In this guest episode, host Kendall Hotchkiss chats with Audrey Havey — graphic designer, art director, motion designer, illustrator, YouTuber, and co-founder of the newly launched creative studio Sword and Shield — covering studio launches, content creation, personal style, and the value of art school.

This episode covers:

• Launching Sword and Shield: How Audrey and her husband planned a studio launch months in advance.
• Commissioning frame-by-frame animation: What their process looked like working with an external animator, from brief to final delivery, and how they tried to be the "dream client."
• YouTube content creation: How Audrey's video workflow evolved over time, and why she stepped away from the channel — temporarily.
• Brand deals with Rive and School of Motion: How those collaborations came about organically, and what she got out of them beyond the paycheck.
• LinkedIn without overthinking it: Audrey's low-pressure approach to social media and why personal work has driven most of her client relationships.
• Developing a personal style: Why it took until after college for Audrey to understand her own visual identity — and how she knows when something is distinctly hers.
• What art school actually teaches you: The case for soft skills over technical training, and what online learning can and can't replicate.
• Sword and Shield's vision: The studio's philosophy on craft, client work, and a longer-term project Audrey hints at but doesn't fully reveal.

Upcoming Events:

• Game night: Wednesday, April 29th (Discord)
• Next week's guest: Reece Parker!

Visit MondayMeeting.org for this episode and other conversations from the motion design community!

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• Audrey's YouTube Channel
• Audrey's Website
• Sword and Shield Studio