What the Helvetica?

In this episode, Michael Janda and Jena (“the Gribbler”) break down Matthew Inman’s (The Oatmeal) comic about AI art and what it means for creatives. They talk about that weird “deflated” feeling when you realize something you liked was AI-generated, why artists feel threatened, and how AI both democratizes creativity and risks devaluing hard-earned craft. They compare AI tools to things like Photoshop and digital cameras, dig into why process and struggle matter in art, and ultimately land on a nuanced view: AI-generated stuff is here to stay, but it’s different from human-made art—and creatives can still win by doubling down on their humanity, story, and point of view.

About Jena:

Jena Gribble is the owner and creative lead of Blush Cactus ( ⁨@BlushCactus⁩ ) Design Studio, a Phoenix-based branding and design agency. Originally from a small town in South Dakota, she moved to Arizona after studying at the University of North Dakota. With over 12 years of experience in graphic design and several years running her business, Jena empowers fellow creatives by offering not just design services but also education, community and mentorship to help them turn their passion into a viable business.

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In this candid conversation, Becca Berg—founder and CEO of Dubsado—shares the real story behind building one of the leading client-management platforms from the ground up. From her scrappy entrepreneurial childhood to launching Dubsado with zero funding, Becca opens up about competition, burnout, mental health, and the relentless drive that fueled her journey. She and Michael Janda dive into marriage, business, motherhood, and the mindset required to build a company that lasts—without losing yourself along the way.

In this episode learn how: 

• How Becca built Dubsado from scratch without outside funding and why bootstrapping shaped the company’s culture and product.

• The power of deep automations and branded client experiences—and how they differentiate Dubsado in a crowded market.

• Becca’s real entrepreneurial journey, from childhood businesses to juggling motherhood, marriage, and a fast-growing tech startup.

• The role of competitiveness, mindset, and community in building a successful business.

• Candid insights on burnout, mental health, and finding balance after nearly a decade of nonstop hustle.

About Dubsado:

Dubsado is an all-in-one client management platform designed to help entrepreneurs and small businesses streamline their workflows. It combines proposals, contracts, invoicing, scheduling, forms, and powerful automations into one customizable system—allowing users to manage leads, onboard clients, and run projects without juggling multiple tools. Known for its deep automation capabilities and fully branded client experience, Dubsado helps business owners save time, stay organized, and create a seamless, professional process from first inquiry to final payment.

• Website 
• Instagram

About Becca Berg:

Becca Berg is the founder and CEO of Dubsado, the popular client-management platform built to help entrepreneurs streamline their businesses. A lifelong creative with deep entrepreneurial roots, Becca launched Dubsado in 2015 with her husband, bootstrapping it from a simple idea into a leading software company known for its powerful automations and customizable client experience. Passionate, competitive, and candid about the realities of entrepreneurship, Becca is committed to helping business owners save time, build better systems, and grow with confidence.

• LinkedIn

🤝 Connect with Michael Janda

Michael Janda is an award-winning creative director, designer, and agency veteran. In 2002, he founded the creative agency Riser, which provided design and development services for clients that included Disney, Google, Warner Bros., Fox, NBC, ABC, National Geographic, and many other high-profile brands. Michael sold his agency in 2015 and now spends his time speaking, developing books, courses, and social media content to help creatives level-up. He is the author of “Burn Your Portfolio” and “The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing.”

• Instagram
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• Website
• Courses
• Community

Michael Janda discusses Affinity Designer's huge announcement that their software is now completely free to download and use forever. He shares his thoughts and reactions to this surprising move and what it means for the design community.

What's your hot take on the new announcement?

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Regulate to Create: Chris Geisler on Breath Work, Boundaries & Creative Calm

Episode summary

Creative work asks us to pour our hearts into something—and then invite opinions about it. In this conversation, men’s coach and podcaster Chris Geisler joins Michael and Bri to unpack practical nervous-system tools (breathwork, cold exposure, movement) that help stressed, coffee-fueled creatives swap reactivity for regulation. Chris shares his journey from anger and chaos to presence, how travel and men’s work reshaped him, and why “connection vs. protection” is the real toggle we’re all riding.

What you’ll learn

• Fight / Flight / Freeze / Fawn, explained—and how to spot which state you’re in during client feedback loops.

• Breath basics for creatives: low-diaphragm breathing, CO₂ tolerance, and why “calm is a skill.”

• Anger alchemy: making safe space to discharge energy (so it doesn’t leak into your projects or team).

• From goals to mission: reframing purpose to reduce anxiety and people-pleasing.

• Environmental design: curating communities and routines that help you stay regulated under deadlines.

Timestamps

• 00:01 – Why breathwork + cold plunge hit hard for a creative crowd

• 03:16 – Chris’s backstory: dysregulation, consequences, and course correction

• 12:33 – Two years of solo travel, humility, and nervous-system safety

• 21:24 – Practices that actually move the needle (“The Beautiful Practice”)

• 29:24 – Breathing 101: where to breathe and why it matters

• 44:36 – Fight / Flight / Freeze / Fawn for client scenarios

• 53:09 – Healthy anger: boundaries, expression, and repair

• 58:52 – A surprising place Chris learned to release rage

• 1:05:10 – Where to find Chris & how to go deeper

Memorable lines

• “We’re always toggling connection or protection—know which one you’re in.”

• “Calm is a skill. Practice creates capacity.”

• “I was born with everything I need to thrive—I just had to remember.”

Mentioned (light reading list)

• The Alchemist (on listening to your life)

• Gabor Maté on attachment & authenticity

• Thich Nhat Hanh on everyday mindfulness

• Tom Bilyeu’s Impact Theory (awareness as a prerequisite for thriving)

Try this (quick practices)

• 2 minutes of slow nasal, low-diaphragm breathing before client calls.

• After tough feedback, do 10–20 shakes through the legs/arms to discharge energy.

• Write a one-line mission (not a goal) you can contribute to daily.

• Post-work “off switch”: 5 minutes eyes-soft, mouth-closed, long exhales.

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Chris Geisler — Links

• Website: thechrisgeisler.com The Chris Geisler

• Podcast: The Chris Geisler Podcast (show page) The Chris Geisler+2The Chris Geisler+2

• Link hub (socials + more): Linktree (find Instagram, Facebook, etc.) Linktree

• Men of Earth (community): Inner Circle / Skool The Chris Geisler+1

• Retreats / Men’s Weekends: Facing the Shadow (info + dates) The Chris Geisler

• 1:1 & Group Coaching: Offerings & LEAD program The Chris Geisler+1

• YouTube: @thechrisgeisler YouTube

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🤝 Connect with Michael Janda

Michael Janda is an award-winning creative director, designer, and agency veteran. In 2002, he founded the creative agency Riser, which provided design and development services for clients that included Disney, Google, Warner Bros., Fox, NBC, ABC, National Geographic, and many other high-profile brands. Michael sold his agency in 2015 and now spends his time speaking, developing books, courses, and social media content to help creatives level-up. He is the author of “Burn Your Portfolio” and “The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing.”

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/morejanda
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/morejanda
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/morejanda
• Website: https://michaeljanda.com
• Courses: https://morejanda.teachable.com
• Community: https://morecreativeacademy.com

 

For: Graphic designers, creative freelancers, YouTubers, and anyone navigating the mental game of the creative industry.

Struggling with imposter syndrome, burnout, or creative overwhelm? In this episode, Michael Janda and Will Paterson get real about the emotional rollercoaster of creative careers. From personal breakdowns to big breakthroughs, we unpack what it really means to succeed as a designer, YouTuber, and entrepreneur in today’s AI-driven world. Learn why saying “no” is essential, how to stay human in your work, and why being their favorite matters more than being the best.

🔑 Topics:

• Imposter Syndrome in Creatives
• Dealing with Burnout
• Creative Business Boundaries
• YouTube Growth & Personal Branding
• AI vs Human Creativity

About Will Paterson:

Will Paterson is a graphic designer and content creator specializing in logo design, hand lettering, and brand identity. He shares his knowledge and expertise to help other designers. The channel offers:

✅ In-depth design tutorials

✅ Logo critique and review videos

✅ Graphic design tips and tricks

✅ Brand identity breakdown videos

 

This channel aims to help students, freelancers, and in-house designers. YOUTUBE // WEBSITE  // MASTERCLASS // INSTAGRAM

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Bri, MCA's very own VP of Operations, joins us on WTH to talk about alll the details for our upcoming Creative Professional Retreat, Morepalooza. The retreat is set to begin in London September 10-14 with a one-day workshop stacked with incredible creative talent. 

Swag. Venues. Excursions. Weather. What to Expect and more. If you are considering attending Morepalooza or you've snagged tickets, this episode is for you!

LEARN MORE

GRAB TICKETS

 

🤝 Connect with Michael Janda

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Michael Janda is an award-winning creative director, designer, and agency veteran. In 2002, he founded the creative agency Riser, which provided design and development services for clients that included Disney, Google, Warner Bros., Fox, NBC, ABC, National Geographic, and many other high-profile brands. Michael sold his agency in 2015 and now spends his time speaking, developing books, courses, and social media content to help creatives level-up. He is the author of “Burn Your Portfolio” and “The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing.”

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/morejanda
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/morejanda
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/morejanda
• Website: https://michaeljanda.com
• Courses: https://morejanda.teachable.com
• Community: https://morecreativeacademy.com

What does a third-grade drawing of Shaq, a $3,000 domain deal, and notebook paper from Walmart have to do with building a global creative brand?

In this episode of What the Helvetica, Mike Janda sits down with Tyler Tolson, founder of Denik, to explore the real behind-the-scenes of how a small idea in college became a purpose-driven design brand building schools around the world.

🎙️ We talk about:

• How Tyler turned a personal passion into a full-time creative business
• What it really takes to build your design agency from scratch
• Why grit outperforms talent every single time
• Embracing creative failure, surviving stress, and finding your “why”
• The true story behind Denik’s name, funding, and first machines (and yes, it involves beef bologna)
• How Denik’s design-forward notebooks are competing with Moleskine — one bold decision at a time

Whether you're freelancing, building a brand agency, or stuck in survival mode trying to figure it all out — this is the episode that reminds you: You're too good to throw away.

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🤝 Connect with Michael Janda

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Michael Janda is an award-winning creative director, designer, and agency veteran. In 2002, he founded the creative agency Riser, which provided design and development services for clients that included Disney, Google, Warner Bros., Fox, NBC, ABC, National Geographic, and many other high-profile brands. Michael sold his agency in 2015 and now spends his time speaking, developing books, courses, and social media content to help creatives level-up. He is the author of “Burn Your Portfolio” and “The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing.”

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/morejanda
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/morejanda
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/morejanda
• Website: https://michaeljanda.com
• Courses: https://morejanda.teachable.com
• Community: https://morecreativeacademy.com

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🤝 Connect with Tyler Tolson

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Tyler Tolson is the CEO and Founder of Denik (deh-neek), a designer notebook and lifestyle product company that uses a portion of its funds to build schools and support artists. He started the company in 2011 as an artist and full-time student at Utah State University. The company has blossomed into an 8-figure brand and serves customers like Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, and Target in over 16,000 retail locations in North America. Denik also produces custom notebooks for brands like Nike, Disney, Google, and TikTok. The Denik creative community has funded and built 10 schools to date — in Laos, Guatemala, Ghana, Nicaragua, Senegal, Mali, Malawi, and Nepal.

Tyler has been named a “Young Emerging Leader” by the Leader to Leader Institute in New York and was selected as one of the "Top 40 Under 40" leaders in the Gift and Stationery Industry. He currently serves on the Entrepreneurship Center Board at the Huntsman School of Business. Over the past eleven years, he has taught and trained audiences of various capacities, and has consulted entrepreneurs, students, and artists at all stages of business. However, Tyler's greatest accomplishment is marrying the girl of his dreams and raising his five (almost six) rockstar kids.

IG: https://www.instagram.com/tyler.at.denik/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylertolson
Shop Denik: https://denik.com/
Book a call with Tyler: https://calendly.com/tylerdenik

In this bold and honest What the Helvetica episode, Mike Janda reviews the real portfolio of Tonichi — an art director with serious agency cred and a broad creative skillset. We dive into her site, case studies, UX decisions, and brand positioning to uncover what works, what needs tweaking, and how to turn great work into even greater opportunities.

If you’ve ever wondered whether being a generalist hurts your chances or how to land your dream agency job, this episode is a goldmine.

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What You’ll Learn

• Why strong work still gets overlooked — and how to fix that

• How to emotionally hook agency hiring managers in 2 clicks

• The pros and cons of being a generalist in today’s creative industry

• The anatomy of a high-converting homepage

• What agencies really look for in a portfolio

• Why showing your face might be your biggest asset in 2025

• Strategic tweaks to design hierarchy, CTAs, and UX

• How to balance agency dreams with freelance goals

• When (and how) to use personal branding vs studio branding
  
  

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🤝 Connect with Michael Janda

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Michael Janda is an award-winning creative director, designer, and agency veteran. In 2002, he founded the creative agency Riser, which provided design and development services for clients that included Disney, Google, Warner Bros., Fox, NBC, ABC, National Geographic and many other high-profile brands. Michael sold his agency in 2015 and now spends his time speaking, developing books, courses, and social media content to help creatives level-up. He is the author of “Burn Your Portfolio” and “The Psychology of Graphic Design Pricing.”

Instagram: https://instagram.com/morejanda

YouTube: https://youtube.com/morejanda

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/morejanda

Website: https://michaeljanda.com

Courses: https://morejanda.teachable.com

Community: https://morecreativeacademy.com

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🤝 Connect with Tonichi Acenas

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Tonichi Acenas (pronounced as Toh-nee-chee A-sen-us) is a brand designer and photographer from Manila, Philippines. She has previously worked with clients like Toyota, Olay, and Tim Hortons at ad agency Ace Saatchi & Saatchi, and has also worked in-house at a local startup where she helped design retail brands and concepts.

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

Website: tonichiacenas.com