What if I Left Full-Time to Freelance? with Marisol Ortega | The Typecast Episode 61

Send us Fan MailIn 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 yearThe challenges of in-office creative roles when you’re a parentHow kindness and not burning bridges led to years of referral-based workWhat it’s really like working with major brands (Target, Pringles, sports teams & more)Navigating freelancers’ “ebb and flow” without relying on social mediaHow a creative rep supports her business and workloadLessons learned from vending at events and deciding what’s worth investing inHow imposter syndrome shows up even when you’re thrivingWhy her dream projects now involve kids' apparel and playful designThe power of experimenting, staying in your lane, and keeping your head down at workHow plants, cooking, and hobbies outside design help her recharge Connect with Marisol OrtegaInstagram: 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 GoodtypeGoodtype WebsiteGoodtype on InstagramGoodtype on YoutubeWe wrote a book! Grab a copy and sign up to access the audiobook when we release it!Love The Typecast and free stuff? Leave a review, and send a screenshot of it to us on Slack. Each month we pick a random reviewer to win a Goodtype Goodie! Goodies include merch, courses and Kernference tickets!Leave us a review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the showTag us on Instagram @GoodtypeFollow us on Tiktok @lovegoodtypeLearn from Katie and IlanaGrab your tea, coffee, or drink of choice, kick back, and let's get down to business!