Lauren is a lettering artist, muralist, food stylist, and trained chef based in New York City. Throughout her career, she's worked with clients including Airbnb, Target, Vans, Mailchimp, Adobe, White Claw, and many more. Lauren has also done an incredible job of monetizing passion projects like Daily Dishonesty, Ex Boyfriend Tears, and Will Letter for Lunch. In fact, landing a book deal worth 25K for Daily Dishonesty was a big reason she was able to leave her advertising job and pursue a career as a lettering artist. It all makes sense after you realize she made money in middle school from customizing her classmate's sneakers with bubble letters, and sold thrifted clothes from her parents' front lawn while she was in high school. Total entrepreneur at heart!

Lauren was also a mathelete, grew up watching her grandmother clip coupons, she makes a mean apple pie, and found her prom dress at a flea market. She even landed a client while dressed like a hamburger at a Halloween party she almost didn't go to, but that's a story for another day. Despite all her success, she's not immune to imposter syndrome, is still working to separate her self-worth from her income, and spent time working as a dog walker in Brooklyn after she left her full-time advertising job. But that didn't stop her from traveling the world, going to culinary school, or getting the phrase, "Work Hard. Snack Often." tattooed on her arm when she was 23.

Tune in for a conversation about how time is an essential ingredient for cooking and creativity, why raw ravioli is a part of her origin story, and how she earned $69,000 in a single week by teaching online. Follow Lauren on Instagram @homsweethom, and check out her portfolio of work on her website: homsweethom.com.

Questions for this interview.

• How have you changed as a person since graduating from culinary school?
• Have you nerded out that hardcore about anything since you nerded out about off-grid hydroponics?
• Can you draw a parallel between time's relationship to cooking and to creativity?
• Why did a pack of cold ravioli hit you with the cold, hard truth on your kitchen floor at 3 am?
• Can you tell us about Trash Alley and highlight your grandmother's biggest concern for your Flour Crown passion project?
• Can you explain your Passion to Paid digital course, and also tell us how you felt when you woke up the morning after launching it for the first time?
• Can you share your perspective on how to separate your self-worth from your income?
• Where do you draw the line on how much you care what other people think of you?
• Can you think of any advice you would share specifically with women that you don't typically share with men, but would be helpful for men to hear?
• Who do you think is an absolute wizard of creativity and has a career you can't even comprehend?

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If you LOVE what you hear and want to help me keep the interviews coming—consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

Also, I'm always looking for questions from listeners. If there's a burning question you want to hear answered on the podcast, please email it to me at studentsofdesignpod@gmail.com.

Follow @studentsofdesignpod on Instagram for updates, episode drops, and behind-the-scenes content.

The music you hear on the podcast is Accident by Timothy Infinite and PUSH !T by Nbhd Nick.

studentsofdesign.simplecast.com

Colby is a designer, illustrator, dungeon master for hire, and Art Director of Print Innovation for Magic: The Gathering at Wizards of the Coast. So, besides my partner Meg, Colby is the closest thing to a Wizard I've ever met. lol. Anyway, before joining Wizards, he was a Creative Director and Co-Founder of Jolby, a design and illustration studio he started with his best friend Josh Kenyon. After 12 long years at Jolby, he decided to step away to rediscover his "why" and realized he was spending most of his time writing and playing tabletop games, which convinced him to pursue a role at Wizards. However, long before becoming a professional dork, Colby drew characters from Nintendo Power Magazine like Link from The Legend of Zelda, popped his first pack of Magic cards in 1995, and wanted to be a Sunday morning comic strip artist when he was a kid.

Fast-forward through hundreds of D&D sessions, therapeutic Post-It notes, and video games, and Colby has partnered with Nike, Pixar, Nickelodeon, Google, and many other impressive clients throughout his career. He lives by the "Rule of Cool," knows how to "Ride the Weird," and self-published his own light-hearted gothic "Karma Crawl" called Chadwick and the Southern Scourge.

Tune in for a talk about following his passion for storytelling and tabletop games, why he stepped away from a design studio he co-founded, and how playing D&D can help you become a better creative professional. Worst case, you get to hear us be reasonably cool-sounding dorks! Follow Colby on Instagram @colbynichols, and check out more of his work on his website: colbyhichols.com.

“You’re gonna need good people way more than you’re gonna need good talent.”

Questions for this interview.

• What are your Top 3 The Legend of Zelda games?
• Can you tell us the story behind the Post-It note that became your lighthouse, and what you wrote on it?
• After leaving Jolby, how were you feeling about the industry when you started looking for a new job? Did you have trouble re-entering the job market?
• How are you handling the transition from working with so many different clients at Jolby to working in-house at Wizards, where a single brand identity is your focus?
• How do you balance emphasizing Secret Lair cards with special finishes and the complexity of the artwork itself?
• Can you give us the background on Mood Swings and tell us about your involvement? Why was working on that game a dream come true for you?
• Where can you improve as a creative leader? Are there any weaknesses you’ve been working on?
• Which creative hill do you hope designers are still dying on a hundred years from today?
• How does playing or writing about D&D fuel your creativity, and how do you think D&D can help someone become a better creative professional?

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If you LIKE what you hear, please subscribe and keep listening. Sharing this episode with someone is the best way to support the podcast.

If you LOVE what you hear and want to help me keep the interviews coming—consider buying me a coffee on Ko-Fi.

Also, I'm always looking for questions from listeners. If there's a burning question you want to hear answered on the podcast, please email it to me at studentsofdesignpod@gmail.com.

Follow @studentsofdesignpod on Instagram for updates, episode drops, and behind-the-scenes content.

The music you hear on the podcast is Accident by Timothy Infinite and PUSH !T by Nbhd Nick.

studentsofdesign.simplecast.com