Creative Confessions
Creative Confessions
Robin Son | Brands By Robin
Creative Confessions® is the podcast that collects and shares anonymous confessions from creatives to normalise the ups & downs of freelancing. Submit your anonymous confession! - www.brandsbyrobin.com/confess Instagram - www.instagram.com/brandsbyrobin Website - www.brandsbyrobin.com/podcast
Why Instagram Views & Likes Don't Matter with Trent Duffy
In this episode, I’m joined by Trent Duffy, founder of Duffy Design Co to talk all about promoting yourself on social media. For the first time on the podcast, Duffy has come on to discuss his own confession of what it means when content 'performs well'.The Creative Confession® we're discussing: “I have found that some of my worst performing posts on social media were the ones that landed me my biggest clients. This changed the way I looked at social media numbers. It’s not about how many people see it as long as the right person does.”CONNECT WITH TRENT:⁠⁠Trent's Instagram⁠⁠Duffy Design Co Website✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit your own Creative Confession® ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠CONNECT WITH ROBIN:✷ Get Design Freebies ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠✷ Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
Mar 27
27 min
Building a Successful Design Business as a University Student with Morgan Hastie
In this episode, I’m joined by Morgan Hastie, also known as The Logo Lassie, a Scottish designer and university graphic design student to talk all about balancing freelancing and student life.Morgan and I talk all about what it's like balancing freelancing with brands all over the world and getting her degree.The Creative Confession® we're discussing: "I’m a student and I want to build my own business but I have no idea where to start. I thought my course would help me prepare for the “real world” but I do not want to go into a studio   ”CONNECT WITH MORGAN:⁠Morgan's Instagram⁠⁠Morgan's Website⁠✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit your own Creative Confession® ⁠⁠here⁠⁠CONNECT WITH ROBIN:✷ Get Design Freebies ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠✷ Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
Feb 27
35 min
Why creatives need co-working spaces with Vickie Moore-Gourd
In this episode, I’m joined by Vickie Moore-Gourd; designer at Design Some Moore to talk all about free co-working sessions for designers and creatives who want to connect and make friends with others in the industry.Vickie and I talk all about what it takes to run an unpaid community, why we feel creatives need spaces like this, and what it takes to start your own.The Creative Confession® we're discussing: "There are hardly any unpaid communities. Every group chat or session seems to be behind a paywall and it's hard for designers who just want to make friends not take a course to find like-minded creatives”CONNECT WITH VICKIE:Vickie's InstagramVickie's WebsiteJoin the co-working sessions!✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit your own Creative Confession® ⁠here⁠CONNECT WITH ROBIN:✷ Get Design Freebies ⁠⁠here⁠⁠✷ Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
Jan 30
23 min
What Completing a 100 Day Design Challenge Teaches You with Gareth Robertson
In this episode, I’m joined by Gareth Robertson; designer at Gr-aphic Studio to talk all about his recent experience with completing a 100 day design challenge.After getting a confession from a creative who said they started a 100 day design challenge and gave up after 1 week, we talk about what it’s like to keep pushing and complete a challenge like thisGareth and I talk all about accountability, pushing yourself, protecting your creativity and the pressure we feel to be perfect when creating. The Creative Confession™ we're discussing: “I started a 100 day design challenge and gave up after 1 week. I was posting the designs daily but I wasn't getting anywhere it felt like a waste of my time. Is it even worth it?”CONNECT WITH GARETHGareth’s InstagramGR-APHIC STUDIO Website✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit your own Creative Confession™ ⁠here⁠CONNECT WITH ROBIN:✷ Get Design Freebies ⁠here⁠✷ Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
Jan 2
41 min
The Truth About Going into Business with your Friend | With Jess & Rach of StudioMorii
In this episode, I’m joined by Jess and Rachel, the duo behind Studio Morii to talk all things business partnerships, friendship, and honesty. After getting a confession from a creative who said starting a business with a friend feels scarier than going solo, we dig into what it’s actually like to build a brand with your best friend.We chat about keeping communication open, navigating finances together, managing stress in totally different ways, and how to protect your friendship when business gets serious. The Creative Confession™ we're discussing: “My friend and I have a plan to go into business together as a partnership and I am more anxious than her. I am nervous about starting a business with another person and it actually feels scarier than going solo.”CONNECT WITH JESS & RACH!StudioMorii InstagramStudioMorii Website✷ Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit your own Creative Confession™ hereCONNECT WITH ROBIN:✷ Get Design Freebies here✷ Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
Aug 4, 2025
23 min
Using AI in Design Client Work, Yes or No? Here's What Designers Think...
In this episode, I'm exploring an anonymous confession about using AI in creative work through a community-driven discussion. I collected anonymous responses that represent a range of viewpoints, highlighting the conversations happening in the creative community. DISCLAIMER: This episode aims to create understanding and encourage a conversation rather than shame. Even though all responses couldn't be read in this episode, I aimed to read multiple responses with differing viewpoints. I acknowledge the complexity of the issues discussed & I do want to emphasise that I am still unsure where I stand on the topic. My approach with this episode is to present various perspectives and let you draw your own conclusions.Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit it here⁠⁠Sign up for the newsletter & Get involved with the podcast ⁠⁠here⁠⁠Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
Jul 28, 2025
29 min
Designers Are Googling Each Other’s Clients? | Community Reaction Episode
In this episode, I’m doing something a little different.Recently, I sent out a newsletter about how I noticed designers Googling each other’s clients to “check if the projects are real.” I didn’t expect much. But then… my inbox exploded.Turns out, people have thoughts. Some agreed with me. Some challenged me. So in today’s episode, I’m reading out a bunch of those anonymous replies and reacting to each one with my honest take.We’re talking:Whether designers should disclose passion projectsWhy people get weird about “fake clients”The pressure to look busy onlineReal vs. passion work and does it even matter?If you’ve ever hesitated to share a mock project or worried you’d be seen as “less than” for doing passion work, this one's for youMENTIONED EPISODE: When pretending to have clients backfiresReady to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit it hereGet The Newsletter, Templates & Design Freebies ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the Podcast Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
Jun 23, 2025
32 min
Should You Put Your Prices on Your Website? With James Barnard
In this episode, I’m joined by designer James Barnard to talk about pricing transparency. After reading a confession from a creative who said listing their prices might have scared off all their leads, we talk about why this advice doesn’t work for everyone.We also get into how to communicate your value without putting numbers on your site as well as some of James' tips for social media content. If you’ve ever second-guessed your pricing, or wondered whether you’re making things harder for yourself, this one’s for you.The Confession: "I saw designers on Threads saying that if we want to be as transparent and as accessible as possible then we should put our prices on our websites so I did. I've noticed I haven't had a single lead since. I had a good flow of leads before and I think I tried to fix something that wasn't broken. "CONNECT WITH JAMES:Follow James on IG hereWebsite: https://barnard.co/Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit it here⁠⁠Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get The Newsletter, Templates & Design Freebies ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
Jun 2, 2025
28 min
How I Avoid Falling Behind in Business After a Break
Took a break and now your creative brain won’t boot up again? In this episode, I’m sharing how I stop time off from completely derailing my design business. From overwhelm to finding a weekly rhythm that actually works (especially as a parent), this is a real look at how I get back on track without spiralling or wishing for an empty to-do list.The Confession: "I get thrown off my work rhythm at the start of a new week after the break at the weekends. It happens every week and I have a long weekend trip coming up (friday, saturday and sunday), I'm dreading it. I see on Instagram that you go to events often so I was hoping you would have some advice on this  "Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit it here⁠⁠Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the Podcast Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get The Newsletter, Templates & Design Freebies ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
May 26, 2025
15 min
Why Sharing Design Advice Gives You Imposter Syndrome
Ahh the classic imposter syndrome. In this episode, I break down the fear of getting it wrong, the pressure to look like an expert, and the myth that everyone else knows what they’re doing. If you’ve ever spiraled halfway through making a post online, this one’s for you.The Confession: "I feel like such an imposter when I try to give advice or make educational content because it feels like everyone else has it figured out. I’m scared of saying the wrong thing and getting called out for it, but it also feels like that’s the kind of content that performs the best."Ready to share your story, opinions or those questions you feel like you can’t ask? ⁠⁠Submit it here⁠⁠Follow Robin on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the Podcast Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get The Newsletter, Templates & Design Freebies ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoying the podcast? Please drop a quick review! It helps more creatives find it!
May 19, 2025
12 min
Load more