In this episode, we sit down with legendary illustrator Orlando Arocena (Mexifunk) to talk about building a creative career by leaning into the things other people run away from.

While most designers saw Adobe Illustrator as limiting for hyper-realistic illustration work or something to outsource, Orlando saw an opportunity. He spent decades pushing the software far beyond what people thought it could do.

Eventually, he became known for his coveted work with major films, entertainment brands, and some of the most recognizable vector illustrations in the industry (lots of movie posters look Photoshopped, but they're actually vector, insane, I know).

Along the way, we also dig into highly actionable insights like:

• Why specialization can become your biggest advantage
• The hidden opportunities inside unpopular tools
• What decades of creative work taught Orlando about standing out
• How to build a career around curiosity instead of trends
• And why “breaking the rules” sometimes just means paying closer attention than everyone else

If you've ever wondered whether your weird interests, niche skills, or unconventional path could actually become your advantage, then buckle up because this episode is for you.

(And yes… somehow we also start with colonoscopy stories.)

ABOUT ORLANDO AROCENA (MEXIFUNK)

Orlando Arocena is a Mexican-Cuban-American artist and creative strategist known for his bold, highly detailed vector artwork. A 13-time CLIO recipient and 2025 Emmy Award nominee, Orlando has worked across film, pop culture, gaming, and brand storytelling, bringing more than 30 years of creative experience to his distinctive style.

Follow Orlando Arocena on Behance and on Instagram

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

We spent the week talking with designers, illustrators, educators, and other creative professionals from across the country about why they keep coming back year after year, what makes Creative South different, and whether creative conferences are actually worth the investment.

The conversations drift from creative burnout and imposter syndrome to bizarre conspiracy theories, typography pet peeves, client stories, and the weirdly specific things only designers care about.

But underneath it all is a bigger conversation about community.

Why creative work can feel isolating, and how getting in a room with other creative people can completely reset your perspective.

Whether you attended Creative South this year, have always wanted to go, or have never been to a creative conference at all, this episode is a candid look at what these events really offer beyond the workshops and keynote talks.

Because often, the most valuable part of a conference isn’t the speakers. It’s the conversations in the halls and late-night hangs.

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström

In this episode, we sit down with Trust Design, a two-person studio run by Hannah Smith and Jesse MacKenzie, to talk about how they’ve built a reputation for delivering big-agency-level work—without becoming a big agency.

They share how they stumbled into starting a studio (with no clear roadmap), why they rejected the idea that design has to be cutthroat, and how discovering the creative community completely changed their trajectory.

We also dig into their philosophy of “punching above your weight.” What it actually looks like in practice, and why it has less to do with talent and more to do with care.

Along the way, we talk about:

• Why most creatives underestimate how much presentation matters
• The hidden advantage of not acting like a traditional agency
• How to build trust with clients before you even start the project
• Why being “in-house in spirit” changes everything

If you’ve ever felt like you’re too small to compete (or unsure how to stand out without a massive following) this episode is proof that you don’t need scale to do meaningful, high-level work.

Join the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREE

Click here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email series

Note: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.

Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

View Brave the Woods

Dustin Lee

Dustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.

View RetroSupply

Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström