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Print Design Podcast - How to Win with Print in a Digital World
Print Design Podcast - How to Win with Print in a Digital World episodes
- Episode 85 - Why freelance designers are stuck at $50k/year and how to grow past it
If your design business hit some early growth and then flatlined, this one's for you.
In this solo episode I get into the three problems that quietly stall out most freelance designers, your work is invisible, you're underpaid, and clients vanish after one project, and why none of it is a talent problem. It's a visibility problem, and print is the fix for all three.
In this episode
- The three problems keeping freelance designers stuck
- Why a plateau is almost never a talent problem, and what it actually is
- How print makes you visible when everyone else is fighting to be seen on the same feeds
- Earning commission cheques from printers
- Reselling print work
- The revenue stack: paid design, commissions, and print resale, and how fast it adds up
- The first move to make to start growing again
Print Club Pro Coaching: CLICK HERE
Print Design Academy IG: Click Here
27 min - Episode 84 - How to Build a Cult Brand in Print - with Kierian Cameron, Editor of Brand Cult Newspaper
Kierian Cameron is the editor of Brand Cult, the UK's first print-only business newspaper, and it's unlike anything else landing in a mailbox: wax sealed, wrapped in tissue, shipped in an ominous black envelope, and hit with its own custom brand scent.
In this one Kierian tells the wild story of how a completely self-taught designer went from substitute teaching in London to building three businesses, and why print became her "third door" into an industry that wouldn't hire her as an intern at 37.
We get into the ikigai moment that made her go all-in on design, how she pre-sold 50 subscribers off nothing but a pitch to fund her first print run, and her whole philosophy of building "cult brands" people obsess over. It's a masterclass in networking, persistence, and finding a creative spin on a medium that's been around for hundreds of years.
In this episode
- What Brand Cult is: a wax-sealed, scented, print-only business newspaper built as a full immersive brand world
- Kierian's career-pivot story, from Hong Kong to London classrooms to self-taught designer
- The "third door" theory: when the front door and the VIP door are closed, you find the crack nobody else is looking at
- Why print-only is the whole point, and how she gives founders a reason to step away from the screen
- Networking and persistence as a business engine: keep following up until they tell you to go away
- How designing her own newspaper turned into a bespoke newspaper design service for other brands
The Links:
Print Club Pro - 90-day coaching: Check the Details here
Brand Cult Newspaper: Great Print Here
Brand Cult IG: Click Here
Kierian Cameron LinkedIn: Connect Here
Print Design Academy IG: Click Here
1 hr 9 min - Episode 83 - How a Newspaper can land your next Client - With Kaye Symington from Newspaper Club
Kaye Symington is the CMO of Newspaper Club and co-founder of Glasgow Print Fair. A self-proclaimed "print enabler" rather than a printmaker.
In this one we get into how Newspaper Club went from three friends printing what their mates made online to 40 million newspapers and counting, and why newsprint is booming instead of dying.
Kaye shares a stack of real stories, including an LA photographer who swapped his ignored email newsletter for a quarterly newspaper and landed a $50k campaign and nearly a Louis Vuitton gig off the back of it.
We also get into why print sticks in your brain longer than a screen ever will, how younger designers are falling for newsprint with zero nostalgia attached, and the exact math on why spending $120 on 20 newspapers is one of the smartest moves a designer can make to get noticed. Stop emailing PDFs nobody opens and make something that lands on the desk and won't get ignored.
In this episode
- What Newspaper Club is, and the "print what your friends made on the internet" origin story that became 40 million newspapers
- Why "newspapers are dead" was always a myth, and how AI made everyone suddenly notice print again
- The LA photographer who turned a quarterly newspaper into a $50k campaign
- The real cost math: why $120 for 20 newspapers beats another ignored PDF portfolio every time
- How designers are using newsprint as a portfolio that actually sticks around on people's desks
- Why print is multi-sensory and memorable in a way a screen just can't match
- Print-first thinking: design for the newspaper, then spin it into your social, blog, and audio content
The Links:
Print Club Pro - 90-day coaching: Check the Details here
Newspaper Club: Great Print Here
Newspaper Club IG: Click Here
Kaye Symington IG: Click Here
Kaye LinkedIn: Connect Here
Print Design Academy IG: Click Here
51 min - Episode 82 - How to Make Real Money Designing for Print with Laura Jane Boast
Laura-Jane Boast has run her Manchester studio Conscious Made for 12 years, and it's basically all print.
In this episode she gets into how she niched hard into color, material, and finish (CMF for short) and turned a straight-up obsession with foils, papers, and print into a business that more than pays the bills designing for clients all over the world.
That includes a recent Coachella project she then stalked across a hundred fan videos on TikTok, because once it's out there, watching people freak out over it is half the fun.
We also get real about the money. Why the safe "middle budget" client has basically vanished, and how Laura learned to walk away from the pretty jobs that look great but pay nothing.
We dig into the feedback loop print gives you that a website never will, why the analog comeback is booming while everyone drowns in screens and AI. She wraps up with the best kind of advice for anyone trying to break in: go local, keep it small, stop emailing PDFs nobody opens, and just make something real.
In this episode
- What CMF (color, material, finish) actually means and how niching into it built Laura's whole business
- Why print is paying the bills: the honest conversation about making a real living in the print space
- How the "middle budget" disappeared, and why walking away from low-value jobs protects your creativity
- The feedback loop designers miss in digital work, and why print keeps giving back long after it ships
- How to break into print with no experience: start local, start small, start with a business you actually care about
Laura's Website: https://www.consciousmade.co.uk/
Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lboast/
Laura on IG: https://www.instagram.com/LauraBoast
Conscious Made on IG: https://www.instagram.com/conscious.made/
Print Club Pro Coaching - Details and Application: The Details
Come say hi on Instagram @printdesign_academy
1 hr 20 min - Episode 81 - Designing a 640-Page Book, with Dora Drimalas from Hybrid Design
Dora Drimalas, co-founder of San Francisco studio Hybrid Design, spent years (on and off, over a decade) building a 640-page case-bound monster of a book, and in this episode she walks me through every nerdy detail of how it came to life.
We get into the production specs (CMYK plus silver and fluorescent orange spots, sealed ribbon bookmarks synced to digitally printed edge painting, black and white editions), the publishing decision to go with Victionary instead of self-publishing, and how they managed over 400 contributors who each needed legal clearance.
Dora also shares her journey through the world of design that included Nike, and then founding Hybrid Design.
In this episode
- Why Hybrid built a book that's a "survival manual for design," not just a portfolio flex
- The full spec breakdown: 640 pages, two spot colors, edge painting as a nod to traditional marbling, and ribbons that sync to those edge colors
- Self-publishing vs. going with a real publisher, and why that validation and distribution mattered
- What it's like to proof a 640-page book for six months and still keep finding errors
- The legal reality of 400+ contributors and why most studios avoid books like this
- How locking the grid and templates early made the design the easy part and the content the focus
- Why a printed piece beats a PDF every time when you're trying to get noticed, and how to start small (a zine, postcards, a saddle-stitched book)
Buy the book here: Buy the Book
Learn more about the book here: The Blog
Check out Hybrid Design: The Website
Follow Hybrid Design @hybriddesignsf
Print Club Pro Coaching Details and Application: The Details
Come say hi on Instagram @printdesign_academy
Tags: print design, book design, studio book, Hybrid Design, edge painting, print production, graphic design career, getting noticed as a designer
1 hr 12 min - Episode 80 - A Bowl of Nostalgia: Neenah x Print Design Academy Cereal Box Collab
In this episode I sit down with Michelle McDermott-Pautz, who runs channel marketing for Neenah Paper in North America, to walk through the two-year journey of building a mini cereal box collection that shows off what's possible with Neenah Folding Board.
We get into where the "weird" cereal box idea came from, why nostalgia was the whole point, and how Dallas Franklin brought a cast of illustrated characters to life across four different substrates.
Then we go deep on production: foil stamping, sculpted embossing, white-ink-first passes, the deep black board with no white edges, scented stickers, and the 30 hours of press and bindery checks across three trips to the printer. If you've ever wondered what actually goes into a showstopper print piece, this is the true behind-the-scenes.
In this episode
- Why a mini cereal box collection was the right way to showcase folding board, and how the nostalgia angle nearly didn't make the cut
- How the characters were designed to lean into each board's attributes, not just sit on a box
- Every print technique they threw at it: foil (holographic, red, clear), embossing, debossing, metallic inks, white ink first
- The on-press save that mattered: pulling a metallic highlight that disappeared under light and swapping it live
- Why scented stickers (and a full cereal bar) turned the launch party into a full-circle experience
- What designers can steal from this: emotional connection, shelf presence, and why real, tactile work beats the screen
Want to see it
This piece exists in extremely limited quantities. There's a blog post with expanded photos and the full behind the scenes on the Print Design Academy site, and if you want to get your hands on the collection, head to Neenah's website, use the contact form, and ask who your local rep is.
Print Club Pro Small Group Coaching: The Details
See photos of the collab: The Blog
Come say hi on Instagram @printdesign_academy
Tags: print design, packaging design, folding board, Neenah Paper, foil stamping, substrate selection, print production, nostalgia branding
51 min - Episode 79 - Alberta Distillers Rare Batch Whisky - Olberding Brand Family
In this episode, Dave talks with Chris Gajus, Creative Director at Olberding Brand Family, about the packaging for Alberta Distillers Rare Batch that his team helped bring to life.
If you’re a graphic designer or creative director who loves print, packaging, or some sweet sweet embellishments, this episode is for you.
Chris breaks down how they took a very rough starting point and turned it into a full premium packaging system with strong storytelling, structure, and materials. This includes the strategy behind the mountain imagery, the multi-level emboss, using tactile varnish instead of foil, and how they made sure the whiskey glows through the front and back windows on shelf.
You’ll also hear about real considerations designers deal with every day: board weight, coatings, cracking on folds, color matching between substrates, working with vendors, and building files with multiple special-finishes layers. It’s a full look at how design moves from a concept to a finished physical product that pulls people in.
Chris also shares his early print memories (video game boxes and manuals), his first print project in school, and a project that totally fell apart thanks to unclear feedback and direction. If you’ve ever had a client say “I’ll know it when I see it,” you’ll feel right at home.
Things discussed in this episode:
Premium packaging design
Building dielines and structural packaging workflow
Multi-level embossing
Tactile varnish vs. foil stamping
Color matching across substrates
Paperboard weight and packaging durability
Creating shelf presence in liquor and beverage categories
Integrating brand storytelling into print
Working with production, prepress, and color teams
Turning a rough concept into a print-ready, high-end package
Links:
Alberta Distillers Rare Batch case study
Project images + visuals
Oberding Brand Family website
Chris on LinkedIn
- Print Design Academy - Where designers learn print and packaging design
1 hr 24 min - Episode 78 - Diego Marini - Yummy Colours - Statue of Liberty + Sophy Holland Books
This week's guest is Diego Marini. He is a Co-Founder, Creative Director, and Designer from Yummy Colours out of New York. Although he is located in Copenhagen.
Diego loves books. To put it lightly. During client meetings, he's been known to ask "Can't we do a book"? And with a drive like that, he has had the opportunity to help bring some absolute gems to life.
In this episode, we dive into the design, creative direction, and behind-the-scenes production of two beautiful coffee table books. One for Sophy Holland, and the other for the Statue of Liberty. Be sure to check the links below to have a peek.
The Yummy Colours team continues to put together amazing print pieces that help bring their client's goals and visions to life. Legends over there.
Another gem of an episode for the designers and print lovers out there. Check out all the links below!!
Statue of Liberty Book Images: CLICK HERE
Sophy Holland Book Images: CLICK HERE
Yummy Colours Website: CLICK HERE
Yummy Colours Instagram: CLICK HEREPrint Design Mastery 7-day FREE trial Get it HERE.
Print Design Summit Waitlist: SIGN UP HERE
Print Design Academy on YouTube: HERE
53 min - Episode 77 - Tony - Industry Print Shop
My guest on this episode is Tony Diaz from Industry Print Shop out of Austin Texas. If you haven't heard of Industry, where have you been!? I call this episode, story time with Tony.
In this episode, we talk about:
- how Industry started and came to be.
- how he became "The Merch Guy"
- some of the important projects that helped Industry grow.
- Flatstock at SXSW and what it meant for Tony.
- a workshop at Nike HQ.
- print projects that went sideways and what happened.
- projects that Tony is the most proud of.
- the transition from doing the printing to a business owner leadership role.
- tough times in the history of Industry.
- what is really fulfilling for Tony in this stage of his life.
- and soo soo much more.
Tony is an awesome human and is full of stories that help you to learn from his mistakes, successes, and experiences. You can really feel the genuine joy from him coaching creatives through stories and community.
THE LINKS
Industry Print Shop Website: CLICK HERE
FREE Print Ready Files Checklist: Download here
FREE Craft Beer Label Design Guide: Get it HERE.
Print Design Academy on YouTube: CLICK HERE
International Print Day: CLICK HERE
Print Across America: CLICK HERE1 hr 30 min - Episode 76 - Connie Lui - Yummy Colours - Concept of the Year
This week's guest is Connie Lui. She is a Partner, Creative Director, and Designer from Yummy Colours out of New York.
I saw an Instagram post that Yummy Colours shared featuring their most recent Concept of the Year print piece, Dear Future. Turns out it was their third year in a row producing the Contept of the Year projects. And we get to hear stories about how all three projects were brought to life.
From the first Issue and why they decided to bring it to life, the second issue and stories of incredible collaboration at scale, to the most recent issue and how the multi-layer unique effects came to life!
Another gem of an episode for the designers and print lovers out there. Check out all the links below!!
Concept of the Year Images: CLICK HERE
Yummy Colours Website: CLICK HERE
Yummy Colours Instagram: CLICK HEREFREE Craft Beer Label Design Guide: Get it HERE.
FREE Print Ready Files Checklist: Download here
Print Design Academy on YouTube: HERE
56 min
About Print Design Podcast - How to Win with Print in a Digital World
From the publisher's feed
In a world racing toward AI and screens, print is more valuable than ever. While everyone fights for attention on the same crowded feeds, the designers reaching for paper, ink, and real tactile work are the ones getting noticed and remembered. The Print Design Podcast is about how they pull it off.
Each episode digs into the real stories behind great print and packaging, the substrates and techniques that made them work, the problems solved on press, and the impact the finished piece had out in the world. You'll get the behind-the-scenes details, practical tips, and creative thinking that help you make print worth holding onto, and grow your work with it.
Hosted by Dave Hopkins, founder of Print Design Academy, where thousands of designers are learning to bring beautiful print to life. If you're a graphic designer who wants to stand out in a digital world by creating things people can actually touch, this one's for you.