Never Not Creative

In this episode, Andy Wright and Rachel Zhang share an interview with James Martin, renowned graphic designer at Lincoln Design Co., creator of MadeByJames and member of the Canva Design Advisory Board. James shares his deeply personal and winding journey—from overcoming childhood trauma and addiction to building a successful design career and becoming a mentor for emerging creatives worldwide.Key Topics Discussed:- The Myth of the Perfect Career Path: James reflects on his non-linear journey, emphasizing that success rarely follows a straight line. He shares how his early struggles, including being kicked out of school and battling addiction, ultimately shaped his resilience and perspective.- Authenticity in Personal Branding: The hosts and James discuss the current obsession with "authenticity" in personal branding, critiquing the rise of gurus who promise to teach people how to "be themselves." James argues that true authenticity comes from self-knowledge and self-expression, not self-promotion.- The Role of Therapy and Self-Work: James opens up about the impact of therapy and reading (especially the works of Brené Brown) on his personal growth. He highlights the importance of doing the inner work—both when things are tough and when life is going well.- Advice for Emerging Designers: The conversation covers the pressures young designers face to have everything figured out. James encourages embracing the twists and turns, focusing on consistency, and not comparing oneself to others’ highlight reels.- Standing Out in a Crowded Industry: James shares insights on how to truly stand out—not by following trends or mimicking others, but by being human, vulnerable, and honest about your journey.- The Impact of Social Media and AI:James shares how social media has changed the design industry, the temptation to skip foundational work, and the opportunities and challenges presented by AI.Quotes- “True authenticity is about self-expression, not self-promotion.”- “There is no straight line to success—embrace the twists and turns.”- “Therapy and reading gave me the tools to understand and accept myself.”- “In a world becoming less human, being human is your superpower.”Resources & Mentions:-Never Not Creative- Streamtime (Podcast partner)- Madebyjames.com- Brené Brown’s books and talks- Canva Design Advisory Board*This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating the creative industry, seeking inspiration, or looking to understand the real meaning of authenticity in personal branding.*

What happens when an internet sensation decides to take creative control? In this episode of the Never Not Creative podcast, Rachel and Andy sit down with Lubalin, the musician, content creator, and viral TikTok star known for his hilarious Internet Drama series.Lubalin opens up about his journey—how a fun experiment turned into a massive internet hit, the challenges of being known for one thing, and his evolution into a serious music artist.We explore the creative struggles of balancing viral fame with artistic ambition, dealing with the highs and lows of social media metrics, and finding ways to stay grounded. Lubalin shares insights on navigating career pivots, embracing change, and maintaining creative integrity. Whether you're a designer, musician, or any kind of creator, this episode is packed with lessons on staying true to your craft while adapting to an ever-changing digital landscape.🔎 Find Out More About LubalinTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lubalinInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lubalin_vibe_emporium/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lubalinSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6lt3CXKfhLXjYl2VFD6vN4Thanks to our sponsor Streamtime - project management software for creative businesses in pursuit of health and happiness. https://streamtime.net

In this episode of the Never Not Creative podcast, hosts Andy Wright and Rachel Zhang are joined by Paper Moose Co-Founder, Nick Hunter to discuss how to break into the creative industry, emphasizing the importance of internships, personality, and authenticity in applications. They explore the significance of passion projects, the concept of Ikigai, and the necessity of networking. The conversation also touches on the challenges of entry-level jobs and offers practical tips for new graduates to stay motivated and make their own luck in their careers.Takeaways Internships are crucial for getting started in the creative industry. Personality and authenticity are key in job applications. Researching potential employers can set you apart from other candidates. It's important to show your unique voice and perspective. Networking is essential for career growth and opportunities. Passion projects can help build your portfolio and inspire you. Career paths are rarely linear; be open to pivots and changes. Ikigai can guide you in finding fulfilling work. Don't take job rejections personally; keep pushing forward. Stay proactive and ready to seize opportunities as they arise.Thanks to Paper Moose and Streamtime for their support. Streamtime is project management software for creative businesses...including Paper Moose!

In this episode of the Never Not Creative Podcast, hosts Andy and Rachel explore the complex topic of determining your worth in the creative industry.We discuss the challenges creatives face in measuring their value, whether as employees or freelancers. Our conversation touches on different pricing strategies, the importance of balancing passion with commercial viability, and gender dynamics in the workplace.We also delve into strategies for negotiating pay rises and promotions, including practical tips from negotiation training and insights from Asking For A Friend guest Regina Stroombergen.The episode is brought to you by our friends atStreamtime and B Corp agency,Paper Moose who shared their home and recording studio!

Andy Wright and Rachel Zhang discuss every creatives dreaded topic – Impostor Syndrome. How to deal with those voices that keep telling us we're not good enough, we don't deserve to be in the room, or that everyone is better than us. Luckily they source advice from previous Asking For A Friend guests, Maria Devereux (Executive Creative Director and Head of Innovation at Accenture Song), Psychologist, Dr. Aileen Alegado, and Aimee Davies from The Hey Mate Project. Thanks to our supporters Streamtime, creative business management software for happier, healthier agencies.

Rachel and Andy are discussing the topic of how to deal with bad behaviour from colleagues, managers and even clients. It's a topic that has been frequently asked in our Asking For A Friend events and so we've brought the learnings and discussions into our latest episode. Our hosts discuss the excellent advice shared on questions like: How do I approach a manager who has been taking credit for my work? How can I change the toxic culture in an organisation? How do I deal with a micro-manager? How do I deal with clients who are being a bully? We reference excellent advice and opinion from: Regina Stroombergen (Thinkerbell) Tarra Van Amerongen (Atlassian) Tara Hurster (The T.A.R.A. Clinic) Nicky Bryson (Brand Momentum) Sharon Draper (Psychologist) Jess Lilley (The Open Arms) Martine Beaumont (Select Wellness) Dr Aileen Alegado (Mindset Consulting) Thanks to our supporter, Streamtime – Project management software for happier, healthier creative businesses. Also to our editor Linley Lai and Community Manager Fong Yu. And to our friends at Paper Moose, who were very kind to share their studio and resources!

Andy and Rachel are back with the still, rather awkward question – How is your mental health? We delve into questions like, how should we talk about mental health at work, as a leader, as a colleague? How do we bring up a subject that can sometimes lead to fear of judgement? Well, fear not, the stigma relating to mental health is improving by the day and we share advice on all of these questions and more by referencing some fantastic Asking For A Friend episodes. How do I let my team know that I'm stressed or not coping? How do I deal with a manager that has no empathy? How do I build up the courage to talk about my mental health with someone at work? Thanks to Nicky Bryson, Martine Beaumont, Sharon Draper, Kristen Highett and Nick Hunter who all contributed to this episode. Editing by Linley Lai. Hosts, Andy Wright and Rachel Zhang. And thanks to our sponsor Streamtime - project management software for happier, healthier creative businesses.

The Never Not Creative podcast is back after a 2 year hiatus. Joining Andy for this new season is co-host, Rachel Zhang, a digital product designer living in Sydney and with experience working across brands and agencies including Telstra, R/GA, Accenture Song and now her own design consultancy Ro&Co. This first episode of the new season focuses on Burnout. Andy and Rachel pull in some of the best advice that’s been shared by Asking For A Friend guests from over the past 3 years of events. Leaders and experts we refer to in this episode include: - Simon Lee, ECD and Co-Founder of The Hallway - Kimberlee Wells, CEO, TBWA Melbourne - Sabina Read, Psychologist - Jess Lilley, Creative Director, The Open Arms - Ash King, Psychologist - Wez Hawes, ECD, Innocean - Katie Feder, Psychotherapist Questions we cover include: - How to deal with the franticness of deadline after deadline? - Will we ever be able to protect our mental health if we can’t say no to clients? - How do I say no to myself? Listen to the full advice from our guests by clicking the links above. Watch this episode on YouTube Subscribe to the podcast on, Spotify, Apple Podcasts Follow us on Instagram Check out snippets of this episode on TikTok. And if you liked it, get in touch and share some feedback, write a review or just check out more at nevernotcreative.org. Thanks to our sponsor Streamtime. Studio management software for happier, healthier creative teams and businesses. And a big thank you to B Corp creative agency, Paper Moose who shared their space and recording equipment for this episode. Thanks also to Linley Lai who’s produced and edited this episode - nice work!

Paul Balfe is no football expert. But he is a male creative who was willing to chat to us about his mental health and his experiences with anxiety. Paul is Creative Director and Founder of Pennybridge Creative, an independent design studio at home on the Gold Coast of Australia.  Paul shares his battle with anxiety as a result of the recent Queensland flooding and the steps he took to improve his mental wellbeing. From hypnotherapist to psychologist, Paul tried a number of different ways to tackle his challenges.  He's gone on to curate an exhibition about creatives' relationship with their own mental health, titled, Welcome to Yourself. Find out more about the exhibition at https://www.nevernotcreative.org/welcome-to-yourself. Thanks to Streamtime. Project management for healthier creative businesses.

Nasya Kamrat is the Co-Founder of FACULTY, a certified, woman-owned spatial storytelling agency. After experiences working with multi-national agencies owned by the global holding companies, Nasya decided to start something new and do completely the opposite. Nasya is joined by Chief Creative Officer, Aaron Wolfe and both chat to Andy about the positives of building a company that is diverse, equitable and different to the status quo. Nasya also shares how she's gone one step further to co-found Komuna, a co-operative of independent BIPOC, women and LGBTQ+ led agencies and leading industry knowledge brokers designed to support the world’s most intrepid brands. Show Links: Komuna FACULTY Never Not Creative Thanks to Streamtime for their support of Never Not Creative. Go to Streamtime for project management for healthier, creative businesses.