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In this episode, what's old is new again, and what's new is... AI again. The Verge's Allison Johnson and Dominic Preston join David to discuss their experience at Mobile World Congress 2025, where they saw the latest devices from Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme, and others — and found themselves confronted with some big, surprising new ideas about how our smartphones should look and work. After that, Kevin Rose and Justin Mezzell talk about the process of bringing Digg back, and how AI can improve the way social networks operate. Digg got a lot of things right two decades ago, and plans to do it all over again now. Finally, we answer a question about printers from the Vergecast Hotline (call 866-VERGE11 or email vergecast@theverge.com!), with some help from Framework CEO Nirav Patel. Further reading: MWC 2025 was all about the odds and ends What if your phone's camera was much, much bigger? You spin me right round, baby, right round. Xiaomi 15 Ultra review: ugly phone, beautiful camera Digg Reboot How Digg helped invent the social internet Digg is coming back, with founder Kevin Rose and Reddit's Alexis Ohanian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On this episode of the Somewhat Frank Podcast, Frank Gruber (X and IG: @FrankGruber), John Guidos (IG: jgoodtimes83), and Simon Kahan (IG: @simonkahan) discuss the following topics: We are hosting the Established House in Austin on Friday, March 7th, with a couple of featured conversations, a barista spinning our delightful lattes and teas and lots of opportunities to connect with one another. If you'll be in Austin, please join us! RSVP at: est.us/house25 AI Is Changing How Silicon Valley Builds Startups - The traditional Silicon Valley model of heavy fundraising and large headcounts is being replaced by AI-driven efficiency, with companies like Anysphere and ElevenLabs reaching $100M revenue with under 50 workers. Also, here is Frank's take on it: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7299885251869196288/ Mice have been genetically engineered to look like mammoths - Colossal Biosciences genetically engineered mice with mammoth-like fur by altering up to five genes, though only one matches the mammoth genome exactly. Here are some more thoughts on the animal/human hybrid topic: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/japan-approves-first-human-animal-embryo-experiments/ Digg is coming back, thanks to its founder Kevin Rose — and Reddit's success - Digg is relaunching with Kevin Rose as chair, Alexis Ohanian as an adviser, and Justin Mezzell as CEO, aiming to revive its “homepage of the internet” legacy. A Private Space Mission Just Successfully Landed on the Moon for the First Time - Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar module became the first private company's lander to successfully touch down on the moon, landing on March 2, 2025. We also upload our episodes to YouTube in video format so you can see us now. Check it out on Established YouTube, where you can subscribe to get updates when we drop a new episode at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube As always, thank you for listening, and feel free to reach out and let us know what you think at: somewhatfrank@est.us
Kevin (CEO, PROOF) is joined by Derek (Collab+Currency) for a special live audience show, featuring tokenized fashion and PROOF's Diamond Exhibition. The crew first welcomes Justin Mezzell (Cofounder, PROOF) and Terrell Jones (Diamond Exhibition Artist) to talk about Diamond Exhibition, Outliers, and what's next for Terrell. Then they chat with Gala (Tribute Brand) about the popular ODDS “Squiggle Sweater” project, and how she envisions the future of digital fashion. The hosts are also joined by Nick Adler at MNTGE, and they talk about the tokenization of physical items like vintage clothing. Finally, the giveaways – the lucky winners of an ODDS mint, a MNTGE jacket, Moonbirds merch, and the Glitch E30D Chromie Squiggle are announced. Terrell Jones | https://twitter.com/terrelldom Gala (Tribute Brand) | https://twitter.com/cwet3k Nick Adler (MNTGE) | https://twitter.com/nickyads _________ Stay connected with PROOF: Follow Derek on X | https://twitter.com/derekedws Follow Justin on X | https://twitter.com/JustinMezzell Check out PROOF Daily Countdown on YouTube | https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsvBBjkB4w7b1rL4uzAqM894nzYxDc2-1 Turn Notifications on for Proof Podcasts on X | http://twitter.com/proofpodcasts ________ 0:00:00 Intro 0:00:38 Host Chat 0:02:58 Justin Mezzell & Terrell Jones: Diamond Exhibition & Terrell's Art -Diamond Exhibition https://www.proof.xyz/exhibitions/diamond 0:22:11 Gala: Tribute Brand & ODDS -ODDS https://www.tribute-brand.com/odds 0:34:53 Nick Adler: MNTGE -MNTGE site https://www.mntge.io/ 0:49:40 Giveaways! 0:53:28 Outro
Our guest on today's podcast is Justin Mezzell, one of the most credible leaders in the NFT community. He is the Co-Founder of Proof and Moonbirds and the creative mind behind the Moonbirds NFT collection. Previously to Moonbirds, he also Co-Founded and continues to run a project on Solana called Grim Syndicate. Justin and I touched upon a number of different topics around NFTs, building new cultures, and most importantly we discussed why women-led NFT projects seem to have a relatively harder time taking off. I shared my ideas with him on how I plan to build allyship between men, women and people of other diverse backgrounds to build an inclusive business model. I hope you will find this episode as insightful and enjoyable as I did. Outline ⤵️ 00:00 Intro 03:42 Justin's journey into the NFT space 08:10 How could the NFT space incentivise other areas such as science, maths etc? 15:03 About the InPeak platform and web3 18:19 Somi's 2 NFT drops of allies 25:55 How do NFTs give us the opportunity to build a new culture 28:30 Differences in NFT design for women and men 33:39 NFTs as a business idea 39:04 Moonbirds day to day 42:31 How do Moonbirds compare to other blue chips in this space? 51:49 Justin on skulls and music Sponsor of this episode
In this episode, Carly sits in studio with the founding team behind PROOF Collective and Moonbirds, Kevin Rose, Ryan Carson, & Justin Mezzell. Moonbirds is PROOF's first 10k pfp project that's launching on April 16th. Could this be the most successful project drop of the year? Ever? The team behind it definitely has the experience, creativity, and influence to put this hypothesis to the test. Kevin and the team also leak major alpha around a new all-star engineer who will be joining them shortly. Who might that be? What innovations are they going to deploy? What decisions were made with their drop mechanics and why? How are they thinking about building out their own interoperable metaverse? Find out the answers to these questions and so much more in the interview. ------ SUBSCRIBE TO OVERPRICED JPEGs YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgwYifaFPX3_FJe7MMWfmAg
In this episode, Carly sits in studio with the founding team behind PROOF Collective and Moonbirds, Kevin Rose, Ryan Carson, & Justin Mezzell. Moonbirds is PROOF's first 10k pfp project that's launching on April 16th. Could this be the most successful project drop of the year? Ever? The team behind it definitely has the experience, creativity, and influence to put this hypothesis to the test. Kevin and the team also leak major alpha around a new all-star engineer who will be joining them shortly. Who might that be? What innovations are they going to deploy? What decisions were made with their drop mechanics and why? How are they thinking about building out their own interoperable metaverse? Find out the answers to these questions and so much more in the interview. ------ SUBSCRIBE TO OVERPRICED JPEGs YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgwYifaFPX3_FJe7MMWfmAg
Finding Success + Community as an NFT ArtistLooking for your next big creative opportunity?Betting on yourself, your creativity, and your future is scary AF.You have to dive into the unknown without knowing the end outcome: that's where opportunities and community live.That's the story of today's guest—Justin Mezzell—a modern-day savant in the realms of illustration, digital art, UI/UX design, and copywriting.He's also one of the ring leaders and the artist behind the rapidly growing Grim Syndicate NFT community.But it's Justin's story, perspective, empathy, humor, and drive that you're going to love today. He's carved out his own lane to success all outside of a full-time day job and being a family man to a wickedly supportive wife and 3 kiddos.In this episode, we talk shop on opportunities for creators in the NFT space, community building, experimenting, crypto, and all-out focus for a season.My goal with this episode is to show you how trusting the process and rooting your work in play will lead to your big break one day if you stick with it.---RESOURCES & REFERENCESEp. 74: Justin & RogieGrim Syndicate WebsiteGrim Syndicate DiscordGrim Syndicate TwitterBuy GrimsHow Rare is GrimsSide Hustler's Coaching WaitlistCONNECT WITH JUSTINInstagramTwitter----GET A GLOBAL PODCAST SHOUTOUTBecome a future Listener of the Week by Subscribing and leaving a Rating & Review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes here.FREE TOOLKIT TO SIDE HUSTLE FREEDOM6 FREE resources to help you grow an audience and build a profitable creative side hustle outside your day job. Download here.FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREONWith as little as your weekly cup of coffee, you can support the growth of this show by backing us on Patreon.JOIN THE PRIVATE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY FOR CREATORSJoin a like-minded FREE global community of kickass creators and take your side hustle to the next level. Your family is waiting.PURCHASE THE SIDE HUSTLER'S HANDBOOK PDF COURSEThe proven framework that'll help you gain clarity, confidence, and a mental edge to unlock your biggest side hustling breakthrough. Purchase here.BEST DEALS ON THE BEST DESIGN RESOURCES (Affiliates)Engaged Community Guide - A FREE guide for growing an audience around you and your work. Download here.Happy Money Course - Generate passive income by transforming your artistic passion into a digital product. Enroll here.The Lettering Pricing Handbook - A handbook and video series helping letterers get paid their worth. Purchase here.Lauren Hom's Classes - Use PERSPECTIVE10 for 10% OFF Lauren's premium classes. Shop here.Design Cuts - Download your FREE Ever-Expanding design resources bundle pack. Download here.LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCASTING APPApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercastYouTubeCONNECT WITH MEInstagramPodcast InstagramYouTubeTwitterTikTokPinterestCREDITSMusic - BlookahPodcast Editor - Aine BrennanExecutive Assistant - Paige GarlandPhoto & Video Specialist - Colton BacharSocial Media Coordinator - Hannah SchickAnimation Specialist - Greg D'Amico
The Dynamic Duo That is Super Team Deluxe Our past experiences have the ability to positively or negatively impact and shape the future versions of ourselves. So many times we let the bad things we’ve done or the things we don’t like in life define us. In reality, we should push our story forward by using those experiences as a guide to strive to do the best and to be the best we can. As creatives, I feel we should constantly experiment, share our weird and let our freak flag fly. Your experiences, interests and quirks are the secret ingredients that’ll help you rise above the noise. Sprinkling in a dose of kindness will really add gas to the fire. This brings me to today’s guests of Rogie King and Justin Mezzell. Rogie King is a prolific coder, developer and illustrator who can name every Disney character from A-Z. Justin Mezzell has built a stone solid reputation for his illustrations and witty yet whimsical copywriting. His love for Pokemon and people are second to none. Together this dynamic duo makes up Super Team Deluxe, a collaborative funhouse that churns out merch that speaks to your soul. Hold Onto Your Biscuits Within this whirlwind of a ping pong conversation that feels like it’s fueled by your favorite caffeinated childhood soda JOLT, there is an abundance of value, encouragement and vulnerability tucked between the humor. Hold onto your biscuits as we navigate topics of: Making a positive statement about who you are Creating work that aligns to your identity Finding an outlet that lights you up Cultivating an inclusive creative community Jesus jazz hands, Jaffar and Scyther Most importantly, they let you see the value of why it’s okay to work at your day job while grinding on your dream If you find value in this episode, please give it a share via Instagram or Twitter and share the love. Shownotes Justin Mezzell - Instagram / Twitter / Dribbble / Website Rogie King - Instagram / Twitter / Dribbble / Website Super Team Deluxe - Instagram / Twitter / Dribbble / Website Andy J. Miller - Creative Pep Talk Podcast Dose of Inspiration: @BeGoodStudio Podcast editor: Aine Brennan Podcast music: Blookah Want to Support the Show? Become a backer on Patreon Leave an iTunes Rating and Review Share the show on social media or follow the Perspective Podcast Instagram Crypto Donation Support Bitcoin: 1j5vE64PWgkJHGnGSrAiJK82bnfn7fBgu Ethereum: 0xFf60588C873E34235dE371450d58129d8d7cAC16 Litecoin: LerTFZfvtW4iH7qJM8vSE9mkdQA24yKmB6 Subscribe via your favorite podcast player: iTunes Spotify Google Play Radio Overcast Stitcher
Creatives are Dangerous I'm a small city dude from Iowa and I need to get out of my bubble to find my people. I find my people by getting out of my comfort zone and heading to conferences across the United States. This past week, I flew solo to Creative Works Conference in Memphis, TN. I heard great things about the conference last year so I kept it on my radar. When they finally dropped the lineup, I literally bought my attendee ticket along with workshops within 10 minutes. In my personal opinion, this lineup was stacked. Josh Horton and Dan Price did an incredible job putting this together. I got to take workshops with lettering legends Ken Barber and Erik Marinovich for only $5o a piece! The speakers were some of the people I looked up to most including Ken, Erik, Andy J. Miller of the Creative Pep Talk Podcast, Ghostly Ferns, Rogie King & Justin Mezzell of Super Team Deluxe to name a few. Not to mention the vendor market flooded with goods from Strawcastle, Josh Emrich, Clark Orr, Mama's Sauce, French Paper, Oxford Pennant, etc. Did I mention outside of pizza that BBQ was my second favorite food because I smashed a ton of that too? As the cool kids of our country would say, this conference was lit. While I'm worn out from travel, I wanted to make sure I documented some of the biggest takeaways I got from the speakers. Here are my top 7 that I think will greatly benefit you as well. Let's get started. Get Off the Floor Leading off to bat was one of my biggest inspirations, Andy J. Miller of the Creative Pep Talk Podcast. Andy's talk was witty, funny and emotional. Basically everything great that you've come to expect from him on his podcast. His talk was powerful, but the biggest call to action that stood out to me was from his "Get Off the Floor" segment. We have to face the truth that we're always going to get knocked down and constantly doubt our creative abilities. You can either lay on the floor and take it, or you can get up, make stuff and keep going. You have to get off the floor not only yourself but for others as well. He followed this up by stating: "You can't help the world thrive if you're not thriving." Safe to say he put a creative pep in all of our steps and set the tone for the conference. Slow & Steady Grind Next up was Odin Clack from Odin Leather Goods. What stuck out to me was his self-awareness, patience, commitment and work ethic of running his own side hustle outside of his day job. Something I struggle with is feeling I have to have it all figured out now, but what am I rushing for? Odin reminds himself daily to focus on the slow and steady grind and enjoy the process along the way. Pioneers Take All the Arrows Austin Dunbar of Durham Brand & Co. filled in due to a last-minute speaker conflict and he absolutely murdered his talk. One of the things that stuck with me was when he said: "Pioneers take all the arrows." As creatives, we are called to take risks and we have to be willing to make sacrifices. When you share your work or take a stand for something you believe in, people will be waiting in line to scrutinize and critique if they don't understand or accept what you're doing. As a pioneer or someone who is trying to build something bigger than themselves, it's important to keep pressing on and pathing the way for others. Relationship > Reward Jesse Bryan of the Belief Agency had one of those talks that spoke to my core. I admit it, his storytelling and well-timed statistics he peppered in choked me up at times. His talk was all about service and that we need to put our focus on the relationship instead of the reward. For example being motivated for the quick sale instead of over-serving and creating a loyal customer relationship. He instilled in us that we all have the ability to be great through the words of Martin Luther King Jr.: "Anyone can be great because anyone can serve." You're Not Done Making Bad Work Not only are Rogie King & Justin Mezzell extremely talented and know how to party, but they are insanely generous and empathetic individuals. Their talk centered around building friendships and not "networks." Cultivating meaningful friendships is a by-product of getting uncomfortable and reaching out to people. They also drove the point home that putting yourself out their takes guts and that you're never done making bad work. I definitely left their talk ready to hug everyone and take a shot of Bourbon. Never Settle & Change Your Style Erik Marinovich is one of the coolest cats and down to earth people I think I've ever encountered. Everyone loves this dude not only because of his work but due to his infectious personality and how he lifts everyone up around him. I'd have to say his talk was my favorite as he combined lettering with the evolution of hip-hop culture. He gave a lot of great takeaways but what hit home the most was his point of, "Never settle and constantly change your style." I struggle with the fact that my work is all over the place and I don't have a set defined style like you see on hyper-curated Instagram accounts. It was encouraging to know it's perfectly okay and that I have to keep pushing my limits with experimentation. If I draw small all the time, I need to push myself to draw bigger. If I use ink pens all the time, I need to push myself to experiment with a paintbrush. Between his workshop and talk, he left me determined to push the boundaries of what I'm able to create and to keep developing my style. Learn to Love the Crust Confession, I've never been to a talk where the speaker didn't use a slide presentation and it raised some concerns. However, Ashley Ford definitely didn't need them as she held the audience captivated with her storytelling and moments of comic relief. The key to her talk was about being vulnerable and sharing your story. Something that really stood out to me was her point about loving the worst thing about yourself and others. She called it "Learn to love the crust of a motherfucker." She closed the conference down encouraging us to tell the story that you're scared to tell. No matter what, you're affecting somebody's day. Find Your People Do you feel alone with your struggle? Do you feel isolated in your own world with no idea how to push your creative career forward? If so, you need to find your people at conferences. See this as an investment in yourself and your creative future. There are people out there dealing with the same demons as you. There are people out there who nerd out obsessively over the same things as you. You can find these people at conferences. You owe it to yourself to get out of your comfort zone and find your people at a place like Creative Works Conference. Want to Support the Show? Become a backer on Patreon Leave an iTunes Rating and Review Share the show on social media or follow the Perspective Podcast Instagram Subscribe on your favorite podcast player: iTunes Stitcher Google Play Radio Overcast
In this interview, Dan talks with illustrator and designer Justin Mezzell. Dan and Justin discuss how he got started in design, the importance of asking for help, and prioritizing and choosing what you spend time on. Justin shares his design tools of choice, why he prefers Sketch over Photoshop these days, and talks about what it's like working at Code School. “You're never going to get more hours out the day, but you can be smarter with the time you do have.” - Justin Mezzell “If we see success as a static place, it can often feel like somewhere we haven't been, and maybe never will.” - Justin Mezzell Show Links: Justin Mezzell Justin on Dribbble Follow Justin on Twitter Follow Justin on Twitch How I Work with Color on Medium Code School Rogie King Sketch Monument Valley Dribbble Shots: Board De Dash Super Magical Fun Time
In this interview, Dan talks with illustrator and designer Justin Mezzell. Dan and Justin discuss how he got started in design, the importance of asking for help, and prioritizing and choosing what you spend time on. Justin shares his design tools of choice, why he prefers Sketch over Photoshop these days, and talks about what it's like working at Code School. “You're never going to get more hours out the day, but you can be smarter with the time you do have.” - Justin Mezzell “If we see success as a static place, it can often feel like somewhere we haven't been, and maybe never will.” - Justin Mezzell Show Links: Justin Mezzell Justin on Dribbble Follow Justin on Twitter Follow Justin on Twitch How I Work with Color on Medium Code School Rogie King Sketch Monument Valley Dribbble Shots: Board De Dash Super Magical Fun Time
I chat with Justin Mezzell about why we should ditch trying to impress with our strengths, and how to go about it.
"If you are a good designer, part of your job is to find (visual) solutions in a varied part of storytelling." Chin Wang, Creative Director of ESPN The Magazine joins the show this week to discuss editorial design, managing a team of designers, photo editors and art directors, as well as the inner workings of creating one of world's most popular sports publications. Chin has been an editorial designer much of her career and on this episode we go behind-the-scenes of how ESPN The Magazine is created. We touch on everything from their process, the differenes between design directors and creative directors, and how Chin and team search for new talent on places like Dribbble. Chin also tells some behind-the-scene stories about working with JJ Watt, Rob Gronkowski and the laying out the infamous Body Issue. Lastly, we talk about how tough freelancing is and what we can do to support one creative to another. Chin also just might reveal one of the athletes she has a strong admiration (or maybe crush?) for. Mentions Include: Chin Wang's Portfolio Chin Wang on Twitter Boston Magazine Jessica Hische Tom Brady on Twitter Justin Mezzell ESPN Cricinfo Cam Newton Chad Millman, Editor-in-Chief of ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine On our next episode, which happens to be milestone episode 25, Joe Bosack of Joe Bosack & Co. is rejoining the show to intercept the mic and conduct an interview with myself, allowing me to tell some of my own stories. Don't forget to follow the show (@makersofsport) and Adam (@tadammartin)on twitter or Dribbble.