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In this episode, we sit down with illustrator, designer, and jill of all trades Marisol Ortega for a conversation that’s equal parts honest, hilarious, and deeply relatable for anyone navigating a creative career.

Marisol talks about leaving full-time work (again!) to return to freelance life, why office-centric culture doesn’t support the way many creatives actually think and work, and how being a parent shaped her career decisions. We dig into the reality of juggling big-name clients, managing energy, working with a rep, and building a sustainable freelance practice that doesn’t drain your soul.

She also walks us through her thriving, but intentionally chill, product shop, what she’s learned from vending at events like Adobe MAX, and why she reins herself in on new product ideas. We also get into plant obsessions, tattoo pain scales, imposter syndrome (yes, she feels it too!), and dreaming bigger with kids' apparel and creative collaborations.

All that and more when you listen to this episode:

• Why Marisol officially returned to full-time freelancing this year
• The challenges of in-office creative roles when you’re a parent
• How kindness and not burning bridges led to years of referral-based work
• What it’s really like working with major brands (Target, Pringles, sports teams & more)
• Navigating freelancers’ “ebb and flow” without relying on social media
• How a creative rep supports her business and workload
• Lessons learned from vending at events and deciding what’s worth investing in
• How imposter syndrome shows up even when you’re thriving
• Why her dream projects now involve kids' apparel and playful design
• The power of experimenting, staying in your lane, and keeping your head down at work
• How plants, cooking, and hobbies outside design help her recharge 

Connect with Marisol Ortega

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marisol.ortega/ 

Website: https://www.marisolortega.com/ 

Shop: https://www.marisolortega.com/shop 

Mentioned in this episode:

• Adobe MAX https://www.adobe.com/max.html 
• AIGA Seattle https://seattle.aiga.org/ 
• Renegade Craft https://www.renegadecraft.com/ 
• Aqui Mercado Events https://www.instagram.com/aquimercado.seattle/
• Aaron Draplin https://www.instagram.com/draplin/ 
• Yoto Player https://us.yotoplay.com/ 

Connect with Katie & Ilana from Goodtype

• Goodtype Website
• Goodtype on Instagram
• Goodtype on Youtube

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