Podcast Awesome

In this episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt sits down with Ed and Francis to talk through three newly shipped Font Awesome features that are small, practical, and just the right amount of fun. They dig into individual PNG downloads, a new global color picker for previewing icons in brand colors, and the wonderfully playful User Blender, which lets you mix and match heads, bodies, and styles to create custom user icons for your kit.Along the way, they unpack the thinking behind each feature, how these updates connect to Icon Wizard and the broader Font Awesome 7.2 release, and why shaving off a few annoying workflow steps can make life noticeably better for designers and developers. There’s also an unexpected side quest into Ed’s cameo in his son’s YouTube channel, because apparently every product update deserves a B-plot. 🎬If you want to actually see these features in action, there’s also an extended video version on YouTube with demos. But this audio-only episode still gives you the full behind-the-scenes story, the practical use cases, and all the delightful nerdery you’d expect from the Awesomeverse.What We Cover in This Episode🎨 How the new global color picker makes previewing icon colors much easier🖼️ Why individual PNG downloads are a handy addition for quick icon grabs🧑‍🚀 How User Blender lets you create custom user icons with random and manual combinations🧩 How these features build on ideas from Icon Wizard💻 Why small workflow improvements can have a big impact for teams🧪 How playful side projects sometimes turn into genuinely useful features🎬 Ed’s surprise side quest into low-budget cinematic gloryTimestamps00:00 Welcome to Podcast Awesome 00:20 Introducing the episode and today’s guests 00:45 The three new features: PNG downloads, color picker, and User Blender 01:10 Francis makes a Podcast Awesome debut 01:40 Looking back at Ed’s previous appearances and Icon Wizard history 02:10 Why individual PNG downloads were added 03:00 When and why someone might want PNG instead of SVG 04:10 The idea behind the new global color picker 05:00 Previewing brand colors across icon search results 05:40 Using the color picker on category pages and kits 06:10 Duotone controls, secondary colors, opacity, reset, and swatches 07:10 Reusing Web Awesome tools inside Font Awesome 07:50 How color settings carry over across different areas 08:20 How the color picker affects code snippets and icon styling 08:55 Meet User Blender 09:20 How randomizing and mixing custom user icons works 10:00 Available styles and future expansion plans 10:40 Why User Blender is both useful and toy-like in the best possible way 11:15 How the feature grew out of a snuggle and Icon Wizard success 12:00 A call for community creations and creative icon mashups 12:40 How these features fit into the Font Awesome 7.2 release 13:10 Ed’s unexpected acting career and his son’s YouTube side quest 14:00 Wrap-up and where to share your creationsYouTube episode with visual examples: https://youtu.be/NDsqZozkn3A Font Awesome: https://fontawesome.com/Browse Font Awesome Icons: https://fontawesome.com/iconsLearn about Kits: https://fontawesome.com/kitsExplore Web Awesome: https://webawesome.com/Contact the team: hello@fontawesome.comTheme music by Ronnie Martin: https://ronniemartin.org/Interstitial music by Zach Malm: https://muzach.bandcamp.com/BowziTV: https://www.youtube.com/@BowziTVStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

Eleventy is becoming Build Awesome — and Zach Leatherman is here to explain what that actually means.In this episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt has a chat with Zach about the Build Awesome Kickstarter, why this rebrand is part of building a sustainable future for the open source project, and what changes (and what doesn’t) for people already running Eleventy sites.You’ll hear Zach break down the backwards compatibility promise, the Eleventy v3 → Build Awesome v4 upgrade path, and what Build Awesome Pro adds—especially for teams who want an easier publishing workflow and a smoother way for non-technical collaborators to edit content.Plus: behind-the-scenes stories from filming the Kickstarter video in LA, including the cast/crew magic, a hot dog cake, and the origin story of the Awesome 'Possum.🗒️ What We Cover in This Episode🚀 Eleventy is becoming Build Awesome (and why Zach says this is the sustainable future of the project) 🧩 What changes vs. what stays the same (and the “no panic” promise) 🔁 Backwards compatibility: your existing Eleventy sites still work ⬆️ Upgrade path: what moving from Eleventy v3 → Build Awesome v4 looks like 🧰 What Build Awesome is (website generation that can be simple or powerful) 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Build Awesome Pro: one-stop publishing + collab for non-technical editors ✍️ In-browser editing: fixing content directly on page w/o a separate CMS feel) 💸 Funding open source without burnout (+ why the “Font Awesome formula” works) 🎬 Kickstarter fun: filming in LA, cast/crew magic, and the cake/hot dog metaphor 🦝 Meet the Awesome 'Possum (mascot origins + brand homage) 🎁 How to support: tiers, swag, and where to go next⏱️ Timestamps0:00 - Cold Open: Build Awesome Kickstarter Announcement 0:08 - Eleventy → Build Awesome (What This Episode Covers) 0:40 - The Big News (Zach’s Announcement) 1:25 - Joining the Awesomeverse (and why it matters) 2:50 - Funding Open Source Without Burnout 4:20 - What Build Awesome Is (and who it’s for) 6:05 - Build Awesome Pro: Publishing + Collaboration Tools 7:20 - Backwards Compatibility: Your Eleventy Sites Still Work 8:10 - Upgrade Path: Eleventy v3 → Build Awesome v4 10:05 - Why Pro Features Make the Free Core Better 12:10 - In-Browser Editing: The “edit right on the site” experience 13:25 - Kickstarter Fun: Shooting the Launch Video in LA 15:40 - Cast, Crew, and the Cake/Hot Dog Metaphor 18:55 - Meet the Awesome Possum (Mascot Origins + Brand Homage) 20:40 - How to Support: Where to Go + Tiers + Swag 22:40 - Wrap-Up + What to Watch NextLinks & ResourcesBuild Awesome KickstarterEleventy / Build AwesomeFont AwesomeWeb AwesomeStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

In this episode, Matt and Jory sit down with UK-based icon designer + illustrator Vic Bell to talk about the brand-new Font Awesome icon pack, Graphite — a loose, hand-drawn set that brings texture, depth, and a whole lot of human personality to iconography.If you’ve ever tried to balance clarity vs. creativity, or wondered how icons can feel more like typefaces with different “voices”, this one’s for you. 🎧🗒️ What We Cover in This Episode👋 How Vic and Jory connected✏️ Designing Font Awesome Pro Plus packs and how “Small Batch” became a thing🧠 Vic’s creative journey: trends, taste, and identity🏠 Why icons are storytelling at micro-scale⚖️ The tension between clarity and creativity🧰 Illustrator vs. Figma for icon design📲 Custom brushes and iPad sidecar workflows🕒 Timestamps0:00 - Introduction and Welcome0:46 - How Vic and Jory Connected2:48 - Font Awesome Icon Packs Overview5:42 - Vic's Creative Journey and Evolution7:45 - The Hand-Drawn "Graphite" Icon Style10:17 - Reflections on Icon Design as a Career13:41 - Childhood Influences and the Magic of Small Things17:18 - Creative Process and Personalization22:19 - Trusting the Creative Process23:32 - Project Validation and Creative Freedom25:15 - Technical Challenges and Implementation26:23 - Future of Font Awesome Icon Packs30:52 - Illustrator vs. Figma for Icon Design31:28 - Creating Custom Brushes and Using iPad38:38 - Balancing Clarity and Creativity in Icon Design47:37 - Releasing Icon Packs and Delayed Gratification🔗 Links & ResourcesVic Bell: / vic_bellFont Awesome: https://fontawesome.com/Web Awesome: https://webawesome.com/Theme music by Ronnie MartinInterstitial music by Zach MalmStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

Eleventy started as a side project. Now it’s a critical infrastructure for thousands of websites.TL;DR: Open source isn’t broken. But the way we fund it often is. Let’s talk about what actually works.In this episode, we sit down with Zach Leatherman, creator of Eleventy (11ty), to talk honestly about what happens after open source succeeds. From nap-time coding and nights-and-weekends maintenance to venture capital pressure, burnout risk, and the reality of funding long-lived developer tools, this conversation digs into the cultural and financial tradeoffs behind modern open source.We cover sustainability, community expectations, funding models that don’t rely on hockey-stick growth, and why “free forever” only works if the people behind the project can stay whole humans.🎙️ What We Cover in This Episode🧠 How Eleventy grew from a side project into a widely depended-on tool⚖️ The maintainer’s dilemma: growth, responsibility, and personal sustainability💸 Why venture capital and hockey-stick growth often fail dev tools🔥 Burnout, boundaries, and being accountable to a global user base🏡 Balancing family life with open source maintenance🔁 Different funding models: donations, sponsorships, Pro tools, and tradeoffs🌱 What sustainable open source can look like long-term🔮 What’s ahead for Eleventy and its next chapter⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Introductions and why open source sustainability matters01:47 – Eleventy’s early days and unexpected adoption04:32 – When a “side project” becomes critical infrastructure06:42 – Corporate usage, expectations, and hidden pressure10:08 – Family life, burnout risk, and personal boundaries14:17 – Funding models: donations vs. sustainability18:45 – Venture capital, acquisitions, and hockey-stick growth myths23:33 – Lessons from Gatsby, Astro, and the dev tools ecosystem26:25 – Why sustainable open source must tie to real value30:26 – A healthier path forward for maintainers and communities33:20 – What’s next for Eleventy🔗 Links & ResourcesEleventy (11ty)Font AwesomeWeb Awesome🎵 Theme music by Ronnie Martin🎹 Interstitial music by Zach Malm🎥 Video support by Isaac ChaseStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

Happy New Year from the Awesomeverse! In this episode, Matt and Jory kick off 2026 by recapping all the wild, weird, and wonderful things that happened across Font Awesome and Web Awesome in 2025. From the launch of FA7 and small-batch icon packs to a possum puppet mascot (yes, really), they reflect on the big (and small batch) wins, behind-the-scenes hilarity, and creative experiments that made the year unforgettable. Oh, and if you're wondering what it's like to direct a hot dog-eating scene at a Kickstarter video shoot? We’ve got that covered too.TL;DR: New icons, big upgrades, hilarious videos, brainy guests, possum puppets, and one heck of a year. 🧠 What We Cover in This Episode🎉 Reflecting on FA7 upgrades🧪 The rise of Pro Plus and its small batch icon packs (Etch! Jelly! Not Dog!)🎥 Behind-the-scenes on the F.A.C.U. cinematic universe and the FA7 shoot (hot dog suit included)🧩 How the newsletter icon puzzle took on a life of its own🧰 The official Web Awesome launch and what’s next🧠 Brainy takes on icon cognition from Dr. Brian Glenny🐾 The birth of Awesome Possum, our unofficial but fully fabulous mascot📦 Teasers for what’s coming in 2026: More icons, more components, and more fun⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Post-holiday haze & back in the podcast saddle 02:00 – FA7 highlights: Pro Plus packs + icon design overhaul 04:30 – Icon Pack breakdown: Etch, Jelly, Not Dog, and beyond 06:00 – Behind-the-scenes filming stories from the FA7 Kickstarter video 10:00 – Web Awesome officially launches! 12:30 – How the Awesome Possum was born 16:00 – The rise of the icon puzzle & newsletter hijinks 24:00 – Standout guests from the past season + the philosophy of icon design 28:00 – Accessibility icons, graffiti activism, and symbol cognition 30:00 – What’s coming in 2026: New icon packs, new components, and new surprises 32:00 – The Awesome Possum signs us off (kinda)🔗 Links & ResourcesCheck out the FA7 Launch VideoLearn more about Pro PlusBuild with Web AwesomeSubscribe to our Newsletter (get the puzzle!)Jory’s Puzzle Book: “Goes Without Saying”Behind-the-scenes of the FA7 ShootThe Accessibility Icon Project 🎵 Theme music by Ronnie Martin🎹 Interstitial music by Zach Malm🎥 Video support by Isaac ChaseStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

What is nerdery, really? 🤓 In this episode of Podcast Awesome, we dig into the heart of Font Awesome’s culture — inclusive nerdery. It's not about lone geniuses or command line gatekeepers. It’s about heart, curiosity, humility, and building awesome things with other people. 💛👾 You'll hear from FA team members Dave and Travis, plus a few snippets from topics we've covered on our blog and internal convos, all woven together to show how we:🎯 Hire for character over cleverness🔍 Celebrate deep curiosity (hello, nutrition nerds and D&D geeks!)🎉 Create space for serious play through our legendary team "Snuggles"🧠 Foster creativity through snack-sized projects like the Icon Wizard and Space Awesome gameThis episode is for anyone building company culture, or just trying to figure out how to lead with humanity in a techy world.✨ Icons may not change the world, but good people just might.🔍 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:00:00 – Welcome to Nerdery™02:00 – Defining what "nerd" means to us04:00 – Why we hire adults, not rockstars06:00 – Our 3-step hiring philosophy08:00 – Why we host company “Snuggles” (not summits!)10:00 – FARTS, the Icon Wizard & how fun leads to innovation12:00 – Space Awesome: building games on company time (and learning VueJS to boot!)14:00 – Why forced culture doesn’t work16:00 – A culture that’s built to last🔗 Mentioned in the Episode:🧙‍♂️ Space Awesome – FA dev projecthttps://spaceawesome.io/ 🛠 Our Hiring Philosophyhttps://blog.fontawesome.com/company-... ✨ The Icon Wizardhttps://blog.fontawesome.com/icon-wiz... 💼 More About FA Company Culturehttps://blog.fontawesome.com/nerdery/🎵 Theme music by Ronnie Martin🎹 Interstitial music by Zach Malm🎥 Video support by Isaac ChaseStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

🎬 What do Star Wars, oil painting, and storytelling have in common? Turns out: everything. In this curiosity-fueled episode, filmmaker and multi-hyphenate creative Andy Maier (Soon Agency) joins host Matt Johnson to talk about building a life powered by relentless learning, visual storytelling, and the kind of curiosity that launches careers 🚀.From working with Apple, SpaceX, and Microsoft to touring in his metal band Opponent and picking up oil painting during a creative pivot — Andy is the living embodiment of “just figure it out.” 💥🎨🧠If you've ever felt like the underdog creative, this one’s for you. Andy drops storytelling gems faster than Yoda lifts an X-Wing.🎸 Fun fact: Andy composed the metal version of the Font Awesome theme song in a single day. That’s some serious Jedi speed 🤘.🎙️ What We Cover in This Episode🤖 Why being curious is better than being talented🎥 How oil painting made Andy a better compositor🧱 The concept of “armature” and why your story collapses without one🌱 Why telling the truth is the best brand strategy🤝 The power of surrounding yourself with curious people✨ Building "wells, not fences" in your creative career⚔️ Star Wars, Iron Giant, and the real meaning of “The Force”⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Podcast Awesome 01:00 – Meet Andy Maier: Creative Jedi & Founder of Soon 02:30 – Early creative career and figuring it out on the fly 05:15 – The underestimated power of curiosity 08:20 – From DIY music videos to working with Apple and SpaceX 10:45 – Why storytelling is better than trends 13:30 – Building a creative life around community and friendships 16:00 – How oil painting made Andy better at... everything 19:00 – The merch moment: painting turned t-shirt design 22:00 – What’s real? How to build grounded storytelling 26:30 – Invisible Ink, Brian McDonald, and story armature 101 32:00 – Why Marvel’s Phase 4 struggles (and what X-Men got right) 34:00 – Star Wars, Joseph Campbell, and unlocking “the Force” 37:45 – Where to find Andy and his work 38:30 – Bonus: The origin of the metal FA theme song 🤘🔗 Links & Resources 🔥 Andy’s work – https://www.soon.agency 🎶 Andy’s band Opponent – https://www.solidstaterecords.com/opponent 📖 Invisible Ink by Brian McDonald – https://shorturl.at/E9101 🖖 Font Awesome’s Heavy Metal Icon Episode – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FlsrtKCI1Y 🎧 More Podcast Awesome episodes – https://podcastawesome.com #PodcastAwesome #StorytellingMatters #CreativeJedi #VisualStorytelling #FilmmakerLife #MotionGraphicsArtist #DesignNerds #FontAwesome #CuriosityWins #InvisibleInk #CreativeProcess #OilPaintingForDesigners #BuildWellsNotFences #NerdCulture #MetalVibesOnly #StarWarsStorytelling #MakeSomethingAwesomeStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

Episode SummaryWhat does it really take to ship something as powerful, polished, and downright magical as Web Awesome? In this episode of Podcast Awesome, Matt sits down with Lindsay and Cory, the dynamic duo behind the official launch of Web Awesome. Together, they peel back the curtain on how the team brought a customizable design system to life (without summoning any cursed CSS incantations).From the slick Theme Builder to the deeply thoughtful Figma integration, from production-ready patterns to future-forward prototyping dreams, this convo is packed with insights for devs, designers, and nerds of all kinds. Get the scoop on stretch goals, community feedback, and why starting with a “sh*tty first draft” is actually a power move.Oh! And they may or may not be plotting a future where we don’t even need Figma anymore. Gasp!What We Cover in This Episode:🛠 The design magic behind the Theme Builder🎨 Patterns and why you shouldn’t reinvent the checkout form🧩 The current state of Figma files — and where they’re headed🧪 Bridging the gap between prototyping and real code🔮 A sneak peek at future stretch goal components (hello, toasts and video!)⚡ How Web Awesome + Eleventy = your new dream dev stack🗣 Why your newbie feedback matters more than you thinkTimestamps00:00 – Welcome & introductions01:45 – Life after launch: relief or revving up?03:30 – Making the Theme Builder powerful and friendly05:40 – Patterns that just work (and why that's a good thing)07:30 – Balancing usability and delightful surprises08:15 – Figma files, MVP vibes, and real feedback10:20 – The future of theming via Figma plugins12:00 – Stretch goal components: what’s shipped and what’s next14:30 – Why prototyping with code might replace Figma16:45 – Web Awesome meets Eleventy: the ultimate team-up19:00 – Templates, page builders, and lowering the barrier to entry20:30 – Why new users’ feedback is gold22:00 – How to connect with the team & share your experienceLinks & Resources🌐 [Web Awesome](https://webawesome.com)📣 [Join the Community](https://webawesome.com/community)🧵 [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/webawesome/webawesome/discussions)📬 Email: [help@webawesome.com](mailto:help@webawesome.com) / [hello@webawesome.com](mailto:hello@webawesome.com)💬 Join us on Discord – link on the community page!🧠 Learn more about [Jacob’s Law](https://lawsofux.com/jakobs-law/)🎁 Don’t forget: 20% off Web Awesome Pro until Nov 19th!Stay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

Episode Summary:We're heading back to the basement — (sort of). In this episode, Matt catches up with Mike Wilkerson, the OG guest of Podcast Awesome, to unveil the biggest update yet to the official Font Awesome WordPress plugin. From block editor visual support to full-on SVG injection wizardry (yes, that’s a thing), this version is all about giving developers and designers more power, more precision, and fewer plugin conflicts.Whether you’re a WordPress purist or a page builder rebel, you’ll walk away knowing how to get your icons looking sharp, staying pro, and loading like a dream.🧠 What We Cover in This Episode:🔌 The origin story of the plugin (and the furnace that helped launch it)🧱 Full block editor visual editing support (finally WYSIWYG!)🛠️ SVG injection + self-hosting benefits🛡️ How to squash plugin conflicts like a pro🔍 Page builder struggles—and what might be coming next🤝 How to send feedback to actual humans™ at Font Awesome⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Basement beginnings & podcast nostalgia 02:00 – WordPress + Font Awesome: how widespread is it? 04:00 – Why Version 5 is a game-changer 06:00 – How inline SVGs improve performance and reduce conflict 08:00 – Self-hosting benefits & advanced options 10:00 – When to load (or not load) your kit 12:00 – Compatibility tips for older content 14:00 – What’s next for FA + WordPress 16:00 – How to give feedback to actual humans™🔗 Links & Resources:Official Font Awesome WordPress PluginUsing Kits with WordPressConflict Detection & TroubleshootingEmail us: hello@fontawesome.comStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness! 

🧠 What do LEGO logos, hand-puppet dreams, citrus gadgets, and naming things "Turbo" have in common? They're all part of Dan Cederholm’s design universe — and part of this wide-ranging, joy-filled second half of our conversation.In this episode, Dan returns to talk about: • Embracing constraints as a creative fuel source• Naming fonts after misspelled words (because ... domains)• The delightful hellscape of naming anything in tech• Why imposter syndrome might actually be useful• And how a puppet changed everything at Font Awesome 🧡🎧 It’s a show-and-tell episode full of unexpected design wisdom, warm fuzzies, and orange peelers.What We Cover in This Episode:• 🧠 Dan’s creative process: one font at a time• 🚫 Naming things is still the hardest problem in tech• 🐀 The birth of the Font Possum Puppet• 🧃 The power of a really good citrus squeezer• 🤖 Why AI can’t fake taste (yet)• 💌 Why Dan's newsletter works (and yours could too)• 😵‍💫 Making peace with imposter syndrome• 🧩 Why being weird is a superpower⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro01:15 – The creative process of typeface design04:04 – Naming fonts is a nightmare06:05 – The importance of naming & branding12:25 – Imposter syndrome in the creative industry18:15 – A puppet changed everything22:31 – Why a newsletter is like old-school blogging29:03 – Orange peelers, joy, and the power of small specificity37:17 – The impact of creativity38:14 – Building community through creativity41:16 – Wrap up with Dan Cederholm42:24 – Final Thoughts & Credits📌 Links & Resources• Dan Cederholm → https://simplebits.com• Dan's newsletter → https://simplebits.com/newsletter• Turbo Typeface → https://simplebits.com/fonts• Font Possum cameo → [FontAwesome YouTube Channel]• BrickLink Studio (Lego design app) → https://www.bricklink.com/v3/studioStay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!