Pixel Retentive Podcast

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl connects with Chris Zukowski, game marketing researcher and creator of howtomarketagame.com to unpack what it really takes to build a sustainable creative business without chasing social media vanity metrics.

Chris shares his journey from corporate UX leadership roles at IBM, American Airlines, and Solera Health to becoming a full-time creator in 2019. After years of shipping his own indie games and consulting for developers, he realized he had rebuilt the very meeting-heavy lifestyle he left behind. The turning point? Packaging his expertise into scalable products, building a mailing list, and refusing to let platforms like YouTube sit between him and his audience

This conversation is a high-energy, unfiltered breakdown of ownership, mailing lists, monetization, and why "being boring" might be the most radical move a creative can make.

Key Topics Discussed

• Why marketing is not advertising — and why choosing what to build is your biggest marketing decision
• From corporate director to full-time creator (and why meetings almost pulled him back in)
• Turning consulting knowledge into scalable courses and conferences
• Why Chris refuses to rely on YouTube subscribers
• The difference between owning your audience and borrowing a platform
• Why every creative needs their own domain and mailing list
• The 1,000 True Fans framework and how 2% conversion changes everything
• Why chasing social metrics is a distraction from real revenue
• Selling directly vs. tipping, Patreon, or AdSense models
• Building a middle-class creative business without going viral

Guest Links 🌐 How to Market a Game: https://howtomarketagame.com 📘 Free Book: https://howtomarketagame.com/free 🎮 Pro Game Marketing Conference: progamemarketing.com

• Newsletter: howtomarketagame.com/free
• Festival Tracker: howtomarketagame.com/festivals

Special Thanks Shout out to Mario Kroll of Uber Strategist for the introduction and for supporting so many creators in the gaming space.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who would find value in the conversation. For more conversations at the intersection of creativity, art, and business, visit https://www.epicmade.net/resources/category/Podcast

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

#GameMarketing #IndieGameDev #CreatorEconomy #MailingListMarketing #SteamAlgorithm #CreativeEntrepreneur #OwnYourAudience #PixelRetentivePodcast

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Jonathan Domanus, founder of CardMill, to explore what it really takes to turn a personal frustration into a funded hardware startup.

Jonathan shares how a lifelong love of Magic the Gathering led him to build an automated trading card scanner and sorter after realizing the only existing solutions cost upwards of $10,000. Armed with a Raspberry Pi, LEGO bricks, and a software background, he built a prototype that eventually raised over $2 million on Kickstarter.

They dive into the realities of bootstrapping a physical product, managing 5,000 backers, navigating manufacturing shifts, and betting $28,000 of personal ad spend to prove the idea would work. This is a raw, honest look at risk, community building, and what it takes to ship hardware in an unpredictable global economy.

Key Topics Discussed

• Building CardMill from cardboard and LEGO prototypes
• Raising $2.4M on Kickstarter without VC funding
• Spending $28K on ads and betting on yourself
• The power of direct community engagement and Discord
• Why 63% of Kickstarters fail and how to beat the odds
• Manufacturing pivots and scaling beyond the original team
• Locking in factory pricing amid global economic volatility
• Hardware certification and international shipping challenges
• Balancing affordability with business sustainability
• Supporting a startup with the right partners (Beyond Design, DMC Inc., Product Evolution)
• The importance of having a strong partner in entrepreneurship

Guest Links

🌐 CardMill: https://cardmill.com 💬 Join the community on Discord via the website 📩 Contact Jonathan Social Links:

• Social links: linktr.ee/cardmill
• Facebook: facebook.com/mycardmill
• Instagram: instagram.com/mycardmill
• YouTube: youtube.com/@CardMill
• Media Kit: cardmill.com/media

Special Thanks

Jonathan also shares a heartfelt shout-out to his wife, Lindsay, whose graphic design expertise, strategic grounding, and unwavering support made CardMill possible. Carl gives a special thanks to Michael Prince of Beyond Design for the introduction and industrial design partnership.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who would find value in the conversation.

For more conversations at the intersection of creativity, art, and business, visit epicmade.net/podcast.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

In this episode, Carl sits down with Jonathan Grzybowski, CMO and co-founder of Penji, to unpack what it really takes to bootstrap and scale a global creative company without outside funding.

With over 15 years in the industry, Jonathan shares his journey from launching a digital marketing agency in his early 20s to building Penji into an Inc. 5000 creative subscription service with 500+ team members serving clients in 80+ countries. Along the way, he embraced grit, risk, and relentless problem-solving, proving that solving real problems beats chasing money every time.

Jonathan also reflects on launching Working Dads, his upcoming podcast focused on fatherhood and ambition, and why building community as an entrepreneur is essential. A special thanks to LinkedIn for sparking the connection and bringing this conversation together.

Guest Links

🌐 Penji: https://penji.co 💼 Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: Search Jonathan Grzybowski 🎙 Working Dads Podcast (launching soon)

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building something meaningful.

For more conversations at the intersection of creativity, art, and business, visit epicmade.net.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Justin Superstar Johnson — Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, founder of BMP Creative, and creator of the AI-powered editorial tool Spooky Cutter.

From editing wedding videos on stacked VHS decks in the late 90s to producing over 2,000 videos annually for Netflix, Justin shares how showing up on time, having a good attitude, and refusing to burn bridges built a 30-year creative career.

They dive deep into scaling post-production without losing creative soul, building team culture with intention, and why systems and automation are not the enemy of art — they are what protect it.

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Justin gives a shout out to BMP Creative President Anthony Deptula for helping scale the company with a people-first mindset and strategic clarity. Carl also appreciates Fred Seibert for making the introduction and for continuing to connect great creative minds.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

BMP Creative – https://bmpcreative.com Justin Superstar – https://www.bmpcreative.com/about Spooky Cutter – https://spookycutter.com Email Justin directly – [email protected]

This episode is brought to you by Epic Made.

Epic Made creates memorable animation, digital art, and graphic design to elevate brands. From entertainment campaigns to social content systems, Epic Made helps companies tell stories that resonate with imaginative audiences.

If this episode resonated with you, write a review and share it with someone in your creative orbit.

For more conversations at the intersection of creativity, art, and business, visit EpicMade.net

Until next time, Carl

In this episode, Carl sits down with Tim Thompson, Founder and Chief Revolution Thinker at RevThink, to unpack what it really takes to build a sustainable creative business without losing the soul of the work.

With nearly 30 years in the industry, Tim shares his journey from going door to door in Burbank to landing three job offers in a single day , to becoming a founding member of Imaginary Forces and later collaborating during the Beeple NFT era. Along the way, he developed frameworks like the Seven Ingredients, the Factors Method, and the Value Pyramid to help creative entrepreneurs scale with clarity.

This conversation explores:

• The difference between commodity, service, strategy, and vision driven businesses
• Why creative companies are "prima donna" businesses and what that actually means
• Fame, fortune, and freedom as drivers for creative founders
• How to mature from selling time to selling influence
• Technology shifts, AI, and what "future native" creativity might look like
• Longevity, burnout, and finding purpose beyond the work

Tim also shares personal reflections on stepping away from the industry to attend seminary, the importance of perspective, and how creative leaders can embrace change rather than fear it. A special thanks to Shireen Strasberg for originally connecting Carl with RevThink and helping spark this conversation.

Guest Links

🌐 RevThink: https://revthink.com 🤝 Rev Community: https://revthink.com/community ✉️ Connect directly: [email protected]

If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative founder, studio owner, or entrepreneur building their own long game.

For more conversations at the intersection of creativity, art, and business, visit epicmade.net.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Debbie Millman — designer, author of eight books, educator, branding expert, and host of the legendary Design Matters podcast — for a deeply honest conversation about mastery, reinvention, and building a creative life that lasts.

With over 40 years in design, Debbie reflects on rejection, detours, launching a podcast at 43, collaborating with NASA, and why the most meaningful work often comes from boredom, struggle, or desperation.

At the center of this conversation is a powerful idea: Your best work should never be behind you.

🔥 What You'll Learn in This Episode

• Why Debbie's proudest work is with the Joyful Heart Foundation
• How branding can create real social impact
• The story behind her NASA Europa Clipper collaboration
• Why she launched Design Matters by paying for it herself
• How rejection shaped her career instead of defining it
• Why mastery takes longer than we expect
• The difference between making for meaning vs. making for accolades
• Why boredom can spark your next creative breakthrough
• How teaching and mentorship fuel long term growth
• Why you should never want to "peak" too early

💬 Quote of the Episode

"I don't want to peak until the day before I die." – Debbie Millman

For Debbie, creativity is not about arriving. It is about evolving. The goal is not to build a highlight reel of past achievements. It is to keep making, questioning, and pushing forward so that your most meaningful work is still ahead of you.

🧠 Why This Conversation Matters

In a world obsessed with overnight success and viral fame, Debbie offers a radically different perspective. Mastery takes time. Craft takes decades. Reinvention often comes from discomfort.

From helping launch the "No More" campaign to sending design into space with NASA's Europa Clipper mission, Debbie shows how creativity can move beyond commerce and into culture, science, and social change.

This episode is especially powerful for creatives in their 30s and 40s who feel like they have not "arrived" yet. Debbie proves that longevity, curiosity, and persistence matter far more than early accolades.

🙌 Shout Outs

Debbie honors:

• Professor Helen Reguero Elam for believing in her early
• Karen Lippert for taking a chance on her work
• Steve Heller, her "fairy godfather," for shaping her publishing and teaching career

Carl also gives a shout out to Kenneth FitzGerald for the introduction.

Resources Mentioned

• Debbie Millman
• Design Matters Podcast
• Joyful Heart Foundation – Joyfulheartfoundation.org
• "No More" campaign
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory – Europa Clipper Mission
• Love Letter to a Garden - by Debbie Millman
• Louise Fili
• Graphic Artists Guild – Pricing & Ethical Guidelines Handbook (17th Edition)
• School of Visual Arts (SVA) – Masters in Branding
• AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts)

🔗 Connect with Debbie

Website: https://www.designmattersmedia.com Instagram: @debbiemillman

If this episode sparked something for you, share it with a designer, entrepreneur, or creative in your orbit.

And if you want to appear on the Pixel Retentive Podcast, apply here: 👉 epicmade.net/podcast

Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of creativity, art, branding, and business.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Thor Odinsson — creative polymath, experience architect, and former business development leader in the games industry — for a deep conversation on world building, experience design, and the accelerating impact of AI on creative business.

Thor's career spans fine art, music production, record labels, large scale events, theater, film, and game studios. From working on major productions to shaping strategy at the intersection of games, culture, and commerce, he defines his work through one core principle: he is in the experience industry.

Together, Carl and Thor explore what it really takes to build worlds that resonate, why businesses should focus on solving real human pain instead of chasing disruption, and how overproduction in games and media is colliding with the limits of human attention.

At the heart of this episode is a powerful truth: the medium does not matter. The outcome does. If your audience does not feel something, nothing else matters.

Key Topics Discussed

• Experience design in gaming, live events, and entertainment
• World building as a long term business strategy
• The rise of AI in game development and creative production
• Why AI shifts bottlenecks instead of eliminating them
• Overproduction in games, comics, and digital content
• Solving customer pain versus chasing unicorn valuations
• Creative reinvention and avoiding stagnation
• The balance between structure and chaos in creativity
• Apollo vs Dionysus as a framework for creators
• Why human emotion remains the ultimate metric of success

Quote of the Episode

"If you cannot design with your mind, a tool is not going to help you."

This insight from Thor's late professor, Guðmundur Róttar, captures the essence of the conversation. Tools evolve and technology accelerates, but imagination, taste, and lived experience remain irreplaceable. True world building starts in the mind, not in the software.

Special Shout Outs

Thor honors his late professor Guðmundur Róttar for shaping his philosophy on creativity, discipline, and imagination.

Carl gives a shout out to Mario Kroll for the introduction and continued collaboration within the games and entertainment community.

Resources Mentioned in this episode:

• Thor Odinsson on LinkedIn
• Mario Kroll – UberStrategist
• Nordic Games Institute
• Icelandic Games Industry Coalition
• Unreal Engine

If you enjoyed this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a creative founder, game developer, or world builder in your network.

For more episodes on creativity, art, gaming, and business strategy, visit epicmade.net/podcast.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with David Gallaher, transmedia storyteller, writer, and creative executive whose career spans Marvel Comics, DC, Ubisoft, and immersive live experiences.

From breaking into Marvel with a hand-drawn comic strip resum to pioneering early interactive "cyber comics" and developing narrative systems for games and live events, David's journey is anything but conventional. With a background in neuroscience and a deep love for comics, old time radio, and role-playing games, he has built a career exploring how stories evolve across platforms.

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful idea: your brand is not a campaign. It is a universe.

We explore immersion, audience agency, transmedia storytelling, and how meaningful participation turns consumers into co-authors.

• How David broke into Marvel by faxing a comic strip resume
• What early interactive comics taught him about digital storytelling
• Why comics and old-time radio are inherently participatory mediums
• How video games blend multiple storytelling formats into one immersive experience
• The psychology of choice and why meaningful decisions matter in narrative design
• How to design stories specifically for the platform they live on
• Why immersion breaks the moment friction interrupts flow
• How Creatures and Cocktails blends live theater, Dungeons and Dragons, and hospitality
• The power of physical artifacts in a digital world
• Why brands that create universes build deeper fandom

"Your brand isn't a campaign. It's a universe." – David Gallaher

David reframes storytelling as something expansive and interconnected. When narratives stretch across comics, games, live experiences, and digital platforms, audiences stop being passive viewers and become participants. That participation builds ownership, emotional investment, and long-term loyalty. The more immersive and intentional the design, the stronger the connection.

Special Shout Out

David gives a heartfelt shout-out to Kurt McClung, Co-founder of Taliespin, whose mentorship and visionary leadership in immersive storytelling and business innovation opened the door to bolder narrative experiments and creative growth, and he recognizes Alistair Barrett, his collaborator on Creatures and Cocktails, whose creativity and enthusiasm infuse every immersive experience they build together. Last but not least, he acknowledges Steve Ellis, artist of High Moon.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• David Gallaher on LinkedIn
• Taliespin
• Creatures and Cocktails: David Gallaher & Allistar Barrett
• Academy Center of the Arts
• Steve Ellis: High Noon
• Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
• Old-time Radio (OTR): Era when broadcast radio was the dominant form of home entertainment in the United States, roughly from the early 1920s through the 1950's
• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
• Bluefishing by Steve Sims

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a storyteller, game designer, or brand builder in your orbit.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

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In this episode of the Pixel Retentive Podcast, Carl sits down with Kenneth R. FitzGerald — educator, designer, artist, curator, writer, and Professor of Design at Old Dominion University.

From starting out as a ceramics major to becoming a self described "accidental" design critic, Ken's journey is anything but linear. What began as a letter to the editor of Emigre Magazine turned into a decades long career shaping conversations around graphic design, culture, and criticism. Along the way, he built a life balancing teaching, writing, personal creative work, and cultural commentary.

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful idea: design is not neutral. It never was.

We explore design as culture, design as responsibility, and why timidity is one of the greatest threats to creative growth.

Quote of the Week

"Design is 100 percent culture. You cannot avoid it." – Kenneth R. FitzGerald

Ken dismantles the myth that design is purely objective problem solving. Outside of basic technical execution, design lives entirely within culture. Every visual decision communicates values, priorities, and narratives. Whether commercial or artistic, design participates in shaping society. The question is not whether it has cultural impact. The question is what kind of impact it has.

Overview

This conversation dives deep into the intersection of art, commerce, criticism, and responsibility.

Ken reflects on discovering Emigre Magazine in the early 1990s and realizing that design could be intellectually vibrant rather than corporate and rigid. A single letter to the editor led to an invitation to write, which led to a career in design criticism that he never planned.

We unpack the idea that courage in design is not about aggression, but about clarity. Ken argues that designers must avoid timidity — whether in creative expression, critique, or professional negotiations. Standing behind your ideas, signing your name to your opinions, and owning your perspective builds both respect and community.

The conversation also explores the ethical tension designers face when balancing economic viability with cultural responsibility. Ken challenges the false binary of "sell out or starve," arguing instead for a spectrum of agency and intentional choice.

For creatives navigating the space between art and business, this episode is both grounding and galvanizing.

Special Shout Out

Ken gives a heartfelt shout out to Rudy VanderLans, founder of Emigre Magazine. A simple response to Ken's letter to the editor opened the door to writing, mentorship, and a lifelong role in design discourse. Rudy's willingness to give a young designer a platform shaped the trajectory of Ken's career.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Kenneth FitzGerald

Old Dominion University – Department of Art

Emigre Magazine

AIGA – American Institute of Graphic Arts

Graphic Artists Guild

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a designer or creative thinker in your orbit.

And if you have a story worth telling, apply to be a guest at epicmade.net/podcast.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

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This week on the Pixel Retentive Podcast, I sat down with Mario Kroll, founder of UberStrategist and a 30 year veteran of the video game and entertainment industry.

From launching WarGamer.com in the early days of online gaming to building a multi-award-winning PR and marketing agency, Mario has seen every hype cycle, platform shift, and industry reinvention you can imagine. He has navigated retail-to-digital distribution, pre-social media journalism to influencer dominance, and the post-COVID turbulence that reshaped gaming media and PR.

At the core of this conversation is one big idea: hype alone will not save your product.

With over 20,000 games launching every year, attention is the real battleground. Mario breaks down why discoverability is harder than ever, why community building must start early, and why even the best PR strategy cannot fix a mediocre product.

If you are a founder, marketer, creative, or game developer trying to stand out in a noisy market, this episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom.

What You'll Learn:

• How Mario built WarGamer.com to over 1.1 million users before social media existed
• The biggest shifts in gaming PR from retail to digital to influencer driven ecosystems
• Why COVID changed the industry and why the "new normal" was a myth
• The real challenge of discoverability in a market flooded with new releases
• Why community building must begin long before launch
• The dangers of waiting until the last minute to think about marketing
• Why Kickstarter campaigns fail without a pre-built audience
• How to balance vocal minority feedback without breaking your game
• Why great trailers and video assets are critical in 2026
• The difference between product-driven launches and brand-driven longevity
• Why resilience and reinvention are essential for agency survival

Quote of the Week

"Make the best possible game you can. A great product with minimal marketing will outperform a mediocre product with a massive marketing budget." – Mario Kroll

Mario makes it clear: PR amplifies quality. It does not manufacture it.

Too many creators rely on hype, paid ads, or last-minute publicity to compensate for unfinished thinking. But in a crowded marketplace, audiences can tell. Strong fundamentals, clear positioning, and genuine community support are what make marketing efforts work. Without that foundation, hype burns fast and fades faster.

Overview

This conversation covers three decades of evolution in gaming, PR, and entrepreneurship.

Mario shares how he transitioned from gaming journalist to agency founder, the lessons he learned managing 50 contributors across the world in the early internet days, and how UberStrategist grew through grit, layoffs, pivots, and constant reinvention.

We also unpack the myth of job security versus entrepreneurship, the false comfort of corporate stability, and why founders must stay agile in volatile industries.

One of the most powerful through lines in this episode is the importance of building a brand, not just launching products. Studios that invest in reputation, community, and long -term trust create sustainable success. Those who chase hype cycles struggle to survive.

Whether you are launching a game, a tech product, a film, or a creative service, the principle remains the same:

Hype is a tactic. Strategy is long-term.

Resources & Mentions

• UberStrategist: uberstrategist.com
• Email: [email protected]
• War Gamer
• Nightdive Studios Atari
• Bethesda: Elder Scrolls Series
• PAX East

Special Shout Out

Mario gives a special shout-out to Larry Kuperman, a gaming industry veteran known for leadership, mentorship, and advocacy work around toxicity and anti-Semitism in gaming. Larry has played a key role in shaping Nightdive Studios' trajectory and is a strong example of relationship-driven leadership in the entertainment industry.

Pixel Retentive explores the intersection of creativity, business, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

Want to work with Epic Made on your next creative project? Hit us up at Epic Made. We'll help your brand resonate with the right people and look badass while doing it.

If this episode sparked something for you, share it with a friend or colleague.

Until next time, ✌️ – Carl

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