Two Cranky Creatives: Real Talk & Practical Advice for Surface Designers and Creative Entrepreneurs

Cranky and Creative: Redefining What It Means to Be an Artist

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks tackle a question many artists quietly wrestle with: "Am I still an artist if I'm not making money?" Toni and Carrie b

Cranky & Trolled: Managing Online Criticism Without Losing Your Mind w/Liz Kohler Brown

This episode is sponsored by the Illustration Bootcamp. In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks sit down with artist and educator Liz Kohler Brown to talk a

Cranky and Calculated: Why Forced Authenticity Is Hurting Your Creative Career

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks take on one of the buzziest—and most misunderstood—concepts in the creative hustle: authenticity. Somewhere along the

Cranky and Relentless: Hard Work, Reinvestment, and the Long Game of Building a Business w/George McConnell

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks sit down with entrepreneur George McConnell to dismantle one of the most persistent myths in the creative hustle: that

Cranky and Going Nowhere: The Myth of Creative Challenges as a Career Path w/Mindy Young

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks sit down with Mindy Young of Indy Bloom Design to gently—but firmly—debunk one of the most persistent myths in the cre

Cranky and Concerned: Is Print on Demand (POD) Dead?

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks tackle a question quietly echoing through the creative industry: Is print-on-demand dead? What once felt like a revolu

Cranky and Undervalued: Why You're Not Charging Enough for Your Art w/Shannon McNab

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks sit down with the phenomenal Shannon McNab to spill the tea on one of the juiciest (and frustrating) topics in the cre

Cranky and Self-Employed: Why Every Artist Is an Entrepreneur

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks dig into a truth that makes a lot of artists uncomfortable: the moment you sell your work, you are an entrepreneur—whe

Cranky and Uncharted: Why There's No Blueprint for Creative Success w/Ali Hooten

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks sit down with illustrator and surface designer Ali Hooten to dismantle one of the most persistent myths in the creativ

Cranky Mythbusting: You Don't Need Illustrator to Thrive In Surface Design

In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks break out the soapbox (and maybe a tiny megaphone) to challenge one of the most persistent myths in the surface design

Cranky and Without a Compass: Real Talk About Building a Surface Design Business w/Elizabeth Silver

This episode is sponsored by Illustrators for Hire CORRECTION: Thank you to Amy Feinburg of Amelia Scarlet Studio, who is a tax litigator, for reaching out. Some of my

BONUS: Cranky & Controversial: Calling Out the Creative Course Boom

In this bonus episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks dig into a recent controversy shaking up the online art education space—and yeah, it's messy. What started as a

Cranky and Cautious: How Creatives Can Spot Scams Before They Spiral

Cranky and Cautious: How Creatives Can Spot Scams Before They Spiral In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks sound the alarm on a growing (and increasingly

Cranky and Conflicted: When Your Dream Job Isn't a Dream Anymore w/Stacie Bloomfield

This episode is sponsored by Surface Design News and Brooke Mackie Designs In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks sit down with artist and entrepreneur, St

Cranky and Unpaid: Practical Advice for Dealing with Clients Who Ghost on Invoices

This episode is sponsored by Sunlight Tax and The Print Life.  In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks tackle one of the most infuriating—and unfortunately

Cranky and Chaotic: Finding Time to Make Art When Life Gets Messy w/Lisa Bardot

This episode is sponsored by Sunlight Tax, Illustrators for Hire, the Illustration Portfolio Challenge, the Illustration Bootcamp, and Art Licensing Unlocked.  In this

Cranky About Taxes: Practical Tax Truths Every Creative Needs to Hear w/Hannah Cole

This episode is sponsored by the Art Brand Alliance and True Grit Texture Supply. Listeners also get a a 20% discount with the code CRANKY at checkout In this episode o

Cranky, Creative, & Still Human: AI's Impact on Surface Design & What Creative Entrepreneurs Need to Know w/Ness Stoilova

This episode is sponsored by Sunlight Tax, The Etsy Mentor, True Grit Texture Supply, Art Licensing Unlocked, Brooke Mackie Designs, the Illustration Portfolio Challenge,

Cranky and Legally Obligated: The Marketing Demands You Didn't See Coming

This episode is sponsored by Sunlight Tax, The Etsy Mentor, True Grit Texture Supply, and The Print Life. Listeners also get a a 20% discount at True Grit Texture Supply 

BONUS: Cranky & Informed: The Cranks React to the Surface Design Industry Survey

In this bonus episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks dig into the newly released Surface Design Industry Survey by Shannon McNab. This is the only data set of its ki