CAPTN OffScript

• S02/E11 - James Barnard on Creativity, Speed, and Designing a Life You Love

  James Barnard is one of the most recognizable logo designers working today, but this conversation goes far beyond logos. We talk about how he entered design at 25, why he left agency life, and how freelancing became the turning point that gave him freedom and clarity in his work.James shares how a single TikTok changed everything, why he only presents one concept to clients, and how he built a process that now gets projects signed off with no amends. We get into speed, systems, taste, experience, and how his Illustrator mastery became a core part of his career. He also explains how Allan Peters’ brand noun method helped him rebuild his entire approach to discovery and direction.We talk about momentum, visibility, imposter feelings, and the pressure creators feel to always keep up. James opens up about burnout, family life in Australia, raising kids, wildlife encounters, and the real tradeoffs behind the lifestyle he intentionally (and unintentionally) designed.There are stories from Adobe Max, embarrassing Allan Peters on stage, building the Designers Community, and how teaching, connection, and sharing knowledge became a huge part of why he shows up online.If you’re a designer, freelancer, or creative navigating uncertainty, growth, or overwhelm, this episode offers clear, grounded insight into building a career that feels good and actually works.🎧 Real creatives. Real stories. Real lessons.Welcome to CAPTN OffScript.—🔗 Full show notes and episode transcript:https://captnoffscript.com/s02-e11-james-barnard-on-creativity-speed-and-designing-a-life-you-love🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/captn-offscript/id1837469433Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7nJ5dKTP2dQN5OwICKjTY5📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@captnoffscript📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/captnoffscript✨ Subscribe for new episodes every week, where bold creatives share real stories, honest lessons, and unexpected paths to success.

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• S02/E10 - The Creative Life of Angela Lyons: Visibility, Intent, and Showing Up

  In this episode of CAPTN OffScript, I sit down with UK based designer, creative director, and community builder Angela Lyons for a grounded and deeply honest conversation about the creative life. Angela has worked in the industry for more than 20 years across branding, editorial design, magazine design, web design, and podcasting. She is also the co creator of Freelancer Magazine and the host of Creatives Like Us.We explore the themes that shaped Angela’s recent years, including visibility, intention, and her commitment to showing up even when it feels uncomfortable. Angela shares her perspective on social media pressure, the challenges of staying consistent, and the internal battles that many creatives never talk about publicly.We also dive into community, mental health, and identity. Angela opens up about her experiences as a woman of colour in the design industry, the biases she encountered early on, and how much the landscape has changed. She talks about the power of community through Freelancer Magazine and Black Women on Wheels, a London based cycling group where she found connection, movement, and joy.This conversation also touches on anxiety, imposter syndrome, parenting, and the importance of stepping away from the desk to find clarity. Angela shares how she uses yearly vision boards to stay intentional and how she has learned to trust herself more with each passing year.If you are navigating your own creative journey, this episode with Angela Lyons offers perspective, encouragement, and a reminder that none of us figure this out alone.🎧 Real creatives. Real stories. Real lessons.Welcome to CAPTN OffScript.—🔗 Full show notes and episode transcript:https://captnoffscript.com/s02-e10-the-creative-life-of-angela-lyons-visibility-intent-and-showing-up🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/captn-offscript/id1837469433Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7nJ5dKTP2dQN5OwICKjTY5📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@captnoffscript📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/captnoffscript✨ Subscribe for new episodes every week, where bold creatives share real stories, honest lessons, and unexpected paths to success.

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• S02/E09 - David Airey on Creativity, Calm, and a Life Built With Intention

  In this episode of CAPTN OffScript I sit down with David Airey, a designer whose books, thinking, and calm perspective have shaped how countless creatives approach identity design. But we go far beyond the craft in this conversation and explore the human side of a long creative life.David talks openly about growing up during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, finding his way through early jobs, and how traveling across Asia shifted his understanding of the world. He shares the story of building a twenty year independent career, how he learned to slow down, and why he chooses a life defined by intention instead of speed.A big part of this episode focuses on comparison, self doubt, and the quiet pressure that follows every creative who works in public. David explains why comparing yourself to other designers is never healthy and why the only comparison that matters is the one with your past self. He talks about fatherhood, family, burnout, balance, the need to disconnect, and the small moments that bring meaning back into your days.We also dive into the third edition of Logo Design Love. David walks through what it feels like to revisit and rewrite work more than a decade later, how much of the book has changed, and why designing for yourself is always harder than designing for others.This is a calm, thoughtful, and deeply human conversation about creativity, life, focus, and the choices that shape who we become. If you are a designer, freelancer, or someone trying to build a creative career without losing yourself in the noise, this episode will resonate on a different level.Tune in for one of the most grounding conversations of the season.🎧 Real creatives. Real stories. Real lessons.Welcome to CAPTN OffScript.—🔗 Full show notes and episode transcript:https://captnoffscript.com/s02-e09-david-airey-on-creativity-calm-and-a-life-built-with-intention🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/captn-offscript/id1837469433Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7nJ5dKTP2dQN5OwICKjTY5📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@captnoffscript📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/captnoffscript✨ Subscribe for new episodes every week, where bold creatives share real stories, honest lessons, and unexpected paths to success.

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• S02/E08 - Mat Voyce on Anxiety, Creativity, and Finding Your Thing

  In this episode of CAPTN OffScript I sit down with Mat Voyce, the designer known for his expressive type animation work and his instantly recognizable visual language. We go far beyond the craft in this conversation and dive into the emotional and personal side of being a creative today.Mat talks openly about growing up as an introverted kid, finding his way through graphic design and agency life, and slowly developing a unique style in type and motion. He shares stories from his early days, the moment he realized animation could become his thing, and how it felt to work with global clients like Disney, Nike, and Pepsi.A big part of this episode focuses on anxiety and mental health. Mat discusses the sudden spike in anxiety that changed his daily life, his experience with therapy and hypnotherapy, and the moment he decided to start medication to soften the constant noise inside his mind. We talk about overthinking, sleepless nights, worry loops, and what it really feels like to freelance when you spend most of your time inside your own head.We also explore parenthood, loneliness, the pressures of creative work, and the grounding power of simple routines. Mat shares what helps him, what he is still learning, and why he believes honesty and community can make such a difference for creatives who feel alone with their struggles.This is a warm, human, and very real conversation about creativity, fear, growth, and the quiet work of becoming yourself. If you are a designer, animator, illustrator, or someone navigating anxiety while building a creative career, this episode will resonate deeply.Tune in for one of the most personal and grounding conversations of the season.🎧 Real creatives. Real stories. Real lessons.Welcome to CAPTN OffScript.—🔗 Full show notes & episode transcript:https://captnoffscript.com/s02-e08-mat-voyce-on-anxiety-creativity-and-finding-your-thing🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/captn-offscript/id1837469433Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7nJ5dKTP2dQN5OwICKjTY5📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@captnoffscript📸 Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/captnoffscript✨ Subscribe for new episodes every week — where bold creatives share real stories, honest lessons, and unexpected paths to success.

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• S02/E07 - From Magic Tricks to Iconic Brands – The Bill Gardner Story

  Bill Gardner has reviewed more logos than almost anyone on the planet — over 450,000 through his work with LogoLounge. But behind the numbers is a deep-thinking, long-game designer who believes that real identity design isn’t about trends — it’s about clarity, consistency, and curiosity.In this episode of CAPTN OffScript, Bill shares the winding story of how a childhood fascination with magic led him to branding, how he built one of the most respected identity studios in the U.S., and why most design problems start before a single sketch is ever made.We talk about the early days of analog design — cutting logos by hand, setting type with rulers, and building trust without a Behance profile. But more importantly, we explore what still matters today: how to create logos that last, how to balance subjective and objective thinking, and how to build systems that serve brands beyond the pretty mark.Bill opens up about landing clients like Kroger, Cessna, and Pizza Hut, what he’s learned after reviewing hundreds of thousands of logos, and how fishing in deeper waters has become his life philosophy — both creatively and professionally.We also explore the upcoming evolution of LogoLounge, his new book Iconic Branding, and how AI may shape the future of identity design (and why the human side still matters most).Whether you’re a young designer trying to find your place, or a seasoned creative looking to reconnect with the deeper purpose of your work — this episode is packed with practical insights, lived experience, and the kind of clarity that only comes from decades of doing the work.🎧 Real creatives. Real stories. Real lessons.Welcome to CAPTN OffScript.—🔗 Full show notes & episode transcript:https://captnoffscript.com/s02-e07-from-magic-tricks-to-iconic-brands-the-bill-gardner-story🎧 Listen on:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/captn-offscript/id1837469433Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7nJ5dKTP2dQN5OwICKjTY5📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube:https://youtube.com/@captnoffscript📸 Follow us on Instagram:https://instagram.com/captnoffscript✨ Subscribe for new episodes every week — where bold creatives share real stories, honest lessons, and unexpected paths to success.#BillGardner #LogoLounge #CAPTNOffScript #BrandIdentity #DesignPodcast #VisualIdentity #IconicBranding #CreativeLeadership #GardnerDesign #DesignWisdom #LogoDesign #DesignLegacy #AIandDesign

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