Print Life Podcast: For Surface Pattern Designers | Podcast Guru

Details

The Print Life Podcast is for surface pattern designers who want to design and sell prints for the fashion industry. Host Leslie Kenehan, an art director and print designer with over 15 years of experience in fashion, shares practical advice for building a textile and print design career: how to pitch fashion brands, sell exclusive artwork, build a portfolio that gets noticed, find and keep clients, and price your work with confidence.Whether you're freelancing, working in-house at a print studio or brand, or just getting started in surface pattern design, you'll hear honest solo episodes and conversations with fellow designers about creativity, sales, marketing, and the mindset it takes to grow a sustainable creative business.Resources and more at https://printlife.io/

Recent Episodes

132: One Small Habit That Can Transform Your Surface Pattern Design Career

If you’ve ever felt like you’re spinning your wheels—trying to update your portfolio, pitch to clients, post on social media, and somehow still find time to create—this episode is for you. Today I’m sharing how I’ve built real momentum in my surface pattern design business… not by doing more, but by doing less—more consistently. I’ll walk you through how one simple micro habit completely changed the way I pitch, how I use this same approach to nurture clients at The Print Book, and why buildi...

19 MIN

131: The Power of Choice: How to Build a Creative Life That Flows

Control is an illusion—but intention? That’s where your real power lies. In this episode, I’m sharing a vulnerable reflection on how life threw me off course and what it taught me about creative flow, focus, and letting go of the hustle. If you’ve been juggling multiple projects, feeling scattered, or telling yourself “I just need to do more,” this episode is your permission slip to pause and choose what actually matters. We talk about: The difference between control and intention (and how kn...

24 MIN

130: Permission to Be In Progress — Jesse Rae Akin on Prints, Motherhood, and Letting Yourself Take Things Slow

This week, I had the joy of sitting down with Jesse Rae Akin, a print designer and new mama navigating creativity in the middle of life’s most tender transitions. We talk about how she discovered surface pattern design almost by accident, what it’s been like balancing art with early motherhood, and how she’s finding rhythm in the messiness. Jesse shares honestly about fear, feedback, and forging your own pace in a world that feels constantly rushed. A beautiful reminder that we’re allowed to ...

25 MIN

129: Start With the Artist – Style Before Strategy

We’re digging into the stage of the creative process most designers skip — the part where your actual style gets formed. Whether you're licensing, selling on Spoonflower, or pitching agents — rushing into repeat patterns and mockups without honoring your artist phase can leave your work feeling disconnected, no matter how good it looks. In this episode, we’ll cover: Why your signature style doesn’t come from finishing prints — but from what happens beforeThe real difference between the artist...

14 MIN

128: Voice Before Visibility - Why Your Style and Message Matter More Than Your Metrics

If you’ve been spinning your wheels trying to do all the things (more posts, more platforms, more pitching), this one’s for you. We talk about: Why clarity around your voice is more powerful than chasing metricsHow to identify your unique point of view through your art and processWhat clients really want to see in your workA 90-day focus shift that could change everythingA simple journaling exercise to strengthen your style and brandThe Print Life Membership – Where Design Meets Direction → h...

22 MIN