Jacob Cass started a blog in 2007 as a design student in Sydney, documenting his learning journey. That simple act of sharing imperfect work caught the attention of a New York agency and launched a career designing for Disney, Nike, and Red Bull. Nearly 20 years later, Jacob has traveled to 88 countries as a digital nomad, hosted the Just Branding podcast for six years, and founded Brand Builders Alliance — a thriving membership community serving brand builders across 29 countries.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How a student blog documenting imperfect design work landed Jacob a dream job in New York
• The visa rollercoaster: getting denied in Canada, kicked out of the country, and learning never to get comfortable
• Traveling to 88 countries while working four hours a day as a fully booked visual identity designer
• Why South Africa's private game reserves were the top travel experience
• How losing 90% of his blog traffic became the catalyst for building Brand Builders Alliance
• Why he'd give student Jacob the same advice today: keep sharing where you're at, even when work isn't polished
• Taming the "advice monster" and why asking questions beats giving answers
• Running a global community with four young children: work-life integration and boundaries
• Pivotal moments: getting fired, discovering brand strategy, major setbacks, and adapting
• Why sharing process matters more than polished outcomes
• How podcasting gets easier after doing the reps

Jacob's core philosophy: share your process, not just your final work. Don't wait for impressive results before building an online presence. Share the journey of learning itself and let opportunities find you.

ABOUT JACOB CASS: Jacob is an Australian brand designer, community builder, and founder of Brand Builders Alliance. He started his career with a student blog in 2007 that led to designing for major brands in New York. After several years as a digital nomad traveling to 88 countries, he now co-hosts the Just Branding podcast and leads a membership community focused on helping brand builders master branding and build thriving creative businesses.

CONNECT WITH JACOB:

Brand Builders Alliance: https://joinbba.com

Website: https://justcreative.com

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

Just Branding Podcast: https://justcreative.com/podcast/

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jacobcass

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CAPTNOffScript

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