Aaron Draplin doesn’t mince words. His ideas are as bold and unshakable as his design work.

And on this sweltering afternoon in the Pacific Northwest, he was in a rare, reflective mood.

From aliens to afterlives in design, Draplin opens up about what comes next after building a massive creative brand, and what it really means to start fresh.

In this episode:

• The cosmic link between bugs, belief, and being a good human
• What five months of dish shifts in Alaska taught him about freedom
• Why he won’t sell you a $200 poster (and what he sells instead)
• Fate vs. control: how much of success is luck, and how much is yours to claim
• How he built a creative life on his own terms (and how you can too)

If you’re a creative feeling stuck, cynical, or ready for a reset, this one’s for you.

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Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like Nickelodeon, Target, USPS, and NASA. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives — from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström