Creative Consultants

Matt and Trudy's quarterly catch-up is back, and it covers a lot of ground. AI making feedback beige and impossible to act on, the magic of an analog co-working day, why the "space between us" feels more crowded than ever, Balloon Tree hitting 15 years, and the launch of Testimonial Engine. Warm, honest, a little chaotic. Just how it should be.

Ever feel like you’re fixing the car while driving 100km/h down the highway? Yeah, us too.

In our latest quarterly catch-up, Trudi and Matt are pulling over to look under the hood. We’re talking about Trudi’s massive win as an award-winning author and her new project, Improvising Care, which uses the magic of "Yes, and" to transform life for dementia carers.

Meanwhile, Matt's been leaning into his "mad scientist" era. He shares how he's using AI to kill the "beige" corporate stuff and why waking up at 5 a.m. to walk the dog is actually a strategic move for his mental health.

We also dive into a terrifying experiment: how many people are actually "imprinting" on your brain every day? Could that be why we're all so exhausted every day?

In this episode:

• Why "play" is a secret weapon in high-stakes environments.
• How to find "white space" in a calendar that’s bursting at the seams.
• Using AI as a collaborator to get back to the work that actually matters.
• The rise of the "Trust Economy" and why simplicity is the new loud.

Grab a brew and join us for a chat about creativity, robots, and why we’re all drowning in noise.

Join Matt & Trudi as they discuss what the heck has actually been going on! It's been a busy 2025 and in this quarterly review, the look at what worked, what didn't and why.🎙️ Join the conversation - what have you been up to this first quarter?_____________Get in touch with Matt Smolen⁠www.balloontreeproductions.com⁠Get in touch with Trudi Boatwright⁠www.trudiboatwright.com_____________We make cool stuff with a sense of fun, humour and wonder. And sometimes puns... 😉Balloon Tree Productions was founded in 2011 and has produced video content for national TVC campaigns, social media content and podcasts for some of Australia’s biggest and best companies. We’re driven by creativity and storytelling; fuelled by collaboration between the best people for the job.Check out more of our work at https://www.balloontreeproductions.com

Feeling like your brain’s fried and your to-do list is never-ending? Trudi and Matt dive headfirst into the world of burnout, and reveal the surprising power of play as the ultimate antidote.

From lunchtime naughtiness to people-watching secrets, they explore:

Why taking intentional “white space” can skyrocket your creativity 🎨

The science behind how play actually rewires your brain for problem-solving 🧠

Cheeky experiments and real-life hacks to beat burnout without feeling guilty

🎙️ Join the conversation: What’s your playful escape? Can a little mischief in the middle of the day actually make you more productive?

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Get in touch with Matt Smolen

⁠www.balloontreeproductions.com⁠

Get in touch with Trudi Boatwright

⁠www.trudiboatwright.com

Ones, zeros, sandwiches, costumes… oh my! In this delightfully messy episode of Creative Consultants, Trudi & Matt dive headfirst into the weird, wonderful and slightly wobbly world of AI and creativity.

🤖 Can a machine really be creative?

🎨 Are we on the brink of a creative renaissance, or a creativity apocalypse?

💡 And what happens when you mash up LEGO, sharks, pirate ships, and artificial intelligence?

Join us as we debate, laugh, and share stories, from AI-powered colouring pages for kids to the future of voice actors, to figure out what role humans (and our glorious imperfections) play in an increasingly automated world.

🎙️ Join the conversation: Do you think AI will boost creativity, flatten it, or spark something totally unexpected?

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Get in touch with Matt Smolen

⁠www.balloontreeproductions.com⁠

Get in touch with Trudi Boatwright

⁠www.trudiboatwright.com

Trudi and Matt flip the script and put Matt in the spotlight! From dreaming up Balloon Tree Productions at 16, to building a thriving creative studio 14 years strong, Matt shares how he’s woven together his life, creativity, business, and family into one big, joyful story.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

🌱 The origin story of Balloon Tree Productions

🎭 How theatre kids and collaboration shape creative leadership

🤝 Why hiring with abundance beats scarcity every single time

🎉 The secret to staying playful in business while still growing strong

🎙️ Join the conversation: Drop your thoughts below! Do you believe in “work-life balance”… or “work-life blend”?

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Get in touch with Matt Smolen

⁠www.balloontreeproductions.com⁠

Get in touch with Trudi Boatwright

⁠www.trudiboatwright.com

Can politics ever be creative, or is it doomed to potholes, policies, and painfully long council meetings?

In this episode of Creative Consultants, Trudi and Matt throw the rulebook out the window and invite the wonderful Cr Connie Boglis OAM into the Treehouse of Curiosity.

Connie is many things: counsellor, advocate, author, world-traveller. Today, she’s here to help us explore:

✨ How advocacy and mental health reform require imagination.

🌱 Why co-design and creativity might be the missing link in politics.

🎨 How grief, healing, and children’s storytelling connect to social change.

🌍 And whether creativity is secretly a rebellious force that could reshape communities.

🎙️ Join the conversation: Drop your thoughts below! If every council had a Department of Creativity, what would YOU want it to work on first?

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Get in touch with Matt Smolen

⁠www.balloontreeproductions.com⁠

Get in touch with Trudi Boatwright

⁠www.trudiboatwright.com

Creative Consultants is back with Season 3!

We dive into Trudi’s extraordinary journey: from chocolate workshops to biker bars and everything in between.

Over 48 jobs, countless stories, and one big mission: to bring playfulness into places it’s never been before.

Do you believe play can change the way you work, think, and live? If you’ve ever thought “I’m not creative” or “play isn’t for me,” this episode might just flip that script.

🎧 What you’ll hear:

The surprising story of how Trudi turned “play” into a career.

Why play works even in the toughest workplaces.

How asking three simple questions: “Why?”, “Why Not?”, and “What If?” can spark possibility in your own life.

PLUS: bingo in a telemarketing office, biker bar ethics, and chocolate facts you didn’t know you needed. 🍫

🎙️ Join the conversation: Drop your thoughts below! Where do you see room for play in your life or work? Could you bring a spark of curiosity into your everyday routine?

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Get in touch with Matt Smolen

⁠www.balloontreeproductions.com⁠

Get in touch with Trudi Boatwright

⁠www.trudiboatwright.com

Can creativity survive the AI revolution?

In this episode of The Creative Consultants, Matt, Trudi, and new recruit Danny Ginsberg tackle everything from West Side Story to robot overlords.

They ask: Will AI make us less creative, or free us to become more creative than ever?

Join us as we dive into:

💡 Why your favourite musical reveals your true self

💡 The art of winning hearts (and budgets) for L&D projects

💡 How to sneak creativity into corporate culture bit by bit

💡 Why CEOs secretly love dressing up in silly costumes

💡 The coming renaissance for nerds, theatre kids, and creatives everywhere

💡 AI: creativity killer or creativity amplifier?

If you’ve ever tried to pitch a playful idea to a serious stakeholder, this episode is your permission slip to keep boiling the frog.

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Get in touch with Matt Smolen

⁠www.balloontreeproductions.com⁠

Get in touch with Trudi Boatwright

⁠www.trudiboatwright.com

What if the secret to great leadership was… tap dancing?

This week on The Creative Consultants, Matt and Trudi sit down with special guest Danny Ginsberg to explore:

How does a theatre nerd become a powerhouse in learning and development?

In this episode, we uncover:

💡 How theatre kids can rule the workplace

💡 The surprising power of tap shoes over footy boots

💡 Why feedback in theatre is a masterclass for business

💡 Courage, creativity, and giving fewer sh*ts as you age

💡 Vulnerability as a leadership superpower

💡 The magic of “yes, and…” in improv and team dynamics

💡 Why play-based learning beats ropes courses (sorry, corporate retreats)

If you’ve ever felt too quirky for your corporate job, this one’s for you.

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Get in touch with Matt Smolen

⁠www.balloontreeproductions.com⁠

Get in touch with Trudi Boatwright

⁠www.trudiboatwright.com