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

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