Play It Forward

Kate Downie built Western Australia's most established production house over 25 years. Then 2024 happened. The worst year for production anyone could remember. Instead of riding it out, she tore the model apart. No more roster. No more gatekeeper. Just exceptional production expertise, pointed anywhere in the world.  In this episode, Kate talks about what it actually means to produce (spoiler:...

Amy Hollier spent 20 years as a copywriter and creative director, including six years at Saatchi Paris pitching ideas in rough Croatian-inflected French. She built a reputation for creative integrity at BWM Dentsu. Then in 2020 she co-founded The Open Arms — a purpose-led agency that only takes on briefs where the work can create genuine positive change. In this conversation, Amy talks about the m...

Lea Walker has spent 30 years placing creative talent across three continents. But she started as a suit. It was a pay cut, a title cut and eleven interviews at Fallon London that changed everything.  In this episode, Lea talks about learning the real job of account management (clear the path, protect the work), the moment she left account service because nobody cared about the work enough, and ho...

Liana Rossi never had a plan. She started writing Pringles captions because a guy liked her all-caps Facebook updates. She moved to Tasmania on a Sunday afternoon phone call. She left a full-time job and enrolled in clown school simultaneously. And somehow, across digital agencies, MONA, and two stints going independent, she built one of the most distinctive creative voices in Australia.  In this...

Jo Stanley spent 12 years co-hosting Australia's most listened-to breakfast show. Then Gold FM sacked her. What came next —Broad Radio, Australia's first full radio network for women, by women — is still being built.  In this conversation, Jo talks honestly about the terror of creative risk, the anxiety that shadowed her standup years, the infantilising bubble of breakfast radio, and why n...

This is a podcast for people working in a creative field. Or those who want to. Anyone wrestling with the competing forces of art and commerce. Or those who want to work in an environment that fosters creativity and problem solving. If you're keen to explore how to better navigate the commercial realities of the gig, with less angst and more fun. To progress your career and make it play – this...