"I had this kind of crazy idea that if you have a passion, a creative passion, that's a hobby, you feel dirty if you turned it into something that made money." - Katy Cowan

A candid conversation with Katy Cowan, founder of Creative Boom, about her 15-year journey building one of the creative industry's most respected platforms. From her early days in journalism to running a PR agency, Katy shares how she transformed a passion project into a thriving digital magazine that champions creatives worldwide. 

Her story illustrates the power of authentic long-term commitment, showing how a simple WordPress site grew into a global creative platform working with brands like Meta and Microsoft. What began as a desire to help creatives who weren't getting noticed has evolved into an influential voice in the creative industry while staying true to its original mission.

Key Takeaways:

• Success often requires extraordinary patience - Creative Boom didn't make money for its first 5-6 years
• Sometimes scaling down rather than up can lead to greater fulfillment and success
• Building a trusted platform takes time - Creative Boom's growth from chaos to structure took over a decade
• True leadership can emerge from simply following your passions and interests
• It's okay to grow and evolve your business model over time rather than getting it right immediately
• Creating a warm, welcoming space in the digital world requires intentional curation and clear values
• Personal growth and business growth are often intertwined - being willing to change and adapt is crucial

Mindful Creative: How to understand and deal with the highs and lows of creative life, career and business

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