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What does it look like running your own design studio that works with names like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley? In this episode, we sit down with Amber Asay of Nice People to discuss the winding path that led her from scrapbooking experiments and show choirs to launching a successful design agency and a creative podcast.

Amber shares the reality of landing big-name projects (and why you sometimes have to view them as long-term investments), the pros and cons of building a flexible studio model, and how she has learned to adapt her business during challenging times in the industry. (yes, everyone is feeling it, you are not alone!) We also dig into creative experiments, from launching a podcast to Airbnb hosting and the importance of slowing down, setting boundaries, and choosing sustainability over hustle.

If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate client pricing, keep your creative spark alive, or find balance between parenting and running a studio, this episode is for you.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

• The inside story of working with high-profile clients 
• Pricing challenges: balancing opportunity with sustainability 
• Building a flexible “expand and contract” design studio model
• Why overhead isn’t always the dream (and how flexibility keeps you resilient)
• The slowest freelance year: adapting to industry shifts and diversifying income as an artist
• Starting a podcast as a creative side quest and what it really gives back
• How planting “seeds” years ago is still paying off today
• Rethinking social media and marketing when you can’t post every day
• Why slowing down, setting boundaries, and working shorter hours can actually help creativity thrive

Connect with Amber Asay

Website: https://nicepeople.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amberasay

Nice People’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicepeople/ 

Women Designers You Should Know Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/women-designers-you-should-know/id1741408177 

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Kernference https://thekernference.com (use code TYPECAST!)
• Ralph Tyndall Designs https://www.ralphtyndall.com/ 
• Poosh Project https://nicepeople.com/Poosh 
• Prisma Markers

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

• Goodtype Website
• Goodtype on Instagram
• Goodtype on Youtube

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