Episodes

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on December 5, 2017 as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to creative director Isabel Urbina Peña and illustrator Ping Zhu about their very different paths, working by hand, and following intuition into opportunity. And Comedian Matt Ruby performs!

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on November 8, 2017 as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to designer Natasha Jen & designer and illustrator Lotta Nieminen about trusting our intuition, living with uncertainty, and embracing accidents along the way.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

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  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on October 3, 2017 as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to designers Dan Blackman and Robyn Kanner about the power of vulnerability, self-initiated projects, and how our priorities shape our work.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on September 13, 2017 as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to photographer Daniel Seung Lee and writer Jocelyn K. Glei about transitioning well, recognizing burnout, and navigating work and life at a sustainable pace.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on June 13, 2017, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to designer Shawna X and photographer Collin Hughes about being in a relationship with each other, how they challenge each other to grow, why it’s okay to be scared, and why we become what we think about.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

    Twenty20 is where creatives go to get inspiring and authentic stock photos. If you’re tired of scrolling through uninspiring, staged images, check out Twenty20. Their images are crowdsourced from real-world photographers and you can choose from millions of high-quality photos available under a simple, royalty-free license. Go to twenty20.com/tgd to get a free trial and get your first 5 photos free today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on May 9, 2017, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to artists and illustrators Julia Rothman and Jon Burgerman about knowing their value, how to negotiate with clients, and interjecting play into our work routines.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

    Twenty20 is where creatives go to get inspiring and authentic stock photos. If you’re tired of scrolling through uninspiring, staged images, check out Twenty20. Their images are crowdsourced from real-world photographers and you can choose from millions of high-quality photos available under a simple, royalty-free license. Go to twenty20.com/tgd to get a free trial and get your first 5 photos free today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on March April 11, 2017, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to designer & developer Catt Small and artist & designer Kelli Anderson about their individual paths into design, recognizing our potential, overcoming fear with action, and why the search for creative satisfaction is an ongoing inquiry.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

    Twenty20 is where creatives go to get inspiring and authentic stock photos. If you’re tired of scrolling through uninspiring, staged images, check out Twenty20. Their images are crowdsourced from real-world photographers and you can choose from millions of high-quality photos available under a simple, royalty-free license. Go to twenty20.com/tgd to get a free trial and get your first 5 photos free today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on March 28, 2017 as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to photographers Meredith Jenks and Alice Gao talk to host Tina Essmaker about the very different paths they took into photography, share their best business advice for aspiring photographers, and reflect on what photography has taught them about the world in which we live.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

    Twenty20 is where creatives go to get inspiring and authentic stock photos. If you’re tired of scrolling through uninspiring, staged images, check out Twenty20. Their images are crowdsourced from real-world photographers and you can choose from millions of high-quality photos available under a simple, royalty-free license. Go to twenty20.com/tgd to get a free trial and get your first 5 photos free today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on December 6, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to designer & writer, Amélie Lamont, and designer & illustrator, Timothy Goodman, about navigating the expectations of others and ourselves throughout our careers, why our faves are problematic, and searching for goodness in a challenging year.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch with sound engineering by Ryan Essmaker. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

    Ello, the creator’s network. You can go to ello.co or download Ello’s iOS app in the App store to explore, discover, and share your work on Ello’s ad-free network that brings together creators from around the world. And with Ello’s new Buy Button, you can link posts directly to products in your shop, empowering you to support yourself through your work and ideas. Ello, empowering creators around the world.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on November 15, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to Principal Designer at Adobe, Khoi Vinh, and designer & Hello Mr. founder, Ryan Fitzgibbon, about the role of empathy in design, when the political becomes personal, and using art & design to affect social change.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch with sound engineering by Ryan Essmaker. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

    Ello, the creator’s network. You can go to ello.co or download Ello’s iOS app in the App store to explore, discover, and share your work on Ello’s ad-free network that brings together creators from around the world. And with Ello’s new Buy Button, you can link posts directly to products in your shop, empowering you to support yourself through your work and ideas. Ello, empowering creators around the world.

    Stocksy, the home of beautiful, inspiring stock photos and videos. Before you cringe when you hear the word “stock,” this collection is unlike any other library. Every photo and video is hand-selected from real artists. If you want to get inspired and need royalty-free photos or videos that don’t suck, check out stocksy.com and use promo code “TGD” to get 20% off your first purchase.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on October 25, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to comedian & Risk! show founder Kevin Allison and entrepreneur & Make Love Not Porn founder Cindy Gallop about their biggest risks, learning to trust ourselves, and what happens when we speak up, take charge of our world, and stop letting others run it. Plus a performance from Kevin Allison!

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch with sound engineering by Ryan Essmaker. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

    Ello, the creator’s network. You can go to ello.co or download Ello’s iOS app in the App store to explore, discover, and share your work on Ello’s ad-free network that brings together creators from around the world. And with Ello’s new Buy Button, you can link posts directly to products in your shop, empowering you to support yourself through your work and ideas. Ello, empowering creators around the world.

    Stocksy, the home of beautiful, inspiring stock photos and videos. Before you cringe when you hear the word “stock,” this collection is unlike any other library. Every photo and video is hand-selected from real artists. If you want to get inspired and need royalty-free photos or videos that don’t suck, check out stocksy.com and use promo code “TGD” to get 20% off your first purchase.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on October 4, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to DJ & producer, Michna, and stylist & author, Stacy London, about how their careers continue to transform, chasing fulfillment rather than success, and why we shouldn’t wait for the perfect opportunity.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent and Benjamin Welch with sound engineering by Ryan Essmaker. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    Thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

    MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

    Ello, the creator’s network. You can go to ello.co or download Ello’s iOS app in the App store to explore, discover, and share your work on Ello’s ad-free network that brings together creators from around the world. And with Ello’s new Buy Button, you can link posts directly to products in your shop, empowering you to support yourself through your work and ideas. Ello, empowering creators around the world.

    Stocksy, the home of beautiful, inspiring stock photos and videos. Before you cringe when you hear the word “stock,” this collection is unlike any other library. Every photo and video is hand-selected from real artists. If you want to get inspired and need royalty-free photos or videos that don’t suck, check out stocksy.com and use promo code “TGD” to get 20% off your first purchase.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on September 14, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to photographer Julia Robbs and artist & designer Aaron Robbs about how their childhoods shaped their beliefs about creativity, why confidence requires time and practice, how they first met, and the power of creative partnerships.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent, Wayward Wild, and Benjamin Welch with audio mixing by Ryan Essmaker. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    This episode is brought to you by Ello, the creator’s network. You can go to ello.co or download Ello’s iOS app in the App store to explore, discover, and share your work on Ello’s ad-free network that brings together creators from around the world. And with Ello’s new Buy Button, you can link posts directly to products in your shop, empowering you to support yourself through your work and ideas. Ello, empowering creators around the world.

    This episode is brought to you by MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on July 26, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Host Tina Essmaker talks to musician Olga Bell, artist & illustrator Sara Blake, and digital artist Justin Maller about embracing intuition, overcoming the fear of change, and practicing gratitude at every stage of our careers.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent, Wayward Wild, and Benjamin Welch with audio mixing by Haley Shaw. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    This episode is brought to you by Ello, the creator’s network. You can go to ello.co or download Ello’s iOS app in the App store to explore, discover, and share your work on Ello’s ad-free network that brings together creators from around the world. And with Ello’s new Buy Button, you can link posts directly to products in your shop, empowering you to support yourself through your work and ideas. Ello, empowering creators around the world.

    This episode is brought to you by MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on June 28, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Hosts Tina Essmaker and Brad Smith talk to director & filmmaker, Damani Baker, and designer & writer, Frank Chimero, about why money equals time, rethinking the value of our work, and the risks and rewards of independent making.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent, Wayward Wild, and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. Let FreshBooks take care of the numbers stuff, so you can get paid doing what you love. To start your free 30-day trial today, no credit card required, go to freshbooks.com/TGD and enter "TGD Live" in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

    This episode is also brought to you by MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on May 31, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Hosts Tina Essmaker and Brad Smith talk to entrepreneur, activist, and advocate, Anil Dash, and writer and editor, Ashley C. Ford about why empathy is a practice, encouraging inclusivity in tech and publishing, and making our time online more meaningful. Plus Prince puns, Kenny Loggins love, and an impromptu round of “Happy Birthday.”

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent, Wayward Wild, and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. Let FreshBooks take care of the numbers stuff, so you can get paid doing what you love. To start your free 30-day trial today, no credit card required, go to freshbooks.com/TGD and enter "TGD Live" in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

    This episode is also brought to you by MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on April 19, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Hosts Tina Essmaker and Brad Smith talk to comedian and writer, Aparna Nancherla, and writer, educator, and artist, Debbie Millman, about their “Aha!” moments, the magic that happens when we connect with our audiences, and why finding our courage is more important than finding our passion. Plus Debbie reveals her past performance experience!

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent, Wayward Wild, and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at thegreatdiscontent.com.

    This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. Let FreshBooks take care of the numbers stuff, so you can get paid doing what you love. To start your free 30-day trial today, no credit card required, go to freshbooks.com/TGD and enter "TGD Live" in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

    This episode is also brought to you by MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on March 29, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live series. Hosts Tina Essmaker and Brad Smith talk to multi-disciplinary designer and partner at Pentagram NY, Emily Oberman, and artist and author, Adam J. Kurtz, about their respective creative processes, experiences with imposter syndrome, and how fear can be a motivator when we harness our panic.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent, Wayward Wild, and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at http://thegreatdiscontent.com.

    This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. Let FreshBooks take care of the numbers stuff, so you can get paid doing what you love. To start your free 30-day trial today, no credit card required, go to http://freshbooks.com/TGD and enter "TGD Live" in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

    This episode is also brought to you by MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to http://mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on March 8, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live event series. Hosts Tina Essmaker and Brad Smith talk to iconic street photographer and filmmaker, Cheryl Dunn, and fellow street photographer, Andre D. Wagner, about the power of personal projects, their most memorable moments on the street, and why they’ll never be creatively satisfied.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent, Wayward Wild, and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at http://thegreatdiscontent.com.

    This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. Let FreshBooks take care of the numbers stuff, so you can get paid doing what you love. To start your free 30-day trial today, no credit card required, go to http://freshbooks.com/TGD and enter "TGD Live" in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

    This episode is also brought to you by MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters to connect with your audience and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to http://mailchimp.com to create your free account today.

  • Recorded live at Wythe Hotel on Feb. 2, 2016, as part of The Great Discontent Live event series. Hosts Tina Essmaker and Brad Smith talk to renowned book cover designer, Chip Kidd, and Brooklyn-based letterer, Jen Mussari, about their early years, overcoming creative block, and challenging our ideas about failure. Plus Jen surprises Chip with a tale about how he unknowingly influenced her trajectory.

    This episode was produced by The Great Discontent, Wayward Wild, and Benjamin Welch. Learn more about The Great Discontent and read 200+ long-form interviews online at http://thegreatdiscontent.com.

    This episode is brought to you by FreshBooks. Let FreshBooks take care of the numbers stuff, so you can get paid doing what you love. To start your free 30-day trial today, no credit card required, go to http://freshbooks.com/TGD and enter "TGD Live" in the “How Did You Hear About Us?” section.

    This episode is also brought to you by MailChimp, the easiest way to send email newsletters, connect with your audience, and grow your creative business. Getting started with MailChimp is easy. Sign up and start emailing. No expiring trials. No contracts. No credit card required. Go to http://mailchimp.com to create your free account today.