Ep. 040 – Jeremy Slagle – Family, Creativity & Turning Interests Into Opportunities

In this episode, we sit down with designer, illustrator, and longtime Creative South community member Jeremy Slagle to talk about building a creative career by following curiosity wherever it leads.From raising two graphic designers under the same roof to turning a pickleball obsession into real client work, Jeremy shares how some of the biggest opportunities in his career came from personal projects, side interests, and ideas that initially seemed too small to matter.We talk about the value of creative communities, why portfolios should be filled with real work instead of just class assignments, and how pursuing the things you're genuinely excited about can open doors that strategic career planning never could.Jeremy also shares his perspective on parenting creative kids, the lessons he's learned from more than three decades in design, and why showing people what you want to be hired for is still one of the most powerful career strategies available.Along the way, we discuss Creative South, remote work, building expertise through passion projects, and the surprising connection between pickleball and creative entrepreneurship.About Jeremy SlagleJeremy Slagle is a designer, illustrator, and creative director with more than 30 years of experience helping brands tell their stories through thoughtful design and illustration. Based in Columbus, Ohio, he's also an avid pickleball player, longtime Creative South attendee, and passionate advocate for creative community, mentorship, and lifelong learning.Follow Jeremy on InstagramCheck out Jeremy's websiteJoin the Creative Slash Newsletter and Get the 5-Part “Off the Record” email series FREEClick here to get the five-part “Off the Record” email seriesNote: If you're looking for hard-earned advice, resources from top creatives, and the products they can't live without, you're going to love this.Brad WoodardBrad is an illustrator and designer behind Brave the Woods, a full-service studio working with clients like PBS Kids, Ford, Target, and USPS. His bold, playful style and heart-led storytelling shine through everything from brand campaigns to children’s books.View Brave the WoodsDustin LeeDustin is the founder of RetroSupply, a shop for retro-inspired brushes, textures, and digital tools used by tens of thousands of creatives from indie artists to major studios. He shares what it’s really like to run a creative business while keeping it small, weird, and intentional.View RetroSupplyCreditsAudio/video editing: Clara Wright Cover art: Brad WoodardIntro animation: Seth AustinIntro music: “Snakes and Fire” (Instrumental) by Pär Hagström