Bad Idea Social Club

Aaron McCall
  • 5.0 (36)
  • ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Bad Idea Social Club is an independent podcast of stories, insights, and creative foolery. Hosted by graphic designer Aaron McCall with photographer Joe Matteson, the show brings honest, unfiltered conversations with creatives about the work, the mess, and everything that comes with it. This is a space where honesty meets the beautifully unhinged parts of creativity, process, struggle, joy, mental health, and everything else we don’t usually say out loud.

  1. BONUS: Took Long Enough

    MAR 31 ·  BONUS

    BONUS: Took Long Enough

    Ahead of Season 7 on April 14, Aaron McCall and Joe Matteson sit down to show off the studio space, talk through what’s changing, and shake the rust off a bit. They get into the shift to video, what it’s doing to the energy of the show, how this next chapter already feels different, and why they’re both excited and a little nervous about it. It’s loose, it’s honest, and it’s a quick look at where things are headed and what it took to get here. Credits: Aaron McCallHost / Producer / Writer / Editor aaronmccall.net IG: @aaron_mccall — Joe MattesonCo-Host / Photographer themattesons.co IG: @joedustin — Mike Mains & The BanchesMusic mikemainsmusic.com IG: @mikemainsmusic

    17 min
  2. Creative Mornings GR: Growth is a Team Sport

    JAN 6 ·  BONUS

    Creative Mornings GR: Growth is a Team Sport

    Aaron McCall moderates a Creative Mornings Grand Rapids panel discussion on “Growth,” recorded at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre with more than 200 people in attendance. Joined by Ian Labardee, Bailey Sell, Hannah Berry, and Leigh Ann Cobb, the conversation gets honest about what growth actually looks like once momentum builds—imposter syndrome, uncertainty, shifting priorities, burnout, community, and the small, often invisible changes that shape us over time. Recorded by Green Frog, this episode isn’t about tidy success stories. It’s about showing up, staying curious, and understanding how growth is rarely linear and rarely done alone. Keep up with Creative Mornings GR: creativemornings.com/gr IG: @creativemorningsgr Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net Instagram: @aaron_mccall LinkedIn: Aaron McCall Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co Instagram: @joe_dustin Co-Host/Sidekick/Manager: Amber Gray Instagram: @bad_ambellina LinkedIn: Amber Gray Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches Help Support the Podcast: Buy Merch Make a Donation Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com Instagram: @badideasocialclub LinkedIn: Bad Idea Social Club Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  3. Courtney Lauer: The Hurry and the Harm

    11/11/2025

    Courtney Lauer: The Hurry and the Harm

    Courtney Lauer (graphic designer, artist) shares her story with Aaron McCall and talks about survival, control, and the strength it takes to turn pain into something honest. She opens up about surviving and processing trauma, rebuilding identity through creativity, and using art to make sense of the things that don’t have easy answers. Keep up with Courtney Lauer: courtneylauer.me IG: @courtneylauer Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net Instagram: @aaron_mccall LinkedIn: Aaron McCall Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co Instagram: @joe_dustin Co-Host/Sidekick/Manager: Amber Gray Instagram: @bad_ambellina LinkedIn: Amber Gray Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches Help Support the Podcast: Buy Merch Make a Donation Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com Instagram: @badideasocialclub LinkedIn: Bad Idea Social Club Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 10m
  4. Jacob Betts: Once a Vagrant

    11/04/2025

    Jacob Betts: Once a Vagrant

    Jacob Betts (singer-songwriter, The American Hotel System) joins Aaron McCall to talk about creativity as something to hold onto when life unravels, how grief reshapes how we see purpose, and what it means to rebuild belief in people when everything around you feels painfully divided. He opens up about faith, art, and the defiance it takes to choose hope over cynicism. Keep up with Jacob Betts: americanhotelsystem.com IG: @theamericanhotelsystem IG: @theconcussedcoffeegeek Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net Instagram: @aaron_mccall LinkedIn: Aaron McCall Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co Instagram: @joe_dustin Co-Host/Sidekick/Manager: Amber Gray Instagram: @bad_ambellina LinkedIn: Amber Gray Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches Help Support the Podcast: Buy Merch Make a Donation Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com Instagram: @badideasocialclub LinkedIn: Bad Idea Social Club Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 1m
  5. Casey Lambert: The Other F Word

    10/28/2025

    Casey Lambert: The Other F Word

    Casey Lambert (independent pro wrestler, marketing director) joins Aaron McCall to talk about life in and out of the ring, how strength and vulnerability feed off each other, and how connection shows up everywhere from the crowd to your opponent, and the relationships that matter most. They dig into storytelling in wrestling, learning how to take a hit and keep showing up, and what it actually looks like to lead with empathy in a world that keeps rewarding the cruelty. Keep up with Casey Lambert: IG: @thereal_djchewy IG: @ppwpower Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net Instagram: @aaron_mccall LinkedIn: Aaron McCall Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co Instagram: @joe_dustin Co-Host/Sidekick/Manager: Amber Gray Instagram: @bad_ambellina LinkedIn: Amber Gray Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches Help Support the Podcast: Buy Merch Make a Donation Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com Instagram: @badideasocialclub LinkedIn: Bad Idea Social Club Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 2m
  6. Joy Rhine: Unhinged and Feral

    10/21/2025

    Joy Rhine: Unhinged and Feral

    Joy Rhine (visual designer, photographer) sits down with Aaron McCall to talk about keeping creativity in your life without letting it become your whole identity. She opens up about being people-first in a screen-first industry, why she’d rather build community than chase trends, and how confidence came from doing hard things like running marathons and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro “for fun.” From travel and fitness to design and friendship, Joy proves you can be wildly creative, wildly active, and wildly human at the same time. Keep up with Joy Rhine: joyrhinedesign.com IG: @vikkichosethisusername Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net Instagram: @aaron_mccall LinkedIn: Aaron McCall Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co Instagram: @joe_dustin Co-Host/Sidekick/Manager: Amber Gray Instagram: @bad_ambellina LinkedIn: Amber Gray Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches Help Support the Podcast: Buy Merch Make a Donation Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com Instagram: @badideasocialclub LinkedIn: Bad Idea Social Club Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    57 min
  7. Mack Garrison: Everything in Motion

    10/14/2025

    Mack Garrison: Everything in Motion

    Mack Garrison (motion designer, co-founder of Dash Studio) joins Aaron McCall to talk about ADHD as both a curse and a creative advantage, building a studio rooted in empathy over ego, and what happens when you decide burnout isn’t a badge of honor. He opens up about the lessons that shaped Dash’s first decade, from mentorship and community to leading with transparency when things get hard and what it means to keep the work moving without sacrificing the humanity behind it. Keep up with Mack Garrison: dashstudio.net IG: @dash_nc Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net Instagram: @aaron_mccall LinkedIn: Aaron McCall Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co Instagram: @joe_dustin Co-Host/Sidekick/Manager: Amber Gray Instagram: @bad_ambellina LinkedIn: Amber Gray Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches Help Support the Podcast: Buy Merch Make a Donation Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com Instagram: @badideasocialclub LinkedIn: Bad Idea Social Club Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 4m
  8. Scott Katsufrakus: Castles and Sirens

    10/07/2025

    Scott Katsufrakus: Castles and Sirens

    Scott Katsufrakis (founder of Flying House Threads, firefighter) joins Aaron McCall to talk creative entrepreneurship at the edge of whimsy and weight. They dig into building a Disney-inspired, punk-leaning apparel brand while working life-and-death shifts, the pressure of being “the face” on camera, and the mental health work behind staying steady. They touch on the role of community, the discipline it takes to keep quality high, and finding ways for a brand built on castles and monsters to also do real-world good. It’s about craft, perspective, and the strange balance of survival and play. Keep up with Scott Katsufrakus:  flyinghousethreads.com IG: @glyinghousethreads Writer/Producer/Editor/Host: Aaron McCall aaronmccall.net Instagram: @aaron_mccall LinkedIn: Aaron McCall Co-Host/Sidekick/Photographer: Joe Matteson themattesons.co Instagram: @joe_dustin Co-Host/Sidekick/Manager: Amber Gray Instagram: @bad_ambellina LinkedIn: Amber Gray Music: "Noises" by Mike Mains & The Branches Help Support the Podcast: Buy Merch Make a Donation Follow Bad Idea Social Club: badideasocialclub.com Instagram: @badideasocialclub LinkedIn: Bad Idea Social Club Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1 hr
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5
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

Bad Idea Social Club is an independent podcast of stories, insights, and creative foolery. Hosted by graphic designer Aaron McCall with photographer Joe Matteson, the show brings honest, unfiltered conversations with creatives about the work, the mess, and everything that comes with it. This is a space where honesty meets the beautifully unhinged parts of creativity, process, struggle, joy, mental health, and everything else we don’t usually say out loud.

Information

  • Creator
    Aaron McCall
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    72
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Aaron McCall
  • Show Website
    Bad Idea Social Club

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