Podcast Summary

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever.

Episode: "Everything is based on relationships" (Goodtype bonus episode)
Host: Radim Malinic
Guests (Referenced): Katie & Alana (Goodtype)
Release Date: September 4, 2025

Overview

In this bonus episode, host Radim Malinic reflects on his earlier conversation with Katie and Alana from Goodtype, a creative business operating at the intersection of education, community, art licensing, and studio work. Radim highlights four essential themes discussed in the main interview: redefining achievement, partnership dynamics, the value of strategic thinking in design, and the foundational role of relationships in creative careers. The episode’s tone is candid, thoughtful, and rooted in real-world creative entrepreneurship, emphasizing honesty over hustle.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Pitfalls of Achievement-Oriented Goals

• Katie expresses a shift in mindset: Initially, she prioritized financial targets and visible achievements (courses, sponsorships, revenue). But with experience, emotional well-being and fulfillment became more central to business decisions.
• Host’s take: Radim underscores how achievement without intrinsic meaning can leave creative professionals feeling empty, even at the apparent “summit” of success.

Notable Quote:
"The older I get, the less I'm willing to sprint towards a hill that I know when I get to the top of, I'm just going to look around and be like, well, now what?"
— Katie (00:53)

[01:28] Commentary:
Radim reiterates that creative maturity involves asking, not just “can I do this?” but “will this fulfill me?” He highlights the importance of intentional, emotionally informed goal-setting.

2. Partnership: The Power of Complementary Strengths

• Katie reflects on collaboration: Her earlier belief that good partnerships mean constant agreement evolved into the realization that differences are assets. The “yin and yang” dynamic with Alana enables both to fill each other's gaps and grow through successes and failures.
• Host’s take: Harmony in teamwork isn’t about sameness but about productive tension and filling blind spots. Strategic planning meets action-driven relationship-building.

Notable Quote:
"What I've discovered... is that this one [partnership] actually works better. Because we're such a yin and yang with our strengths and weaknesses, we really fill in the gaps that the other one has..."
— Katie (02:33)

[03:13] Commentary:
Radim challenges the conventional wisdom of surrounding oneself with like-minded people, emphasizing that complementary differences spark innovation.

3. Beyond Looks: The Role of Strategy in Great Design

• Alana’s insight: Many, including herself in the past, underestimate the strategic side of graphic design. While production and aesthetics are valuable, true impact comes from aligning design with messaging and purpose.
• Host’s take: Many designers get stuck at the “make it pretty” stage, missing the larger role of design in communication and persuasion. The truly great can connect their craft with business context, audience needs, and strategic goals.

Notable Quote:
"If you're willing to just make it look good then that's wonderful. But that's almost production... the strategy and the messaging is a really huge piece of it and probably not a piece that gets emphasized enough in any training for graphic design."
— Alana (04:18)

[05:00] Commentary:
Radim frames this as a recurring “blind spot” for creative professionals — excellence in aesthetics alone rarely guarantees business success.

4. Relationships: The Heart of Creative Business

• Katie on networking and relationships: Alana excels at building genuine connections—a skill more important than raw design talent for finding work and growing a creative business.
• Host’s take: Technical excellence is overemphasized in creative education, while relationship skills are the “true differentiators.” Authenticity, empathy, and trust-building ensure referrals, repeat business, and career longevity.

Notable Quote:
"Everything is based on relationships... And she [Alana] and you do that just by being a good fun person, like a good kind hearted person who listens to other people and engages. And I think that those are skills that aren't emphasized very much in typical graphic design education, but they have served us the best out of any skills."
— Katie (06:11)

[07:06] Commentary:
Radim adds that this perspective democratizes creative entrepreneurship: building a career isn’t about being the most talented, but about the willingness to invest in authentic human connections.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Katie (achievement goals, 00:53):
  "The older I get, the less I'm willing to sprint towards a hill that I know when I get to the top of, I'm just going to look around and be like, well, now what?"

• Katie (partnerships, 02:33):
  "This one [partnership] actually works better. Because we're such a yin and yang with our strengths and weaknesses..."

• Alana (strategy in design, 04:18):
  "...the strategy and the messaging is a really huge piece of it and probably not a piece that gets emphasized enough in any training for graphic design."

• Katie (relationships, 06:11):
  "Everything is based on relationships... those are skills that aren't emphasized very much in typical graphic design education, but they have served us the best out of any skills."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:53 — Katie on the emptiness of achievement for its own sake
• 02:33 — Katie on partnerships and complementary strengths
• 04:18 — Alana on why strategy matters more than aesthetics in design
• 06:11 — Katie on the foundational importance of relationship skills

Conclusion

This bonus episode distills the Goodtype conversation into actionable wisdom for creatives: define success beyond metrics, seek complementary partnerships, value strategy as much as aesthetics, and prioritize relationship-building. The candid reflections from Katie and Alana, paired with Radim’s thoughtful commentary, offer valuable lessons for anyone daring to create and build a meaningful career in the creative industries.