Awaiting Approval

David Martin founded Fantasy Interactive before most people knew what interaction design was. He helped shape the visual language of operating systems used by billions, built one of the most influential creative agencies of its era, and worked with some of the biggest names in tech and culture. He’s also a pilot, a go-kart mechanic, a consciousness obsessive, and a dad who quit the nine-to-five to be trackside with his eleven-year-old son. He is, in the best possible way, a lot.This conversation goes everywhere. We talk about ADHD as a superpower and a saboteur, why David believes education is fundamentally broken, the Thursday morning coffee meetings where a pastor, an ex-NFL player, and a tech founder argue about the nature of existence, and what it means to raise kids in a world where the rules are being rewritten in real time. We also talk about opportunities, the kind that change the direction of a life, and what it really takes to spot someone worth betting on. David doesn’t do inspiration for inspiration’s sake. But there’s a lot in here that’ll stay with you.If you’re feeling stuck, or just want to think out loud about where you’re headed, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. I offer free 15-minute conversations for anyone who wants to talk through what’s in front of them. Whether that leads to working together or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’ve got someone in your corner, even for 15 minutes. Head to http://www.growwithadamjennings.com and book a call. I’d genuinely love to hear from you.Want to support the Awaiting Approval?Remember to rate this episode, and subscribe to the show.And you can get your hands of amazing Awaiting Approval caps, mugs and more, here: https://adam-jennings-shop.fourthwall.com/en-gbp This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Season 2 of Awaiting Approval comes to a close with something a little different.No guest this time. No one-word theme attached to a single conversation. Just me, stepping back to look at what this season became.And honestly… I’m still a bit stunned by it.Since launching the show in summer 2025 with no marketing spend, the podcast has grown far beyond anything I expected. More than 10,000 listens. Charting in over 15 countries. And not a single day since August 2025 where it hasn’t appeared somewhere in the charts.That still feels surreal.But this episode is not really about numbers. It’s about what stayed with me.Across Season 2, I gave each episode a single word. Not to reduce the conversation, but to give it an anchor. A way of holding onto the essence of what each guest brought into the room. And when I stepped back and looked at those words together, something else emerged.A pattern.Not a neat one. Not a single message repeated over and over. But a thread.And the thread that kept surfacing, in all sorts of different ways, was kindness.Kindness in the work. Kindness in leadership. Kindness in how we treat each other. And maybe most of all, kindness towards ourselves.Because so many of these conversations touched on pressure, expectation, self-doubt, burnout, ambition, fear, and the endless feeling that we should somehow be handling it all better than we are.And underneath all of that was this quieter truth.We do not need to make it harder than it already is.This episode is a reflection on what Season 2 has meant to me, what the guests gave so generously, and how the podcast has started to grow into something bigger than a series of interviews. I also talk about one unexpected side project that came out of the season - a playlist called Awaiting Approval - The Soundtrack - made up of one song from each guest, with no names and no explanations. Just emotional fingerprints, side by side. Tune in on Spotify here Tune in on YouTube here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLg04wl30BvuxGIPVDNyfEZPO69njpSldz&si=xBMGXih7Drz8Qztr There is also a look back at the first ever Awaiting Approval LIVE, which was very much an experiment, and a look ahead to Season 3, which is already in motion and feels bigger, deeper, and more emotionally honest than anything we’ve done so far.More than anything though, this episode is about gratitude.For the guests. For the listeners. For the people who shared the show, rated it, messaged about it, or quietly kept coming back to it.Because without that, this would just be a collection of conversations.With that, it becomes something else.In this episode, we cover:• The growth of Awaiting Approval since launch• Why Season 2 felt different• The one-word structure behind each episode• The themes that emerged when looking across the full season• Why kindness became the defining thread• Pressure, self-doubt, expectation, and the emotional undercurrent of the season• The importance of being kinder in the room, in the work, and to ourselves• The origin of Awaiting Approval - The Soundtrack• Why one song from each guest became its own kind of portrait• Reflections on the first Awaiting Approval LIVE• What I learned from putting the podcast into a room• The different ways listeners can support the show• Gratitude to every guest who trusted me with their story• Why the audience matters more than stats ever can• A first glimpse at what’s coming in Season 3If the rest of Season 2 was about listening closely to others, Episode 18 is about listening closely to what the season itself was trying to say.And for me, it said this:Lead with care. Stay human. Keep going.===This is Awaiting Approval. The globally charting design podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2026.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Lou Maxon returns to Awaiting Approval for part two of our conversation, and this time the theme is care.We meet in a metaphorical Bryant Park with Mountain Dew in hand and quickly move beyond nostalgia into something deeper: what it really means to lead with kindness in an industry obsessed with speed, scale, and minimal viable products.Lou shares the story of the Mr. Rogers figurine that sits on his desk - a daily reminder that creativity is about moving between reality and imagination, and that how we treat people matters just as much as what we make. From there, we explore the erosion of hospitality in product and brand experiences, the cultural drift toward MVP thinking, and why “good enough” is quietly damaging the magic of great creative work.There is a thread running through this entire episode: care is a choice.Care in how we present ideas. Care in how we treat collaborators. Care in how we show up for customers. Care in whether we scale convenience or scale kindness.Lou reflects on hospitality in Japan, the power of unexpected generosity, and how small, human gestures can ripple outward in ways no KPI can measure. We talk about the difference between internal experimentation and external experience, why creativity should entertain and respect its audience, and how showing up as a great teammate might matter more than individual brilliance.There is also something beautifully grounding about Lou’s perspective. He speaks about curiosity over ego, being interested rather than trying to be interesting, and following unexpected doors when they open. Whether that is building a studio on rails, operating a century-old train in Japan, or starting a podcast that invites others into honest conversations, the common thread is this: care enough to make it real.By the end, Lou reframes approval entirely. It is not something he grants. It is something earned through generosity, teamwork, and showing up with integrity.In this episode, we cover:• Why kindness feels urgent in today’s creative culture• The hidden cost of MVP thinking and incrementalism• Hospitality as a design principle• Scaling care versus scaling convenience• Being a good teammate in the “locker room” and on the ice• Player-coach leadership and knowing when to step in or step back• Curiosity as a creative advantage• Creating amazing experiences versus adequate ones• Serendipity, adventure, and following unexpected doors• Why being interested makes you interesting• Delivering work that respects the audience’s time• What it really takes to earn Lou’s approvalIf Season 1 was about people being the work, Season 2, Episode 15 is about how we treat those people once we’re there.===This is Awaiting Approval. The globally charting design podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2026.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Lucy Jackson is the Founder and Chief Clarity Officer at Studio Jackson. She’s also a brilliant example of what happens when you back yourself, even when the plan isn’t fully formed yet.We start with a metaphorical drink in an English country pub and quickly get into Lucy’s love of flexibility, autonomy, and working in whatever spot has the best light. From there, she takes us through a career that reads like a masterclass in brand-building, licensing, and creative leadership, from designing chocolate packaging in London to building global programmes and leading creative in New York across fashion, talent, and entertainment.But the heart of this episode is the moment everything changed. Lucy was laid off unexpectedly. It was brutal, emotional, and disorienting. Then it became something else. A forced reset. A relief. A door opening.She shares what it felt like, how she navigated the shock, and how she rebuilt her confidence through one word she chose as her anchor for the year: discipline. Discipline to show up. Discipline to keep moving. Discipline to stop letting fear run the strategy.We talk about impostor syndrome, ageism in the industry, and why creativity isn’t just aesthetics. It’s emotion, story, and human connection. Lucy also shares a brilliant mental model for chaos moments: “Work the problem.” It’s simple, practical, and it’s saved her more than once.By the end, Lucy’s definition of success has shifted too. Less glitz, more freedom. Less ego, more alignment. More life.And when I ask the final question… she answers it with the kind of self-approval we could all use more of.In this episode, we cover:* Building a business of one, and why freedom matters more than ever* Lucy’s career journey from London packaging design to New York brand leadership* Emotional branding, and why creativity has to make people feel something* The tension between craft and commercial goals, and how to balance both* Working remotely with “bare essentials” and staying creatively sharp* Impostor syndrome, confidence, and using evidence to shut down false narratives* “Work the problem” as a practical mindset when things go wrong* Lessons from high-pressure campaigns and experiential activations* Layoffs, identity, grief, relief, and rebuilding after the shock* Choosing “discipline” as the anchor for transformation* Why Lucy never wants to rely on one income stream again* The Reframe Sprint workshop and getting out of your own way* Leaving New York and relocating to Europe, and what that represents#AwaitingApproval #CreativeLeadership #DesignLeadership #LeadershipPodcast #light===This is Awaiting Approval. The globally charting design podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2026.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.comGrow With Adam Jennings is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Hiring in 2025? Brutal. Struggle. Chaos. Messy. Exciting.In this special bonus roundtable episode, Adam is joined by five leading recruiters and talent partners – Laura Baker, Erica Fortgang, Sam Gale, Meg Rye and Jared Tredly – for an unfiltered state-of-the-market conversation about what’s really happening in design hiring right now.This isn’t a tips-and-tricks episode. It’s a frank, human discussion about ghosting, burnout, toxic leadership, AI expectations, neurodiversity, layoffs and what candidates are actually up against. It’s also a moment of accountability – recruiters reflecting on their own practices, pressures and blind spots.One thing is certain; it’s clear these people care deeply about their candidates.The panel tackles the “ghosting” debate head-on. Where does it actually happen? Why does it persist? And what do candidates misunderstand about volume, systems and feedback? There’s honesty on both sides – including the uncomfortable truth that designers ghost too.From there, the conversation moves into burnout and what recruiters see when candidates are trying to leave environments that have drained them. When is it just “time for a change”? And when is someone running on fumes? The panel discusses coaching, emotional readiness, and why sometimes the best move isn’t a new job – it’s a pause.Toxic leadership becomes a major theme. The group agree: people rarely leave because of the workload. They leave because of direction, dysfunction, or the absence of psychological safety. So how do candidates spot red flags early? What “spicy questions” should they be asking in interviews?Of course, AI comes up. It had to. The recruiters unpack whether AI literacy is now a baseline expectation, what “future-ready” actually means, and how much is hype versus reality. Is AI experience mandatory? Or is problem-solving still the true differentiator?Neurodiversity is discussed with candour and care, including personal experiences from the panel. Should candidates disclose? When? How? The consensus is clear: transparency matters – but so does individual choice and context.And finally, the hard truth about layoffs. Senior leaders sitting on the market for 9–18 months. Juniors struggling to break in. The market contracting at the top and bottom while mid-level product designers move faster. The panel don’t sugarcoat it – but they also don’t remove hope.The episode ends with a predictive word for 2026. There’s cautious optimism. There’s realism. And there’s momentum.This is a rare behind-the-scenes look at the hiring side of creative leadership – messy, nuanced, human.In this episode, we cover:* Hiring in 2025 described in one word* Where ghosting really happens – and why* Why feedback is harder than it looks* Systems, scale and inbox overload* Burnout signals recruiters see immediately* Coaching versus placing – when to slow someone down* Toxic leadership as the number one exit reason* How to test culture in an interview* “Spicy questions” that reveal the truth* AI expectations – hype versus practical literacy* What future-ready actually looks like* Neurodiversity disclosure and workplace safety* Layoffs, confidence and market timelines* Senior versus mid-level versus junior realities* What 2026 might look like for design hiringIf you’re navigating the market right now – whether as a candidate, hiring manager, or creative leader – this one’s for you.===This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

William Barraclough has built a creative career driven less by formal pathways and more by instinct, curiosity, and a willingness to try things before knowing where they might lead. Now Head of Product Design for International Wealth and Premier Banking at HSBC, his journey spans skateboarding, DJing, restaurant work, early digital agencies, global brands, and leadership roles earned without ever studying design formally.In this episode, William joins Adam for a wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation about curiosity as a creative force. He reflects on growing up between cultures, finding creativity through motion, music, and experience design, and discovering design almost by accident through making flyers, editing video, and hacking together early digital work. From running a one-person studio straight out of the Job Centre to working at M&C Saatchi, Yahoo, and beyond, William’s career is a story of learning by doing and asking better questions along the way.William talks openly about leadership, self-doubt, and resilience. He shares what it was like inheriting teams in moments of change, the importance of reading the room, and the leadership lesson he learned the hard way when context was missed. He and Adam explore imposter syndrome, pressure, nerves, and why those feelings often signal that something meaningful is at stake, not that you’re doing something wrong.This episode is also about life beyond work. William reflects on community, mentoring, parenting, loss, and the importance of staying curious about the world around you. From food and travel to design education and career pathways, his perspective is grounded, generous, and deeply human.This is a conversation about staying open. About curiosity as a mindset, not a skill. And about building a creative life by bringing people together, staying positive, and continuing to learn long after you think you should have it figured out.In this episode, we cover:* Finding design without formal education and learning through making* How skateboarding, DJing, and motion shaped William’s creative instincts* Early digital careers, hacking ideas, and building confidence through experience* Leadership lessons learned from pressure, mistakes, and context* Imposter syndrome, nerves, and why fear can be a useful signal* The power of community, peer support, and creative networks* Why curiosity matters more than certainty in a fast-changing industry* Navigating career ladders, specialisms, and evolving design roles* Mentoring, design education, and opening doors for the next generation* Parenting, presence, and life outside work* Why optimism, kindness, and helping others still matter#AwaitingApproval #CreativeLeadership #DesignLeadership #LeadershipPodcast #curiosity #aidesign ===This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2026.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Angela Arnold has built her career by listening deeply. To herself, to others, and to the quiet signals that tell you when something feels right… or when it doesn’t.As Head of Product Design at Genomics England, her work sits at the intersection of craft, care, and impact, shaping experiences that matter in some of the most sensitive and complex human contexts.In this episode, Angela joins Adam for a thoughtful, warm, and deeply reflective conversation about creative leadership, instinct, and trust. She shares how curiosity and gut feeling have guided her decisions, from navigating uncertainty in design work to knowing when it’s time to pause, reframe, or take a leap into something new.Angela talks openly about losing confidence early in her career, finding her way back through learning-by-doing, and becoming a self-taught product designer through making, coding, and hands-on experimentation. She reflects on the mentors who believed in her, the environments that shaped her, and how working across agencies, finance, and not-for-profits eventually led her toward healthcare, where her work could have a more profound human impact.This is a conversation about grace under pressure. About patience, self-care, and staying true to yourself in an industry that constantly shifts. Angela’s clarity is calm and powerful. Her leadership is rooted in empathy. And her belief in thoughtful, human-centred design comes through in every story she shares.In this episode, we cover:* Trusting instinct and knowing when something doesn’t work* Losing confidence early on and rebuilding it through making and learning* Becoming a self-taught product designer through code, prototypes, and practice* The importance of asking “who is this really for?” in design critiques and leadership* Why alignment on outcomes matters more than perfect solutions* Understanding your strongest creative rhythms and working with them, not against them* Learning when to pause, reframe, or let go of an idea that isn’t serving you* Moving across industries and what each environment teaches you* Why healthcare design became a calling, not just a career move* Designing the spaces between decisions, where real change actually happens* Self-care, simplicity, and creating a joyful life outside of work===This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Venessa Bennett has built a career that mirrors the evolution of digital itself. She is now Global Director of UX at Dye & Durham, but her journey began in graphic information design, moved through early digital agencies, transport consultancies, comparison sites, and eventually into design leadership, where she found her true sweet spot. Her story is one of intentional growth, constant reinvention and learning how to listen to her instinct.In this episode, Venessa joins Adam for an honest, energetic conversation about the path from junior designer to global design leader. She shares how she first stepped into digital by accident, why she later circled back to it with clarity, and how she reshaped her skills every time the industry shifted. Along the way, she talks openly about the moment she realised she loved people leadership more than pure craft, and how her work in management has become a place of purpose, legacy and joy.Venessa also discusses the challenges that shaped her as a leader. She reflects on the painful lesson of a mis-hire, why understanding yourself is the foundation of any good career decision, and how empathy can be both a strength and a stumbling block. She and Adam explore the unpredictability of people, the changing expectations of design in an AI-driven world, and why designers today need product sense, business awareness and sharper soft skills than ever before.This is a wide-ranging episode full of clarity, growth and grounded wisdom. Venessa’s perspective is generous, practical and deeply human.In this episode, we cover:* Moving from graphic design into early digital work and rediscovering her passion for UX* Cutting her teeth in comparison sites and fast-paced in-house product teams* Shaping her skills around industry shifts from visual design to UX to design leadership* Why she thrives in the nurturing side of leadership and the legacy it creates* The difference between agency unpredictability and in-house depth* How knowing yourself early changes the trajectory of your career* The painful impact of a mis-hire and what she learned from it* Advice for juniors entering the industry and for designers out of work* The future of UX design in a leaner, AI-driven landscape* Why end-to-end thinking, service design and ethics will matter more than ever===This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2026.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Anjali Gajera Patel has lived multiple creative lives across India, the UK and now San Francisco, where she is Director of Product Design at Ancestry. Her story spans advertising, freelancing during a global recession, self-taught UX, major in-house roles at Clorox, GAP and Kodak, and the cross-continental journey that eventually led her to one of the most loved consumer brands in the world.In this episode, Anjali joins Adam for a warm, honest and deeply human conversation about finding strength through shifting careers, immigration, recession, personal loss and the rapid pace of the tech industry. She shares how she moved from visual comms into product design, why she kept designing for free during the 2008 crash, and how she eventually built the experience and confidence that took her into global product teams.Anjali talks about the joy of creating products that genuinely improve people’s lives, the responsibility designers have when navigating business needs and dark patterns, and the moment she realised she needed to stop fighting for an advertising dream that wasn’t hers anymore. She also reflects on the Ancestry Pet DNA project she and Adam delivered together, why pivoting is one of her greatest strengths, and how Lego, long walks and loved ones help her stay centred.This is an episode full of resilience, optimism and honesty. Anjali’s energy is infectious and her outlook is a reminder that careers aren’t linear, dreams can shift, and you’re allowed to build new ones at any stage of life.In this episode, we cover:* Moving from India to the UK to the US, and rebuilding a career in each* Starting out in advertising during the 2008 recession and designing for free to stay sharp* Transitioning into product design without formal UX training* The difference between agency and in-house work, and why both shaped her career* What she learned from delivering the Ancestry Pet DNA product* Navigating business goals, user needs and the grey area between them* The power of pivoting and staying agile when projects shift* How Lego, fresh air and loved ones became essential self-care rituals* Letting go of one dream to make space for others* Why optimism matters, especially during a global downturn and rapid AI acceleration===This is Awaiting Approval. A globally charting design podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.comGrow With Adam Jennings is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Cat How has built one of the most talked-about branding agencies on two continents. She is Co-founder and Executive Creative Director at How&How, D&AD Jury President 2026, and has been recognised among the 100 Women to KNOW in America and 100 Most Influential Creative Leaders in 2025.In this episode, Cat joins Adam for a relaxed, very human conversation about the reality of creative leadership. She shares how an English Literature degree led to design criticism, then to retraining as a graphic designer, moving across the world, starting multiple businesses, and finally building How&How into a global branding agency with studios in London and LA.Cat talks candidly about the highs and lows. From selling a first business and opening a Lisbon studio that later had to be sunsetted, to the joy of rebranding Wild Things, a vegan candy, that helped fast-track a founder’s five year plan into six months. Along the way she returns to a simple mantra that runs through her life and work: go big, or go home.Adam and Cat also dig into the tension between AI and craft, how to stay curious without losing your ethics, and why throwing great dinner parties is a legitimate leadership skill. If you care about brand, brave work and building community around what you do, this one will hit home.In this episode, we cover:* How Cat went from English Lit graduate to global branding ECD* The story behind How&How and building studios across countries* Sunsetting the Lisbon office and what it taught her about leadership* The Wild Things project and taking a health food product into skate culture* How AI is reshaping client expectations and creative practice* Why “go big or go home” is more than a design school slogan* The power of hosting and community outside workCat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cat-how-0499b9149/ How & How: http://www.how.studio===This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam Jennings.Produced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner.© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here: https://www.growwithadamjennings.com This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Bonus Episode – Season One Exclusive Cast Roundtable ConversationWelcome to this - a roundtable conversation with as many of the cast of Season One as schedules would allow. This is your once in a lifetime chance to sit in on a chat with exceptionally talented creative leaders from a myriad of disciplines including design, advertising, user research, user experience, product design, animation, industrial design, branding and even design hiring.And for those of you already tuned in to the Awaiting Approval podcast you’ll know this group has an unmatched pedigree, with client and partners names including Microsoft, Visa, Apple, Disney, Paramount Pictures, Saatchi & Saatchi, Expedia, LinkedIn, BP, Verizon, Twitter, Vodafone, Dell, Hasbro, Mattel and many more.So, without further preamble, and in alphabetical order, I’m very pleased to welcome to the table:Dr Chris ArnoldLaura BakerJane CookKevin FrankRashmi LopezKevin ParryRoger RohatgiBill SneboldCharmaine WylandDave ZaboskiThis is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam JenningsProduced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Roger Rohatgi - Chief AI Officer (Former VP Global Head of Design at BP, with past work with brands such as Verizon, Twitter, MTV, Motorola Solutions, Oracle and more)What happens when a motion designer turned creative director becomes one of the world’s leading voices in Human-Centered AI?In this episode, Roger Rohatgi takes us on a remarkable journey from lifeguarding and cleaning gas pumps to leading multi-agent AI systems and 86,000-component design systems at global scale. We talk about the messy human side of creative leadership - how putting on gloves with your team changes everything, the power of “designing together,” and how the UX of today is shaping the AI of tomorrow.This one goes deep: responsible design, Synthetic Humans, social TV, the importance of feedback, and the personal moment that made his dad proud.He also shares what it means to be “already approved” - and why that idea might just change your whole career.You can connect with Roger on LinkedIn hereI'll be releasing an end of season 'thank you' next week - but for now, I want to say a huge thank you to Roger for ending Season One of Awaiting Approval Podcast with such insight, and thank you to every guest and listener who has supported the show. And a very special thank you to Jasmin Egner who through her support, patience and invaluable insight has helped make this podcast what it is. We’ve built something special together.Keep your eyes and ears peeled for a special season bonus episode dropping soon!Special thanks on this episode to Steve and Stu at Mantis Broadcast for their last minute help on my audio for this episode, and to Sam at Curzon Cinema for letting me film the pre-roll insert there. This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam JenningsProduced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe

Dr Chris Arnold – Author, Ethical Marketing Pioneer, Neurodiversity Champion (Former Creative Director and Board Director at Saatchi & Saatchi. Founder of Creative Orchestra and Dyversity Lab)What if your greatest creative strength was the very thing school told you was wrong?In this energetic, honest, and refreshingly unfiltered conversation, Dr Chris Arnold shares how being ADHD and dyslexic became his superpower - fueling a career that spans radical creative direction, industry-shifting PR stunts, and one of London’s biggest community arts festivals.We talk about his time at Saatchi & Saatchi, founding multiple agencies, why most creatives are actually “thought architects” - and the art of flipping a client from fear to bravery.This episode is packed with practical wisdom: how to sell big ideas, delegate with clarity, and stop waiting for permission. Plus: glue-based billboards, 21-foot condoms, and the real reason mediocrity wins (for now).It’s a bold call to arms for designers, creatives and business leaders to reject average, challenge the status-quo - and lead with purpose, not perfection.You can connect with Chris on LinkedIn hereThis is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.Hosted by Adam JenningsProduced by Adam Jennings & Jasmin Egner© Cordial Fox Limited, 2025.Ready to level up your leadership with real, honest support?Join the next cohort of Supercharged Creative Leaders - my flagship four-week programme for creative leaders who want clarity, confidence, and a community that gets it.✅ Small groups (just 6 per cohort)✅ Weekly live sessions with me and your cohort✅ Async access to me and your cohort via a private Slack community✅ Invitation to join my alumni community once you’ve completed the programme.Previous attendees have gone on to win major pitches, land new roles, get promoted and step into leadership with more purpose and presence.🚀 Learn more and apply here This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit growwithadamjennings.substack.com/subscribe