The Creative Course Podcast

We check in with you, our listeners, to talk about community, collaboration, and compassion during this quarantined time. Jordan and Nick discuss how life has been for us during the last few weeks. We also hope to spread some positivity with some proactive things you can do right now.

An incredible visit with Michael Bierut and a Zoom Room full of students and faculty from all over the country! Enjoy this fantastic discussion!

The Ego. Defined as a person's sense of self-esteem or self-importance. Your ego is a part of who you are and, when it's balanced, it can be a good thing too. For this Pitstop, Nick and Jordan welcome Jay Master (aka @live_design_co ) to talk about balancing our egos as creatives. When can it get in the way, and when it can be your secret weapon! Show Notes: Jay's Website Jay on Instagram

Our very first Pitstop episode! These Pitstops allow us to tackle smaller topics, welcome unique special guests and just catch up with you, and each other, more often! Each year new graphic design trends explode onto the scene. We wanted to break down the whole idea of "Trends" and how we should react as visual communicators. We discuss: 1. Are they important? 2. How do they start? 3. Why they can be problematic? 4 How best to approach or use a trend. Show Note: Chobani The Women Running for President Are Breaking the Rules of Branding Scumbro Fontself Adobe Dimension Follow Us on Instagram

Designer and recent CSUN graduate, Rubaie Jaffer joins us for a recap of our Packaging Course. We talk about how you can take the next step bringing Packaging Design into your scope of services. Download the Companion Guide Here Follow Rubaie on Instagram

Episode 6 brings Nick and Jordan to the backroads of Print Production and how we take our packaging dreams into the vibrant world of reality. The hosts pick up their second guest of the trip, a true pro of the press, a master of mechanics, and all-around print guru, David Mayes - the Print Production specialist at Type Craft in Pasadena, California. David lends his expertise throughout this JAM-PACKED episode, digging into everything a designer needs to know when it comes to printing your designs. How to properly set up your files, getting print estimates, how to build relationships with local printers, the future of printing and so much more. Download the Companion Guide Here TypeCraft David Mayes LinkedIn David's Printer Notes

Nick and Jordan navigate the twists and turns of one of the most important stretches of the packaging design journey - Consumer Behavior. And to help guide their way, they pick up their first guest, a leader in consumer behavior, advertising, and marketing, Michael Solomon! Michael is a renowned author and international speaker that works with leading industries and brands like BMW, Johnson + Johnson, Intel, and Forbes. We tap into his wealth of knowledge to learn more about the way consumers think, what they care about, and how to design packaging that grabs their attention. You can learn more about Michael and his expertise through his website, where you can find his award-winning publications (Jordan bought “Marketers, Tear Down These Walls” and strongly recommends), as well as listen/watch speaking seminars and marketing programs. Download the Companion Guide Here Michael's Website

Nick and Jordan look to bring their designs to life through the art of prototyping and mockups. They take the scenic route discussing the importance of prototyping and why it's so much more than a smart layer mockup for photoshop. We discuss what exactly prototyping is and why we do it, breaking down the different types of mock-ups, when and how we should be implementing these into our project timeline, and how best to utilize them for any design. We also deliver a helpful list of resources we use, including “found” mockups, dieline templates, the programs we use, and where to find great packaging inspiration. Download the Companion Guide Here

Nick and Jordan find themselves in the belly of the beast - The Design Process. Armed with the knowledge of what we're doing, why we're doing it, and where we're going, we lift the hood on how we tackle the pen to paper and mouse to screen of designing for packaging. We discuss our step-by-step approach to designing. Exploring the market, finding inspiration, how to tackle a single product vs. multiple SKU system, when and how to begin working with packaging materials, and what to think about when you are trying to stand out on the shelf. Download the Companion Guide Here Nick's Adobe Live Packaging Tips

Nick and Jordan discuss how they each tackle planning and strategizing their packaging project - what to look out for and how best to prepare. It's an open tundra that can feel overwhelming at times, so having a solid plan of preparation is key to get things started on the right path. We discover: What are the initial questions we need to ask when starting a project? The importance of establishing goals and how to approach that with the client. A breakdown product information needed and why - and a TON of critical ways to make sure this not only succeeds but keeps you from any future headaches or missed opportunities. Download the Companion Guide Here

Nick and Jordan are back on the proverbial road of podcasting to explore the dense highways of Packaging Design! What is it exactly? What makes “good” packaging design? How do you stand out on the competitive shelf? All these questions and more will be explored throughout this journey in effort unpack the packed and figure out how to make it all work. In this first episode, Nick and Jordan breakdown the fundamentals of packaging design, touching on everything from the three levels of packaging to the 4 major things you must have to succeed on the shelf. So thumb out and hitch along with us as we cruise our way through the heartland of packaging design! Download the Companion Guide Here

We're back, with big news! Our Packaging Course starts here, with a brief introduction to the course highlighting what's new. Enjoy! Download the Companion Guide Here

On this Q&A episode, we bring in the big guns; Nick's current design students from California State University, Northridge. Tanner, Andres, Charles, and Rendall ask the tough questions after listening to a few of our Social Media course episodes! Follow them on Instagram and say Hi: Tanner: https://www.instagram.com/tannerbjorlie/ Andres: https://www.instagram.com/andres_palos/ Charles: https://www.instagram.com/_balt/ Rendall: https://www.instagram.com/endawmyke/

It's been 3 weeks, so Nick & Jordan report back with the results of Jordan's LinkedIn Challenge! Connect with us both on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nlongo/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanwilsondesigns/

Television personality and YouTuber Orly Shani joins us to talk about getting comfortable with video, blogging and being your authentic self on Social Media! Check out Orly's bio here: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/the-experts/orly-shani Orly's YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2MPzFC8

Marketing professor, Emi Moriuchi, joins us to talk about social media behavior and the latest trends in social media. Emi shares some awesome resources we can all start using! Links from our discussion: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/what-is-the-buyers-journey https://www.hubspot.com/inbound-marketing https://keyhole.co https://hashtagify.me/hashtag/tbt https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-social-media/ https://emimoriuchi.com/ https://emimoriuchi.com/welcome/book/

This whole course was inspired by an article written by our friend Matt Dawson. Every creative battles with the "Am I good enough?" syndrome. So we asked Matt to join us for a candid talk about the anxiety we all face when it comes to putting our work out there. Matt's original article can be found here: https://medium.com/@staygrayponyboy/designer-dysmorphia-2bb4fc7773 Follow Matt on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/staygrayponyboy/

Nick puts Jordan through the LinkedIn Bootcamp, a series of tip and tricks to "tune-up" your LinkedIn profile. Jordan is put to the test, with only 3 weeks to see if he can show some measurable results on LinkedIn while building his network and attracting potential new clients and opportunities.

Jordan & Nick begin the Social Media conversation with an "introduction" style episode. Sharing how we each use it, observe it and what we can do to take full advantage of it.

Jordan and Nick are on route creating the next Creative Course - all about social media and we want your input! Send us questions (no matter how specific, broad, vain, whatever) - we want them! And we're bringing in some experts to help us get the answers. We'll be traveling through the platforms, discussing how we personally use them, tips, tricks, precautions, trends, the whole nine yards. So if you've found yourself looking for a specific answer, or even just want to get involved in this discussion, reach out! You can email us directly at creativecoursepod@gmail.com or also our Instragram @creativecoursep - *Bonus points if it's an audio question that we can include in our show! Thanks and we'll talk to you soon!

We saved this one for last! Jordan & Nick chat with Jon Contino discussing his unique freelance career. For more info on Jon, check out his site at https://www.joncontino.com/

We wrap up Course #2 with a Q&A episode hosted by our good friend Ryan Wheaton. Be sure to check out Ryan's site and with very own podcast at http://wheatoncreative.com/

We let our buddy Matt Erickson take the wheel for this episode! Matt talks about his personal take on studio vs. freelance life. How he juggles both worlds and balances the demands of both. Be sure to check out Matt's site at http://ericksondesign.co/

Nick & Jordan put together a Freelance Checklist every designer should consider before taking the freelance pulnge!

In this episode we talk about getting clients, keeping them and some red flags to look out for.

Our friend Josh Ariza stops by to share some of his pros and cons, comparing agency and freelance work. Check out Josh's site at http://joshuaariza.com/

We start Course #2 off with the Pros & Cons of Freelance life! Nick & Jordan discuss their individual stories and experiences, comparing agency work and freelance life. Buckle up as Course #2 takes off!

The last episode in the Branding Course. We bring in Mike Purpoe, a young talented designer, to ask us questions regarding the whole course. You can find Mike on Twitter at @ballpointpod The Creative Course Podcast is now on Twitter at @creativecoursep

Our design process for brand development. Every step we take to make sure our branding systems match our mission and exceed our clients expectaions.

In this episode, Nick & Jordan compare notes on their client contracts and agreements. Sharing mistakes from the past, and solid must-have advice for any designer creating their first contract.

Nick & Jordan discuss the best strategies for young designers to bulk up their project estimates and make the most of your pricing structure.

The first episode in our Branding series. In this episode, Nick and Jordan compare notes on how they each bring the client into the Discovery process.