The Curious and Creative

In this episode of The Curious and Creative, I reflect on the inspiring journey of Cleo Abram, a former Vox journalist turned independent media creator. Cleo’s transition from traditional media to launching her own YouTube channel, Huge If True, offers a masterclass in redefining leadership—ambitious yet grounded, visionary yet actionable.Join me as I explore why Cleo’s approach resonates so deeply: her ability to balance long-term goals with everyday decisions, inspire her team, and model the kind of leadership we should expect—one that’s authentic, inclusive, and unapologetically bold. This is a conversation for anyone who’s ever wondered what it means to lead with intention, whether in business, creativity, or life.Tune in for a dose of curiosity, reflection, and a call to embrace the kind of leadership that moves us all forward.

What if your biggest revenue opportunity isn’t a new product—but a customer segment you haven’t even considered?In this episode of The Curious and Creative, I dive into a real-world case study about how a business selling sound absorption panels tripled its revenue in just one quarter—without changing its product. The secret? A simple shift in perspective: asking, ‘Who else needs this?’I’ll walk you through the audit process that uncovered hidden customer segments, the strategic pivots that made all the difference, and why so many businesses leave money on the table by focusing too narrowly on their ‘usual’ clients. This isn’t about reinventing what you do—it’s about seeing who else could benefit from it.If you’ve ever felt stuck in your business growth, this episode will challenge you to look beyond the obvious. Tune in for a fresh take on scaling—no fluff, just actionable insights from the front lines.

A strategic design look at FemTech’s biggest blind spot — and the user it was never built to support.

Ever heard the riddle about the surgeon who says, “I can’t operate on him—he’s my son”?If your brain short-circuited for a moment, you’re not alone.In this episode, Cristina unpacks the quiet yet powerful force of unconscious bias. From everyday language to the assumptions baked into our systems, she explores how these hidden mental shortcuts affect the way we think, build, and connect.It’s an invitation to slow down, get curious, and ask:What defaults are we unconsciously designing into the world around us?

I signed up for two audiobook free trials. I only kept one.This episode unpacks why I deleted Bookbeat and became a paying subscriber of Storytel — all because of their onboarding experience.From chaotic libraries to curated welcomes, I explore how intentional and crafted design choices shape business outcomes — and what it really means to say “hi” to your users.

You know that moment when a house looks stunning from the outside—sleek facade, modern windows—but then, once inside, you turn on the tap and… no water comes out? That’s exactly what it felt like using Lunar, one of the Nordics’ most hyped digital banks.In this episode, I take you inside a real-life user experience: ordering a simple physical card (twice!) and never receiving it—despite being a premium customer. We’ll unpack how a beautiful interface can’t save you when the operational plumbing is missing.From silent customer support to vanishing cards in the postal void, this story isn’t just about one bank—it’s a cautionary tale for any digital service trying to scale without strong foundations.Let’s talk about pipes, promises, and the price of forgetting your customer.

Ever walked in on someone in a public toilet? I did—and it wasn’t (just) my fault. In this episode, we dive into the weirdly invisible world of feedback loops in design. From toilet locks that don’t lock loudly enough to digital services that leave users guessing, I explore how small failures in communication lead to big user experience flops. Join me for a very human story with a very design-y lesson.

What makes something real? In the world of podcasting—and design, and creativity—visibility plays a huge role. In this very first episode, Cristina reflects on what held her back from hitting publish, and what finally pushed her to do it anyway.Because if it’s not out there, does it even exist?This is a story about fear, perfectionism, and the creative leap we all have to take at some point.