Creative Slash
Have you ever wondered what secrets drive the most profound, successful, famous, and unique creatives?
Then the Creative Slash podcast is for you. We dig deep to discover the high-leverage concepts, philosophies, tools, weird obsessions, and quiet daily routines that fuel their success—the stuff that rarely gets talked about publicly.
You'll get an inside look at what really drives the world's greatest graphic designers, illustrators, and artists through in-depth interviews with creatives who've achieved both creative and financial success.
Hosted by Brad Woodard (bravethewoods.com) and Dustin Lee (retrosupply.co), each episode feels like you're hanging out with us after hours, having the kind of conversations that happen when the work day is done.
You'll walk away with fresh inspiration, new ideas, and practical advice you can actually use in both your creative work and personal life.
Creative Slash
Ep. 030 – Chris Lee – Toys, Taste & Building a Creative Career Without Chasing Clients
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In this episode, we talk with illustrator and toy designer Chris Lee (AKA The Beast is Back), who built his career mostly through word of mouth and steady visibility.
No cold emailing campaign, no hard sell, just years of getting better at what he does, following what genuinely interested him, and putting the work out where people could find it.
We talk to Chris about making great work that you stand behind, plus tons more, including:
- His early obsession with toys, aquariums, and tiny made-up worlds turned into a real career.
- Advice people love to give creatives, especially "just make what you love," and where that starts to fall apart.
- Protecting the work you care about while still paying the bills.
Later in the episode, we talk about physical products and why so many people want to skip straight to mass production. Chris explains why starting small usually makes more sense, both creatively and financially.
If you've been doing all the usual things and still feel stuck chasing work, or you're trying to figure out how a personal obsession turns into a career, this conversation offers a different way to think about it.
It's honest, practical, and a lot less polished than the usual creative-career advice, which is probably why it lands.
Enjoy the episode, and if you love toys, nostalgia, and design, be sure to follow Chris Lee on Instagram.
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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.
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.
Credits
Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström