The Typecast
Welcome to The Typecast, a podcast hosted by Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo of Goodtype. Listen as we geek out over anchor points, our favorite typefaces, and how to grow an art business. For more of this duo, follow us on Instagram @goodtype.
SAYING WORDS ABOUT DRAWING WORDS
We’re two self-employed lettering artists who met by sliding into each other’s DM’s.
Now…we’re sliding into your headphones.
About
Dear hand letterers, designers, and artists of all sorts—despite what your grandma thinks, we know there’s a whole lot more to what you do than just “drawing pretty pictures.” This podcast, hosted by Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo of Goodtype, is about what it *really* means to be a working creative. From finding clients to pricing your work and nerding the heck out about kerning, we’re covering everything that goes into building a successful and sustainable business around your passion.
And we’re not just doing it alone! We’ll be tapping some of your current (and soon-to-be) favorite artists for inspiration, insight, and laughs. We’re big on giving takeaways that you can actually put into action, and we’re even bigger on having a good time while we do it. Tune into the Typecast twice a month for a tittle-ating time (yep, we’re gonna type-pun your face off), and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review so we can show our moms how famous we are!
Want to be on an episode of The Typecast?
We’re always looking for guests who want to help our audience of artists grow their creative careers (while sharing a few laughs, of course). Submit yourself, a friend, or a topic you want us to cover on an upcoming episode!
Want to get your brand in front of our listeners?
We’re focused on creating long-term partnerships that go beyond a quick feature during an ad break. We’re looking for brands that will stick with us, form deep relationships with our community, and help our artists take real, actionable steps towards their goals.
Because our partnership philosophy is different, our sponsor opportunities look different as well, including touch-points across all of Goodtype’s content. Interested in talking about what a partnership with us could look like? We’d love to chat.
Avoiding Creative Burnout and Looking for Client Green Flags with Lynne Yun | The Typecast Episode 4
Join Katie and Ilana as they interview Lynne Yun, the renowned NYC-based type designer and educator behind Space Type. Lynne shares her best advice for keeping a healthy work-life balance, green (and red) flags for choosing the right creative projects to take on, and ways to incorporate more creative expression and fun into our days. We also chat about navigating managing multiple creative voices, the art of asking the right questions as a leader and teacher, and conquering the pursuit of perfectionism. And don't miss the rapid-fire round to hear Lynne’s go-to typeface, the design trend she wishes would die, and Katie's unique spin on "would you rather" questions for creatives! Here's what you'll discover in this episode: - How to find collaborators and partners by building relationships with like-minded people - Navigating multiple creative voices while also carving out time to play - Finding “hidey-holes” for creative expression and overcoming perfectionism - Two different approaches to evaluate if taking on a project is aligned with your goals and values - How asking the right questions can make you a better leader, manager or teacher and help your creative career or business - Lynne, Katie and Ilana’s personal advice and tactics on incorporating physical activity into your routine, making your day more enjoyable, boosting motivation and taking care of your mental well-being
Favorite quotes:
On the influence of the artist's personality, biases and expression on their work: “Even when you are being really cognizant of representing a brand and not yourself, pieces of yourself are still going to be in there.”
On the importance of doing something just for creative expression: “Just put pen to paper or make something with your hands. Being bad at something at first is so hard, but it’s so important.”
Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype
Connect with our guest
Lynne Yun, @lynneyun
Space Type, @spacetypeco
Mentioned in this episode:
Kevin Yeh, @kyeahok
Type Electives, @typeelectives
Juan Villanueva, @juan_kafka
Beatriz Lozano, @beatloz
Tré Seals, @tre.seals, @vocaltype.co
How to Be an Imperfectionist, Stephen Guise
Pricing as a Freelance Artist: Examples, Mistakes, Tips & Red Flags | The Typecast Episode 3
In this eye-opening episode, Katie and Ilana dive headfirst into the intimidating world of pricing your art as a freelancer!
Your hosts are sharing real numbers and pricing strategies while also tackling issues like money mindset, challenges and fears that haunt artists when pricing their art…and they even get vulnerable by sharing personal stories of what affected their own relationship with money.
Get Price with Purpose, a totally new kind of pricing guide that features a collection of 35 case studies of actual pricing scenarios faced by creatives just like you.https://goodtype.us/price-with-purpose
Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype
Here's what you'll discover in this episode:
- The importance of your money mindset and how your emotions, fears and previous experiences can affect how you price your art
- How to leverage pricing as a powerful signal for the quality and value of your art
- Why selling isn’t sleazy and how to get past feelings of guilt when you’re pricing your art
- How to stand firm and present your prices without negotiating against yourself
- How your pricing decisions can shape the perception and standards of the entire art industry
- The significance of fair pricing practices, transparency, and setting higher client expectations for the benefit of all artists
- Hourly vs. Flat rate pricing: Key differences and pros and cons of each pricing model
- Learn about real queries, pricing quotes and lessons learned from Katie and Ilana’s personal experiences as artists and what they would and wouldn't change about their prices.
- Find out where to find even more real examples and cases like these and take a peek into what your art peers are charging for different projects.
Get ready to conquer your pricing fears, embrace your worth, and maybe even consider selling your dirty socks for cash (just kidding... well, maybe?).
Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe to the show
• Tag us on Instagram @Goodtype
• Follow us on Tiktok @lovegoodtype
7 Ways You Can Make Money as an Artist | The Typecast Episode 2
In the second episode of The Typecast, Katie and Ilana dive deep into the different ways artists can make money beyond just selling original pieces.
From freelancing to brand partnerships, we’ll explore the pros and cons of 7 popular income streams so you can decide which ones make the most sense for you and your business.
Whether you're a seasoned artist, just starting out, or still considering which path to take, there's something for everyone in this episode.
Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype
In this episode you’ll learn:
- Seven different ways to make money as an artist
- Pros and cons for each income stream, plus Katie and Ilana’s personal experience and tips
- Suggestions on how to “double dip” and make more money from the same amount of work
- Learn how to work backwards to meet your financial goals by breaking down revenue and expenses
Favorite quotes:
“If we could tell you one thing, it would be to diversify your income streams as an artist.”
“Double dip your income and make sure your art is working for you in multiple different ways.”
“As a freelancer, you CAN make more than your 9 to 5 salary.”
On teaching as an income stream for artists: “No matter where you are on your journey you have some insight that somebody else does not”
Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!
• Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts
• Subscribe to the show
• Tag us on Instagram @Goodtype
• Follow us on Tiktok @lovegoodtype
• Keep the conversation going on Slack
• Learn from Katie and Ilana
How to Start a Creative Business: Art Business 101 | The Typecast Episode 1
Our first episode is all about the basics of running a creative business. We’re talking about what you need to do to set up your art business the right way—like what documents you need, how to legally structure your business, and how to manage your finances.
Your hosts, Katie and Ilana, are here to lead you through the ins and outs of being a creative entrepreneur, based on years of experience as successful self-employed hand lettering artists and co-owners of Goodtype. These gals have learned a LOT from being their own bosses and are here to help you do the same, without the stress and overwhelm!
This 101 business breakdown is a must-listen for artists, designers, typography lovers, and anyone who wants to make more money from their art. We’ll make sure you’ve got a great understanding of the basics so we can continue to dive deeper in future episodes.
And don’t worry—in addition to all the hot tips and tricks to help you take your biz to the next level, you’ll also get a heaping side of Harry Potter and The Office references, inside jokes, and type puns.
Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype
In this episode you’ll learn:
- How to be a successful business owner without needing an MBA
- How to make your business “legit” and “official”
- Why you need a tax ID and how to get one
- What’s a DBA and when you need one
- How to separate your personal and business finances
- How to price your products and services based on your goals and expenses
- How to get to know your audience and serve them
- How to write your unifying artist statement
- When you need an attorney and how to find one
- Whether your business should be an LLC or sole proprietorship
- What goes into a business plan
Favorite quotes:
”If YOU don't feel confident about your business, what do you think your customers are going to feel?”
Advice on learning what your audience wants: ”Listening, not guessing - asking, not assuming.”
”When I first started out in business and people were saying ‘go find a CPA’ I immediately shut off my ears because I thought I couldn’t afford it. But if I could go back and tell myself now, I’d say that you need to shift your mindset, because that money is going to come back in other ways.”
Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!
The Typecast Trailer
Join Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo of Goodtype in their new podcast, Typecast. They'll take you on a journey through what it really means to be a working creative. From finding clients to pricing your work, they'll cover everything you need to know to build a successful and sustainable business around your passion. And they're not alone! They'll be joined by some of your favorite artists for inspiration, insight, and plenty of laughs. Tune in twice a month for a tittle-ating time and actionable takeaways.
Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype
Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to the show
Tag us on Instagram @Goodtype
Follow us on Tiktok @lovegoodtype
Keep the conversation going on Slack
Learn from Katie and Ilana
Grab your tea, coffee, or drink of choice, kick back, and let's get down to business!