WHAT DOES YOUR MUM THINK

Listen for honest stories, tactile creativity, and practical takeaways for anyone wanting to make work that feels like home. Today I’m hyped to have Fefi Castedo with us: a Bolivian‑born illustrator and graphic designer now based in NYC. Raised in Riberalta in the Amazon, Fefi rebuilt her life and career after a corporate layoff and breakup by simply making — clay, Lego, iPad drawings and candid v...

Today I’m over the moon to have Ria Hebden with us: presenter, founder, producer and the powerhouse behind Wonder Women. Ria learned the machinery of TV in publicity (Disney, Fox, Channel 4) before becoming the calm, trusted face on Lorraine, All Around Britain and global stages like Cannes Lions and Davos. She’s a BAFTA voter, CEO of Wonder Women, runs Carpe Diem Media, and was named Media Champi...

Yes people, we’re back! On this episode of WDYMT, Sheps chats with Jessica Deseo. Designer‑turned‑educator‑turned‑platform builder — about shaping design culture, making sustainability the default, and balancing a creative life with motherhood. Highlights: Jessica’s nonlinear career: from winning a 5th‑grade ad contest to stepping away from studio work in 2014 to shape the industry Reviving PRINT...

Today’s guest is Kam Namorm AKA Kirx Diaz. LA-based director/videographer who went from shooting music vids for a coffee to building a recognisable visual language that’s clocked over a billion views. No film‑school blueprint, no straight line — just hustle, strategy and an eye for what makes content pop. We dig into his early days in the trenches, the grind that built his name, the numbers behind...

This might be the first WDYMT where I’m in genuine pain… because today I’m literally getting tattooed while recording the episode 😅This week I’m joined by Manchester tattoo artist and Co-owner of Reign & Hail, Sam Waiting. We chat about the journey from graphic design into tattooing, the pressure of building an artistic career, the meaning behind tattoos, human connection, identity, success a...

Just spent 2 days in Dublin learning from the GOAT Annie Atkins about the world of graphic props and design for film. Honestly left feeling inspired as hell. From immigration documents and newspapers, to passports, ephemera and world building, this workshop opened my eyes to how deep storytelling can go through design. It reminded me why I fell in love with creating in the first place. I’ve starte...

This week on What Does Your Mum Think, I’m joined by Cat How, co‑founder of How & How — a studio known for bold ideas, fearless branding, and ruffling a few feathers. If you want your work to matter, not just look pretty, this episode is for you. Cat shares her journey from art journalism to building a global agency, working with purpose‑led organisations like Chester Zoo, and why playing it s...

16 years. One studio. Zero shortcuts! In this episode, I sit down with Miles Marshall — someone who’s been part of my journey from the very start. He interviewed me for my placement at Turner Duckworth… and shaped me more than he probably knows. We get into what it really means to stay the course in an industry that’s always moving. Leadership, pressure, standards, and what it takes to work in a p...

In this episode, I sat down with Grace Dawson and we got into what it really means to design your life on your own terms. Grace’s story is not the obvious one. She grew up between the UK and Wyoming, moving through completely different worlds, and that shaped how she sees everything. Not the perfect student. Not the cleanest path. But always led by curiosity and stories. We talk about her time in...

Most people think the goal is to keep moving up. Bigger titles. Bigger roles. More recognition. But what if that is not it? In this episode, I sat down with Thomas Wilder, CCO and Founder of Reunion, and we got into the long game. The patient one. The one no one really talks about. From growing up in rural New Hampshire to leading some of the world’s biggest brands, Thomas did not rush it. He foll...

Yes people we back! Therapeutic reflection with the broski! Sat down with my blood brother Callum, who’s been behind the scenes as the WDYMT researcher. We’re breaking down the journey so far. 50 episodes deep. What started as me sat in my London apartment feeling stuck has turned into something way bigger than I ever expected. We get into the real stuff. Not just the highlights, but what actually...

This one’s special… our first EVER live episode , recorded in Manhattan, NYC at the Pearlfisher studio, with the Empire State Building glowing pink behind us. Mad ting. For EP.53, I’m joined by someone who’s not just an incredible creative leader, but someone who’s genuinely shown up for me when it mattered most… Matt Sia . Whether he’s cooking up something in the kitchen, writing and performing m...

Today’s guest is someone I’ve known for years… and someone I’ve always been inspired by. William McSweeney is the owner of Juiced and works closely with some seriously talented people across food, culture, and hospitality. But this episode isn’t just about food. It’s about people. It’s about chance. And it’s about building something real from the ground up. We actually met in the most random way…...

What does it really take to win a Pentaward? This week on What Does Your Mum Think , we sit down with three people shaping one of the biggest stages in global packaging design — Adam Ryan, Chloe Templeman, and John Glasgow . Pentawards is celebrating 20 years in the game… two decades of recognising the best packaging design on the planet. But behind the trophies, judging rooms, and glossy entries...

Yes people, we back. Welcome to the WDYMT Podcast — Stories from the heart that make mums proud. In this episode of Sheps Chats , I’m talking about the journey so far. No guru advice, no “how to go viral”, no promises of millions of views. Just the honest story of how this podcast started and why I keep showing up every single week. Three years ago I started WDYMT in London when I felt uninspired...

For Mother’s Day I brought the most important guest I’ll probably ever have on the podcast… my mum. We had a simple, honest chat about what it really means to be a mum, the things mums worry about that kids don’t see, and what actually makes her proud.

This episode is a big one. Not only is it Episode 50 of WDYMT, but I’m joined by someone who helped shape the very idea of creative podcasting. Today I’m sitting down with Debbie Millman — designer, author, , illustrator, educator and the legendary host of Design Matters, one of the longest-running podcasts in the world. For over 20 years and over 500 episodes, Debbie has interviewed some of the m...

WE BACK! This week I’m joined by the very talented Mat Voyce. Mat’s journey started as a graphic designer, but what makes his story special is how he followed his curiosity. He spent years experimenting, playing around with type and teaching himself motion. Not for clients. Not for recognition. Just for the love of the craft. That curiosity turned into his signature style. Today, Mat is known arou...

Alex Center is the founder of CENTER, the Brooklyn-based studio behind brands like Bero, Butter, United Sodas of America, Ghostwriter, and more — building challenger brands that don’t just sit on shelves, but move culture. He also founded & hosts the 'Front & Center' podcast alongside Kevvvvvvvin. Overall, he's a real one. Before that, he spent over a decade inside the Coca-Cola system, wo...

This is an emotional one! For the first time, Sheps Chats is going solo. If you’ve been rocking with the pod from the early days, you’ll know it started as a two-person thing. And honestly, that chapter meant a lot to me. There’s love there, always will be. But life moves, people grow, paths change… and now it’s time for a new season, but no seasons just episodes. This episode is me being open abo...

Back with another banger! In this episode, Sheps sits down with Chloé Templeman – Executive Creative Director at Pearlfisher. This one’s a special conversation. I sat down with Chloe to talk about the journey behind the title — the grit, the doubts, the pivots, and the moments that quietly shape who you become. We start right at the beginning — her early curiosity as a kid, always making, always q...

In this episode, we sit down with Adam Swan and Alexander Stewart – founders of design studio Derek & Eric – to unpack how the deliver simple ideas, smart systems, and visual wit can turn tired brands into distinctive icons. From their roots from JKR to building a studio powered by trust, clarity, and craft, they break down: — Why timeless brands start with strategy — What makes a creative par...

How do you go from drawing in your bedroom to designing for the FIFA World Cup, Nike, and MTV? According to Rich Tu, it starts with making the work you want to see in the world. In this episode we’re joined by first-gen Filipino-American creative Rich Tu – Partner and Executive Creative Director at Sunday Afternoon, host of First Generation Burden, and an artist whose work moves with colour, rhyth...

Paul Blackburn is the founder of Studio Blackburn, a London‑born branding agency that’s quietly shaped creative culture from the IOC to Sky, Toyota, Zaha Hadid Architects and Brompton Bicycles. For over 25 years, Paul’s forged a path that’s less about industry posturing and more about design that lasts, values that matter, and storytelling that actually works. Paul never really wanted to “work for...

Claire Blyth went from aspiring scientist to one of the most powerful voices in design PR. In this episode, Claire joins Sheps and Michael to break down her journey, from founding Red Setter (the PR agency behind the world’s top creative studios) to launching her own podcast, My Life in Design. They get into what makes great creative PR, how to get your studio noticed, why storytelling still reign...