In Two Cranky Creatives, two seasoned creative entrepreneurs, Carrie & Toni, pull back the curtain on the highs and lows of building a creative business. Expect unfiltered, real talk about the challenges, victories, and everything in between that comes with being a creative entrepreneur. Whether you're a fellow creative or just curious about the creative hustle, join us for candid conversations that go beyond the usual sugar-coated advice.
Two Cranky Creatives
Claim This Podcastby Carrie Cantwell & Toni Federico: Surface Designer, Creative Career
5.0(17 reviews)
43 episodes
Updated Daily
Accepts GuestsHas Sponsors
66
Podcast Authority
BetaGoodBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality69
Social0
YouTube74
Engagement85
Podcast Overview
In Two Cranky Creatives, two seasoned creative entrepreneurs, Carrie & Toni, pull back the curtain on the highs and lows of building a creative business. Expect unfiltered, real talk about the challenges, victories, and everything in between that comes with being a creative entrepreneur. Whether you're a fellow creative or just curious about the creative hustle, join us for candid conversations that go beyond the usual sugar-coated advice.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
12/1/2024
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66
Podcast Authority
BetaGoodBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality69
Social0
YouTube74
Engagement85
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excellent
Episode Length
54 minutes
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Every 13 days
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Recent Episodes
June 3, 2026
Cranky Mythbusting: You Don't Need Illustrator to Thrive In Surface Design
<p class="MsoNormal">In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks break out the soapbox (and maybe a tiny megaphone) to challenge one of the most persistent myths in the surface design world: that you have to use Adobe Illustrator to succeed. They speculate about why Illustrator has long reigned as the so-called "industry standard." But Carrie and Toni are here to lovingly—and a little crankily—call B.S. <span style= "font-family: 'Apple Color Emoji'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Apple Color Emoji';">💥</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">They dig into what clients actually want (spoiler: it's usually high-res JPEGs), why vectorizing textured art is the equivalent of turning silk into sandpaper, and how free tools like Inkscape or the newly free Affinity Designer hold their own. This episode is a wake-up call wrapped in practical advice, creative career wisdom, and plenty of side-eye at proprietary software lock-in. If you've ever felt boxed in by "the rules" of creative hustle, this one's your permission slip to break out and do things your way.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style= "font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> Want More Cranky?</span></strong><br /> Join the Cranky Club on Apple Podcasts to get early access to every episode, completely ad-free. You'll also unlock the full archive — all past episodes, right at your fingertips.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Strut Your Cranky Stuff!</strong><br /> Let the world know you're not just creative, you're cranky too! We recently launched a line of merch on <a href= "https://tinyurl.com/twocranks"><span style= "font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: #663399;"> </span><span style="color: #663399;">Bonfire</span><span style= "font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: #663399;"></span></a>. Grab yours today!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Two Cranky Creatives …<br /></strong>Two Cranky Creatives is hosted by Carrie Cantwell and Toni Federico, two experienced art entrepreneurs who reveal the realities of making a living as a creative. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about the challenges, victories, and everything in between when navigating the art world as a business. Whether you're a fellow creative entrepreneur deep into the hustle or just curious about the grind, join us every other week for candid conversations packed with practical advice that goes beyond the usual sugar-coated tips.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12.0pt 30.0pt 12.0pt 0in;">This podcast is hosted by Libsyn, the most trusted platform for podcasters of all sizes. Get your first month free with code <strong>TWOCRANKYCREATIVES</strong> <span style= "mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(affiliate link) at <a href= "https://signup.libsyn.com/">https://signup.libsyn.com/</a> </p>
May 20, 2026
Cranky and Without a Compass: Real Talk About Building a Surface Design Business w/Elizabeth Silver
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://illustratorsforhire.com/join" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">Illustrators for Hire</a></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In this episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks are joined by the illustrious Elizabeth Silver. Together, they crack open one of the most maddening truths of the creative hustle: there is no straight line to success in surface design. Unlike traditional careers with neatly stacked ladders and linear progression, surface design is more like a choose-your-own-adventure book… except all the pages are out of order and someone spilled coffee on the map. <span style= "font-family: 'Apple Color Emoji'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Apple Color Emoji';"> 😵💫</span> From licensing to POD to freelance to teaching—new designers face a dizzying number of options, and trying to build them all at once? Cue burnout.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But it's not all doomscrolls and dead ends. The Cranks and Elizabeth get real about what it takes to actually build a creative career that's both sustainable and sane. They share practical advice for focusing on one income stream at a time, why patience is a superpower (spoiler: most full-time designers took years to get there), and how profit—not revenue—is what really keeps you in the game. If you've been caught in the loop of comparison, confusion, and creative fatigue, this episode will feel like a deep, cranky exhale. Come for the validation—stay for the permission to slow down and plant smart seeds.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Notable Resources (some affiliate links included)</strong></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><a href= "https://www.affinity.studio/">Affinity</a><br /> <a href="https://www.canva.com/">Canva</a><br /> <a href="https://get.descript.com/ggoljyityjpu">Descript</a><br /> <a href= "https://partners.flodesk.com/lpdrujjrf6hs">FloDesk</a><br /> <a href="https://partners.kit.com/9ziw0zhgetm5">Kit.com</a><br /> <a href="https://paddypost.com/">PaddyPost</a> (lifetime fee)<br /> <a href="https://partnerstack.teachable.com/rmjmgvjkqsqn" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">Teachable</a> <br /> <a href= "https://www.teachery.co/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=bofu_s_brand_usa&utm_term=teachery&utm_content=719054778384&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22776311409&gbraid=0AAAAA-VM-DB8FA7gV2YKO_M2i_sidBUER&gclid=CjwKCAiA8vXIBhAtEiwAf3B-g_9IpqVng0jUgOn45uGg_DLjXJFQARqNzbF-c1yr1hmbRd6U031MOBoCr5YQAvD_BwE"> Teachery</a> (lifetime fee for a limited time)</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.elizabethsilver.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Elizabeth Silver…</strong></a><br /> Elizabeth Silver is a professional surface pattern designer and a licensed artist for the stationery, gift, and textile markets. With over 20 years in the industry and hundreds of designs in her portfolio, she also teaches newer surface pattern designers how to move past overwhelm and obstacles to create a profitable creative business. She's passionate about keep it real business advice, and moving forward even in a messy way.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style= "font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> Want More Cranky?</span></strong><br /> Join the Cranky Club on Apple Podcasts to get early access to every episode, completely ad-free. You'll also unlock the full archive — all past episodes, right at your fingertips.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Strut Your Cranky Stuff!</strong><br /> Let the world know you're not just creative, you're cranky too! We recently launched a line of merch on <a href= "https://tinyurl.com/twocranks" data-slate-node="element" data-slate-inline="true"><span style= "font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: #663399;"> <span contenteditable="false"></span></span><span data-slate-node= "text"><span style="color: #663399;"><span data-slate-string= "true">Bonfire</span></span><span contenteditable= "false"></span></span></a><span data-slate-string="true">. Grab yours today!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Two Cranky Creatives …<br /></strong>Two Cranky Creatives is hosted by Carrie Cantwell and Toni Federico, two experienced art entrepreneurs who reveal the realities of making a living as a creative. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about the challenges, victories, and everything in between when navigating the art world as a business. Whether you're a fellow creative entrepreneur deep into the hustle or just curious about the grind, join us every other week for candid conversations packed with practical advice that goes beyond the usual sugar-coated tips.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span data-slate-string="true">Thank you to our sponsor!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span data-slate-string="true"><img src= "//assets.libsyn.com/show/544027/IFH.png" alt= "Illustrators for Hire Logo" width="100" height= "100" /> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span data-slate-string= "true"> </span><strong><a href= "https://illustratorsforhire.com/join" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Illustrators for Hire</a></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12.0pt 30.0pt 12.0pt 0in;">This podcast is hosted by Libsyn, the most trusted platform for podcasters of all sizes. Get your first month free with code <strong>TWOCRANKYCREATIVES</strong> <span style= "mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(affiliate link) at <a href= "https://signup.libsyn.com/">https://signup.libsyn.com/</a> </p>
May 13, 2026
BONUS: Cranky & Controversial: Calling Out the Creative Course Boom
<p class="MsoNormal">In this bonus episode of Two Cranky Creatives, the Cranks dig into a recent controversy shaking up the online art education space—and yeah, it's messy. What started as a critical course review and a broader critique of the creative course boom quickly escalated into backlash, raising bigger questions about who should be teaching, what qualifies as expertise, and why dissenting voices seem to get shouted down. Toni and Carrie unpack the tension between experience and education, the pressure of the creative hustle pushing artists toward teaching as a primary income stream, and the uncomfortable reality that not all courses are created by people with real-world "receipts." If you've ever felt unsure about investing in a course—or quietly skeptical about who's leading them—you're not alone. This conversation is a grounded look at how to protect your time, money, and creative energy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Articles</strong><br /> <a href= "https://powerupcreate.substack.com/p/surface-pattern-design-courses-giving"> Rachel Taylor</a><br /> <a href= "https://artbyaruba.substack.com/p/i-took-bonnie-christines-immersion"> Aruba Mahmood</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style= "font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> Want More Cranky?</span></strong><br /> Join the Cranky Club on Apple Podcasts to get early access to every episode, completely ad-free. You'll also unlock the full archive — all past episodes, right at your fingertips.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Strut Your Cranky Stuff!</strong><br /> Let the world know you're not just creative, you're cranky too! We recently launched a line of merch on <a href= "https://tinyurl.com/twocranks"><span style= "font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: #663399;"> </span><span style="color: #663399;">Bonfire</span><span style= "font-size: 1.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: #663399;"></span></a>. Grab yours today!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Two Cranky Creatives …<br /></strong>Two Cranky Creatives is hosted by Carrie Cantwell and Toni Federico, two experienced art entrepreneurs who reveal the realities of making a living as a creative. Expect honest, unfiltered conversations about the challenges, victories, and everything in between when navigating the art world as a business. Whether you're a fellow creative entrepreneur deep into the hustle or just curious about the grind, join us every other week for candid conversations packed with practical advice that goes beyond the usual sugar-coated tips.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 12.0pt 30.0pt 12.0pt 0in;">This podcast is hosted by Libsyn, the most trusted platform for podcasters of all sizes. Get your first month free with code <strong>TWOCRANKYCREATIVES</strong> <span style= "mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(affiliate link) at <a href= "https://signup.libsyn.com/">https://signup.libsyn.com/</a> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
43 total episodes available
Recent guests on Two Cranky Creatives
Guests from recent episodes — sign up to see every guest that has ever appeared on this show.
Julia Barry
Guest
Mandy Corcoran
Guest
Cat Coquillette
Guest
Katie Hunt
Guest
Bonnie Christine
Guest
LaKeith Stansfield
Guest
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