S5 E4: Paul Blackburn – “I Never Wanted a Boss” (Studio Blackburn)

Paul Blackburn is the founder of Studio Blackburn, a London‑born branding agency that’s quietly shaped creative culture from the IOC to Sky, Toyota, Zaha Hadid Architects and Brompton Bicycles. For over 25 years, Paul’s forged a path that’s less about industry posturing and more about design that lasts, values that matter, and storytelling that actually works.Paul never really wanted to “work for The Man.” His career’s been all about carving his own path, not slotting into someone else’s. He bounced between big agencies, freelance gigs, and launching a few ventures of his own — until everything clicked with Studio Blackburn.In this episode, we dig into:🔥 His first design memories🔥 Early side hustles and unexpected influences🔥 Why agency life pulled him in, and pushed him to go independent🔥 The thinking behind Studio Blackburn’s balance of seriousness and play🔥 How Paul’s studio stays versatile without ever losing its soul🔥 What 15‑year‑old Paul would think of his journey (and what his mum actually thinks he does)Whether you’re an aspiring studio founder, a designer wrestling with “Do I stay or go?”, or just love hearing how creatives build careers on their own terms, this one’s for you.Paul Blackburn is living proof that you don’t bend to the design world — you build your own.Watch now and get inspired to carve your own lane.– What Does Your Mum Think? is a podcast for anyone out here tryna make creative sh*t happen!Hosted by two obsessed designers Michael Hindle and Kristian Shepherd, this is us chatting to the brains behind the work and brands we love most. From the big dogs to the up-and-comers, We are here to learn from everyone, and share it with the world.We ask the questions we wish we’d had answers to when we were starting out.How do you get real clients?Start your own studio?Stay inspired?And how to not lose your mind in the process?And we dig-deep to understand the mindset, the self-doubt, the purpose, the process, and what it really takes to carve your own path in the creative industry.Whether you're fresh out of uni, 20 years deep into your career, or somewhere in the middle…This is for you. WDYMT SOCIAL:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wdymt_official/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wdymt_officialSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wdymt