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We sit down with creative director Lewis Clarke to explore the realities of building a sustainable and inspiring career in design.Lewis thinks that in a world demanding constant speed and reactivity, the true secret to brilliant work is actually slowing down.He shares his journey from early days sketching comic strips for his dentist to shooting the award winning Clarks in New York Soul of the City campaign. Throughout our chat, Lewis reflects on the vital importance of remaining curious and drawing inspiration from the real world, whether that is striking up conversations with strangers or admiring street art in Bristol.He also unpacks his complex relationship with artificial intelligence. Rather than fearing it, Lewis believes we must harness AI as a tool to elevate fresh ideas, ensuring we do not just remix what already exists.However, his true passion right now lies in the resurgence of tactile, analogue craft. Lewis opens up about navigating self doubt, treating it not as a roadblock but as a clear sign that you are venturing into exciting, uncharted territory. He also champions the power of collaboration, reminding us to leave our egos at the door and involve specialists early on to create truly authentic work.Tune in for a refreshing, grounded take on staying present, mastering your craft, and finding beauty in the creative struggle.

In this episode Mike Bailey reflects on the whirlwind experience of being thrust into the spotlight as Sid in the hit teen drama Skins, and why he eventually chose to walk away from the acting world.He thinks the entire concept of acting is fundamentally ridiculous, playfully noting the absurdity of watching famous faces pretend to be everyday people.From his initial jealousy watching the Lord of the Rings trailers to navigating a gruelling six-part audition process for Skins while still at college, Mike provides a refreshingly honest look at his early career.He opens up about the lack of support and training young actors receive for the inevitable periods of unemployment, shedding light on the harsh reality that the average actor earns a mere £8,000 a year.Rather than clinging to past glory or milking a beloved character, Mike believes in bowing out gracefully. He shares how moving to London and transitioning into a career as a drama teacher brought him the stability and joy that the erratic audition circuit never could.Now a dedicated father and educator, he finds profound fulfilment in helping the next generation of performers find their feet. Whether he is advising his younger self to invest in Bitcoin or fondly remembering his teenage paper round, Mike's grounded perspective offers a fascinating glimpse into life after teenage stardom.

Starting a business is rarely a straightforward leap - but today Fresh Base operates at the pinnacle of sports production, partnering with massive global names like the NFL.For Gaurav Kumar, founder of Fresh Base, the journey began in agency client services, working on prominent household brands. Yet, it was a taste of the sports marketing world with New Balance that sparked a true passion.He realised that working on projects he didn't care about felt empty, prompting him to slowly build his own portfolio as a freelance producer. This transition was a delicate balancing act of juggling multiple roles, working side hustles, and raising a growing family. Gaurav thinks the secret to thriving in this high pressure environment is assembling a specialised team that lives and breathes sports culture. He also reflects on the emotional power of sports as a universal unifier, noting how the dedication and sacrifice of elite athletes continually inspire his work.From learning to delegate effectively to navigating the nuances of feed breaking social edits, his story is a blueprint for scaling a modern creative agency while remaining deeply connected to the work you love.

We often spend our careers trying to fit into a mould that wasn't built for us.We sit down with Matt Gale, Director of Brand and Creative Content, ex-Deloitte, in a conversation that wanders from the anxiety of 'best practice' to the liberation of embracing your own history.Matt shares a pivotal realisation inspired by James Victore: the specific quirks and obsessions you had as a child are actually the raw materials for your future success.Matt takes us through his non-linear journey, starting with a law degree he didn't want, moving through the corporate world and eventually finding his home in creative leadership.He believes that creativity isn't about how you dress or whether you can draw, but about how you solve problems and connect with people.We discuss his seven content principles, including the idea that you must know the story you want to tell before you figure out how to tell it.Matt thinks that if you can widen your lens and come from a place of inspiration rather than desperation, the results will follow and why your childhood obsessions might just be your superpower."

David reflects on a career that spans from the energetic days of T4 and Newsround to navigating the high stakes world of scripted drama.He opens up about the complex financial realities of modern television, explaining the gap between traditional broadcast license fees and the soaring costs of production driven by streaming giants. You'll hear the fascinating backstory of how 'Industry' evolved from a vague pitch about banking into a sharp generation-defining drama, largely thanks to the undeniable talent of Myha'la Herrold who completely reshaped the protagonist role.Whether you are an aspiring writer or just a TV fan, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the tenacity required to succeed in the screen trade.

We sit down with Kate Lenton to explore a radical career pivot that moves from the pursuit of commercial perfection to the messy, transformative power of art psychotherapy.After twenty years in the design industry - culminating in running a successful branding agency - Kate experienced a moment of clarity during the pandemic. She realised she was managing business logistics rather than facilitating creativity, leading her to retrain as an art psychotherapist in her mid-forties.The conversation delves deep into the friction between the education system and creative development. Kate highlights the alarming pipeline from school exclusion to the justice system, particularly for young men who struggle with the rigid "sit and be quiet" structure of modern schooling. She believes that creativity is not merely an aesthetic pursuit but a vital tool for emotional regulation and communication, especially for those who find verbal expression difficult.We also discuss her work in forensic settings, the importance of "holding space" in male prisons, and her role as Chair of Talk Club, a charity dedicated to men's mental fitness. This serves as a masterclass on why we must decouple creativity from the pressure of productivity and return to the act of play.#artpsychotherapy #mentalhealthawareness #creativestrategy #educationreform #forensicpsychology #careerpivot #designthinking #mensmentalhealth #talkclub #neurodiversity

We sit down with Christie Gray, Head of Brand Design and Identity at Kimberly Clark.Christie’s narrative spans the emotional spectrum of a creative life, beginning with a formative experience visiting a dying mentor in a hospice - a moment that cemented her belief that creativity is an innate survival mechanism.She candidly explores the commercial realities of the industry, recounting a painful experience where she was denied credit for a D&AD Pencil-winning project. This erasure shaped her current leadership philosophy, which rests on three pillars: clarity, psychological safety, and radical recognition.Beyond the studio, Christie offers a sophisticated take on the integration of motherhood and ambition. She challenges the industry’s lingering "Mad Men" dynamics and advocates for a results-based culture where boundaries are respected.We also look to the horizon, discussing the future of FMCG branding as a "living ecosystem" and why AI represents a return to pure ideation rather than a threat to employment. Whether you are a junior designer fearing specialisation or a leader seeking to foster a healthier culture, this conversation offers an essential roadmap for a resilient, human-centric career.#DesignPodcast, #CreativeLeadership, #KimberlyClark, #WomenInDesign, #BrandStrategy, #CareerAdvice

Calum Franklin discusses his journey from the high-pressure world of Michelin-starred fine dining to becoming the face of the British pie renaissance.Dubbed the "Pie King" by Jamie Oliver, Calum explains why he prefers the title Pie Man, and how discovering an antique pie tin in a basement sparked an obsession with a 600-year-old culinary craft. He argues that pie-making is a form of design rather than art - because food should never be confusing.Rather than looking to farmyards for inspiration, Calum draws from London architecture and historical objects found while mudlarking in the Thames, including a Freemason coin that directly influenced the structure of one of his signature dishes. We explore the creation of The Pie Room, a space designed to immerse chefs in detail, and Calum shares why he often struggles to enjoy his finished creations despite loving the process itself.Reflecting on lessons learned from Noma, he explains why the reception desk is the most important part of any restaurant and why hospitality must always come before profitability. Calum also opens up about his past struggles with alcoholism, the need for a softer landing within the industry, and offers honest advice to young chefs about travelling, taking risks, and stepping outside their comfort zones.And finally, his most reassuring takeaway of all: if you can drive a car, you can make a pie.

Alex Rodrigues on "The Audience Sucks," Channel 4’s digital shift, and the hunter-gatherer theory of content.Producer and director Alex Rodrigues discusses his role in driving digital innovation at Channel 4, and the challenge of transforming a legacy broadcaster into the UK’s first digital public service broadcaster.Alex explains how he approaches a rapidly changing industry by translating the texture of traditional television into a language that speaks authentically to digital audiences. He outlines his gunter-gatherer theory of content, which suggests humans are hardwired to choose familiar ideas - like safe berries - over radical reinvention. From this, he argues that creators should aim for familiarity with a twist, and introduces the Regret Test as a true measure of success - ensuring the audience never regrets the time they spent consuming the work.We discuss why consistency beats quality when starting out, and how maintaining output flow is essential for staying visible within algorithms. Alex reframes the idea of format, not as complex structure, but as the repeated and reliable delivery of value, and explains why production value matters far less than clear, simple storytelling.The conversation also explores the shift from generic presenters to authentic experts, the difference between using short-form video for discovery versus long-form for brand building, and the origins of his newsletter "The Audience Sucks", created to break down industry gatekeeping.Finally, Alex reflects on why - if he had to start again - he might choose to become a monk.

We sit down with Lee Kiernan, guitarist for the Mercury Prize-nominated band IDLES and co-founder of the film collective Holding Hands with Horses.Known for his visceral stage presence - often launching himself into the crowd with a grin - Lee explains how IDLES were forged on stage rather than in the studio, guided by a simple philosophy: “If you couldn’t perform the song, is it really a good song for us?” He unpacks his highly intuitive approach to guitar, describing it as “stabbing in the dark,” and how he builds a deliberately rough “bag of hammers” on his pedalboard to serve the song, not showcase technical skill.Beyond music, Lee opens up about his work as a director, exploring the stark contrast between his chaotic live persona and his “strangely calm” presence on film sets. He explains why he believes the best creative work happens without stress, and shares a brutally honest account of creative blocks - the darkness of feeling like a failure when ideas don’t land, and the agony of spotting every tiny mistake in the edit suite.Join us for a conversation that is enlightening, beautiful, and - in true Lee Kiernan fashion - really uncomfortable and awkward.