Never Not Creative

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!

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!

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.

In this episode, Ve and Andy join forces to chat to recent winners of the Deutsche Bank Awards For Creative Entrepreneurs – Jameisha Prescod, founder of You Look Okay To Me, an online space for the chronic illness community and Nahum McLean, founder of African Diaspora Dance Association (ADDA), an organisation that aims to expand the curriculum and training of dance under the African Diaspora. Jameisha and Nahum share the importance of strong mentorship, community and not letting social norms stand in your way. Since 1993, through DBACE, Deutsche Bank has overseen the launch of over 220 ventures, helping young visionaries bring their ideas to life as one of the longest running creative enterprise programmes. In 2018, MeWe360 was brought in as a new partner to deliver and help shape the new direction of the programme. Every year, the DBACE programme provides support to 10 entrepreneurs (5 Winners + 5 bursary business support recipients). All entrepreneurs join MeWe360’s incubator membership to receive tailored 1-2-1 mentoring which looks at aspects of business support depending on the entrepreneurs’ individual needs. Applications for the 2022 DBACE program are open now. You can apply here. More about Mewe360 You Look Okay To Me African Diaspora Dance Association And thanks to Streamtime

In our second episode, David and Ve sit down with Alina Mendoza Lopez, currently an intern at Dragon Rouge London, and Max Ottignon, co-founder of the London based agency Ragged Edge to discuss failure at the individual level. Within the episode Max and Alina discuss their experience of failure: Alina discussed her relationship with failure in university whilst Max elucidates early career experiences with failure as well as his current experiences running Ragged Edge. Ragged Edge Dragon Rouge Thanks to Streamtime. Project and studio management for healthier creative businesses. More at Nevernotcreative.org

The final episode of our Creativity and Football mini-series rounds out with The Hallway's ECD Simon Lee. Simon has lived experience with the ups and downs of mental health, but has also been working closely with mental health charity, Gotcha4Life for the last 3 years. The result of this work is the quite excellent Boys Do Cry campaign – a clever take on The Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" from 1979. It's a powerful piece bringing together 30 men from all walks of life to unite in tackling the stigma of mental health – especially relating to men. Andy and Simon discuss the rules of masculinity, the stiff upper lip and the power and relief that comes from opening up.  You can find out more about the campaign at: Boys Do Cry.  Thanks to Endel.io for background music. Check them out for one month free. Support from Streamtime always appreciated and for joining us on the fight for a healthier creative industry. Check out what's happening at Never Not Creative and last chance to take the empathy survey.

It's the 3rd episode of our Creativity & Football mini-series. Craig Elimeliah is an award-winning ECD at VMLY&R in New York. A native New-Yorker he gets his football analogies from the oval shaped ball rather than the circular one. A couple of months ago, Craig wrote a brave post on Linkedin sharing his experiences with many years of mental heath ups and downs. It's not easy to suddenly go from zero to a hundred in the transparency and vulnerability stakes, but Craig has taken it in his stride and now understands his own mental health in order to pull the right levers at the right time. He's also excited by the change our industry is destined to make with a new generation of talent and leaders who won't stand for the toxicity and culture of the past that has burnt out far too many of us. Need help with your mental health? Find out more about Craig. Craig's interview with David Sable for New York Festivals. Thanks to Endel.io - the AI-powered wellness app that helps you focus, relax, and sleep better through the power of sound. Created by artists, proved by science. And thanks to Streamtime. Project management software for healthier creative businesses. More at Nevernotcreative.org