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
Stop Designing for Your Client. Start Designing for the End User.
Too many Graphic Designers forget one brutal truth. Design is NOT for you, your portfolio, or even your client. It’s for their audience. Period. The client pays the bill, sure. But they’re not the one your work is for. And every time you forget that, your design gets weaker. Less effective. Easier to ignore.This week on The Angry Designer podcast, we’re calling out one of the biggest blind spots in design: the end user. We break down why obsessing over client approval is killing your impact, your confidence, and your portfolio! And how to flip that mindset before it wrecks your career.From billion-dollar branding flops to ego-driven design disasters, we expose how even the biggest companies forget who they’re actually designing for and why smart designers never make that mistake twice.In this episode, you’ll learn:- Why pleasing your client doesn’t mean serving their goals- How to shift from design decorator to design translator- The red flags that prove you’re designing for approval, not impactIf you’re tired of chasing trends, bending to bad client opinions, or wondering why your work isn’t landing, this is your wake-up call.If you’re designing to impress other designers, or to stay on your client’s good side, this episode is the slap you need.Because at the end of the day, design starts and ends with the end user.Ignore that, and you're just making things pretty.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
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38:00
The WORST Graphic Design Advice Everyone Still Believes
Most Graphic Design advice is garbage wrapped in a motivational quote.From “charge what you’re worth” to “design is storytelling,” these overused sayings sound deep but do more harm than good. They confuse young designers, create false expectations, and let lazy pros pretend they’re being profound.In this week’s episode of The Angry Designer, we tear apart the most misleading sayings in the graphic design industry, line by line.You’ll discover:• Why “Do what you love and the money will follow” is a trap• How “Good design sells itself” actually screws over talented creatives• Why “The client is always right” might be the worst lie you’ve ever believedThis episode isn’t about nitpicking words, it’s about exposing the phrases that shape careers in all the wrong ways. If you’re tired of cliché wisdom, fake gurus, and advice that leads nowhere, this one’s for you.By the end, you’ll know what to ignore, what to challenge, and how to think for yourself in a sea of copy-paste career advice.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
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57:57
AI, Cheap Clients & Bad Logos Are The Best Things to Happen to YOU with Allan Peters & James Barnard
Graphic designers love to blame AI, cheap clients, and garbage logos for the downfall of the industry. But what if those things are actually your biggest opportunity?While most designers are panicking about race-to-the-bottom pricing, automation, and template trash flooding the market, a small percentage are flipping the script and using it all to their advantage.In this episode of The Angry Designers LIVE at Creative South, we sit down with two of the most popular Logo Designers; Allan Peters and James Barnard, to break down how designers can not only survive this chaos but dominate it.From navigating Fiverr clients to using social proof as ROI, to the real debate between one-concept versus 15-concept logo presentations, this episode delivers brutal truths, tactical gold, and industry insights straight from two legends who have been through it all.By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to:• Flip cheap work into long-term high-ticket clients• Build authority while others build excuses• Create logos that stand the test of time while others chase trends• And turn AI into a tool, not a threatThis isn’t about fear. It’s about fire.It’s time to stop blaming the game and start mastering it.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
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1:00:23
Most Graphic Designers Aren’t What Clients Need. Are You Ready For The Future?
The most common misconception of being a graphic designer?To “make things look good.”That mindset is exactly why clients are moving on. Fast.AI can make things look good, faster, and cheaper. And customers are quickly flocking to a "Good enough" mentality.In this unapologetic episode of The Angry Designer, we expose the dangerous gap between what designers think clients want… and what clients actually need in today’s AI-fueled, shortcut-obsessed world.We’re diving deep into:Why execution-first designers are being replaced by “good enough”What today’s clients really value (hint: it’s not your color palettes)How to shift from being a pixel pusher to a strategic powerhouseThe first move every future-ready designer must makeIf you’re still handing off logos and layouts without asking deeper questions, your days are numbered.But if you’re ready to solve real business problems, lead with strategy, and think bigger—you won’t just survive. You’ll own the damn future.This episode kicks off a multi-part series on becoming the future designer—smarter, sharper, and impossible to ignore.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
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38:37
Most Graphic Design Portfolios Are FORGOTTEN – Here’s How to Make Yours Unforgettable (& Get Hired)
Graphic designers pour blood, sweat, and sleepless nights into their portfolios—only to be ghosted, passed over, or worse… completely forgotten. The harsh truth? Good design doesn’t speak for itself. And if your portfolio isn’t telling a story, it’s telling the wrong one.In this no-holds-barred episode of The Angry Designer, we expose why most design portfolios fail—regardless of how good the work is—and what actually makes creative professionals unforgettable.Straight from our experience reviewing student portfolios at CropCon 2025 in Austin, we break down the real problem with Graphic Design portfolios. You’ll learn why storytelling is your secret weapon, how to lead with personality, and the exact framework to pitch like a pro—whether you're just starting out or 20 years in.Forget the fluff. This is the portfolio reality check you didn’t know you needed.In this episode, you’ll learn:The 3 deadly mistakes killing your portfolio pitchWhy being memorable matters more than being perfectThe storytelling structure that gets designers hiredIf you’re tired of being overlooked, underestimated, or just plain forgotten—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
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.
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