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...on finding the authenticity of an experience. Rashid Zakat is a visual storyteller interested in music, motion and design. He creates short documentaries for the big screen and web, designs websites and photographs people for shows and his social media project “Negroes of New York.” Rashid joins the show for an expansive conversation about new outlets for creativity and content, the awkwardness of meeting people through social media, being a “preditor” and just about everything else, (Moonlight, WWF, Will Smith and more)!

...on advocating for freelance designers. Nicola Black is a graphic designer and community leader. As the principal of Nicola Black Design she specializes in branding for large and small businesses alike. She’s also the founder of South Jersey Creative and heads up Spark, the Philadelphia/South Jersey chapter of the Freelancers’ Union. Nicola sits down for a chat about caricatures, the biggest challenges freelance designers face, contest culture and wayward baked goods.

...on how the process is the inspiration. Rich Roat, Andy Cruz and Ken Barber join the show to kick off the third season of the show to discuss two new projects House Industries have embarked upon. The first project is A Type of Learning, a multi-sensory exhibition in The Henry Ford in Dearborn Michigan opening on May 27. The exhibit walks visitors through a large scale physical representation of House Industries’ creative process, showing how childhood interests in drawing led to creating fonts that help the world communicate; how hot-rodding and punk rock influences reinforced a hands-on approach to problem-solving; and how personal interests can inspire innovation. The second project is their new book, The Process is the Inspiration, available on May 30. The book is a beautiful collection of helpful lessons, stories and case studies that demonstrate how you can transform obsessive curiosity into personally satisfying and successful work. Ryan and the guys discuss all of this plus learning from what you like, being an armchair historian for American graphic design and finding inspiration in your daily routine.

...on bringing narrative alive with design. Paul Kepple is an educator and award-winning book designer whose work includes the iconic Owner’s Manual series as well as nonfiction works for the musicals Wicked and Hamilton and fictional works including the JJ Abrams/Doug Dorst conceptual novel S. Paul and Ryan sit down for a chat about collaborating with publishers, their mutual love for Stephen King and how his students inspire his work.

...on building something out of nothing. Will Gelatko is one half of Mechanical Birds, which he runs with his wife, Danielle. He is a designer, screen printer and creative experimenter. He and Ryan first met when he produced the posters for the live episode of the show, and Ryan sits down with him for an in-depth conversation about work ethic, the gratification of doing it yourself, how a love of roller coasters led him to design and axe throwing.

...on licensing yourself to not be freaked out. Aaron Draplin is one of the most influential designers working in America today, the creator of Field Notes, the designer behind iconic and eclectic work for clients including Esquire, Nike, the Obama Administration, John Hodgeman and many, many more.     He spent the day at Philadelphia University on April 1st doing logo workshops and a talk about his new book Pretty Much Everything – a mid-career survey of his work filled with case studies and advice – and he sat down with Ryan for a few minutes to talk about the defiance of transparency, his new font DDC Hardware and the trials and tribulations of driving a big orange van.

...on building connections that will shape your career. As the president of AIGA Philadelphia, Lauren Dougherty is leading the chapter with unprecedented programs, compelling events, and record membership numbers. Lauren is a talented designer in her own right, with a tremendous portfolio of environmental graphics, and she joins Ryan for a chat on becoming an expert on the topic you’re designing for, how she got involved with AIGA Philly and what she is most proud of in her tenure as president.

…on catching that subconscious doodle. Tim Gough has a multifaceted career that has included publication, freelance editorial illustration and his current position as Group Design Director at 160over90, not to mention his Daily Doodle series on Instagram. Tim joins the podcast for a talk about the influence screen printing has on his work, control vs. nuance and seeing your work on a tire cover.

...on the importance of finding work you can get lost in. There are so many ways you might know Geoff DiMasi; as an educator, the founder and principal of P’unk Ave, or as one of the founding partners of Indy Hall, just to name a few. Geoff joins the show for a discussion on making decisions based on a value system, why he walked away from teaching and the importance of being around “the community of the willing.” Plus, he gives Ryan some tips about speaking at Ignite Philly 19: Thursday, March 2 at Fringe Arts Philadelphia

“Life...is a series of learning experiences and tests that you put yourself through that all add to this overall collage of what person you are.” Kenny Kim joins the show for an expansive talk about being a late bloomer, having the ability to say no to work and the art of self-deprecation. This episode is sponsored by PHLDesign.co