The Quickie - Conversations with Designers

Sacramento-based brand identity designer Zuza Hicks of Nicely Made Studio joins Dave for a conversation about personality-driven branding, the unexpected lessons of leading a creative team, and why print is having a serious moment.

Zuza brings a genuinely unique perspective to design. She's largely self-taught, holds a master's degree in social policy and journalism, and draws on her life between the US and Poland to create deeply symbolic, character-driven brand work.

In this episode:

-How the Polish Poster School (1950s-80s) still influences design today and what it teaches us about symbolism and working within constraints

-How US and Polish design cultures differ and why historical context shapes visual identity in ways most designers never consider

-What Liquid Death gets right about personality-driven branding and why being polarizing is actually the point

-The hard lessons Zuza learned stepping into an art director role and why great designers don't always make natural managers

-A branding project that went sideways and what it taught her about clear communication, avoiding assumptions, and having difficult conversations with clients

-The resurgence of print, why tangible media carries more trust than digital

Links mentioned:

Polish Poster School
Umanos, Seattle-based sustainable hair and body care brand
Pantuniestal, Polish clothing brand with standout cultural storytelling
Sagi Haviv's logo design class on Domestika

Connect with Zuza:

Instagram: @nicelymadestudio
Website: nicelymade.studio

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Quickie Podcast, we chat with Vietnamese American illustrator and design generalist Kytana Le. She shares her journey from growing up in a small bayou town in Louisiana to working at Visa, blending her love for illustration, branding, and UX design.

We dive into how a high school art class and a Tumblr rabbit hole led her to pursue design, her obsession with print and tactile design, and the challenges of working in a corporate design environment.

Kytana also opens up about her time working on Samurai Jack promos for Adult Swim, her love for packaging design, and her latest unexpected skill—tarot reading.

Episode Highlights:

Finding Her Path – How a high school art class and Tumblr opened the door to design.
A Defining Moment – The Society of Illustrators magazine that changed how she saw creativity.
From Animation to UX – Her experience working on Samurai Jack promos and transitioning into UX design.
Print Obsession – Why she nearly minored in printmaking and still collects packaging today.
Big Company Challenges – The difficulties of implementing design processes at a corporate level.
Client Communication 101 – How she helps stakeholders articulate their design vision.
Tarot & Life Lessons – A farewell gift sparked a new skill—reading tarot for her coworkers.

Resources & Links:

Kytana on Instagram: @ivorytea
Kytan's Website: LINK HERE

// Print Design Academy for Teams // Learn more here

// Print Design Academy for Freelance Creatives // Learn more here

In this episode of The Quickie Podcast, we sit down with graphic designer, illustrator, and creative director Colby Clites. Colby shares his journey from Tampa, Florida, to the mountains of Colorado, where he works in the beverage and food industry, designing packaging and branding for some seriously cool products.

We talk about his creative childhood (spoiler: his mom saw his design future before he did), how an Adobe livestream shaped his passion, and the highs and lows of his freelance journey.

Plus, Colby shares the story of a packaging mishap that turned into an unexpected PR campaign and drops his go-to playlist for getting in the zone.

Resources & Mentions:

The Playlist: Disco F**ks - LISTEN HERE

Colby Clites on Instagram: @colbyclites
Colby's Website: LINK HERE

// Print Design Academy for Teams // Learn more here

// Print Design Academy for Freelance Creatives // Learn more here

In this episode, I sit down with Steve Cousins, a self-taught graphic designer, art director, and creative director with an impressive career spanning West Beach, Lululemon, and top design studios in Portland.

Steve shares his journey from small-town British Columbia to working with global brands, the impact of skate culture on him, and the lessons he’s learned from both wins and failures. Plus, we talk about the balance between hands-on design work and creative direction, and Steve drops some wisdom for young designers navigating their careers.

Episode Highlights:

From Small-Town Skater to Design Pro: How Steve’s childhood in Pitt Meadows and passion for skate culture led him into graphic design.

The Art of Culture-Driven Design: Why Steve believes culture is at the heart of great design and how brands should lean into their communities.

The Pepsi Pitch Gone Wrong: That time he flew to Pepsi HQ on a private jet, only to find out the team had prepared the wrong type of campaign.

Learning the Hard Way in Print: A hilarious but painful lesson on Photoshop’s Magic Wand tool and sending posters to print—missing half of the athletes' legs.

Navigating the Designer-to-Creative Director Transition: Why the move to creative direction isn’t for everyone and why great designers shouldn’t feel pressured to take that path.

Finding Fresh Passion in Photography: Steve’s latest creative pursuit and why learning something new keeps things exciting.

Designing Experiences That Matter: How working on Lululemon’s SeaWheeze Half Marathon branding gave Steve a whole new perspective on experiential design.

Resources & Mentions:

ReallyBigCool on Instagram: @reallybigcoolio
Steve Cousins' Website: LINK HERE

// Print Design Academy for Teams // Learn more here

// Print Design Academy for Freelance Creatives // Learn more here

In this episode, Lucy Eden, a talented brand designer and educator, shares her journey from creative childhood experiments to building a thriving career.

We dive into her insights on balancing content creation with client work, navigating challenging seasons in business, and her passion for wordmarks and typography in design.

Lucy opens up about lessons learned from difficult projects, her admiration for industry icons like Paula Scherr, and her dream of building a business that supports a balanced, family-centered life.

Whether you're a designer seeking inspiration or just love hearing behind-the-scenes stories, this episode is full of gems!

Episode Highlights:

Creative Beginnings: Lucy shares how her upbringing, with creative parents and hands-on exploration, sparked her passion for design and entrepreneurship.

Building a Business with Social Media: Lucy discusses how consistent Instagram and TikTok posting in 2021 became the foundation for her business growth.

Wordmark Love: Lucy explains her deep appreciation for wordmarks and how typography can showcase personality and emotion in branding.

Lessons from Challenges: From difficult client relationships to juggling multiple career paths, Lucy offers honest reflections on overcoming obstacles and evolving her processes.

Heartfelt Projects: Lucy highlights meaningful projects, including branding for mission-driven businesses like a candle company employing adults with special needs.

Recommended Read: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People left a lasting impression on Lucy, helping her align goals with her values and structure her life for success.

Resources & Mentions:

Lucy Eden on Instagram: @lucyeendesign
Lucy Eden on TikTok: @lucyedendesign
Lucy Eden's Website: LINK HERE

// Print Design Academy for Teams // Learn more here

// Print Design Academy for Freelance Creatives // Learn more here