with the most extreme tattoos on your face, hand or neck.
- Living your life with a face tattoo and how Luke decided to tattoo his face. 
- The most important quality in a woman.

Episode 194 - Ryan Patterson of Coliseum “Living Your Life & Following Your Heart”

Childhood brother in arms Ryan Patterson drops by to catch up with Mark Brickey and their two decades of friendship. Ryan is the lead singer and guitar player for the great cult band Coliseum, he also spends his days doing graphic design and managing his merchandise company Shirt Killer.

Talking Points You’ll Hear on Episode 194 (Top File)
- How jerks like us can copy the celebrity lifestyle of greed into the punk rock life of just getting by.
- Overcoming a parent’s expectations and following your own path in life.
- Using your art to define a personal self worth.
- Finding an emotional score that rewards you and keeps you going before any actual success.
- The truth behind “Living Your Life & Following Your Heart” and how it works if done correctly.
- Bonding over the early steps that get you on the path to entrepreneurship.
- Your network of real friends that help you along the way.
- Ryan shares with us the business model of his merchandising company Shirt Killer.
- Make friends where you can and always treat the assistant as important as their boss.
- The importance of socially relevant lyrics in music. 
- How music design has changed in Ryan’s career.

In The Circle of Trust (paid content bottom file)
- We talk to Ryan about keeping the balance between all of his various projects.
- What the future of music looks like in Ryan’s eyes.
- Not being able to let go of a project because you’re addicted to being the guy in the project.
- Not wanting to be a session player but the lead singer in your own band.
- How to diversify your talents to make a career. 
- If you can’t find a shortcut, it doesn’t mean that you can’t create your own.

Episode 193 - Tom Whalen Strong Stuff

The king of composition, illustrator/graphic designer Tom Whalen makes his 3rd appearance on Adventures In Design to celebrate his fist ever solo Pulp Menagerie show at the Mondo Gallery in Austin, Texas and the launch of his new business Inforama. 

Talking Points You’ll Hear on Episode 193
- Out of sight out mind is best with shipping.
- The cash flow struggles of creating a solo art show.
- We learn about Tom’s routines and life balance after one year of working 100% freelance.
- Mark gives Tom advice on not overthinking his website and redesigning with Square Space.
- Knowing you’re a true creative when illustrated curves bring out your animal instincts.
- We talk about the artwork Tom created for his solo show Pulp Menagerie.
- Tom explains his purpose for variant print runs.
- Using a top level layer that creates perfect boarders.
- Wanting to do one off artwork but not being able to justify time spent.
- How a client revision help create one of Tom’s best pieces of all time.
- The love of research to make infographics. 
- The benefit of illustrators that have great graphic design backgrounds.

In The Circle of Trust (paid content)
- Tom’s mindset of “If I Apply Myself, The Work Will Get Done”
- Making the decision to stay positive and enjoy the busy times.
- The importance of having a private workspace when working at home. 
- Working creative directors that don’t want to hear others ideas.
- Getting your ideas out of your head.
- Mark tries to convince Tom into creating some passive income projects and gives advice on how to make results not excuses.