In this episode, Joe Baron speaks directly to the listener and breaks down eight lessons gathered from Jalen Brunson's postseason, covering how confidence is built, what pressure is really telling you, why sacrifice is the strategy, and the 0-0 mindset that carried the Knicks to a championship. These lessons were there when Jalen Brunson walked into his post-game interview especially after Game 4 in the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. It wasn't about basketball. It was a leadership philosophy.

Whether you're managing a team, running a creative business, or just trying to grow your career these principles apply. Brunson demonstrated every single one of them under the highest pressure possible. Here's what you can take from it.

Topics covered:

— Confidence comes from work ethic, not the moment

— Pressure as a signal, not just a feeling

— How the best leaders think about worst-case outcomes

— Chasing wins over accolades

— Sacrifice as a leadership strategy

— Work ethic across roles and titles

— Why doubters don't deserve your energy

— The 0-0 mindset and what it looks like professionally

Chapters

0:00 — Intro — A Leadership Manual, Not a Basketball Story

0:33 — Who Is Joe Baron / Branded Baron + Mark It 2 Me

1:13 — Setting the Scene

2:12 — Lesson 1: Confidence Comes From Your Work Ethic

2:35 — Lesson 2: Pressure Means You Stopped Preparing

3:03 — Lesson 3: Think About the Worst Outcome — Then Move On

3:32 — Lesson 4: Stop Chasing Accolades. Chase Wins.

4:00 — Lesson 5: Sacrifice for Your People Pays Off

4:52 — Lesson 6: Your Work Ethic Doesn't Change With Your Role

5:17 — Lesson 7: The Doubters Don't Deserve a Response

5:53 — Lesson 8: You Never Know What's Possible If You Keep Working

6:46 — The 0-0 Mindset

7:29 — Branded Baron Insight + Outro

CONNECT WITH US:

Connect with Joe Baron:

BrandedBaron.com

Sign Up to the Newsletter:

https://eepurl.com/iT2gyY

Mark It 2 Me Website:
https://markit2me.com/

Key Takeaways

• Confidence is the byproduct of preparation

• Pressure that paralyzes you is almost always a preparation problem.

• The best leaders absorb friction, pass the credit, and take the blame. That's the job.

• The 0-0 mindset means resetting after every win and every loss and only the next task exists.

• Most creative careers stall not from lack of talent but from a premature stop. Keep chipping away.

Host Joe Baron sits down with Cleveland muralist and illustrator Lisa Quine for a conversation about how she built a mural business that actually works and what she's doing now to get back to the creative work that fills her up. From landing the Cleveland Guardians to writing a book to designing a Phantom of the Opera cover, Lisa's career has never followed a straight line. That's kind of the point.

What we cover:

• How Lisa went from chalkboards and lettering to 150+ murals and counting
• The Cleveland Guardians mural trilogy — and how Progressive Insurance got involved
• Why she invested nearly five figures in SEO and how it's paying off
• Her approach to presenting one concept (and why it works)
• Balancing commercial work with the creative identity underneath it
• What makes a truly great art director or creative director to work with
• The solo art show coming in November — A to Z, every letter a chapter
• Rapid fire Questions: favorite books, paint markers, and more!

Timestamps / Chapters

• 0:00 — Intro
• 1:52 — Lisa's reaction to the intro
• 2:13 — The Third Cleveland Guardians mural
• 5:25 — Balancing two brands in one mural
• 8:18 — Painting a Cleveland Guardians mural than T-shirt
• 9:05 — Throwing out the first pitch. Twice.
• 11:31 — From chalkboards to murals: how it happened
• 13:25 — Outdoor vs. office murals
• 15:18 — How Lisa actually gets work
• 19:04 — Staying current without chasing trends
• 24:21 — Presenting one concept vs. multiple directions
• 27:19 — What clients are like when they've never worked with a mural artist
• 30:50 — What makes a great art director to work with
• 33:47 — What people don't expect about painting murals
• 38:04 — Smart business cards
• 40:34 — Big Magic, ideas, and the cost of not executing
• 43:26 — The Dreamy Castles deck of cards (still in progress)
• 47:32 — Lisa Quine, published author of Vintage Hand Lettering
• 51:44 — Designing the cover of Our Strange Duet for Andrew Lloyd Webber's team
• 55:09 — ABC Around CLE: painting letters with Posca markers on canvas
• 57:30 — Speaking at conferences and building authority (or not)
• 1:01:15 — The November solo show: A to Z, the full story
• 1:04:06 — Craft but Struggling
• 1:06:11 — Rapid Fire

Follow Us

Lisa Quine is a Cleveland-based muralist, illustrator, and author known for bringing strategy, joy, and bold design to blank spaces. Named Best Artist in Cleveland in 2024, she's completed over 150 murals across the US and internationally, collaborated with brands including the Cleveland Guardians, Cleveland Cavaliers, DoorDash, Meta, Mercedes-Benz, and the Holiday Inn, and authored Vintage Hand Lettering.

• Website: lisaquine.com
• Instagram: @lisaquine
• LinkedIn: Lisa Quine
• TikTok: @lisaquine

Joe Baron - Creative Director of the design and marketing New York boutique agency Branded Baron and host of Mark It 2 Me
• Website: brandedbaron.com

• Instagram: @brandedbaron

Mark It 2 Me Website

https://markit2me.com/

Jason Carne has been doing lettering professionally for two decades. His client list reads like a mashup of a record store, a sports bar, and a spirits cabinet — and that range isn't accidental. It's the result of staying a student of lettering long after most people would've gotten comfortable. In this conversation, Jason and Joe get into how that career actually gets built: the early days doing hardcore merch, the pivot toward packaging and branding, the Stanley Cup project that came in during COVID and somehow still landed, and the ongoing challenge of positioning yourself without losing what makes your work yours.

• Jason started in design through the NJ hardcore and metal scene ( making flyers, album art, and MySpace layouts for friends' bands
• The Stanley Cup project came through Fan Brandz (via a conference connection with Mike Sulik), got shelved when COVID hit, and was quietly approved once sports resumed
• When he works with big names (Harley-Davidson, NHL, Wu-Tang ) he's rarely talking directly to them. There's always a layer between. Know what you're claiming and how.
• Closer and Closer reps him; roughly 50% of his work comes through them, the rest direct
• He's currently repositioning his site to focus on two things: high-end spirits packaging and logo/branding work
• Carmel Type Co fonts (including Botanist, Railroad Company)
• The Lettering Library to preserve lettering and design from the past.
• His ideal art director gives some guardrails, then trusts the creative like the positive experience working with Joe Baron
• When work slows down: focus on personal work, fill gaps with less glamorous jobs, and reach back out to clients you already have relationships with

"Give me some guardrails, but trust me enough to do my thing." - Jason Carne

0:00 - Preview
0:04- Intro
1:19 - Influence of the Hardcore Scene on Design
2:34 - Tom was everyone's 1st friend
3:01 - Creative Challenges in High-Stake Projects
4:12 - The Stanley Cup Project
5:45 - Working with Smaller Agencies vs. Big Brands
7:50 - Navigating Client Relationships and Expectations
8:52 - Lettering is Easy
12:52 - Relationships in the Creative Industry
16:57 - Quality Work and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
19:45 - Client Needs vs. Personal Vision
22:19 - Marketing Yourself as a designer
25:10 - Art Representation
28:26 - Navigating NDAs
30:07 - Jason Carne's Type Foundry
33:08 - The Business of Fonts
35:57 - Preserving Design History with the Lettering Library
40:02 - Art Directors nailing it like Joe Baron
44:46 - Adapting to Slow Periods
45:18 - Rapid Fire Questions

Connect with US

https://markit2me.com/

Jason Carne

http://jasoncarne.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jasoncarne

Behance: https://behance.net/jasoncarne

Joe Baron

https://www.brandedbaron.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandedbaron/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/brandedbaron

Jason Frostholm is a graphic designer, educator, and former podcast host based in Mobile, Alabama. He did his undergrad at the University of South Alabama, went back for his master's during the pandemic, and spent several years teaching design full-time at a local Jesuit institution. His thesis focused on integrating business principles into design education — and it shows in how he structures his courses. He's worked in-house at an engineering firm, run a referral-based freelance practice, and attended Creative South (where he and Joe first crossed paths). He's still designing, still teaching, and still thinking hard about how to set the next generation of creatives up for the real thing.

Guest Info & Links

Website: jasonfrostholm.com

Studio: ildisdesign.com

Social: @jfrostholm

Chapter Timestamps

00:00 Cold open — production work & the reality of design jobs

00:15 Welcome to Mark It 2 Me + intro of Jason Frostholm

01:13 What made Jason want to teach

03:45 Teaching to each student differently

06:22S ketching — paper vs. digital, and why it still matters

10:44 Students as clients — why that framing is wrong

13:27 Writing creative briefs (and making students write them)

16:4 8What design schools are missing: the business side

21:43 What new designers don't understand about the job

23:59Being proactive, following up, and not waiting for work to appear

29:27 Tools don't make the designer — the Canva debate

33:50 Presenting work: why students hate it and how to fix it

36:44 Production work, in-house reality, and entry-level truth

39:27 Advice for landing your first design job

42:27 Conferences, workshops, and always be learning

43:57Rapid fire Questions

Notable Quotes

"Most design jobs out there are either production or in-house. Landing a huge client and becoming the next Draplin is few and far between."

— Jason Frostholm

"My job is to facilitate an environment where they can discover [their process] for themselves. There's no right or wrong process."

— Jason Frostholm

Find Jason at @jfrostholm on social and jasonfrostholm.com. His studio is at ildisdesign.com.

Mark It 2 Me is hosted by Joe Baron of Branded Baron.

BrandedBaron.com

Follow the show, leave a review, and if this episode hit — share it with someone who's still in school or just starting out.

Anthony “Biggie” Bencomo — Owner and CSO (Chief Sandwich Officer) of Deli Fresh Threads — joins Mark It 2 Me to talk about building a concept-driven apparel brand rooted in nostalgia, packaging experience, and real-world community.

From launching KnightMare Apparel at the University of Central Florida in 1997 to founding Deli Fresh Threads in 2013, Biggie shares lessons learned from nearly three decades of entrepreneurship. He breaks down how turning a sandwich into a brand universe led to restaurant partnerships, monthly SandwichEatUp events, and a loyal following built through connection — not just content.

We dive into:
• Why packaging is marketing
• The power of community over paid ads
• Hard lessons in production and inventory
• Expanding beyond parody into sports-inspired designs
• Transparency in small brand building
• What it really means to measure success

This episode isn’t about sandwiches, it’s about turning a product into a place.

CONNECT WITH US

Guest Info

Anthony "Biggie" Bencomo

Website: http://delifreshthreads.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/delifreshthreads/

Host Info
Joe Baron
Website: https://www.brandedbaron.com/

Mark It 2 Me
Website: http://markit2me.com/
instagram - / markit2me

In Part 2 of this conversation, Joe Baron continues his discussion with logo designer, author, and Logo Geek founder Ian Paget.

The episode picks up as Ian shares the thinking behind his book, including an overlooked intermediate step in the logo design process that helps clients better understand creative decisions. From there, the conversation expands into self-publishing, his Kickstarter experience, and the realities of using Amazon KDP.

Joe and Ian also discuss design awards, industry trends, and why designers should focus less on gatekeeping and more on helping the next generation grow.

The conversation ends with some fun conversation on pop culture and history as Ian discusses his fandom for Star Wars and meeting Mark Hamill as well as Stan Lee and moon walking astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• The missing “intermediate step” in logo design
• Why Ian wrote his book and what designers should take from it
• Lessons from launching a Kickstarter campaign
• Pros and cons of Amazon KDP and print-on-demand
• Why community matters in creative careers
• Thoughts on design awards and industry credibility
• Easy hack to win design awards
• The problem with “fixing” brand logos
• Why sharing knowledge matters
• Getting an autograph from Buzz Aldrin
• What Mark Hamill is really like
• What makes a good logo
• Ian talks about his logos
• Does it matter if you go to school for design

0:00 - Preview
0:10 - Intro
0:46 - New Book and Presenting Concepts
11:35 - Awards and how to win them
20:21 - What makes a good logo - Logo Reviews
32:42 - Ian talks about his logos
39:53 - Not going to University for Design
44:12 - 16 Year Old Me would learn AI Tools
50:07 - Running a Science T-shirt Company
52:31 - Moon Landings and Buzz Aldrin
56:16 - Star Wars Fan
59:31 - Meeting Stan Lee
1:01:58 - Leaving a Legacy

Website: https://logogeek.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/logogeek

Website: https://www.brandedbaron.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandedbaron

Website: https://www.markit2me.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markit2me

If you haven’t already, check out Part 1 of this conversation where we discuss:

• Mental health in the creative industry
• The reality behind “fixing” brand logos
• Why creative block might not actually exist
• The importance of community

What does it actually take to build something meaningful as a creative without burning yourself out in the process?

In this episode of Mark It 2 Me, I sit down with logo designer, educator, and founder of Logo Geek, Ian Paget, to break down the early stages of his journey to building a respected platform within the design community.

We talk about how he got started in graphic design, the realities of freelancing, and what it takes to stay consistent long enough to see real progress.

A major part of this conversation also focuses on mental health. the pressure creatives face, the importance of work-life balance, and why taking care of yourself is just as important as developing your skills.

Ian shares insights on overcoming creative block, why it’s often more about mindset than ability, and how building a supportive community can change the trajectory of your career.

This isn’t a conversation about shortcuts or overnight success. It’s about the long game, building something sustainable, staying grounded, and creating work that actually lasts.

If you’re a designer, freelancer, or creative trying to find clarity in your path while protecting your mental well-being, this episode will resonate.

Ian Paget

Website: https://logogeek.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/logogeek/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianpaget/

Joe Baron

Website: https://www.brandedbaron.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandedbaron/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/brandedbaron

Mark It 2 Me

Website: https://markit2me.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/markit2me

• Ian Paget’s journey into graphic design
• From warehouse job to building Logo Geek
• The realities of freelance design and early career growth
• Mental health in the creative industry
• Work-life balance and avoiding burnout
• Creative block and why it’s often a mindset issue
• The importance of community for designers
• Staying consistent and building something over time

Mark It 2 Me explores how working creatives turn their work into brands, careers, and creative communities.

In this episode of Mark It 2 Me, I sit down with Brianna Calero, founder of Pastel Creative and Fractional CMO, to unpack what real strategic marketing leadership actually looks like.

We talk about the difference between visibility and authority, why most companies chase acquisition instead of retention, and how serving your “super fans” can build stronger revenue than chasing mass audiences.

Brianna shares how she transitioned from wanting to be a pastry chef to becoming a growth engine for founders, how she approaches market intelligence before building strategy, and why she believes discernment is more profitable than hype.

We also dive into marketing alignment, authenticity in business, and the mindset shift that separates sustainable growth from hustle culture.

If you’re a founder, creative, or marketer trying to build authority instead of just traffic this conversation is for you.

Guest Info

Brianna Calero - https://pastelcreative.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/pastel-creative/

Host Info

Joe Baron - https://www.brandedbaron.com/

Mark It 2 Me instagram - https://instagram.com/markit2me