Behind the Scope

#145 The Power of Creative Collaboration – with Daniel Triendl

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Daniel Triendl is an illustrator based in Austria and someone whose career has been shaped by the people around him. In this episode we talk about how working alongside other creatives in New York pushed him to start illustrating seriously, and what his ongoing collaboration with fellow illustrator Birgit Palmer looks like in practice. We also get into the design community, why creatives tend to keep to themselves even when they don't need to, and why reaching out is always worth it.

Guest links:
Website: https://www.danieltriendl.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danieltriendl

#144 AI Slop: Is Human-Made the New Luxury?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMT

A McDonald's Christmas ad made entirely with AI. A Porsche ad drawn completely by hand. Both dropped around the same time. Only one of them got pulled from the internet. In this episode, we get into what these two examples actually tell us about where the market is heading. We're seeing the beginning of a real split: AI is becoming a signal for cheap, and human-made is becoming a signal for quality, craftsmanship, and even prestige.

#143 The Year of Overwhelming Okayness: How We Stripped the Character Out of Everything

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Where did all the emos, skaters, and indie kids go? And where are we finding meaning behind what we wear and who we belong to? The algorithm telling us how to think, AI homogenizing our research habits, 2025 was officially called the year of overwhelming okayness in brand identity. It's all connected. In this episode we get into why everything looks the same right now, in branding, on social media, in our homes, on our feeds, and what's driving it.

#142 The Structural Problem That Leads to Burnout – with Eva Christ

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode we sit down with Eva Christ, founder of Unmuted Collective, a Vienna-based platform making mental health visible in the workplace. We get into why creatives are statistically more prone to burnout than other industries and why loving your work actually makes you more at risk. We talk about our own mental health crises and how we got through it. One of the more honest conversations we've had on the podcast.

Guest links:
Website: https://www.unmutedcollective.at
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unmutedcollective.at

#141 Why Success is Deeply Personal & What It Actually Means to be Successful

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 06:00:00 GMT

What does success look like to you, and where did that definition come from? In this episode we get honest about how our answer to that question has changed, why we spent years chasing a version of success that wasn't actually ours, and what it felt like to scale down when the world around us treats growth as the only valid metric for success.

#140 Keeping a Legacy Alive: Documenting Through Photography – with Laura Reichert

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Laura Reichert is a photographer based between Munich and Vienna whose work is rooted in documenting people and authentic moments — and whose Studio Reichert project started as something deeply personal. After her grandfather, a typographer and artist, passed away, Laura began archiving his work, photographing his untouched workshop, and eventually turning his prints into something people could carry with them. In this episode we talk about keeping a creative legacy alive, why she stopped performing for the algorithm, what it means to document rather than photograph.

Guest links:

Website: https://laura-reichert.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorakfilm/ & instagram.com/studio.reichert

#139 The 10 Challenges Creatives Face – And How We've Experienced All of Them

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Creative Boom surveyed young freelancers on the hardest parts of being a creative. The results weren't surprising and very relatable. In this episode we go through every single finding, share where we've been there ourselves, and get honest about the ones we're still figuring out. Money, burnout, AI anxiety, feeling replaceable, direction, visibility, client nightmares.

#138 Radically Anti-Niche: The Case for Being a Multi-Hyphenate Creative – with Marie Zieger

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 06:00:00 GMT

You've heard it a hundred times, even on this podcast – niche down, become the go-to person for one thing, and the right clients will find you. Our guest Marie Zieger disagrees. She calls herself radically anti-niche, and in this episode we get into why that advice can be just as harmful as it is helpful, what a business as a multi-hyphenate creative looks like.

Guest links:
Website: www.everyseason.xyz
Instagram: www.instagram.com/everyseason.xyz

Image copyright:
https://www.instagram.com/sophienawratil

#137 Three Years of Podcasting: What Changed and What We Learned

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 06:00:00 GMT

It's our podcast anniversary! We are spilling the tea on the rebrand, why LinkedIn became our biggest unexpected driver, what changed for us when we started bringing guests on with an actual topic in mind. Thanks for listening for the last three years!

#136 Ditching the Career Ladder for a Non-Linear Path – with Alice Katter

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Study, get a job, work your way up. In the creative industry that usually means junior, mid, senior, creative director, and often moving further and further away from the work you actually wanted to do.

In this episode we sit down with Alice Katter, founder of Out of Office Network and we get into why the traditional creative career ladder is outdated, what a non-linear career actually looks like in practice, and why going fully freelance isn't the only way out.

Guest links:
Website: https://www.alicekatter.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicekatter

#135 Creativity & Patriarchy: Why Everything Looks the Same – with Ana Barros

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:00:00 GMT

We scroll past hundreds of images every day. Most of them are well lit, well composed, perfectly optimized. Anna Baros is a Vienna-based architectural photographer who spent years inside the influencer world and the agency world, and came out the other side with a very clear opinion on how we got here.

We get into how algorithms fueled by patriarchy have flattened visual culture in ways that started long before the algorithm existed.

Guest links:
Website: https://anabarros.studio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ANASBARROS/

#134 Figuring Out Our Positioning (Again), and Launching Faktor

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 25 May 2026 06:00:00 GMT

How many episodes have we done on positioning? And even we still struggle to figure it out sometimes. In this episode we talk about why we decided to redo our website (again), and reveal a sneak peek of what to expect from the Faktor launch event.

RSVP to the event: https://luma.com/q82uxdre
Faktor: https://www.faktor.so/
Same Same: https://www.samesame.studio

#133 What Two Decades in Advertising Taught Me About Creativity – with Dian Warsosumarto

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 18 May 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Most creatives spend their careers chasing the next brief, the next award, the next step up the ladder. Dian did that for 20 years, at some of the most respected agencies in Austria, and then stopped to count what he actually had to show for it.

In this episode, Dian gets into what that realization felt like, why the advertising industry is brilliant at consuming creative talent without giving much back, and what it took to finally walk away and build something on his own terms. We talk about the award culture that shaped his entire career, why the definition of great work has fundamentally changed, and what it actually means to use your creativity for yourself.

Guest links
Website: https://www.cainne-angste.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cainne_angste/

#132 Are You Designing for Your Client or for Your Ego? – with Rebecca Russell

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 11 May 2026 06:00:00 GMT

The creative industry spends a lot of time romanticizing passion.That's how we got here. But there's a version of that passion that can make you bad at pricing your work, bad at setting boundaries, and bad at building a business around it. And there's another version that stops being about the client altogether and starts being about you.

#131 You're Not Selling Output Anymore, So What Are You Selling? – with Sandro Siller

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 04 May 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Sandro Siller, founder of Wort Weit Wien, was building his copywriting business right as ChatGPT hit. We get into what kind of creatives are at risk for being replaced by AI. Why selling output alone was never going to be enough, and why most creatives don't actually have a process worth selling (yet?). We also talk about why Sandro completely restructured his business around education and consulting instead of chasing the same clients with the same pitch in a market that had fundamentally changed.

Guest Links:
Website: https://www.wortweitwien.at
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrosiller/

#130 Can You Have Values and Still Run a Profitable Creative Business? – with Julia Weithaler

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:00:08 GMT

In this episode, we sit down with Julia Weithaler, founder of To Be Honest, a Vienna-based design studio built entirely around working with purpose-driven, values-aligned clients. We get into what that actually looks like in practice, and whether it's realistic to think you can hold your values and keep your business alive at the same time.

We get into the gray areas, and discuss the industry's obsession with performing progressive values while doing none of the work. Imperfect action is still better than no action. But we get into where the line is.

Guest links:
Website: https://tobehonest.studio/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbh.designstudio

#129 Designers Are Mean: No Wonder Creatives Are Afraid to Share Their Work

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT

No context. No curiosity about the brief, the client, the requirements, or what the person was actually trying to solve. Just a verdict stated as fact, and dressed up as professional opinion.

We've been watching this play out for a while. The way creatives pile on other creatives online. The way critique gets weaponized without any of the information that would make it useful. The way opinions get presented as objective truth by people who weren't in the room, didn't read the brief, and have no idea what they're looking at.

#128 Both Sides of the Brief: From Freelancer to Agency – with Lorenzo Picco

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Lorenzo is the founder of Eat Butter First, and in this episode he gets into the messy, practical reality of building an agency that runs on freelance talent. How do you find the right people? How do you know when someone is actually a fit versus just available? And how do you budget for a team when every project looks different?

We get into all of it: the hiring mistakes, the relationship dynamics between agencies and freelancers, why passion and fit matter more than most people admit, and how to stay adaptable when you're operating in industries that move as fast as social media and hospitality.

Guest links:
Website: https://www.eatbutterfirst.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eat.butter.first/

#127 I Let a Client Dictate My Process Once, Never Again – with Rebecca Russell

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:00:00 GMT

There was a project that didn't fall apart because the client was difficult. It fell apart because I let them run it. The timeline, the process, the decisions, I handed all of it over without realizing what I was doing. By the end I wasn't a creative director anymore, I was just executing instructions.

In this episode, I get into exactly how that happened, what it cost me, and what I changed after. But also why this is bigger than one bad project. In a world where clients can type a prompt and get a result in seconds, the idea that creatives are just executors is becoming normalized. And every time we let a client take the wheel, we reinforce it.

#126 AI Didn't Commodify Creative Work – We Did

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Design used to mean something. Now it's a $5 Fiverr logo and an AI prompt away. So what the hell happened?

In this episode, we're getting into the uncomfortable truth about how digitalization and globalization were just the beginning of what we are seeing today with AI.

We're talking about how design went from a specialized craft to a commodity, why platforms like Fiverr and 99designs accelerated the race to the bottom.

We also get into the ethics of it all: the outsourcing, the exploitation, the "exposure" economy, and what it means for creatives trying to build a real business today.

#125 Why Is Someone With a Worse Portfolio Getting Your Clients? – with Tamara Kramer

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

It's a common experience as a creative to lose out on a project to someone not as good. If we feel like our work is good, why isn't that enough? We kind of assume that if someone is the best option it should just be obvious. But clearly that's not how it works. A conversation on positioning and how communication can change everything.

Guest links:
Website: https://fromblandtobrand.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-from-bland-to-brand/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromblandtobrand/

Photo credit:
© Arnela Kameric

#124 The Productivity Conversation Nobody Is Having – with Sissi Heinzl

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Most people run their business around deadlines, clients, and expectations. The toxic "hustle culture" rhetoric online tends to glorify consistent high productivity and being busy. Why are we leaving out the fact that half the population experiences a menstrual cycle is it left out of the productivity conversation?

Guest links:

Website: https://www.femergency.at

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femergency.at?igsh=MWhmdG5jemY0b25lZw%3D%3D

Photo credits:
© olivialaura.at

Behind the Scope – Creative Business Real Talk

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:02:26 GMT

Behind the Scope hosts honest & transparent discussions about the creative industry, pricing creative work and all things business.

Follow links:

Instagram

Threads
YouTube

#123 Vibe Coding: Is It Really the Future?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

We may have unintentionally triggered the AI vibe coders on Threads. We pointed out an obvious issue: many AI-generated websites look impressive at first, but fall apart once a real client needs to edit or maintain them. No proper content management, no flexibility, and no clear handover after launch. So we asked ourselves is this really the future or are we setting clients back decades while devaluing our industry further?

#122 The Psychology of Undercharging: Why Aren't We Talking About Real Numbers?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Some freelancers might know deep down that they should be charging more, but have they ever actually looked at their own numbers to confirm?

In this episode we talk about the psychology behind bad pricing decisions in the creative industry. Competition anxiety, fear of losing out on projects, and the discomfort of looking at your own financial reality. We explore why pricing stubbornness can be tied to identity and/or insecurity.

#121 Designing Love: Inside the Wedding Industry – with Marina Brooks

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

This week we’re joined by wedding stationery and branding designer Marina Brooks, who has spent years inside one of the most emotionally charged corners of the design industry. We talk about what really happens when design stops being a business decision and becomes identity, taste, pressure, and expectations all at once.

We also get into the stories. Unrealistic requests, disagreements between partners… and one project that sadly didn't end in a wedding. This episode is less about weddings and more about what happens when design becomes a deeply personal product.

Guest links:

Website: https://vonschoenstein.at

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vonschoenstein

#22 New Year, New Goals: Reevaluating

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 01 Jan 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Goals are great and give you something to move forward towards but how often do you check in with yourself if these goals still align with what you want? What happens when you reach a goal and it ends up not being what you expected? In this episode we talk about our experience with setting goals, reaching them and also reevaluating them.

#33 Reality Check: Is Management Really All That Great?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Ever been to anti-work reddit? While yes it is unhinged and yes managers should be called out for treating employees like trash, it isn't always that extreme. In this episode we talk about what we do as managers and why while it might not always be super obvious we do do actual work.

#34 Billable Hours & Hourly-Based Pricing

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode we talk about time and how while you might be working full-time as a self-employed creative person not all of that time can be billed. P.S. The draft title of this episode was "Animal Crossing", which will make sense once you take a listen.

#51 Course Preview: Creative Business Essentials

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Our business course is almost ready for release and we can finally share more insights on what will be included in the course. Sign up to our newsletter for updates and for first access!

Links:

Course: behindthescope.gumroad.com/l/creative-business-essentials

#116 Shifting to Value-Based Pricing to Dismantle Patriarchal Structures

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we break down how hourly pricing emerged from male dominated consulting models, why it rewards speed and constant availability, and how that harms women, especially mothers and anyone who cannot or does not want to sell 40 hours a week. We explore value based pricing as a feminist position that centers impact, insight and emotional labor instead of hours, and what it means for women to step into roles as strategists, decision makers and value definers without simply reinforcing the existing system.

#105 Power Of Curiosity & Community in Creative Work – with Lina Mara Schubert & Florentin Berger

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk with Lina & Florentin from No Worries Just Shapes, a 3D design duo from Vienna, about their journey from photography to creating immersive digital worlds. They share how their fascination with nature and technology shapes their work, how AI influences their creative process, and why community and collaboration are essential to what they do. We also dive into their experiences with public speaking, hosting meetups, and building connections in the creative scene.

Guest links:

Website: https://nwjs.studio

Instagram NJS: https://www.instagram.com/noworriesjustshapes/

Community Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viennamotionbunch/?hl=en

#76 You Don't Need to Be the Best to Make Money

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 06:00:00 GMT

That actual creative work you do is not always the deciding factor when it comes to being successful. Running a business requires skill in just that. You can be an average designer, but a great business person and you will have more success than a "better designer".

#68 The Reality of Self-Employment: Working 5+ Jobs

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 07:00:00 GMT

The freedom that running your own business gives you is definitely the major reason why people would choose self-employment over working for someone else. The thing we underestimated is how much time really goes into the business and how little time is left to do the "actual work". In this episode we discuss the reality of running a design studio.

#40 Freelancing: When Are You Running a Business?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 06 May 2024 06:00:00 GMT

There's a difference between being a contractor (often called freelancer) and a business owner. So what does running a business mean and how is it different? In this episode we discuss some of the distinctions we've discovered through our experience of doing both.

#61 Transparency: Why We Decided to Make a Course

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode we discuss our intentions behind the development of our course Creative Business Essentials. Posting about the course online often does not allow for us to provide the full context behind what we do, which is why we decided to make an episode about it.

Links:

Course: behindthescope.gumroad.com/l/creative-business-essentials

#63 Is AI Replacing Designers? The Ethics & How to Stay Relevant as a Creative

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMT

With design tools like Figma, Framer, Canva and Adobe amping up their AI capabilities you have to wonder as a designer whether your work will be replaced by AI in the future. In this episode we talk about where we think AI is going in the creative industry and how you can set yourself apart as a creative business.

#94 July Recap: Lead Generation, Internal Projects, Pricing Tool

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this monthly recap, we look back at what we did in July – from new lead generation efforts to progress on internal projects and updates on our pricing tool. We share what we worked on, and what we’re still figuring out, and how we’re thinking about visibility, value, and making space for non-client work.

Links:

Faktor: https://www.faktor.so

#56 Target Group: One Simple Thing That Could Be Hurting Your Business

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Understanding your ideal clients helps you shape your brand, create lasting relationships, and stand out from the competition. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow, don't forget to keep analysing the target group in order to measure success. It might be hurting your business if you don't!

#54 What's Wrong With the Design Community?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Why are some designers quick to criticize others' rates? We explore the root causes of this judgmental mindset, how it impacts the industry, and what can be done to foster a more supportive environment. Whether you're a seasoned designer or just starting out, this conversation sheds light on the importance of valuing different pricing strategies and the need for mutual respect in the creative field.

#67 New Year's Resolutions: What's the Plan For 2025

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode we talk about our 2025 goals and how we plan on continuing the success from the previous year. Last year was a lot of tying up loose ends, which means we weren't able to focus on moving forward as much as we would have liked. 2025 is an opportunity for us to grow again.

#66 A Year in Review: 2024

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 07:00:00 GMT

In this special year-end episode, we take a look back at 2024: the highs, the lows, and everything in between. Join us for an honest recap where we reflect on the challenges, and share our thoughts on what this year taught us.

#108 Money Talks: Financial Confidence as a Creative – with Vanessa Olt

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk with Vanessa Olt, a Berlin-based business consultant and until 2025 the co-founder of Nea-Kosma with Rea Stamatoulakis, about the financial realities behind building a creative business. Vanessa shares the insecurities she sees most often in her clients, from money anxiety to business clarity struggles, and explains how she supports them through a mix of co-creating and what she calls “business therapy.” We discuss the importance of understanding how creatives think, speaking their language, and adapting business models to match their needs and financial comfort levels. A grounding conversation about money, financial literacy, and helping creatives feel supported rather than overwhelmed.

Guest links:

Website: https://www.vanessaolt.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/v.olt/

Photo credits:
© Marina Hoppmann

#81 The Difference Between Selling Creative Services & Physical Products – with Sebastian Gansrigler

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 05 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Sebastian Gansrigler is a designer, photographer and founder of Softcover – a shop in Vienna that handpicks indie magazines, art books, photo books and small editions. It is the first and only shop in Vienna to focus on independent publishing and topics like photography, graphic design, art and culture. We invited Sebastian onto our podcast to talk about his journey going from being a freelancer offering creative services, to opening a physical store selling physical products.

Guest links:

Website: https://softcover.at/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/softcover.shop/

Photo credits:

#88 Creative Strategy & Building Brands – with Gernot Preslmayer

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this conversation, Gernot, a seasoned brand designer and strategist, shares his journey from Austria to various global cities, including Dublin, London, and New York, before returning to Austria to establish his own branding studio, Duo. He discusses the evolution of his career, the unique business model of his previous company, Proxy, and the challenges and opportunities in the branding landscape, particularly in Austria. Gernot emphasizes the importance of creative strategy, client education, and authenticity in branding, offering valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Guest links:

Website: https://duo.wtf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duo.wtf/

#110 Creative Technology: Exploring AI & Creative Process – with Scy Heidekamp

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk with Scy Heidekamp, creative technologist and founder of Qtures, about working at the point where art and technology meet. Scy shares how she approaches AI in her creative practice, why documenting your process matters, and what ethical questions creatives should think about as tools evolve. We also explore the idea of quantum creativity, what it could mean for the future of creative work, and why claiming your identity as a creative is more important than ever. A conversation about curiosity, community, and staying grounded while the industry shifts around us.

Guest links:

Qtures: https://qtures.com

Website: https://scyheidekamp.nl

Quantum Creativity Framework: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vcLYPwDfv0k1UzinDmRW45VF-zP0wrk2/view?usp=drivesdk

#103 Designing a Business That Reflects Your Values – with Johanna Lederer

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Johanna Lederer, founder and creative director of Studio Arde, shares how she made the leap from employee to entrepreneur. She talks about the challenges of starting her own studio, building a business rooted in values, and empowering women in the creative industry and in business. Johanna also opens up about the importance of planning, finding focus through niching down, and how coaching and mentorship shaped her growth. A conversation about courage, clarity, and creating a business that truly reflects who you are.

Guest links:

Website: https://www.studio-arde.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio_arde/

Photo credits:
© Sarah Katharina Photography

#107 The Role of Philosophy & Research in Art & Design – with Catherine Spet

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk with Catherine Spet, an interdisciplinary artist based in Vienna, about finding balance between art, philosophy, research and graphic design. She shares her journey from digital and game art to the techno scene, her thoughts on the role of AI in creative work, and what it really means to work across disciplines. We also discuss imposter syndrome, the realities of combining passion projects with commercial work, and the importance of building connections to grow a network.

Guest links:
Website: https://www.catherinespet.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itscatherines/

#62 Designers, Your Portfolio Is Not That Important

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Ok so the title is a little click-baity, but what we're really trying to say here is that your portfolio should not be your number one priority when you start out. Your network is so much more important than getting your portfolio to look beautiful and in this short episode from our Creative Business Essentials series explains why.

Links:

Course: behindthescope.gumroad.com/l/creative-business-essentials

#71 Bye for Now, Instagram: Creating an Authentic Content Strategy

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 07:00:00 GMT

For those that are up to date you will have already heard that we left Instagram. Leaving a platform we spent so much energy on for many years did not come easy, but knowing that we can now put that energy into mediums that make sense for us made the decision easier.

#72 January Recap: The Longest Month, News, Projects

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 16:09:11 GMT

In this new series of episodes we will be doing a monthly update on how the past month went at Same Same. We talk about what projects we've been working on and more day to day insights into our lives managing the company.

#57 Why Creative Businesses Fail

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Starting a business is tough, and it's easy to feel like things aren’t working fast enough. But the truth is, most success comes from sticking it out, even when it gets hard. In this episode we talk about the most common things that contribute to failure in creative business.

#44 Liquidity: Generating Cash Flow

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 06:00:00 GMT

One of our biggest challenges at the end of 2023 was ensuring we had enough liquidity as a company. While many companies choose to take out loans to ensure liquidity, we didn't want to do this. We made some tough decisions last year and this episode we go into what we learned in terms of liquidity not just as a business but also in our private lives.

#25 Social Media: What, Where & How Much

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 07:00:00 GMT

What to post and what not to post? Do you really need to be posting every day? We talk frequency, message, content and how the packaging of the content is important. We also share insights of our Instagram followers and how that is affected by our content as well as effects our content.

#16 Problem Solving: Everybody Makes Mistakes

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:43:16 GMT

In this episode we talk about our approach to making mistakes and solving problems. This episode was inspired by Rebecca R's trip to the nail salon. Jump in and learn about how we work and the obstacles we have faced when working with external teams.

#48 Self-Employment: Is It Worth It?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Being self-employed sounds like a dream, and it can be don't get us wrong! The reality is often worse than an employment in many ways. In this episode we talk about some of the not so nice realities we have faced. Would we do it all again?

#19 Inspiration: Is Imitation Copying?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Imitation, conceptual thinking, aesthetics and non-visual sources of inspiration are all things we talk about in this episode. Jump in now and listen to our thoughts on inspiration and how it affects our work processes and final results.

#20 Unsolicited Advice & Navigating Criticism

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Unsolicited advice vs. constructive feedback, we've navigated it all. In this episode we talk about our experiences with criticism and how we receive it. Negative feedback is never easy to receive but there are ways to soften the blow. Context and wording matter!

#27 Professionalism: What Is That?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Ever heard someone use the term "unprofessional"? Of course there is a time and place when it is appropriate to describe something or someone as unprofessional, but how often does it really occur? There are a lot of customs, socially and professionally that we as a society have decided are professional and in this episode we unpack those.

#4 Value: What is Your Work Worth?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 15:09:26 GMT

Value may seem like an abstract concept, but it doesn't have to be. Jump in to find out what your value means for how you are perceived by clients and why value is important when thinking about what you charge. There are many people that can do what you do, so why should a client book you instead of them? We answer that question in this episode.

#8 Positioning: Are You a Freelancer, an Artist or an Agency?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 14:38:41 GMT

We talk about the three main company structures for creative people that should be considered when thinking about positioning your business. There are pros and cons to all and it really depends on where you see yourself in the future and what type of work processes you enjoy the most. Listen now to find out which of the three suits your business best.

#42 Pricing: No One Should Be Charging $50 For a Logo

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 20 May 2024 06:00:00 GMT

An interesting discussion on value and how it is not something you can convince someone about if they are not open to it. The price point will absolutely affect process and the experiences you have as a service provider, because it will attract a certain type of client.

#53 Dos & Don'ts: Learning Front-end Development

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 06:00:00 GMT

There are so many bootcamps and most of them are super overpriced and don't even teach you what you really need in a real world frontend development job. We think they are a scam and there are better ways to become a frontend developer.

#49 Client Red Flags: How to Avoid Them

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 06:00:00 GMT

We asked our threads community what the worst client red flags are that they experienced. In this episode we discuss some of the most common ones that came up, and the ones we have experienced the most.

#38 A Boundaries Lesson Learned: Contracts & Invoices

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Have you ever done the work and then had to chase after a client to get them to pay? Yeah, same. We recently had to rethink some things after having a particularly bad experience with a client when it came to invoicing the work that we had done. In this episode we break down what we have done to prevent chasing after clients and new boundaries we set for our pricing strategy.

#114 How to Build a Creative Business That Doesn't Burn You Out

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to build a creative business that does not burn you out. We share how we went from severe burnout in our first years as a studio to building systems, boundaries, and pricing that actually support us. We cover planning your year with realistic capacity, making time for holidays, choosing tools and workflows that fit how you work, and setting working hours that match your energy instead of a 9 to 5 template. We also get into positioning, pricing, and project planning so you can avoid scope creep, chaotic timelines, and clients who do not respect your time. A practical check in for anyone who wants their business to feel sustainable this year, not just busy.

#104 A Multidisciplinary Approach to Value & Value-Based Pricing – with Lara Langner

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Design strategist Lara Langner talks about the many sides of her creative career, from design and freelancing to strategy and product work, and how one principle connects it all: value. She shares how understanding value shapes the way she prices her work, chooses projects, and defines her identity as a creative. We also discuss the realities of freelancing, financial ups and downs, and finding balance when doing many things.

Guest links:

Website: https://laralangner.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atelier.ohr/

#101 From Freelancing, to Niching Down & Building a Studio – with Erik Herrström

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Designer and studio owner Erik Herrström shares his journey from Sweden to Vienna and the experiences that shaped his career. He talks about working with global brands like Nike, Google, and Spotify, the leap from freelancing to running his own studio, and the lessons learned along the way. Erik reflects on the value of networking, learning from others, and embracing mistakes as essential steps in building a successful creative business.

Guest links:

Website: https://www.studioherrstrom.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studioherrstrom/

Photo credits:

#70 Niche Down: How You Can Raise Your Prices

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It's no coincidence that when we niched down which services we offered the leads came flooding in. Don't be afraid to scare off customers, you don't want just any client you want a client that respects what you do and wants to pay you good money for it.

Links:

Course: behindthescope.gumroad.com/l/creative-business-essentials

#60 Five Ways We Made Hourly-Based Pricing Work

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Yes yes we've said many times we hate hourly-based pricing, but for some types of work it makes the most sense to use this pricing method. There are ways to make hourly-based pricing less of a headache and you can generate liquidity without having to chase clients by implementing certain boundaries.

#90 DE: Selbstständig, Gemeinsam & Pitchfrei – mit Frendz Club

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT

This episode is in German. Julia and Clara, the founders of Frendz Club, share how they built a branding studio rooted in creative clarity and smart business thinking. They tell us all about managing finances and adapting to market changes as well as building strong client relationships and staying true to their values. They give us insights into what it really takes to sustain a creative business today.

Guest links:

Website: https://frendz.club/en/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frendz.club/

#45 Pitching: WHY Is That Still a Thing?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Ever been approached to pitch for a contract? We have, and ever since we realised our worth and drew boundaries we decided pitching is a scam and very rarely worth the time and energy put into it. In this episode we talk about our experiences with pitching and why we wouldn't recommend it.

#77 March Review: Big News for the Podcast

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 06:00:00 GMT

We are beginning a new era soon and March was all about the planning for what's to come here at Never Went To Business School podcast.

#84 DE: Selbstständigkeit in Österreich, SVS, Finanzamt

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 26 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode we speak IN GERMAN about what it's like being self-employed in Austria. We discuss what we think are the most important things to think about before starting a business here. SPOILER: don't do it lol.

#97 What We Have Learned & What's to Come

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode we celebrate 100 episodes of podcasting. We go over what it has been like and what we want to improve in the future.

#29 Purpose: Can It Make You Live Longer?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Having a sense of purpose every day is what motivates us to get up and live our lives, so what happens when we don't have that? In this episode we talk about living to be 100 (what?), retirement (lol) and other things that all all have to do with our purpose in life.

#26 Brand Personality: Building a Connection & Tone of Voice

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Tone of voice is a key part of branding and brand strategy. While staying neutral is safe and you'll unlikely receive hate for it, you also won't generate any strong emotional connection to your audience. It is good to have opinions and it's important to have a personality as a brand.

#55 Value: Why Are People Paying Thousands to See Taylor Swift?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Value and money don't mean the same thing for every client. Whether it's about priorities, goals, or budget constraints, each person sees value through a unique lens. While some people spend their money to see Taylor Swift, others will feel like it is a waste, and then there are those spending millions for Justin Bieber to sing at their wedding.

#96 Is Being a Generalist a 'Superpower'? – Reacting to a Creative Boom Article

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this conversation, we critically analyze an article promoting the idea that being a generalist is more beneficial than specializing in a specific field. We discuss the implications of this perspective on the creative industry, emphasizing the importance of specialization, adaptability, and the potential harm such narratives can cause to freelancers and creatives.

#0 Intro: That Time We Started a Podcast

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:57:08 GMT

Who are we and what are we doing here? In this intro episode we (the Rebeccas from Same Same Studio) talk about how we got to where we are now, our motivation for starting a podcast, and what to expect in future episodes.

#31 Intellectual Property, Giving Credit and White-Labeling

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Intellectual property is a big part of your value as a creative business, and it is important to always give credit where credit is due. White-labeling can be a challenge when you are trying to build your portfolio, but there are ways to show the work that don't involve publishing it.

#47 It's Our Birthday! One Year of Podcasting

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Can you believe we've been doing this for a whole year? Neither can we! It's our birthday episode and this is how it's been and where it will be going.

#113 2025 Recap: Financials, Internal Projects & Lead Generation

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we look back at our year as a studio and talk honestly about what happened behind the scenes. We share why our monthly recaps quietly stopped, how guest interviews took over our schedule, and how 2025 became the year of internal projects. We also talk about highs and lows, hiring our first assistant, and building community through Discord and events.

#111 Design History: Who Gets Credited

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we look at the feminist history of design and how the industry we know today was shaped by decisions, structures, and narratives that left many women out of the story. We explore how early design movements pushed women into “craft” while men defined what counted as “design,” why credit was unevenly distributed, and how these patterns still show up in creative work today. A conversation about recognition, visibility, and understanding the systems we inherit as creatives.

#93 Beyond Aesthetics: How Our Design Thinking Evolved

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we reflect on how our approach to design has evolved – from obsessing over aesthetics to focusing on clarity, requirements, and real-world use. We talk about what pushed this shift, why functionality matters more than ever, and how letting go of “making it pretty” actually led to better work (and happier clients).

#91 June Update: Guests, Events & Building in Public

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this solo episode, we reflect on what it’s been like having guests on the podcast so far; what surprised us, what challenged us, and what we’ve learned. We also share a behind-the-scenes look at our newest side project: a pricing calculator for creative work in collaboration with Daniel Gremme, which we’ve started building in public. Plus, we hosted our first ever event with Ladies Wine & Design at the studio to have a conversation about pricing here’s how it went.

Links

Daniel Gremme: https://danielgremme.com

Faktor: https://www.faktor.so

#79 New Network for Creatives: We Are on Discord

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 06:00:00 GMT

We are starting a network built on transparency! Our discord will be a place for self-employed creatives to exchange tips, resources, referrals, a place to vent, a place to feel connected when you are often all alone in running your business.

Links:

Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/FEpGKY9aT5

#87 Pride Month: Rainbow Washing, Inclusivity, Ethical Marketing

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Happy Pride Month! This is a more serious episode where we discuss the implications of rainbow washing and what companies really need to be doing to support the LGBTQIA+ community.

#39 Crab Mentality: Race to the Bottom

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 11:02:52 GMT

"If I can't have it no one should", "I could have done it better and for less money"

In this episode we unpack some statements we see quite a lot online from creative people. We also discuss how your pricing shouldn't be the only thing that sets you apart from your competitors.

#52 What We Would Do Differently if We Started a Business Today

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Starting a business for the first time is always going to be a lot of learning by doing, and we sure made some mistakes when started our design studio. In this episode we explore how we would go about starting a creative business today and how it would be different to what we did four years ago.

#46 Being Told No: Our Biggest Business Ick

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 17 Jun 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Don't you just hate it when someone tells you no? Well so do we, but only when we know that "no" doesn't have to be the answer. A lot of the times people will tell you something is not possible just to get out of having to do it. We cannot stand this attitude and we'll tell you why.

#36 Graphic Design ≠ Web Design

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 06:00:00 GMT

What is web design and how is it different to what we learned in school? Graphic design may include web design but just because someone studied graphic design doesn't automatically mean they have the knowledge to design a high quality website. In this episode we explain why it is important to understand the difference and distinguish between different fields within the graphic design profession.

#32 Productivity & Apple Vision Pro

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Big fat disclaimer: we love apple and we love technology. Don't come at us for not wanting an Apple Vision Pro. In this episode we unpack the question: how productive do we really need to be?

#21 Our Origin Story: From Two Freelancers to a Digital Agency

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 07:00:00 GMT

How did Same Same Studio go from two Rebeccas to a full blown digital agency? We've talked about our background a little in previous episodes but here is the full story with all the details! Listen now to find out more about us and our studio.

#7 Running a Business isn’t for Everyone

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:29:23 GMT

Can anyone be a successful entrepreneur? In this episode we look at our personality and how it helped us be successful in a short amount of time. We also talk about what type of personality we think you need to be an entrepreneur long term.

#5 Positioning: How to Position Your Business

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:08:56 GMT

Figuring out how to position your business can be challenging because there are so many factors at play. The things we struggled with most was attracting the types of clients we aspired to work with. We learned a lot about how cutting down on the number of services offered can benefit a business in the long run, and free up time to become an expert. Listen in for more on how we navigated our positioning.

#83 From Employment to Self-Employment: Creating a New Kind of Agency – With Slavko Pejić

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 19 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Slavko Pejić founded mama said no, an independent, creative-led advertising agency. He joined us on the podcast to talk about his experiences going from being employed to self-employment, and what's next for his agency.

Guest links:

Website: https://www.mamasaidno.at

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mamasaid_no/

#43 Why Does Everyone Have an Opinion On Design?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 27 May 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Everyone who has worked in the field of design probably knows the struggle of having to try many iterations of the same solution to make the client trust that the final result is the "right" one. Clients will hire designers, because they aren't a designer themselves, but at the same time will not always trust the designers decisions. Why do people not trust a designer's expertise?

#18 How to Land Your Dream Clients

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 07:00:00 GMT

How to find clients and also attract the kind of clients you want to work with is essential for your creative business to thrive. In this episode we talk about different ways to find leads and how we got to where we are now working with our dream clients.

#3 Confidence: How to Stop Caring About What Others Think

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:54:53 GMT

Having confidence in yourself and your work is a big step towards continued success. Faking it until you make it can get you to step out of your comfort zone and eventually expand it which might open you up to criticism, but it also allows for praise which will ultimately lead to more confidence. Find out what we struggle with most and the tools that helped us overcome it.

#23 Downtime: The Year of Work Life Balance

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 07:00:00 GMT

2023 was in some ways less eventful than the previous years at our Studio. In this episode we discuss how we used the extra time we had. While there was less work to do we still found ways to keep busy and finally had time to get inspired again for some internal projects.

#24 Imposter Syndrome: Comparing to Others & Feeling Unworthy

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 15 Jan 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Doubts, comparing yourself to others and feeling unworthy of your own successes can all lead to imposter syndrome. When have we felt this way? How did we navigate it? Is it a good thing to have imposter syndrome? These are all things we discuss in this episode.

#95 More Than Creative: Leading a Studio & Growing a Team – with Sandra Reichl

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this conversation, Sandra Reichl, co-founder of A Passion Thing, shares her journey from a young artist to a successful entrepreneur in the creative industry. She discusses her experiences as a freelancer, the challenges of building and managing a team, and the importance of mentorship and networking in the creative field. Sandra emphasizes the need for business skills alongside creativity and reflects on the personal growth that comes with navigating the complexities of the industry.

Guest links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apassionthing

Agency: https://www.apassionthing.com

Magazine: https://apassionthingmagazine.com

#73 Underbidding & Overdelivering: Don't Do It

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:00:00 GMT

Ever proposed a really cheap price for your services and then created a product worth ten times what you sold it for? Yeah we've been there more times than we're proud of. While it can make sense to do it, it can end in many uncomfortable discussions later down the road.

#75 February Update: Content Creation, Building Our Audience

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It's been a while sorry! We have been BUSY mostly on YouTube. In this episode we talk about what we were up to in February and how it compares to the start of the year.

#15 Target Group: Three Types of Clients

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 06:00:00 GMT

Small, mid, large businesses all have different processes, some are easier to work with than others depending on what your priorities are. In this episode we look at these three business sizes and what our experience has been working with them. Listen in to learn more about our process.

#85 May Review: Management, ChatGPT, Outsourcing Work

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 02 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode we talk about what is was like for Rebecca R to hold down the fort while Rebecca B was away on holiday. Can ChatGPT replace us? Listen to find out!

#65 Aesthetically Curated Business Feeds: What Is Up With Instagram?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMT

We all know those perfect Instagram feeds that almost look like a single image. While they are nice to look at, what value do they offer and are they authentic enough? In this episode we talk about the differences between Instagram and TikTok and aesthetic content vs. authentic content with personality.

#74 Storytime: Getting Fired & Firing Clients

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 07:00:00 GMT

We were recently fired by a client, and it wasn't the first time it has happened to us. Sometimes a business relationship is not compatible, requirements change or the client simply decides they want to work with someone else. And you know what? Thats OK. We have fired our fare share of clients over the years as well. In this episode we talk about our experiences with getting fired and firing.

#69 Four Years of Running a Design Studio: the Highs & Lows

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 27 Jan 2025 07:00:00 GMT

It's our birthday! Same Same Studio turned 4 years old this month. It has been a wild ride up until now and while we are currently thriving (again), there were many times when we were barely surviving. In this episode we reflect on the highs and lows of the last four years.

#41 Not Everyone Who Can Do Should Teach

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 13 May 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Ever heard someone say "Those who can't do, teach"? In this episode we unpack that statement and how we don't agree with it. We also talk about what we have learned about teaching since working on our creative business course.

Links:

Course: behindthescope.gumroad.com/l/creative-business-essentials

#50 Retainers: What Are They & Why Do We Love Them?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 06:00:00 GMT

As a business you always want to have liquidity and retainers are the best and fastest way to achieve that. It not only gives you peace of mind financially, but also builds a foundation for long-term partnerships. It removes the stress of having to take on every single project and client that comes your way.

#37 Designers, Can We Stop Hating Comic Sans?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Designers can be a judgemental and pretentious group which while it is kind of their job sometimes, it can also interfere with the process and the goals of a creative product. In this episode we unpack our thoughts on big egos in project work and expose our appreciation for comic sans.

#106 Time Isn’t Value: We Need to Stop Charging by the Hour

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk about why hourly pricing doesn’t reflect the real value of creative work, and why it’s time for the industry to move on from it. We dive into the challenges that come with trading time for money, how it limits creatives, and what alternative pricing models actually make sense. A conversation about reframing worth, and shifting an industry to where clients value outcomes over cheap hours.

#112 How the Creative Industry is Still Shaped by Patriarchy

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we take a radical feminist look at why the creative industry remains inaccessible for many women. We talk about the pressure to work for free, the expectation to prove yourself before being taken seriously, and how this creates a barrier that women, especially those without financial safety nets, cannot cross. We also discuss the lack of women in leadership roles, the gatekeeping that happens in award jurys, and how decision making power is still concentrated in the hands of men. A conversation about access, opportunity, and the hidden costs of succeeding in the creative industry.

#118 Creative Leadership, Letting Go & Life After Traktor – with Katharina Luger

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk with Katharina Luger, former managing director of Traktor, about her journey through the advertising industry and her recent exit from the agency. Together, we look at her path from creative roles into leadership, how Traktor built its distinct approach to advertising, and what it really means to lead creative teams through change, including the challenges of the pandemic years.

Guest links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katharina-luger-078a4414a/

#80 Balancing Creativity, Personal Projects & Client Management – with Marietta Bernal

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Marietta Bernal is an illustrator and 3D artist with an upbeat aesthetic. She creates engaging characters, objects, and situations, blending the everyday with the surreal. We invited her on our podcast to talk about her work and business.

Guest Links:

Website: https://mariettabernal.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_mariettabernal/

#109 Building a Startup: Turning a Problem Into a Product – with Shideh Heravi

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk with Shideh Heravi, UX researcher and founder of Healthblokk, about how a personal health challenge led her to build a startup for people with dietary restrictions. She shares what she learned from her own journey, the reality of starting something on your own, and why asking questions matter more than perfect answers. We also talk about building around a problem, staying resilient, and finding your place in the tech startup scene as a woman.

Guest links:

Website: https://healthblokk.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shideh-heravi/

#98 Studio Sirene: Inside a Design Collective – with Clara Berlinski & Maria Kanzler

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT

We invited Studio Sirene to have a conversation that explores the dynamics of a design collective, focusing on the unique structure, roles, and responsibilities within the group. We discuss their approach to client relationships, financial logistics, and the importance of work-life balance. They also share insights on hiring practices and offer advice for those looking to start their own collective.

Guest links:

Website: https://sirene.studio

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio.sirene/

#82 April Review: a New Podcast Era, Interviewing Guests, Taking Time Off

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 12 May 2025 06:00:00 GMT

It's been an interesting month for us in regards to the podcast. We had THREE people come on as guests. In this episode we share our experience as well as what else we were up to in April.

#115 How Men Have Decided What We Really Value in Design

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk about value in the creative industry through a feminist lens. Who decides what is valuable and how has it affected our industry? We look at how execution work and emotional labor are still treated as less valuable than strategy, how that connects to the history of women doing the invisible parts of design, and why the industry keeps rewarding awards, speed and output instead of process. We also get into how AI will push execution work to be worth even less, why that makes value based pricing more important than ever.

#120 Creating Values-Driven Brands for Founders – with Alber Armendáriz

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk to Alber Armendáriz, co-founder of Armen + Max, about building a creative business that’s rooted in values, purpose, and transparency. Alber shares how he went from studying engineering to building a creative career working with founders, helping them articulate what they stand for and why it matters. We talk about following your passions, navigating perfectionism, and learning to define success on your own terms instead of borrowing someone else’s version of it.

Guest links:

Website: https://www.armenmaks.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armenandmaks/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@alber_armendariz

#89 The Future of AR: Creativity & Self-Employment – with Hongwei Tang

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Hongwei Tang, a creative technologist, shares his journey through the creative industry, discussing his diverse background in graphic design, photography, and coding. He reflects on his transition from internships to freelancing, his experiences with Spark AR at Meta, and the impact of the platform's closure on his career. Hongwei also addresses the evolving role of AI in the creative field and offers valuable advice for aspiring creatives, emphasizing the importance of community and overcoming fear in the pursuit of self-employment.

Guest links:

Website: https://www.hongweitang.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hongweitangcom

#117 What to Factor Into Your Price: Value-Based Pricing Made Easy

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 07:00:00 GMT

We break down the main things you should factor into your prices: creator factors like experience level and whether you are a solo freelancer or a team, commissioner factors like client size, funding stage, location and influence, and industry factors that change how much companies are willing to spend on design. We also talk about rush fees, discounts, payment provider fees and why most people forget to include them.

Faktor: https://www.faktor.so

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/faktor-app/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@faktor.so

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faktor.so

#102 Storytime: Our Client Tried to Extort Us Because We Wanted to Be Paid

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this story-time episode we share the messy behind-the-scenes of a web project that didn't end as planned. What started as a standard design and development job ended with a new stakeholder, shifting requirements, an unpaid final invoice, and a threat to ruin our reputation if we pursued collections.

#119 Leaving the Agency Path: Building a Life as a Freelance Illustrator – with Carina Lindmeier

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we talk with freelance illustrator Carina Lindmeier about her path from agency project management into a full-time freelance illustration career. Carina shares what it really looked like to leave a structured role behind, finding her style, and start taking her own creative work seriously.

Guest links:

Website: https://carinalindmeier.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carinalindmeier/

#92 DE: Selbstständig Durch Design: Ladies, Wine & Design Vienna – mit Maria Lechner

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 06:00:00 GMT

This episode is in German. In this episode, Maria Lechner, designer and founder of Ladies, Wine & Design Vienna, shares her journey into the design world and the challenges of self-employment. She talks about building a supportive community, transitioning from small projects to bigger clients, and the impact of AI on her work. Maria also reflects on organizing events and the importance of creating spaces that empower women in the creative industry – all while staying curious, adaptable, and balanced.

Guest links:

Website: https://www.marialechner.com

#100 Not Just Photography: Human Connection Through Community & Podcasting – with Ulrich Aydt

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT

Freelance photographer and podcast host Ulrich Aydt shares his path into photography and freelancing, the challenges of pricing creative work, and what he’s learned from hosting creative therapy sessions. He talks about building community, staying balanced while juggling projects, and why collaboration and asking for help are essential for any creative.

Guest links:

Website: https://www.ulrichaydt.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ulrichaydt/

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3eYG4lJkpcemfBEoVxfkud?si=8497d3b052df40f5

#99 August Recap: Creative Club & Getting Active on Social Media Again

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode, we look back at August and share what we’ve been working on behind the scenes. From project updates and website development to experimenting with SEO strategies, we cover the progress and challenges that shaped the month. We also talk about launching our Creative Club, the ongoing struggles freelancers face with pricing, and why industry standards matter. Plus, we reflect on balancing social media engagement with real value, and what we’ve learned along the way.

#17 Don't Say Yes to Everything: How to Set Boundaries

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Ever had to set a boundary with a client? Everyone who has worked in the creative industry knows that it is necessary to set boundaries, and that can be difficult because the conversation is not fun. In this episode we talk about how we set boundaries, what those might be and how to sit through the silence.

#30 Girly Business Talk – with Charlotte Rohde

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Charlotte Rohde is an artist, (type) designer, and writer based in Berlin. We invited her on our podcast to talk about her experiences as a woman in a male dominated business, her journey from type designer to artist and how she navigated pricing her work.

Guest links:

Website: https://charlotterohde.de/

#11 Project-Based Pricing: a Guide

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode we look at project-based pricing, our favorite pricing model! We talk about why we feel like project-based pricing is superior to hourly-based and why you should start using this for pricing your freelance creative work, and also take a look at possible cons to project-based pricing.

#10 Pricing: Hourly-Based Pricing

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 11 Sep 2023 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode we look at the pros and cons of hourly-based pricing. We talk about when we like to use it and when we prefer other pricing strategies. Listen in to learn more on hourly-based pricing!

#2 Perfectionism & Failure: Is Being a Perfectionist Holding You Back?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 13:58:25 GMT

Perfectionism is more often than not a curse that leads to not being able to start and/or finish things or be efficient when doing them. There is no need to be perfect to do good work, and it is always better to just do it rather than not at all for fear of imperfection and failure.

#12 Value-Based Pricing: Charging Your Worth

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 06:00:00 GMT

Value-based pricing is the most complex pricing model for creative work, because it is super difficult to put a price tag on value. In this episode we take a deep dive into the ways you can figure out what your value is and what the value is for your clients when you create something for them. Listen in now to learn more about value-based pricing.

#59 Price Transparency, Online Haters, Value-Based Pricing

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 06:00:00 GMT

Whenever we post anything about our business successes on Threads we are met with mostly positivity, but the haters still manage to leave a bigger impression initially. In this episode we unpack some of the comments made on a post that went semi-viral recently.

#1 Pricing: How to Make Money

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:58:00 GMT

Pricing in the creative industry is one of the hardest things to learn. Through a lot of trial and error we were able to gain confidence in knowing our worth and also asking for an amount that represented it. Jump in and learn what NOT to do, and take away some tips on how to get better at pricing your work.

#86 Pricing: 4 Reasons You Should Not Bill Hourly Anymore

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this short snippet from our course Creative Business Essentials, I highlight four reasons why you should not be using hourly-based pricing for you creative services.

Links:

Course: behindthescope.gumroad.com/l/creative-business-essentials

#64 How to Pitch Your Work: Dos & Don'ts When Selling Your Creative Services

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 07:00:00 GMT

Being on the client side of things recently when we were looking for a video editor, there were some patterns we noticed in the freelancers that contacted us for the job. In this episode we talk about our experience as a client looking for creative services, and what turned us off vs. what made us want to work with someone.

#14 Sell Without Selling: Master the Sales Process

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 06:00:00 GMT

Once a client contacts you you've already done the selling, now it's time to show them you are worth the money they would have to pay to work with you. Showing you are worth it is not about selling them yourself it is about showing your expertise and selling them potential results for their business based on what you can do for them. Listen now to learn how to navigate a sales call!

#6 Anxiety: Pressures of Running a Business

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 09:22:52 GMT

Running a company comes with a lot of responsibility and pressure. It was a process for us to learn how to manage anxiety. There are many things we did to reduce the stress level we experienced early on. Jump in to learn how we went from nearing a burn out to finding a healthy work life balance.

#9 Niche Down: What is It, and How Do You Do It?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 04 Sep 2023 13:57:16 GMT

We talk about different things to think about when deciding what you want to become an expert in and why we recommend doing so. Finding your USP is the hardest but also most important part of positioning. Figure out how to navigate niching down your services by listening in now!

#13 Avoiding Scope Creep: Requirements or Receipts?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 06:00:00 GMT

Writing requirements and documenting them is important to ensure that everyone is on the same page about the scope and you can refer back to them whenever questions come up. In this episode we talk about our experience with navigating defining the scope and how we do it now. Listen in to learn more about our process.

#78 Pricing: Why We Don't do Anything Under 15k Anymore

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 06:00:00 GMT

In this episode we talk about why it makes sense to have a minimum project rate and how changing our pricing strategy led to a healthier work life balance. Not everyone will have the same minimum project rate, and tbh ours might even change after posting this podcast lol.

#35 Creative Generalist: Offering Multiple Services

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 06:00:00 GMT

We say it all the time, niche down and you will have more time for your expertise, you will be able to charge more for your work and you will get better leads. Not everyone feels this way about creative services, and in this episode we talk about our thoughts on being a generalist who offers everything.

#58 Five Reasons Why You Are Not Working With Your Dream Clients

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 12:41:11 GMT

This is the first in a series of short episodes brought to you from Creative Business Essentials. Our course is for anyone starting out in the creative industry, and for people who continue to struggle to make their creative business profitable. In this short snippet we go over five reasons why you are not working with your dream clients.

#28 Instant Gratification: Are We Too Impatient?

Rebecca Russell & Rebecca Balogh — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 07:00:00 GMT

We've all been there, scrolling through social media and getting our daily dose of dopamine, but how sustainable is that? Business is a marathon and not a sprint which means little to no instant gratification while doing it. The process becomes the source of joy rather than the fleeting feeling of instant gratification. In this episode we talk about how we feel about sources of happiness when persisting in business.