WHAT DOES YOUR MUM THINK

What Does Your Mum Think is a podcast about finding your thing and having the courage not to give up on it. How it feels on the inside, not how it looks on the outside. Hosted by Sheps, each episode sits down with creatives, mischievous misfits and doers to unpack the messy middle: the doubts, failures, pivots and breakthroughs that shaped their success. Not the polished version. The real version. The bit where nobody knows if it's going to work.

WHAT DOES YOUR MUM THINK is a arts podcast hosted by Kristian Shepherd, with 59 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Kristian Shepherd hosts WHAT DOES YOUR MUM THINK, a arts show with 59 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  WHAT DOES YOUR MUM THINK

  Motion That Moves, Going Freelance, Betting on Yourself, Leaving Certainty Behind — Justin Sottile

  Sep 2, 202658 min

  We sit down with Justin Sottile — multidisciplinary creative, motion designer, illustrator, he does a lot! We have an honest conversation about betting on yourself and leaving certainty behind. Justin opens up about discovering motion design, building his career through curiosity and self-initiated work, and the decision to leave the security of a senior role to go freelance. We explore the difference between motion that simply looks good and work that genuinely moves people, the realities of building a client base, and why being multidisciplinary has opened more doors rather than closed them. Expect honest lessons on self-doubt, moonlighting, trusting your instincts and knowing when it’s time to leave something good for something uncertain. There will never be a perfect time to take the leap. Confidence comes from doing the work, not waiting until you feel ready. Want more from Justin? Follow his work for motion design, illustration, filmmaking and a look behind the scenes as he builds the next chapter of his creative career. Guest: Justin Sottile Website: https://www.justinsottile.com/ Subscribe: If you liked this episode, subscribe to WDYMT for more honest conversations with creatives. Like, comment and share — and tell us about a time you chose to bet on yourself. Follow WDYMT: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wdymt_official/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatdoesyourmumthink Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UQ1fAYGya2gOpUlyXSaPk Subscribe on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube Produced by: What Does Your Mum Think

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  Episode #66

  Branding without Bullsh*t, Beating Addiction, Effort Is Free, F*ck algorithms, intentional moves - James Martin

  Aug 19, 20261h 36m

  Content Warning: This episode includes conversations about addiction and sexual abuse. Some listeners may find these topics distressing, so please take care while listening. We sit down with James Martin — designer, author, educator and the voice behind Made By James — for a raw, warm conversation about reinvention, recovery and the stubborn daily work that built a movement. James opens up about his early struggles, addiction and healing, the moment design became a lifeline, and the habits behind “Effort Is Free.” Expect honest lessons on building brands, writing books, growing an audience without losing yourself, and the quiet truths of fatherhood and creativity. Practical takeaways, memorable stories (yes, the gold tooth), and real talk about showing up. Want more from James? Head to MadeByJames.co for his books (including No Bullshit Branding), courses and frameworks — follow him on Instagram for sketches, process and honest writing. Pre‑order the new book and tell us which line stayed with you. Guest: James Martin (Made By James) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebyjames/ Website / Books: https://madebyjames.co Subscribe: If you liked this, subscribe to WDYMT for more honest chats with creatives. Like, comment and share. Tell us which part of James’s story hit you hardest. Follow WDYMT: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wdymt_official/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatdoesyourmumthink?_r=1&_t=ZT-94iK53fLAPF Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UQ1fAYGya2gOpUlyXSaPk Subscribe on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube Produced by: What Does Your Mum Think

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  Episode #65

  Knicks logo designer, KISS Album covers, Disney titles, Five decades of pencil‑first craft - Michael Doret

  Aug 5, 20261h 15m

  Today's guest is a legend of lettering and logo design. For more than five decades Michael Doret has made iconic marks—from the New York Knicks to KISS album art and Disney title treatments. Long before computers, he perfected a hand-drawn approach that gives his work lasting personality. In this episode we unpack his Cooper Union beginnings, mentors like Ed Benguiat and Milton Glaser, and why craft and observation still beat shortcuts. We cover: Childhood in Brooklyn: Coney Island, Times Square, neon signs Family influences and early visual obsessions Cooper Union and finding a career in design Learning the craft: hand-drawing, photo-lettering, pencil-first process Key mentors and early jobs (Sol Schwartz, Ed Benguiat, Milton Glaser) Early freelance work and first logos The Knicks logo: brief, process, legacy KISS album art and long-term collaborations Disney title work and cinematic lettering Guest:Michael DoretWebsite: https://www.michaeldoret.com/logos Book: Growing Up in Alphabet City Subscribe:If you liked this, subscribe to WDYMT for more honest chats with creatives. Like, comment and share — and drop a question for Michael below. Follow WDYMT:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wdymt_official/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatdoesyourmumthink Spotify / Apple Podcasts / YouTube: What Does Your Mum Think

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  Episode #64

  Koto’s secret sauce, Failures into wins, Staying Optimistic, Obsessively making - Arthur Foliard

  Jul 22, 20261h 19m

  In this episode I sit down with Arthur Foliard, Executive Creative Director at Koto, to dig into a non-linear creative career built on obsession, taste and risk. From failing his baccalauréat and moving to San Francisco barely speaking English, to bruising spells at Pentagram and Moving Brands, to helping grow Koto into one of today’s most influential studios — Arthur’s story is full of hard lessons, big wins and practical thinking for anyone working in brand and design. We cover: Growing up in Paris and teaching himself design Why he moved to SF and how internships shaped his career The Pentagram and Moving Brands chapters — what nearly made him quit Going freelance, then joining Koto and helping build the NYC studio Leading a team, culture, and creative process at scale Typography, motion, and why “typography is the real brand” Big projects: Bolt, Amazon and the power of personality in systems Illustration, life with son Léo, and the million-dollar question: what does his mum think? Guest: Arthur Foliard Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurfoliard Koto: https://www.koto.studio Subscribe: If you liked this, subscribe to WDYMT for more honest chats with creatives. Like, comment and share — and drop a question for Arthur below. Follow WDYMT: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/wdymt_official/⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@whatdoesyourmumthink?_r=1&_t=ZT-94iK53fLAPF Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UQ1fAYGya2gOpUlyXSaPk⁠ Subscribe on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube Produced by: What Does Your Mum Think

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  Episode #63

  Fearlessly creating & beating perfection, Living with Type 1 Diabetes, Movie prop design - Rachel Cartledge

  Jul 15, 20261h 2m

  Listen for tactile nostalgia, honest career pivots, and practical takeaways for creatives building work that feels both playful and purposeful. Today I’m chatting with Rach Cart — Edinburgh‑based freelance designer, illustrator and motion artist. Rach has worked with brands like Adobe, Famous grouse and Newcastle FC, builds immersive movie‑prop collections, and created the Food For Thought pop‑up to teach people about Type 1 diabetes through nostalgic packaging and playful products. We talk about making projects that teach, how to build a business by doing, and why fearless creativity wins. We talk about: Growing up and building a creative practice in Edinburgh From uni to agency life to freelancing — lessons learned on the way Food For Thought: turning lived experience with Type 1 diabetes into a meaningful pop‑up and product work Movie‑prop design: process, references and building tactile collections Creating content that leads to clients and opportunities Freelance finances, beating perfectionism, and advice for grads What’s next: bigger productions, physical products, or more social‑led work? The important question: what does your mum think? Guest: Rachel Cartledge (Rach Cart) https://www.instagram.com/rachcartdesign/ www.rachcart.com Subscribe: If you liked this, subscribe to WDYMT for more honest chats with creatives. Like, comment and share. Follow WDYMT: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wdymt_official/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whatdoesyourmumthink Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4UQ1fAYGya2gOpUlyXSaPk Subscribe: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube Produced by: What Does Your Mum Think

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