Mr Bingo on Hate Mail, Death Threats and Selling Nothing (Literally)

Recorded Live at The St Bride Foundation in London, on today's special podcast episode I chat to Mr Bingo. Illustrator-turned-Artist and self-described "silly man" Mr Bingo and I talk about building a creative career on your own terms. We chat about the life-changing Kickstarter and his offensive postcards, opening a one-day-a-week shop in London. We chat about making work people genuinely connect with, marketing without the cringe, and why following your own curiosity can lead to the most unexpected opportunities. If you missed out on being in the room for this one I really hope you enjoy it and if you're interested in being there for the next live podcast recording sign up to the waitlist to be the first to hear all about it! The event was sponsored by Adobe Express. I've been working with Adobe for over 5 years now and I use their tools every single day. Adobe Express has become an integral tool that I use as a small business owner and as a branding designer it's brilliant for setting up the branding I create for my clients! If you haven't tried it yet check out this link to give it a ago and I would love to hear how you get on! Key Takeaways Make the work only you can make Mr Bingo's career grew when he stopped trying to fit a conventional creative path and leaned into ideas that were distinctly his. The thing that feels unusual or niche may be exactly what makes people pay attention. Build an audience before you need one Years of sharing work online, staying connected through social media and growing an email list gave Mr Bingo a direct relationship with the people who value his work. That community made it possible to move away from client work and sell directly. Marketing can simply be an invitation Talking regularly about what you have made is not necessarily pushy. When you are genuinely excited about your work, sharing it becomes a way to invite the right people in. Let your values shape your business model By keeping his work accessible, Mr Bingo has made it possible for more people to own it. Success does not have to mean exclusivity; you can build a sustainable business around the kind of access and impact that matters to you. Make room for curiosity and play Many of Mr Bingo's projects begin with a strange thought, a joke or an observation. Following those ideas, rather than only pursuing the most obvious commercial route, keeps the work fresh and creates unexpected possibilities. You do not need to have every answer before you begin From opening a shop to taking a year away from work, Mr Bingo shows that big choices can start with a small experiment. You can learn what works by trying it, noticing what happens and adapting as you go. Creativity needs both effort and rest Taking time away from work did not erase Mr Bingo's drive, but it gave him space to experience life differently. When ideas feel stuck, stepping away and trusting the process can be as valuable as pushing harder. Episode Highlights 00:58 – From freelance illustration to building an audience online 02:30 – The Kickstarter that changed everything: offensive postcards, creative risk and going independent 03:57 – The reality of being a full-time artist: administration, products and running a business 08:01 – The accidental origins and lasting power of the Mr Bingo name 12:32 – Personal projects, following curiosity and making ideas that feel true to you 14:36 – Why Mr Bingo opened a shop in London and runs it just one day a week 19:03 – Taking a year off, travelling without a plan and learning to step away from work 25:15 – Keeping art accessible and building a business outside the traditional art world 28:12 – Public speaking, creative confidence and letting projects grow organically 36:58 – Audience Q&A: creative slumps, marketing, AI and caring less about what others think About The Guest Mr Bingo's website and online shop Mr Bingo on Instagram Mr Bingo's newsletter I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram where I'm @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast and I hope you enjoy the episode! This episode was written and edited by me, recorded and produced by Kingsbane Studios If you like to watch your podcasts you can watch all of my solo episodes and a few in person episodes including this one on YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!