The Common Creative

In this week’s conversation, Paul and Chris delve into the concept of 'daily-ish' habits, inspired by Oliver Berkman's insights. They discuss the importance of flexibility in habit formation, especially for those with busy lives or distractions. The conversation transitions into the relationship between creativity and mindset, emphasizing that a creative approach to life can be more benefici...

Would you have the courage to sell your house in order to fund a retro startup in the music industry? Neil Wilson is co-owner of Suitcase Records, a family-owned vinyl pressing business based in Brisbane, Australia. Neil shares his fascinating journey from the safe world of urban planning and architecture to co-founding one of only three vinyl record manufacturers in the country.  He provides...

How can businesses embrace artistic processes and become more innovative? Chloe Preece works at the intersection of arts and marketing, focusing on how businesses can learn from artists' creative processes. Drawing on her observations of the way real artists work, she beats the drum for concepts such as play, experimentation, and embracing failure in fostering a creative culture within business.&n...

In this mini episode, Chris Meredith and Paul Fairweather discuss the concept of 'Quarter by Quarter', inspired by Anne Lamott's book 'Bird by Bird'. Paul shares his personal struggle with completing self-initiated projects due to his tendency to get distracted by new ideas. He introduces his plan to undertake 100 side projects over the next 25 years, with each project lasting approximately 90 day...

Who wouldn’t want to be a “Creative Catalyst”!  With a background as both a practicing and academic creative, Paulina Larocca shares her powerful insights about the role of respect, the importance of ‘movement’ and the need to ask the right questions when developing creative ideas.  For her, ideas are easy - it's framing the questions in the right way that g...

In this engaging conversation, Paul Fairweather and Chris Meredith explore the intersection of creativity, woodworking, and personal organization. Chris shares his unique approach to organizing his workshop, using whimsical 'ministries' to categorize tools and materials. The discussion evolves into a broader reflection on the importance of creativity in organization and the balance between followi...

We’re re-publishing this incredible episode with Rachel Barnard because we want more people to hear her amazing story of creativity and social change. She’s the founder of Young New Yorkers, a program that uses art and creativity to help young offenders avoid criminal records. (Yes! Art can be used to avoid a criminal record!) An Australian-born architect and with no experience of the...

In the world of elite sports, discipline, commitment and resilience tend to reign supreme. So, is there a role for creativity?   In this episode, Rowena Meredith (double olympian and also Chris’ daughter) shares her journey from a young athlete trying various sports to becoming a medal-winning Olympian. She discusses the pivotal moments that led her to take rowing seriously, the co...

In many ways, Marion Deuchars is the ultimate poster child for the Common Creative.  A successful illustrator and author and illustrator of her own books, she also has a powerful creative philosophy. Key elements of her creative formula are embracing deadlines (even if they’re self-imposed) curiosity, observation and playfulness.   Faced with the overwhelming amount of material tha...

In this week’s episode of the Common Creative Podcast, Hanne Kristiansen shares her journey from Denmark to Barcelona and her evolution into a creativity consultant. She introduces the Creative ID concept, which emphasizes that everyone is creative in their own way. Hanne discusses the importance of breaking down traditional views of creativity in corporate settings and presents five distinct type...

Is Lewis Rossignol an illustrator, visual storyteller or a comedian?  And what IS the secret of drawing an Australian or a person with Down’s Syndrome?   In this episode Lewis shares his journey from a non-creative background to becoming a successful visual artist with a jittery, nervous style that somehow captures more of the essence of his subject than a more traditional portrait In the discussi...

In this conversation, Paul Fairweather and Chris Meredith delve into the themes of creativity, visual art, and storytelling, particularly focusing on Chris's upcoming photographic exhibition titled 'Spirits of Balmoral.' The discussion explores the unique aspects of Chris's digital art, its resemblance to Renaissance paintings, and the deeper narratives behind the images, including the representat...

In this episode of the Common Creative Podcast, Mark Shayler shares his journey as a sustainability and innovation consultant, delving into the intersection of creativity, storytelling, and personal growth. He discusses the power of visual communication, and the humorous yet impactful story of his singing experiences. Mark also explores the symbolism of lemons and how they relate to creativity and...

In this episode of The Common Creative, Chris Meredith and Paul Fairweather delve into the insights from Anne Lamott's book 'Bird by Bird'. They discuss the intersection of writing and life, emphasising how humour and authenticity play crucial roles in storytelling. The conversation highlights the importance of self-discovery through creative expression and the lessons learned from both fiction an...

Sparketypes, “One” Beer, and a singer who is a semi-tone out! Mark Truelson fits the mold of the passionate creative. Join us as he shares his journey from leading innovation at Foster's to becoming a consultant focused on sparking creativity in organizations. Mark explores how leaders can build supportive environments, engage employees, and lower the stakes to drive innovative projects. He introd...

In this episode of the Common Creative Podcast, Shivani Gupta. Shivani shares her transformative journey from being an engineer to becoming an entrepreneur and educator. She discusses the pivotal moment during her travels in Nepal that led her to reassess her life choices and pursue a path that aligns with her passions. Throughout the conversation, Shivani emphasizes the importance of creativity,...

In this week’s episode of The Common Creative our guest, Masami Sato, founder of B1G1, shares her journey in creating a social good enterprise that’s making a global impact. B1G1 (Buy1GIVE1) aims to foster a world of giving, where everyday actions lead to real change. Businesses can choose high-impact projects and link their daily activities to measurable outcomes. With over 300 million giving imp...

In this week’s episode of The Common Creative, we sit down with Mark Schenk, co-founder of Anecdote, to explore why he feels business communication is broken.  Interestingly, Mark suggests that the word  "story" is too soft or irrelevant in a corporate environment, and flips the script arguing that simple, everyday events are the key to engaging, authentic communication. Mark shares the value of b...

Matthew Dicks is one of the world’s storytelling greats.  In this show, Chris and Paul challenge him to reveal the secrets of his storytelling tricks and probe for ideas on how to use stories in the world of work. (Listen out for ideas like “life homework” and how to spot those “five second moments” which are central to every great story) The result is a 30 minute pot of “podcast inspiration” for...

In this special episode of The Common Creative podcast, Paul Fairweather and Chris Meredith celebrate Australia Creativity Day 2024, emphasising the importance of creativity in everyday life. Paul and Chris engage in a lively discussion about how businesses and individuals can benefit from fostering a creative mindset to navigate the rapidly changing world. The conversation touches on various them...

In this caffeine-loaded episode of The Common Creative podcast , hosts Chris Meredith and Paul Fairweather explore the stimulating connection between caffeine and creativity with guest Dean Merlo , the founder of Merlo Coffee. The discussion brews with insights into the impact of coffee culture on business innovation and how simple changes revolutionise consumer experience. Dean shares his journey...

This week’s episode, Scott Andrew James is a multifaceted creative located in Austin, Texas, who operates in the dual roles of a book coach and a roving poet. Scott found his true calling in the world of words. He ultimately discovered his passion for creating interactive, co-creative poetry. Using his grandfather's 1946 Smith Corona typewriter,  Scott's creative journey began with an unconvention...

World Story Telling Day was originally created in Sweden to encourage people to tell stories and build better connections. This year’s theme “Building Bridges” seems particularly poignant. In this snippet, Paul and Chris celebrate World Story Telling Day 2024 with a conversation about the history of the event, the role of story telling in bringing people together and a review of some of the episod...

“When you first see a new idea [for a book cover], don’t judge it immediately. Instead,sleep on it and let it mull” “It really helps to trust great creatives - they  need the space to do their best work” “A real, printed book avoids information overload. It is a one-to-one connection with the author” Our guest this week is Miranda West, the visionary founder and publisher behind The Do Book Co., a...

Roger Dennis is a seasoned expert in the art of “foresight” - guiding leaders beyond conventional strategic planning and short time frames. Drawing from his academic background in psychology and zoology, Dennis offers a distinct perspective on long-term trends and their impacts on businesses and society. Renowned for his skill in crafting powerful narratives, he helps business leaders to think bey...