In this episode, Marisol Ortega joins Brad and Dustin to talk about embracing her cultural identity through bold color, designing for brands like Starbucks and Hallmark, and why she finally stopped toning herself down to fit in.
They cover everything from her early days hustling Craigslist gigs to turning her home into a plant-filled, Pepto-pink creative sanctuary. Marisol shares how meeting other Mexican designers in the industry gave her permission to be herself.
It’s a fun, honest conversation about staying weird, being collaborative, and creating work that actually feels like you. Enjoy!
Marisol's Website: https://www.marisolortega.com/
Palma Entertainment: https://www.palmaentertainment.com/

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Brad Woodard

Brad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like Nickelodeon, Target, USPS, and NASA. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.

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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.

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Credits

Audio/video editing: Clara Wright
Cover art: Brad Woodard
Intro animation: Seth Austin
Intro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström