Shows
Hey, Good GameLife in 60 Seconds: Michael Frei’s ‘Time Flies’Award-winning artist, animator, and game designer Michael Frei joins Nate and Joseph to share his creative journey from apprentice construction draftsman to co-founder of Zurich’s Playable, the indie studio behind critically acclaimed interactive works like Plug & Play, Kids, and the meditative mortality sim Time Flies.Michael breaks down his minimalist approach to game design—how stripping away noise can lead to emotional clarity—and explains why humor, absurdity, and interaction are central to his artistic voice. He reflects on transitioning from animation to games, his fascination with weird player dynamics, and why making something personally meaningful matter...2025-07-2245 min
Hey, Good GameFunding Dreams & Crafting Stories: Lessons From an Indie Game VisionaryIndie-game luminary Tatiana Delgado joins Nate to trace her 20-year journey from drawing paper games as a kid to co-founding Madrid’s Out of the Blue Games. She explains how titles like Call of the Sea create emotional tension without combat, why early VR prototyping was both thrilling and nausea-inducing, and how small studios can balance artistic vision with funding realities. Tatiana also teases two new projects—Lovecraft-flavored sequel Call of the Elder Gods and branching visual-novel series The Vigilante Diaries—while sharing hard-won advice on user testing, team culture, and pitching in today’s crowded market.2025-07-0138 minHey, Good GameTetris, Chess, and Go: Martin Grider’s Indie Game Design PlaybookMartin's journey in game development, starting from his early days as a web developer to his current focus on iOS mobile applications. Martin shares his thoughts on AI in game development, his preferences for using Swift and Godot over Unity, and his experience with board game conversions and licensing. Martin also delves into his design philosophy, the challenges of monetizing games in the App Store, and his latest game projects, including a Zelda-ish 2D story-based game. Check out Martin's Resources:http://abstractpuzzle.com/http://martingrider.name/http://chesstris.com/...2025-02-1843 min
Hey, Good GameModern Game Design Using Paper and AI: The Couples Game StoryA masterclass in modern game development with Osebo, revealing his journey from sketching word puzzles on a flight to Jamaica to launching Couples Game using AI tools and smart design principles. Learn how this former Tumblr and Facebook designer leverages LLMs to create engaging puzzles while building Castle's next-gen mobile game engine – proving that the best games start with pen and paper before embracing cutting-edge tech.Check out Osebo's Resources:https://castle.xyz/https://www.couples.game/https://evenings.fm/Socials: https://www.osebo.bloghttps://ww...2025-01-1455 minHey, Good GameTeaching Bridge to Fund Hollywood DreamsBrian Reynolds, co-owner of The Bridge Teachers, brings a unique blend of creativity and gaming expertise to the world of bridge instruction. As an actor, writer, and director, Brian partnered with his wife Samantha to transform bridge education through their subscription-based platform thebridgeteachers.com.Key takeaways include:- Their innovative approach to teaching bridge through accessible online content- The transition from personal instruction to scalable digital education- The potential market of 37 million bridge players in the U.S.- Their mission to modernize bridge education and attract younger players...2025-01-0758 minHey, Good GameBuilding Random Trivia Generator: From Hobby to Household NameSlavi Grozev, the creator of Random Trivia Generator. Slavi, originally an acoustic engineer, shares his journey of developing the popular trivia website, discussing his inspiration from long drives and quiz bowls during his time at engineering school. Despite having a full-time job and family commitments, Slavi dedicates time daily to update and evolve the platform. The conversation delves into Slavi's approach to building the site, handling user submissions, and future plans for new features. The episode also highlights Slavi's philosophy on user interaction, design focus, and the challenges of monetizing a passion project while keeping it accessible....2024-12-1045 minHey, Good GameHow to Level Up Your Chess Game: Building ChessHub.comDavid Ngo is the creator of ChessHub.com and a software engineer at Amazon. They delve into David's background in software development, his passion for chess, and the creation and evolution of ChessHub.com. David shares insights into game development, user feedback, and the challenges and triumphs he faced. They also discuss domain acquisition, monetization strategies, and future features aimed at improving the chess learning experience for users.Check out David's Resources:https://www.chesshub.com/analysis/new--(00:00) - Introduction and Guest Welcome
(00:24) - David Ngo's Background and ChessHub Overview
(01:07...2024-12-0331 minHey, Good GameFrom Hobby to Hit: The Ninja.io Journey with Rens RongenRens Rongen, the creator of the popular web game Ninja.io, to discuss the intricate process of game development, his inspirations, and how he balances his corporate work with his passion for creating engaging games. Rens shares insights into his creative process, the challenges of launching a multiplayer game, and the importance of community feedback in refining a project. He also touches on the role of publishers, the impact of advertising, and the joy of seeing users engage with his creations. As he prepares for the next chapter in both his personal and professional life, Rens reflects on the...2024-10-2939 minHey, Good GameBuilding Multiplayer Card Games: Insights from CardsJD.comJimmy Dickinson, the creator of CardsJD.com. Jimmy shares his journey from early console gaming to becoming a full-time indie developer, shedding light on the unique challenges of building multiplayer games. The discussion covers his transition from Intel to game development, offering insights into successful platform ports and the importance of versatile coding skills. James emphasizes marketing strategies, including App Store Optimization (ASO) and Search Engine Optimization (SEO), alongside his rebranding journey for better platform recognition.In this episode, you'll learn:Game Development Insights: They will hear about Jimmy Dickinson’s journey in game development, including hi...2024-10-2250 minHey, Good GameQuizwise: From Hobby Project to 140k Monthly Quiz TakersAndrew Bartle, the creator of the quiz game, QuizWise. With over 25 years of experience as a software developer, Andrew shares his journey from developing games as a child to founding a successful quiz platform. He discusses the importance of passion in game development, the influence of his late collaborator Barry Lakeman, and how A/B testing played a pivotal role in the site's evolution. Andrew talks about his experience with various ad providers, the impact of AI, and the dedication to maintaining the educational value of QuizWise.In this episode, you'll learn:QuizWise Origins: QuizWise was...2024-10-0850 min
Hey, Good GameScoring Like Hell: Garry SchymanGarry Schyman, a renowned composer for film, television, and video games. Garry shares insights from his prolific career, discusses the intricacies of game scoring, and offers valuable advice on creativity and composing. He also delves into his experiences teaching at USC, the impact of AI on the music industry, and the joy of working on games like Bioshock and Dante’s Inferno. This episode is a deep dive into the world of game music composition and the evolving landscape of the industry.In this episode, you'll learn:Always Do Your Best Work: Garry highlights the importance of...2024-09-2449 min
Hey, Good GameBehind the Scenes with Hey, Good Game (and a Simple Request)Nate Kadlac and Aaron Kardell reflect on the past 18 months of building the business and podcast. They share insights into their journey, including their bootstrapping philosophy, ad partner experiments, and the expansion of their content. The duo discusses their favorite games, the importance of maintaining control by avoiding venture capital, and their continuous efforts to respond to user feedback and improve their games. They also highlight the diversity of recent podcast guests and invite listeners to suggest future guests and provide reviews to help the podcast grow.Check out Hey GG's games and...2024-09-1728 min
Hey, Good GameThe Art of Voice Acting in Video Games and the AI Challenge with Keythe FarleyKeythe talks about the resurgence of pinball games, his favorite video games over the years, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the industry. The conversation delves into the ethical implications of AI, voice cloning, and the importance of fair compensation for voice actors.In this episode, you'll learn:Keythe shares his history with video games, from his early days playing pinball and arcade games like Pac-Man to more recent titles like Tomb Raider and Red Dead Redemption. Keythe shares personal anecdotes and reflections, offering a holistic view of the life of a voice actor. H...2024-09-1046 min
Hey, Good GameHow I Became the Flute Guy for Video GamesJosh Plotner is a renowned musician, producer, and arranger known for his work in films, TV, and video games. Based in New York, Josh has been a freelance musician for over a decade, specializing as a saxophonist and woodwind multi-instrumentalist.At age three, Josh's journey began with a passion for saxophone, eventually expanding to other woodwind instruments. His versatility led him to Broadway, where he currently subs for The Lion King, playing 13 different flutes. This experience sparked his interest in world flutes, leading to a vast collection of instruments from various cultures.In this episode...2024-09-0344 min
Hey, Good GameHow to Build and Launch Successful Web Games Using AIDaniel Tait is a prolific indie game developer who has created several popular puzzle games, including Mathler, CrossWordle, and Sumplete. Despite not considering himself a professional programmer, Daniel has a knack for quickly building and launching games that capture players' attention.In this episode, we explore Daniel's journey from tinkering with games as a kid to becoming a successful indie developer. He shares insights on:How he created Mathler, his breakout hit inspired by Wordle, using an open-source clone and basic math equationsHis approach to rapidly prototyping and launching games, often spending just a w...2024-08-2744 min
Hey, Good GameOne Game a Week: Two Years of Non-Stop CreationGabe Cornish is a game creator with over 40 published games on itch.io and a decade of experience in the game industry. He's worked on hit mobile titles like Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery at Jam City and more recently at Paradox Interactive. Gabe is passionate about making game development more accessible and sustainable for creators.In this episode, we explore Gabe's journey in game development and his unique perspective on creating games for fun rather than profit. He shares insights on:• Make games regularly, even if they're small and imperfect, to maintain enthusiasm and improve sk...2024-08-2033 min
Hey, Good GameBootstrapping Chess.com Into 10 million Daily PlayersEric Allebest, co-founder and CEO of Chess.com, joins the podcast to discuss how he's revolutionized the world of online chess. With 5-10 million daily players and nearly $100 million in annual revenue, Chess.com has become the go-to platform for chess enthusiasts worldwide.Eric shares his journey from e-commerce to building a chess empire, starting with Schoolhouse Chess and Wholesale Chess before launching Chess.com. He reveals how the company has weathered surges and plateaus in popularity, including the massive boost from Netflix's "The Queen's Gambit."In this episode, you'll learn:• How Chess.co...2024-08-1352 minHey, Good GameHow to Design Board Games That People LoveCole Medeiros' career in game design is driven by passion and authenticity. He started creating games as a child (GUBS in fourth grade) and has successfully transitioned this early interest into a professional career. His approach emphasizes the importance of genuine enthusiasm for the project, close collaboration with partners (as seen in his work with ConcernedApe), and the ability to balance the creative and business aspects of game development. Cole's journey showcases how personal passion can lead to successful game creation, from indie board games to working on major titles like Stardew Valley.2024-07-1640 min
Hey, Good GameHow to Design Obsessive Games by Breaking the RulesZach Gage might be one of the most innovative game designers you've never heard of.He's the creator of Good Sudoku, Really Bad Chess, and 30+ other games that reimagine classic puzzles for the digital age.Now he's taking on the New York Times with Puzzmo.comWe spent an hour exploring his creative process and the future of puzzle games. Check out Zach's Resources:http://www.stfj.nethttps://www.puzzmo.comhttps://www.playgoodsudoku.com/http://www.reallybadchess.com/--(00:00...2024-07-0955 min
Hey, Good GameHow FreeCell Snuck Its Way Into Millions of PCsEpisode 29: Jim Horne is the creator of Microsoft FreeCell and xwordinfo.com. Jim shares his journey from early programming to joining Microsoft in 1988, where he secretly added FreeCell to Windows. His passion for crosswords led to writing for the New York Times and developing xwordinfo.com. Jim discusses his time at Microsoft, including sharing an office wall with Steve Ballmer, and the serendipitous nature of his career. He touches on the "unsolvable" FreeCell game and his recent collaboration on "I'm Squeezy." Throughout, Jim highlights the intersection of music and programming, offering insights into early computing, casual games, a...2024-06-2536 min
Hey, Good GameSay Yes to Creativity: Tracy Fullerton's 10-Year ProjectEpisode 28: Tracy Fullerton is a pioneering game designer, educator, and USC Games Program Director emeritus. The conversation covers Tracy's extensive career in game design, her creation of the game 'Walden,' and her unique approach to blending philosophy with gameplay. Tracy opens up about the decade-long development of 'Walden,' the challenges and joys of translating Thoreau's philosophies into an immersive experience, and her experiences mentoring the next generation of game designers. We talk about why you shouldn't say "No," the intricacies of player emotional experience goals, and the importance of being a passionate and...2024-06-1858 minHey, Good GameAaron Tried To Buy WordleRight before the New York Times announced they acquired Wordle in the low-mid seven figures, Aaron attempted to buy Wordle, and wordle.com. Listen to Aaron's story on why he started building games, and how that led to his attempt to purchase the popular daily word game that took the world by storm.How close did he get? Listen and find out!--(00:00) - Introduction to the Hey, Good Game Podcast
(01:17) - The Unstoppable Rise of Wordle
(02:12) - Aaron's Journey into Game Development
(06:38) - The Evolution of Online Game Monetization
(13:24) - The...2024-05-2832 min
Hey, Good GameHow Canuckle Became a Canadian FavouriteEpisode 24: In this episode, explores the journey of Mark and Jeff Rogers, creators of Canuckle and Canoku games, inspired by Wordle. It delves into their background, game development process, hiatus, renewal with added features, community engagement strategies, collaborations with other game creators and notable organizations, partnerships for sponsorships and merchandise, future plans, and potential partnerships with entities like the New York Times' Wordle. The discussion also includes their use of AI, philanthropic endeavors, and lessons learned in promoting their games.Check out Mark and Jeff Rogers' Games and Resources:Canuckle: www.canucklegame.caCanoku...2024-05-2149 min
Hey, Good GameCrafting Delight With WordsEpisode 23: In this episode, we dive deep into the creative process behind the game WordPeaks with its creator, Devin Spikowski. Discover the inspirations, design decisions, and the unique journey from concept to a game enjoyed by thousands.Check out Devin's Games and Resources:https://vegeta897.github.io/word-peaks/https://twitter.com/vegeta897https://github.com/vegeta897https://cohost.org/vegeta897https://vegeta897.carrd.co/https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@vegeta897--(00:00) - Kicking Off with Devin of WordPeaks
(00:12) - Introducing the Hey, Good...2024-05-1438 min
Hey, Good GameSell or Scale? The Strategic Sale of SemantleEpisode 21: David Turner created Semantle.com, a unique word-guessing game focusing on semantic relationships. Turner shares insights on his journey from ideation to acquisition, his creative process, and upcoming projects like a graphical adventure game. We also chat about game design challenges, user testing, creativity in game development, and effective marketing strategies.Check out David's games and links:https://semantle.com/https://twitter.com/SemantleGamehttps://games.novalis.org/https://middlesgame.com/novalis@novalis.org--(00:00) - Kicking Off with a Creative Idea
(00:16) - Welcome to the...2024-04-3044 min
Hey, Good GameShaping Words with Grant Warman: The Story of PolygonleEpisode 20: Grant Warman, the creator of Polygonle and Quadragonal word games, discussing the game mechanics, user feedback, collaboration with other games, and plans for future projects. Check out Grant's games and links:https://polygonle.com/https://quadragonle.com/https://www.reddit.com/r/polygonle/https://discord.gg/https://www.facebook.com/people/Polygonlehttps://twitter.com/PolygonleGame--(00:00) - Words of Wisdom for New Game Creators
(01:43) - Deep Dive into Polygonle with Grant Warman
(02:42) - The Competitive World of Super Smash Brothers
(06:08) - Exploring the Mechanics...2024-04-2340 min
Hey, Good GameWaffle: How this game reached 500k daily playersEpisode 19: James Robinson runs the ever-popular game, Wafflegame.net. In his first-ever podcast, he shares the history of Waffle, where it is headed, and how it has reached 500,000 daily players.James discusses the game's design, user feedback, and the human-centric approach to game creation. Themes include his accidental success, and the future plans for Waffle Studio.Check out James's games and links:https://wafflegame.net https://www.facebook.com/wafflegamehttps://www.threads.net/@thatwafflegamehttps://twitter.com/thatwafflegame--(00:00) - Opening Remarks and Podcast Introduction
(00:25...2024-04-161h 08
Hey, Good Game“It's either Minesweeper or smoking, I can't write if I have to give up both.”Episode 18: Today's episode join me and lets explore the fascinating journey of Minesweeper through an interview with Damien Moore, the visionary behind MinesweeperGame.com. Delve into the origins of Minesweeper, the celebrities who played this game, its evolution, strategic gameplay, online community, and the intricate mathematics that define this beloved game.Check out Damien's games and links:https://minesweepergame.com/https://minesweepergame.com/forum/--(00:00) - Introduction to the Hey, Good Game Podcast
(01:43) - Diving Deep into Minesweeper's History and Community
(02:46) - Damien Moore: The Finer Miner's Journey
(04:55...2024-04-0255 minHey, Good GameGDC Unplugged: Our First Trip to the Game Developer ConferenceHey, Good Game podcast hosts Nate Kadlac and Aaron Kardell attend the GDC conference in San Francisco for the first time. They share their experiences at the event, interactions with different booths, and their plans for potential future participation. Check out Hey GG's games and links:https://www.hey.gg/https://lilsnack.co/https://poki.com/https://www.coolmathgames.com/--(00:00) - Welcome to the Hey, Good Game Podcast!
(00:27) - First Impressions of GDC: Diving into the Deep End
(00:48) - The Vibrant Community and Networking Opportunities
(01:19...2024-03-2613 min
Hey, Good GameFrom Crosswords to Squeezy: Jeff Chen's Creative AdventureEpisode 16: Today's episode features an interview with Jeff Chen, the creator of the new game Squeezy, discussing his journey in creating the game, his experience in puzzle making and writing, including the challenges and successes. Jeff also shares his writing experience and the upcoming puzzle book collaboration with Stuart Gibbs. He emphasizes the importance of persistence, listening to feedback, and living with frustration for aspiring game creators.Check out the games and resources from this episode:https://imsqueezy.com/https://www.jeffchenwrites.com/https://www.xwordinfo.com/--(00:00...2024-03-1950 min
Hey, Good GameWill Sudoku ever be stopped?Episode 15: In today's episode features an interview with Jeff Widderich, the president of Syndicated Puzzles, who discusses his background, experience on Dragon's Den, game creation, the challenges faced in the puzzle industry, and the future of game design. Widderich shares insights on the importance of spatial thinking, the necessity for new and innovative puzzles, the competitive nature of puzzles, and the potential for multi-solution puzzles. He emphasizes the need for game designers to remain independent and the significance of creativity in puzzle design. Additionally, he addresses the influence of trends, the struggle to break through in the game industry...2024-03-1253 min
Hey, Good GameNerdle: The Math Game Bill Gates Loves to PlayToday we're excited to sit down with Richard Mann, the CEO and founder of Nerdle, a math game similar to Wordle. Richard discusses the development of Nerdle, the challenges of creating math games that are fun for kids, the game's advertising model, the launch of a new game called 2D Nerdle, and the importance of user feedback.We also dive into how Nerdle is run as a family operation, and why many of the ideas for the game happen over dinner. Check out Richard's website:https://nerdlegame.com/https://www.leaderboardle.com/2024-03-0542 min
Hey, Good GameBONUS: How To Earn a Living From Your Game, How Game Creators are Using AI, and moreWe're back with Joseph, Nate, and Aaron! They discuss the past 12 episodes of the podcasts, what stood out from our conversations, how game creators earn a living from their games, and the differences between creators.The conversation ends with reflections on the progress of their business, Hey Good Game, and its growth strategy in buying and building games. Check out Hey GG's games and links:https://www.hey.gg/--(00:00) - Introduction and Podcast Improvements
(00:24) - Reflecting on the Journey and Guest Experiences
(01:27) - The Impact of Games...2024-02-2737 min
Hey, Good GameHow Lil Snack is Redefining Daily GamesLil Snack is a new daily game platform created by Eric Berman and Travis Chen. They talk about their approach to creating a new game every day with the desire to be an app recommended by friends in text messages. They credit AI for their ability to be nimble, noting that the technology helps with the middle part of their creative process such as research and creating the specific puzzle format. The conversation reveals the journey of Eric and Travis from building games to launching Lilsnack and highlights various aspects of their startup like maintaining low friction in game...2024-02-2047 min
Hey, Good GameRacing Through Rabbit Holes in The Wiki GameThe Wiki Game is a fun, web-based game that connects two random Wikipedia article links. Alex shares his journey of how he started out, using concepts like six degrees of separation to create a game involving Wikipedia articles, and how it has steadily grown over the years to around 60,000 - 80,000 unique users a month. Despite challenges like hacking incidents and handling various user complaints, for Alex, the game remains a labor of love. He also talks about his ideas for the future of the game — a freemium model targeting larger private groups, the forthcoming launch of version 3, and how he...2024-01-3045 min
Hey, Good GameHow Abe Train's First Game Globle Went GlobalYou’d be surprised how a well-established corporate worker like Abe Train started creating games for a living! From big-name companies like Tesla, General Motors and Hello Fresh, to creating his own brand and entering a niche that he loves, Abe has a great story to share behind his success.This is how a corporate worker traded his stable life to venture out into the industry of game development and created the hit game, Globle.Nate Kadlac (https://twitter.com/kadlac) and Aaron Kardell (https://twitter.com/akardell) chat with Abe Tr...2024-01-1638 min
Hey, Good GameBehind the Success of KenKen: An Interview with Robert FuhrerRobert Fuhrer explores his years-long journey in the toy and game industry in this interview. He reminisces about the many experiences that shaped his career from early exposure to the toy industry, his first creation, his various partnerships and ventures and how he ended up being the owner of the popular puzzle game, KenKen. His journey reflects the crucial importance of relationships in business, being outspoken about opportunities, and taking on ventures with undefined outcomes. Fuhrer also talks about his experience with marketing and fiercely competitive business models and gives some sage advice to aspiring game developers....2024-01-021h 17
Hey, Good GameHorror, Puzzles, and Pragmatism: The Improbable Journey of CineNerdleStep into the shadowy corridors of game development with our esteemed guest, Nilanth Yogadasan, the creative genius behind the eerie yet addictive games, CineNerdle and CineNerdle 2. His games reach over 30,000 daily players, and over 15 million games played. Our conversation takes a deep dive into Nilanth's inspiration, drawing heavily from his passion for horror cinema, and how it fuels the enigmatic puzzles in CineNerdle. Alongside his passion, Nilanth's journey also encompasses the trials and tribulations of maintaining a successful game, providing a fascinating glimpse into a game maker's mind.Play Nilanth's games: https://www.cinenerdle.app/2023-12-2641 min
Hey, Good GameFrom Rubik's Cube Champion to Game Development: Toby Mao's JourneyAre you ready to step into the intriguing world of game development, entrepreneurship, and the pursuit of excellence? Let me welcome you to a captivating conversation with Toby Mao, the driving force behind 18XX Games and a Rubik's Cube record holder. His diverse journey weaves through the set of Pursuit of Happiness with Will Smith, creating 18XX games, to leading roles at Airbnb and Netflix, and now, co-founding Tobiko Data. Toby's relentless passion for excellence, his exciting career path, and his remarkable ability to excel in various fields will leave you inspired.Play Toby's game:18...2023-12-1933 min
Hey, Good GameTurning $30 Into $25,000 a Month with Online SolitaireGet ready to unlock the mysteries of game development and indie hacking as we entertain an inspiring chat with Holger Sindbæk, the enterprising mind behind Online-Solitaire.com and WorldOfCardGames.com. Gain a new perspective from Holger's inspiring journey from designer to developer, and how he transformed his passion project into a significant income source. We promise you'll be intrigued by Holger's analytical approach to game development, hints of strategies that boosted an existing game, and his current fascination with Diablo 4 - quite the leap from solitaire!Play Holger's games: online-solitaire.comWorldofcardgames.com...2023-12-1253 minHey, Good GameThe World of Casual Games: A Discussion with the Hey, Good Game TeamWhat do games mean to you? As kids, games have had a large impact on our lives. Now as adults, join our inaugural and nostalgia-fueled episode as we, your hosts Joseph, Aaron, and Nate, explore the significance of childhood games and how they shaped us. We also discuss how games have played a significant role in our entrepreneurial journeys.In this episode, you'll learn:• About the evolution of programming languages• Games as an introduction to entrepreneurship• Why daily games work so well• Casual gaming and community involvement• The impact of streaks...2023-12-0527 min
Plan Your NextI spent $300 on a hi-tech compost bucket to prove I’m a good person👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #107 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. And on some occasions, I complain about composting. That’s next.💡 What’s new?🎨 Today is the last day to sign up for Approachable Design. Want to develop your own style and communicate your design decisions with confidence? I got you. But, there are only two spots left! ✏️ If you missed it last week, the recording and notes of our Drawing for Writers sessio...2022-05-1506 min
Plan Your NextIdea spokes: Write to find your creative alignment👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #103 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.What’s new?✏️ We’re close to 200 signups for Drawing for Writers: Procreate 101! If you’re curious about the process behind how I draw images like the one below, sign up here. It’s free!⚡️ RadReads $10K Bootcamp is a free 3-day event hosted by Khe Hy. Right after I left my job last year, I took Khe’s Supercharge Your Productivity course which helped give me s...2022-04-1700 min
Plan Your NextFlick your identity switch👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #102 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.💡 What’s new?🎨 My latest: 20 unconventional design tips for non-designers. These are timeless tips you can use immediately in your design projects. What did you think I missed? Hit reply and let me know. ✍️ Drawing for Writers: Procreate 101: Have you wanted to add visuals to your own writing? Salman Ansari and I will be hosting a FREE YouTube live session where we show our process for...2022-04-1002 min
Plan Your NextLearning to let go of the art of travel👋 Good morning from Mequon, Wisconsin! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #98 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Congrats to Jacob who won the giveaway for the Portfolio of Small Bets course with Daniel Vassallo! Thanks to everyone who submitted their own project ideas. Please reach out if you want to chat more about them. (see the end of the newsletter):: If you're listening to the audio version, I’m sitting next to a fire crackling against my cold AirPods. These don’t mix well...2022-03-0604 min
Plan Your NextFinding your path: Featuring Paul Millerd👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #97 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. It’s difficult to think about anything other than what’s happening in Ukraine right now. It’s f*****g heartbreaking. My friend Art Lapinsche wrote an essay on his memories as his family fled the Yugoslav war, which is an uncomfortable reminder of how quickly things can turn.💡 What’s new?🎨 Approachable Design 5 is opening its doors with a limited amount of spots available. T...2022-02-2701 min
Plan Your NextHow sketching will make your next trip the most memorable👋 Good morning from the Upper Haight of San Francisco! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #96 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Welcome to the 36+ new subscribers here this past week. Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as classic as Larry David’s take on crypto. 💡 What’s new?✏️ I published a guest post, The Courage To Not Give Unsolicited Advice for my friend Charlie Bleecker’s newsletter. It’s how giving unsolicited advice is a waste of time, and it takes from A...2022-02-2005 min
Plan Your NextMake it yours👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #94 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Welcome to all 160+ people who joined this past week. And a special shoutout to Abhishek Shah who shared Plan Your Next in this fantastic thread. I’m feeling incredibly grateful. ❤️💡 What’s new?🎨 My next live creative workshop, Approachable Design, will be held on March 19-20. Hop on the waitlist to learn more and get updates as we get closer. ⌚️ The Wearable Challenge I’v...2022-02-0605 min
Plan Your NextHow to find and bring the energy👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #93 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Imagine Play-Doh being poked by an index finger. This is me nudging myself to get up out of bed every morning. Sometimes I spend the first few minutes scanning my phone notifications to the dismay of every article titled, The Ultimate Guide to Productivity. When I do roll out of bed in a zombie-like state, my body is full of potential energy even if it...2022-01-2305 min
Plan Your NextI miss travel👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #90 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.💡 What’s new this week?🎤 I was a guest on Cohort Captains, a new podcast my friend Jonathan launched recently. We chat about design and some simple steps to finding your own style. He launched with some great guests, so I recommend checking it out. 👽 My friend Nick deWilde—of his popular newsletter The Jungle Gym—recently launched a new Web3 education-focused community called Invisible Co...2021-12-1202 min
Plan Your NextI hate that I love technology: Introducing my tech toolkit👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #87 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Welcome to the 29 new people since last week!What’s new this week?👨⚖️ An article I wrote a while back was cited in a Law Journal. Check out Footnote 101! Thanks, Jonah!👨🎨 I started to build out a self-paced, bite-sized course on using Figma to build slide decks and presentations. I’ve designed fundraising decks that have helped raise millions of dollars...2021-11-2101 min
Plan Your NextReflecting on my next: fatherhood👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #86 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.💡 What’s new?🎨 Approachable Design just hit some key milestones last week as we have now taken over 30 students through the workshop. For the next workshop in January, we’ll be more ambitious as we start to test the edges of our team.📣 Web3 PSA: If you happened to purchase an ETH domain prior to Oct 31, make sure to claim your $ENS tokens from their unexpe...2021-11-1404 min
Plan Your NextHow do you name your next thing?👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #85 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Welcome to the 31 new people here!💡 What’s new?👩🎨 Monday, I presented to students of Cam Houser’s course, Minimum Viable Video this week to show how to quickly design thumbnails by stacking elements. If you want to see the deck, just reply and let me know.🎨 Approachable Design is happening this weekend! It’s only 2 days, but it’s incredible to witness how much our st...2021-11-0709 min
Plan Your NextHave you ever shared your financial situation?👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #84 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.💡 What’s new?🎨 Today is the last day to sign up for this upcoming weekend’s Approachable Design! We would love to have you, and I guarantee it’s going to help you make smarter design decisions for your future projects. Check it!📚 Currently reading: Hello, My Name is Awesome. A book about branding, and why some names are forgettable vs those that are memorable. Fun...2021-10-3105 min
Plan Your NextFind your style: a manifesto👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #83 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.💡 What’s new?🎨 Enrollment for Approachable Design Workshop #4 is now open! This is the 4th incarnation of our weekend workshop for you to capture your aesthetic into a design kit, built on the spot. Enroll now!💻 I’m also thrilled that my friend Khe is launching his next cohort of, “Supercharge Your Productivity.” His Notion-based course changed how I think about staying focused on 10k work, and his...2021-10-2404 min
Plan Your NextDeconstructing your path👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #82 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Deconstructing to find your pathOn Thursday, I had a short meeting with 3 other designers to talk about design systems for a client we're all working for in some capacity. It turns out, two of the three experienced designers never had any formal training in design—like me—seemingly building their career arc through the non-traditional route of being self-taught. What captured my atten...2021-10-1703 min
Plan Your NextHere's your bravery test👋 Good morning from Santa Barbara! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #77 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.In the last two minutes of each episode during the 11 year run of, “The Joy of Painting,” Bob Ross would routinely look into the camera and say, “And here’s your bravery test.”Immediately after the proclamation, Bob took a large 2-inch flat paintbrush and dipped it in a pool of paint. Almost recklessly, in one sweeping motion, he brushed across a 1/3 of the seemingly...2021-09-1203 min
Plan Your NextThe Saturday Walk👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #76 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Good morning from Los Angeles!Every week for almost 7 years, Alie and I have one priority besides arguing over how many snacks I steal from her stash of sweets. The early morning Saturday walk.It’s our routine that crosses state boundaries, time zones, pets, and now bebe’s.Even though we’ve been walking *almost* every weekend, Alie will inevi...2021-09-0505 min
Plan Your NextAddicted to moving👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #75 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.💡 What’s new?🎨 I’m in the process of designing and building out a website for my good friend Charlie Bleecker. It will end up as a case study for how to apply a simple design system to your future design decisions. Let me know if you have any questions about your own landing pages or design artifacts.❤️ I signed up for the premium package of...2021-08-2903 min
Plan Your NextJust tell a story👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #74 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.What’s new this week?🎤 I had the pleasure to speak with Kasra, a 14-year-old from Illinois who was curious about Approachable Design. You can listen to our 9-minute conversation here. 💪 I’m realizing this week how creatively refreshed I feel as I dive headfirst into a new freelance project. Having a clean slate does wonders. 📕 Debating whether to take Write of Passage for th...2021-08-2202 min
Plan Your NextAvoid being Auto-Tuned👋 Good morning from Ojai! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #73 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Welcome to the 11 new freshies here!Alie and I are in Ojai celebrating my birthday and our 4th anniversary in one of our fav spots.What’s new this week?🎨 Today is the last day to sign up for this weekend’s Approachable Design workshop. I’d love to have you, and we already have an intimate cohort including creators, writers, and a founder of...2021-08-1500 min
Plan Your NextFrom Google to entrepreneur: How Anne-Laure Le Cunff chased her next thing👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #72 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Welcome to the 27 new fans here! I’ll never forget you. Or, at least I’ll try not to. This is a special edition where I highlight creators and entrepreneurs who have made their next move. Today I welcome Anne-Laure Le Cunff and how she transitioned to her next thing!💡 What’s new?🎨 I casually opened enrollment to Approachable Design 3! It’s a 2-day workshop...2021-08-0801 min
Plan Your NextBut, will it make the boat go faster?👋 Good morning from Los Angeles! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter connecting design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Welcome to all 10 of you who are new here. I hope the internet robots welcomed you warmly.💡 What’s new?Approachable Design 3 will be launching on Aug 21-22. It’s a 2-day live workshop to discover your unique visual style and to build a design system you can use for your future design projects. We’ll be officially opening up the doors in the next few days, and...2021-08-0102 min
Plan Your NextDesign your serendipity strategy👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #70 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Welcome to all 430 of you, and special thanks to Lyle for the donation to the “Feed Alie Fund” fund last week. She was fed!What’s new this week?🎤 Episode #21 / It’s Gotta Be The Mic: Reza and I sat down with Lyle McKeany to talk about memoirs, messiness, and the meandering path to finding your writing voice.🙏 This thank you thread was written to show appreciation...2021-07-2505 min
Plan Your NextCan automation be artful?👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #69 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.I put the Tesla in FSD mode and let itself cruise beyond 400 people this past week. I want to welcome all 22 new fans! (I labeled you “fan” in my artful automation so there’s nothing you can do about it.)Good morning from Los Angeles! What’s new this week?😵💫 I used Facebook this week. AMA.💌 I am currently building out an email-based handbook about how to m...2021-07-1805 min
Plan Your NextThe cost of opportunity👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #68 of Plan Your Next. A Sunday newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. We’re two subscribers shy from 400—a highly insignificant number in the long run—but if you think of anyone who might enjoy this letter, here’s a big ass button for you to use.Good morning from Los Angeles!What’s new this week?🚶🏼♀️ The first week of being funemployed turned out to be exactly what I needed. A good mixture of reading, writing, meditation, working, calls...2021-07-1104 min
Plan Your NextStylistically significant 👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #67 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. We’re now 388 strong, so if you’re new here, welcome!Good morning from Los Angeles!What’s new this week?Friday was my last day in my role as Creative Director. Tapping out of my work email and slack channels was surprisingly satisfying. Although I’m now torn as to what do the newly unemployed put on their LinkedIn profiles? Am I looking for freelance...2021-07-0404 min
Plan Your NextPay attention to the emerging path👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #66 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. We’re now 382 strong, so if you’re new here, welcome!What’s new this week?One thing I realized about the 14 students who are currently enrolled in Approachable Design is how unique everyone’s visual boards are. You just don’t see this amount of personality expressed because we’re limited by the tools. Many No-Code tools dumb down our personality, leaving us to choose a HEX value to allow our...2021-06-2700 min
Plan Your NextWhen No-Code backfires👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #65 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. If you’re one of the 6 new subscribers, welcome!Good morning from Los Olivos, California!This weekend, Alie and I took our 8-week old daughter on our first road trip to the central coast of California, which happens to be the closest version of wine country we could find. Along the way, I texted back and forth between a friend who is taking my design workshop next wee...2021-06-2001 min
Plan Your NextHow to accidentally build an online workshop as slowly as possible👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #64 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. If you’re one of the 18 new subscribers, welcome!Good morning from Los Angeles!🎨 Approachable Design is almost sold out! Just 6 spots remain for the workshop on June 26-27th. We have writers, entrepreneurs, YouTubers, and more who have registered so far. I’ll be announcing it more widely tomorrow, so check it out if you want to know how to build your own design system based on your unique p...2021-06-1307 min
Plan Your NextAre you an Entrepreneur, a Technician, or a Manager?👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #63 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. If you’re one of the eight new subscribers, welcome!Good morning from Los Angeles!What’s new this week?🎨 Approachable Design kicks off in 3 weeks! For those new around here, I teach a live 2-day design workshop to help you stand out by learning how to create your own personal aesthetic.To keep it intimate, there are only 14 spots open for this next cohort. The E...2021-06-0607 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next → What design and perfumery have in common👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #62 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. If you’re one of the eight new subscribers, welcome!Good morning from Los Angeles!Last week, I caught myself in the middle of the Netflix series, Halston. It’s based on the life of Roy Halston, the American designer who rose to international fame in the ‘70s. The incredible thing about Halston is his constant evolution and curiosity to use different fabrics and materials across the span of...2021-05-3004 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next → Get comfortable sharing uncomfortable ideas👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #61 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing. If you’re one of the 13 new subscribers, welcome! And, thanks Khe for the shoutout!What’s new this week?🎤 Episode #19 of It’s Gotta be the Mic: Reza and I chat about our favorite apps we use to 🎨 The second cohort of Approachable Design will be launching on June 26-27th. I’ve yet to launch the new landing page, but if you’re not yet on the waiting list...2021-05-2303 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next → Make your desired behavior your normal behavior👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #60 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Good morning from Los Angeles!There’s not a more perfectly apt newsletter title like Plan Your Next to collide with what happened this past week. HomeSpotter, the 50+ person company I’ve been helping build for the past 7+ years was recently acquired.It’s a significant part of my life that’s been attached to my ankle like an electronic monitoring device. Talk to me long enough...2021-05-1603 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next → Arched doorways, business utopia, investing 101, and skill discovery👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #59 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Good morning from Los Angeles!As I head back into the remote office Zoom grid after two weeks of paternity leave, I’m keeping this letter on the lighter side. In all honesty, I had this whole half-written article about how having a bad logo is better than no logo—and why I can’t stand the Tesla logo—but that will have to wait until next week. 2021-05-0900 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next / The sanitization of the internet👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #58 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re new here, it’s nice to meet you!What’s new this week?* Podcast: It’s Gotta be the Mic #18 with Jesse Desjardins* Special PYN Guest: Meet Jonathon Hillis and how he made his next move from director of product for shoppers at Instacart to the founder of Creator Cabins.Good morning from Los Angeles!In 2011...2021-05-0204 min
Plan Your NextKilling anticipation👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #57 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re one of the 11 new subscribers, welcome! And, if you might know someone who might like this letter, there’s a large button below to do just that.What’s new this week?🎙 In episode #17 of It’s Gotta Be the Mic, Reza chat about two of our favorite books, Conspiracy, and The Four Agreements. They couldn’t be more different, but there’s a lot to take away fro...2021-04-2502 min
Plan Your NextWho are you collaborating with?👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #56 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re one of the 9 new subscribers, welcome! And, if you might know someone who might like this letter, there’s a large button below to do just that.Good morning from Los Angeles!In early 2012, Brian Armstrong built a prototype that would let you send and receive payments in Bitcoin on the web or from your phone. At the time, Bitcoin was sitting at...2021-04-1802 min
Plan Your Next[PYN #55] Just start; learn later👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #55 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re one of the 12 new subscribers, welcome! And, if you might know someone who might like this letter, there’s a large button below to do just that. Good morning from Los Angeles!As you’re reading this, I’m right in the middle of launching my first cohort-based workshop, called Approachable Design.It’s been taking shape over the past 6 months, ever so slowly...2021-04-1103 min
Plan Your NextPlaying the long game👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #54 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re one of the 15 new subscribers, welcome!Good morning from Los Angeles!What is one thing you could imagine yourself doing for the next 10 years?Does the thought of committing to something that long intimidate you?I think about this all the time and where I’m at in my career. Would it benefit anyone if I spent the next 10 years beco...2021-04-0403 min
Plan Your NextReach out to your heroes👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #53 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re one of the thirteen new subscribers, welcome!What’s new this week?🎨 Approachable Design sold out in less than one day! If you’re interested in getting on the waitlist for the next one, sign up here.🎤 It’s Gotta Be the Mic #16. Reza and I chat with Charlene Wang on how to embrace your true self. ✍️ I showed a group of writers how t...2021-03-2805 min
Plan Your NextHow do you stay consistently creative?👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #52 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re one of the 12 new subscribers, welcome!What’s new this week?🎨 Approachable Design Launches April 10-11th. If you’re someone who has difficulty making daily design decisions, I’m launching a live 2-day workshop to show you how to build your own style palette. We’ll be rubbing elbows learning how to apply design to your own personal style by knowing how to choose your own...2021-03-2104 min
Plan Your NextWhy minimalism is boring👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #51 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re one of the nine new subscribers, welcome!What’s new this week?✍️ My latest essay, Minimalism is Boring, just went live.🎤 Episode #15 of It’s Gotta be the Mic: Reza and I chat about what it means to be a minimalist entrepreneur. 🎨 Salman and I gave a live Procreate demo to On Deck Writers on how your writing can benefit from adding il...2021-03-1404 min
Plan Your NextCreate your Personal Board of Directors👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #50 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re new here, it’s nice to meet you!What’s new this week?🎤 Episode #14 of It’s Gotta Be the Mic: Reza and I chat with Tim Coil about how to baby step your way into crypto. 👨🏫 My own workshop, Approachable Design, will soon shed its sheltered cocoon. I’ve only told you and a few close friends about this project. It’s looking like this idea...2021-03-0706 min
Plan Your NextThe problem with writing. Plus, your next special guest, Paul Woods.👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #49 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re new here, it’s nice to meet you!What’s new this week?🎨 Approachable Design is sold out! I really appreciate everyone who signed up (and paid!) to help me test this idea. I have a much clearer vision for what this can and will be, so I hope to talk more about it in the near future. But, if you’re interested in unlocking your...2021-02-2805 min
Plan Your NextTrial and error, plus your next special guest👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #48 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.If you’re new here, it’s nice to meet you!What’s new this week? Too much, honestly!🎨 Beta testing a new idea: Approachable Design for Non-Designers. This is a 1:1 design service for creators and entrepreneurs who have a tough time making smart design decisions. How do you create a vibe or an emotion using the right typefaces, colors, and fonts? It re...2021-02-2104 min
Plan Your NextPYN - Asymmetrical timing👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #47 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as a cup of perfectly brewed cold brew. If you’re new here, join us!What’s new this week?📺 Finished Halt and Catch Fire for the second time through. Still one of my favorite shows. The third season is a bit forgettable, but don’t miss the first two. 🎤 It’s Gotta Be the Mic #13: Reza an...2021-02-1405 min
Plan Your NextPYN - Selling onions on the internet. Plus, your next special guest.👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #46 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Usually, I reserve this spot to say some quippy remark about the timelessness of this letter, but this week I want to thank the 23(!) new subscribers who decided to join the PYN cult. Might I add, you look damn good this Sunday morning! If you know someone who might love this, would you consider sharing?What’s new this week?🎤 Ep. 12 of It’s Gotta Be The...2021-02-0705 min
Plan Your NextPYN - Start building your social capital, plus a special guest👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #45 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as the GameStop long call by u/DeepFuckingValue. If you’re new here, join us!What’s new this week?🎤 It’s Gotta be the Mic podcast ep. 11: Reza and I chat about Apple TV’s Ted Lasso and what we learned from it. Next week we’ll be having our first guest! Why not subscribe?☕️ Do you love...2021-01-3106 min
Plan Your NextPYN - Find or build your creative nook👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #44 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as Quincy Jones’ line, “we need more f*****g songs, man.” If you’re new here, join us!What’s new this week?🎙In this weeks’ podcast of It’s Gotta Be the Mic, Reza and I chat about the tools we use for note-taking, creativity, and writing. Tools for thought, if you will. Good morning from...2021-01-2405 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next: Are you lucky or unlucky?👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #43 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as the designer, Saul Bass. If you’re new here, join us!What’s new this week?🎙Reza and I kicked off the new season of It's Gotta Be the Mic, and we chat about how we find ideas to write about. The one small change we wanted to make was to bring more focus on a single topi...2021-01-1705 min
Plan Your NextMindfulness over mayhem👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is #42 of Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as pedaling downhill through the Adirondack Mountains at 50 mph. If you’re new here, join us!What’s new this week?👨🎨 You may see a fresh coat of paint in this newsletter. The reason for the change is to further align my site branding and this newsletter. (Even if there is little correlation.) 🎙Working on a new podcast intr...2021-01-1003 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next #41: Taking things for granted👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as a New Mexico desert dressed in white. If you’re new here, join us!What’s new this week?Since we’re traveling, not much! But I’d like to highlight a couple of people:🔗 On Deck just acquired Performative Speaking from Robbie Crabtree. I’m so excited for Robbie + the team and what he’s been able to a...2021-01-0301 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next #40: Progress through pressure👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as, 2020? If you’re new here, join us!What’s new this week🎤 Andrew Barry continues to innovate with these small clips from his interviews. My podcast snippet is here, but I recommend checking out Robbie Crabtree’s on learning persuasion. 📷 Unsplash continues to be a fun platform. In one week, my night sky camping photo from Joshua...2020-12-2705 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next #39: Think for yourself👋 Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as my busted Apple Watch. If you’re new here, join us!What’s new this week?🎤 The talented Paul Lecrone posted our full conversation from his podcast on YouTube. We both dissect art, life, and everything in between.📷 It took long enough, but I created an Unsplash account and uploaded a few photos from past trips. Feel...2020-12-2009 min
Plan Your NextPlan Your Next #38: Do you need a niche?Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, and this is Plan Your Next. It’s a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as Johnny Cash dressing in all black. If you’re new here; join us.What’s new this week?🎤 I had the pleasure of being on Paul Lecrone’s Penguin Latte Podcast. We dove into an array of topics over the course of two hours, and he’s created a killer trailer for it. ✍️ I’ll be joining the Co...2020-12-1306 min
Plan Your Next#37: An alternative to travelHello! I'm Nate Kadlac, designer of Plan Your Next, a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as the joy of eating a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. Just kidding, they’re discontinuing it. If you’re new here; join us.What’s new this week?🎤 Episode #8 of It’s Gotta Be the Mic: Our final episode of this first season! It’s been such a fun adventure to co-host this podcast with Reza. Neither of us wants it to end, so we’l...2020-12-0603 min
Plan Your Next#36: How do you cultivate taste?Hello! I'm Nate Kadlac, designer of Plan Your Next, a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as the Rolex of watches. If you’re new here; join us.What’s new this week?✍️ A couple of weeks ago I wrote about inside-out design. I just published an expanded article on my site, Unlocking Your Creative Taste From the Inside Out.👨🎨 I posted two new branding projects to my portfolio which I’m proud of. While I am focusing...2020-11-2900 min
Plan Your Next#35: How not to lose your creativityHello! I'm Nate Kadlac, designer of Plan Your Next, a newsletter that connects design, creativity, and how you prepare for your next thing.Every Sunday, I aim to make this newsletter as timeless as the Porsche 911 of cars. If you’re new here; join us.What’s new this week?🎤 Episode #7 of It’s Gotta Be the Mic: Reza and I had a great chat about living an ordinary life, writing, design for non-designers, and more. We have one more episode to go before we wrap up this season. We’re both excited to keep this go...2020-11-2206 min
Plan Your NextLetter #28: Who you surround yourself with, mattersIf you’re new here—hello! I’m Nate Kadlac. You signed up for this newsletter, Plan Your Next, at some point during your internet journey. Or possibly from my website, kadlac.com. Good morning from Los Angeles! This year has been an absolute shitshow, and it’s affected us all in different ways. It seems that we’re all hunkered down, finding ways to spend the same time we’re all given, a little bit differently. When s**t hits the fan, who you surround yourself with, matters. I know I come from a place...2020-10-0404 min