We were lucky to catch up with Ben Cena recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Ben thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Is your team able to work remotely? If so, how have you made it work? What, if any, have been the pitfalls? What have been the non-obvious benefits?
Retro Podcast was always remote, and most of the other artists I hired to work on projects and artists I sent requests for interviews. Everything is done remotely, sometimes in person; it all depends, but most of the work is virtual. I started Retro Podcast in 2022, and it has been going since. Now we are on season 3. The only struggle is when you start, you don’t get paid much, but then as time moves on and the more successful you get, that is when you can turn your dream into a living.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I earned my degree from Columbus College of Art and Design and started freelancing as a Junior in college. Retro Podcast, at first, was going to be an online talk show that interviewed both famous people and those who were beginners. Still, thanks to Retro Podcast’s success, I have decided to use Retro Podcast not only as a talk show but also as a freelance business that creates illustrations and short films.
I am most proud of how far I have come after three seasons and self-publishing my first book, Orlando Monster. In November, there will be another book, the first comic book created by Retro Podcast, titled Night at North Pole.
What has made my clients proud is that they love the illustrations; I don’t know what they like about them, but they love the retro illustrations I create for them.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
We have another campaign coming out soon, this one for Retro Podcast Studios. This campaign will help finish the podcast journey, and I am hoping it will go as far as it can. Also, this campaign will help complete the illustrations and short films Retro Podcast is creating, along with the comic books we create.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
The best source about my new clients is that it all starts with people you know and people who are interested in your work. I don’t refer to all of them as my clients; most of them I refer to as my collaborators because projects are not a one-person job. It takes a team of people you can trust to finish a project you are passionate about the most, and you need those people to help you on your journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://retropodcast.godaddysites.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retro_ben_cena/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-cena-3459971b2/
- Twitter: https://www.youtube.com/@retropodcast8740
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@retropodcast8740
Image Credits
All images are owned and created by Ben Cena