The Angry Designer Graphic Design, Freelancing, Branding & Creative Business Podcast
A Graphic Design Podcast that cuts through the industry bull to help frustrated Designers charge what they're worth and build rewarding creative careers
James Barnard on Turning Graphic Design Tutorials Into Authority
Most Graphic Designers think the way to get noticed is by chasing likes, posting tutorials, or following design formulas. But James Barnard has lived both sides...the viral design influencer and the working designer. And he’s here to tell you the hard truth: clout doesn’t pay your bills, legacy client work does.In this Live from Creative South episode of The Angry Designer Podcast, we sit down with James Barnard to talk about the future of design careers, how to win client trust, and why presenting logos is more about storytelling than style.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why follower count means nothing without engagement or authorityHow to present and defend your logos so clients can’t say noWhy your last impression with a client may matter more than your firstThis isn’t theory. This is the real-world playbook from one of design’s most trusted voices. Lessons every designer can use to turn influence into income, and content into credibility.Stay Angry our Friends –––––––––––Join Anger Management for Designers Newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/mr4bb4j3Want to see more? See uncut episodes on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/theangrydesigner Read our blog posts on our website TheAngryDesigner.comJoin in the conversation on our Instagram Instagram.com/TheAngryDesignerPodcast
--------
48:26
--------
48:26
Graphic Design Careers Are Under Attack. Here’s How to Survive
Graphic design is only projected to grow 3% over the next decade. AI is churning out logos in seconds. Bootcamps and Canva “designers” are flooding the industry. If you think that means graphic design is dead, you’re missing the bigger problem. The real threat isn’t AI or oversupply, it’s the way designers think about their future.Here’s the part no one wants to admit: future graphic designers may be walking straight into a dead career. Students are drowning in overpriced programs, bootcamps are peddling false promises, and grads are competing against millions of cheap overseas designers. Now clients are asking if AI can do it faster and cheaper — and most designers don’t even see it coming.This week on The Angry Designer Podcast, we tackle the uncomfortable question every designer is asking: Is graphic design still a good career choice in 2026? We break down the fear, the myths, and the cold hard truths every designer needs to hear right now.In this episode, you'll discover- Why a 3% growth rate doesn’t mean design is dying but actually good- How AI gives false confidence to amateurs and superpowers to real designers- The one mindset shift that separates decorators from problem solvers who actually get paidThis isn’t just about “graphic design” as a career path. It’s about you. Because if you don’t evolve, if you keep clinging to the old version of design, you won’t just lose jobs you’ll lose your career. The future doesn’t need more button-pushers. It needs thinkers who can adapt, strategize, and lead.Stay Angry our Friends –––––––––––Join Anger Management for Designers Newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/mr4bb4j3Want to see more? See uncut episodes on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/theangrydesigner Read our blog posts on our website TheAngryDesigner.comJoin in the conversation on our Instagram Instagram.com/TheAngryDesignerPodcast
--------
39:35
--------
39:35
Habits that Hold Graphic Designers Back in An AI World with Unmesh Dinda
Most Graphic Designers think success comes from creating the perfect logo, expensive gear, or waiting to be discovered. Wrong.The real killers of Graphic Design careers are perfectionism, overthinking, and flexing for likes instead of creating real value. With over 5 million subscribers and 1,000+ Photoshop tutorials, Unmesh Dinda, the face of Piximperfect, proves that consistency and process beat “perfect” every single time.This week on The Angry Designer, we dig into how Unmesh built one of the biggest design education platforms on the planet without chasing trends or showing off. This is the straight truth Graphic Designers need if they actually want to grow a career that lasts.In this episode, you’ll discover:- Why chasing perfection keeps designers broke and invisible- How teaching and sharing process creates authority and opportunity- The real limits of AI in Photoshop and why human designers still winThis isn’t fluff. It’s the reality check you need if you’re tired of waiting for perfect and ready to start building a Graphic Design career that actually matters.Stay Angry our Friends –––––––––––Join Anger Management for Designers Newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/mr4bb4j3Want to see more? See uncut episodes on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/theangrydesigner Read our blog posts on our website TheAngryDesigner.comJoin in the conversation on our Instagram Instagram.com/TheAngryDesignerPodcast
--------
1:07:39
--------
1:07:39
Lettering Artist Dan Lee on Why Graphic Designers Must Chase Obsession, Not Trends
Lettering Artist Dan Lee proves that graphic design careers aren’t built on safe degrees or raw talent...they’re built on obsession and the courage to ditch the rules.This week on a special episode of The Angry Designer Podcast LIVE at Crop Con, we sit down with Lettering Artist Dan Lee, who walked away from chemical engineering to chase design, and built a thriving career without a design degree. His story destroys the starving artist myth and shows why obsession beats talent every time.In this episode, you’ll discover:- Why playing it safe can kill your creative potential- How personal projects can launch a real design career- Why obsession, not talent, is the secret to surviving trends and AIIf you’re ready to stop following rules and start building a career on your terms, this one’s for you.Stay Angry our Friends –––––––––––Join Anger Management for Designers Newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/mr4bb4j3Want to see more? See uncut episodes on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/theangrydesigner Read our blog posts on our website TheAngryDesigner.comJoin in the conversation on our Instagram Instagram.com/TheAngryDesignerPodcast
--------
56:26
--------
56:26
Why Niching is Failing Graphic Designers and What to Do Instead
Every designer has heard it: “Pick a niche. Specialize. Focus.” Even on THIS podcast! But here’s the uncomfortable truth... niching alone is a trap. The wrong kind of niche doesn’t just slow your career, it cages you, makes you replaceable, and puts your future in the hands of clients, tech, or the economy.This should sting: most of you are doing it wrong. You’re either chaining yourself to one fragile industry or boxing yourself into a single craft that AI and Fiverr can wipe out overnight. That’s why so many designers feel stuck — hustling project to project, disposable the moment the job is delivered. Few will admit it, but most are already losing the niche game.But here’s the shift: there’s a better way. This week on The Angry Designer Podcast, we’re blowing up the myth of niching and showing you how traditional niching is failing, and how stacking your skills makes you harder to replace, stickier with clients, and impossible to ignore.In this episode you'll learn:How industry niches can collapse and what to build insteadWhy craft niches can turn designers into one-trick poniesThe skill stacking method that creates a design ecosystem clients can’t walk away fromThis isn’t just about niches. It’s about whether you’re going to stay trapped in an outdated model or step into the future of design. The choice is simple: keep doing what every other designer does, or stack your skills and become the one they can’t let go of.Subscribe to The Angry Designer Podcast for no-BS design truths, controversial takes, and the lessons that help you charge what you’re worth and build a future-proof creative career.Stay Angry our Friends –––––––––––Join Anger Management for Designers Newsletter at https://tinyurl.com/mr4bb4j3Want to see more? See uncut episodes on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/theangrydesigner Read our blog posts on our website TheAngryDesigner.comJoin in the conversation on our Instagram Instagram.com/TheAngryDesignerPodcast
About The Angry Designer Graphic Design, Freelancing, Branding & Creative Business Podcast
The Angry Designer is an entertaining No-Bull unapologetic design podcast for Graphic Designers, Freelancers, and In-house Creative Pros ready to take their careers to the next level. Hosted by a Creative Director who built and sold a 7-figure Creative agency, this design podcast breaks down the business of design, branding, freelancing, logos, UX, strategy, AI, and more—without the industry fluff and pointless jargon. The Angry Designer tackles the topics other Graphic Design podcasts avoid: burnout, ageism, toxic clients, pricing, imposter syndrome, with an unapologetic take on what it really takes to build a creative career that lasts.Whether you’ve been a Graphic Designer for decades or just starting out, get ready to feel vindicated because this podcast will challenge how you think, push you to grow, and give you the tools to design a life on your terms.
Listen to The Angry Designer Graphic Design, Freelancing, Branding & Creative Business Podcast, The Magnus Archives and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
USA