The mic flips for our Creatives Like Us season finale! Host Angela Lyons takes the guest seat while producer Heather Pownall leads an open, honest conversation about Angela’s journey from launching the podcast to growing her voice and confidence as a Black creative business owner. From the behind-the-scenes work to the meaningful messages from listeners, Angela shares the milestones, the lessons, and the moments that made season one unforgettable.

We’re talking vision, resilience, and the power of showing up and Angela isn’t stopping here. She shares what’s ahead: the Creatives Like Us live event, more solo episodes, and a focus on welcoming more creatives of colour and amplifying voices for season two. This finale is both a celebration and an inspiring look at what’s next.

Creatives Like Us - the Event
Thursday 19th October 2025
Get your ticket and more information here

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This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

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In this inspiring penultimate episode of the season - the final guest interview of Creatives Like Us, Angela sits down in-studio with the radiant Vanessa Belleau — multidisciplinary creative, executive coach, TEDx Speaker and founder of Beautiful Water Studio and High Fifteen. 

Vanessa opens up about what it really means to own your creative identity — even when you don’t fit into traditional boxes. From her early days in corporate data and trend forecasting to painting emotional pieces now exhibited in London galleries, she shares a raw, joyful story of pivoting, purpose and self-belief. 

🔑 In this episode:
• Turning art from an emotional outlet into a business
• Being “too much” — and making that your superpower
• The link between creativity and leadership
• Why dreaming big shouldn’t feel off-limits
• The beauty of starting where you are 

Whether you’re creative-curious or deep in the game, this episode will leave you feeling seen, empowered and ready to make your next move — unapologetically. 

🎨 “There’s art I sell, and art I keep. That’s my secret garden.” – Vanessa Belleau

Connect with Vanessa:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessabelleau/

High Fifteen Website: https://www.beautifulwaterstudio.com/

Instagram High Fifteen: https://www.instagram.com/highfifteen_/

Beautiful Water Studio: https://www.beautifulwaterstudio.com/

Instagram ART: https://www.instagram.com/beautifulwaterstudio/

This episode was recorded at the Tooting Film Studios in March 2025. Big thanks to the team especially Mira. 

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
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LinkedIn
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Join the mailing list

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The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!

In this episode, Ange sits down with Heather Ebanks, a graphic designer, photographer, and founder of the blog Digital Fluidity. Originally from South London and now based in South Wales, Heather shares her journey of navigating the creative world as a woman of colour, particularly within corporate spaces that didn’t always appreciate or amplify her voice. From her early creative sparks (hint: think hair salons and Essence magazine) to her bold pivot from corporate admin roles to creative direction, Heather offers a candid look at the highs and lows of finding her place in the design industry.

Together, Ange and Heather explore the challenges of being overlooked in creative spaces and how Heather learned to claim her space, launch Digital Fluidity, and reconnect with her artistic spark. They discuss her upcoming podcast Creatively Eccentric, a platform that shines a spotlight on underrepresented designers, older creatives, and women of colour in design. Along the way, they dive into the joy of community, the overwhelm of having too many ideas, and the power of affirming, “I’ve got this.” This episode is a heartfelt love letter to self-trust, creativity, and the freedom to define success on your own terms.

Links and where to find Heather: 

Heather's Blog/Website: https://digitalfluidity.com

Heather's Instagram: @HeatherEbanks

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
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LinkedIn
Podcast website
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Join the mailing list

Buy me coffee or a cuppa tea!

The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!

In this episode of Creatives Like Us , Ange chats with Jo Sealy, a creative business owner, photographer and mentor whose career has spanned marketing, radio, TV and heritage work. Jo shares how she started out as an executive assistant while trying to break into journalism, eventually landing a job in an ad agency in Trinidad. From there, she built experience across the creative industries – including roles at Jazz FM and ITV, before setting up her own agency, To Market, nearly 20 years ago.

Jo also discusses her photography, including the We Are Here project, which documented Windrush residents in Waltham Forest, and her ongoing work showcasing Black artisans across the UK. She reflects on building a career with purpose, learning from mistakes, and the value of sharing knowledge and creating space for others. It’s a warm, thoughtful conversation about creativity, community and following what feels right, even when the path isn’t straightforward.

Contact Jo Sealy

Email: [email protected]
Website (Agency): www.to-market.co.uk

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josealy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToMarket/    

Jo's Photography & Heritage Projects

Black Artisans Project:
Website – https://www.theblackartisans.org/
(Features exhibitions, artisan profiles, and project updates)

We Are Here – Windrush Project:
Website – www.weareherewf.org
(Photography and oral histories of Windrush residents in Waltham Forest)

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareherewf/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weareherewf/

X: https://x.com/weareherewf/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/weareherewf

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM4dVquMLsO9Q6zrW-Ude6w/

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
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LinkedIn
Podcast website
Instagram - Creatives Like Us Podcast
Join the mailing list

Buy me coffee or a cuppa tea!

The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!

In this episode of Creatives Like Us, host Ange sits down with photographer and visual storyteller Gabriel Hutchinson, who shares a candid and often humorous look at his creative journey. From experimenting with a tiny film camera in the Lake District as a child to managing a central London Sainsbury’s before landing an apprenticeship at a photo studio, Gabriel walks us through his unconventional path into photography. He opens up about being thrown out of university, learning from peers, navigating the freelance world, and the invaluable lessons he's picked up along the way, including the importance of storytelling in both life and work.

Now based in Toronto, Gabriel reflects on the challenges of starting over in a new country, chasing meaningful stories through personal projects, and the strange joy of shooting a video shop that still rents out DVDs. With portraits of names like Usher, Olivia Rodrigo, and Pedro Pascal under his belt, Gabriel also shares his thoughts on race and representation in the creative industry and why staying open, curious, and connected has shaped his career more than anything else. It’s an honest, down-to-earth conversation full of insight, inspiration, and a healthy dose of wit.

See Gabriel’s work:

www.gabrielhutchinson.com

Connect with Gabriel:

Email: 

[email protected]

Instagram:

@gabrielreddphoto

https://www.instagram.com/gabrielreddphoto?igsh=MTh0dDRjZ2oyN3d4eg==

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
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LinkedIn
Podcast website
Instagram - Creatives Like Us Podcast
Join the mailing list

Buy me coffee or a cuppa tea!

The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!

In this episode, Ange talks to Nkem Ekwukoma, a lawyer who’s doing things very differently. Nkem is the founder of The Legal Storyteller, where she helps small business owners, especially women and people of colour, understand and manage the legal side of their work in a way that actually makes sense. No jargon, no intimidation, just clear, creative support that gives people confidence. She’s not interested in gatekeeping or ticking boxes – she wants legal literacy to be something everyone can access, and she’s built a business around making that happen.

Nkem shares how burnout, being overlooked, and trying to set up a scarf business in Nigeria during lockdown all played a part in her decision to change direction. We talk about the challenges of being a Black woman in law, the power of storytelling, and how she’s using workshops, live case studies, and LinkedIn Learning to reach people who’d usually be shut out of legal spaces. If you’ve ever felt like legal advice wasn’t built for you, this conversation is a refreshing, honest reminder that it can be.

The Creatives Us Event - Thursday 19th June 2025
A workshop for Black and Brown creatives in Shoreditch, London

For more information and tickets cast your eyes over here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creatives-like-us-workshop-june-19-2025-tickets-1313658390609

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
Instagram
LinkedIn
Podcast website
Instagram - Creatives Like Us Podcast
Join the mailing list

Buy me coffee or a cuppa tea!

The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!

In this warm and honest conversation, designer Bhavini Lakhani from B81 Designs joins Ange on Creatives Like Us to talk about confidence, creative identity, and the joy of print. The two friends explore the value of leaning into your natural strengths, showing up on platforms like LinkedIn even when it feels exposing, and why saying no to a job that doesn’t align can open the door to the right kind of work. Bhavini shares her journey from colourful Peter Rabbit statues to publishing her own design book, alongside reflections on freelancing, raising a family, and staying true to your creative instincts. 

With laughter, vulnerability, and mutual admiration, this episode is a love letter to print design, the magic of good clients, and the ongoing challenge of being visible as a creative. Whether you’re new to freelancing or need a reminder that lurking followers can become future collaborators, Bhavini’s story will leave you inspired. 

Resources and Links 

Bhavini’s Website
www.b81designs.com

Bhavini on Instagram
@b81designs

Bhavini on LinkedIn
Bhavini Lakhani – B81 Designs

Bhavini’s Book – Wise Words
Available on Amazon via Kindle Direct Publishing (Print-on-Demand):
Wise Words by Bhavini – Amazon UK https://amzn.eu/d/94q5lfj

Join us for the:
Creatives Like Us EVENT
A collaborative knowledge sharing and networking event for Black and Brown Creatives who run their own businesses
Thursday 19th June 2025
16.30 - 8.30 pm, London

Tickets are available here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creatives-like-us-event-june-25-tickets-1313658390609

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
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LinkedIn
Podcast website
Instagram - Creatives Like Us Podcast
Join the mailing list

Buy me coffee or a cuppa tea!

The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!

In this uplifting episode of Creatives Like Us, Ange speaks with Nana Crawford, founder of This Black Woman Can and Jiggle Fit, about her transformative journey into dance fitness. Nana shares how, after struggling with post-pregnancy weight and disillusionment with traditional fitness methods, she discovered samba during lockdown and reframed her entire approach to movement. What began as a quest for weight loss evolved into a celebration of joy, self-expression, and confidence, all within the walls of her own home. Her experience revealed that fitness needn't be punishing or exclusive, it can be accessible, liberating and rooted in self-love.

As the conversation unfolds, Nana reflects on the deeper mindset work behind her transformation, the impact of visible representation in fitness, and the resilience required to navigate criticism online. She opens up about the supportive nudges from colleagues and her husband that encouraged her to pursue dance full-time, despite initial fears. With humour and heart, Nana discusses her hopes of one day opening her own studio and working with women who believe they “can’t dance” helping them rediscover their confidence through joyful movement. It's a candid, powerful episode that challenges assumptions and invites listeners to redefine what transformation really looks like.

Resources and Links 

Nana Crawford / This Black Woman Can:
@thisblackwomancan

Jiggle Fit (Nana’s Dance Fitness Brand):
@jigglefiit
(Note: "Fiit" has two I’s – intentional branding choice)

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
Instagram
LinkedIn
Podcast website
Instagram - Creatives Like Us Podcast
Join the mailing list

Buy me coffee or a cuppa tea!

The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!

In this episode of Creatives Like Us, host Angela Lyons speaks with Mo Kanjilal, diversity and inclusion leader, TEDx speaker, and co-founder of Watch This Sp_ce. Mo shares her journey from senior roles in the tech industry to launching a purpose-led inclusion consultancy during the pandemic. With a background in English and a career spanning global sales and marketing, Mo talks candidly about the challenges of working in non-diverse environments, the importance of representation, and how she channelled those experiences into meaningful change. The pair discuss the founding of Watch This Sp_ce, the thinking behind its distinctive name, and the creative process behind Mo’s co-authored book The Inclusion Journey, which explores how organisations can build inclusive cultures through practical, human-centred steps.

The conversation also touches on the power of mentoring, the value of being paid for your expertise, and how Mo balances multiple roles, from charity trustee to writer. Angela and Mo reflect on how creativity shows up in unexpected ways, particularly in sectors like tech, and the importance of saying yes to opportunity. Mo shares insights into her team’s flexible, remote approach to work, the growing impact of their consultancy, and what’s next for her personally and professionally, including plans for a second book and more public speaking. With thoughtful, grounded reflections throughout, this is a rich and inspiring listen for anyone navigating creative or mission-driven work.

Mo's Links

Mo’s website:
https://www.watchthisspace.uk/services/speaking/mo-kanjilal-speaker/ 

Mo’s TedX talk:
https://youtu.be/iPDsC4LPPc0

Mo’s book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inclusion-Journey-Creating-strategy-engagement/dp/1398616729

The Clock Tower Sanctuary - https://www.thects.org.uk/

Here – Care Unbound (where Mo is aNon-Exec Director) - https://hereweare.org.uk/

Technative Digital where Mo is a Board Advisor - https://www.technativedigital.com/

The Girls Network where Mo is a mentor - https://www.thegirlsnetwork.org.uk/

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
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Podcast website
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Join the mailing list

Buy me coffee or a cuppa tea!

The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!

In this episode of Creatives Like Us, host Angela interviews performance poet Adisa, also known as The Verbaliser. Adisa shares his creative journey, beginning with his early involvement in Jamaican sound system culture and moving into poetry as a more meaningful and mature form of expression. He talks about being inspired by his father’s love of music and the discipline it taught him, as well as the importance of having role models and mentors in his early career.

Adisa discusses his work in schools and with corporate clients, using poetry as a tool to build confidence, cultural awareness, and connection. He reflects on the lack of Black history in mainstream education and how this drives his work with young people, especially African Caribbean boys. He also speaks about his involvement with the Black Unity Bike Ride, his love of cycling, and a passion project called The Poetry Pedlar. The episode ends with a live reading of his poem Take Time and a quick-fire Q&A. It’s a grounded and reflective conversation about creativity, culture, and using your voice with purpose.

The late and great poet - Benjamin Zephaniah said this about Adisa,  “ Adisa is the future it’s so good to have something to look forward to”. 

Links and Resources

Adisa’s Website: www.adisaworlds.com

Instagram – @adisapoet: instagram.com/adisapoet

Black Unity Bike Ride: blackunitybikeride.com

Apples and Snakes: applesandsnakes.org

The Poetry Pedlar (YouTube series): https://www.youtube.com/@adisapoet

Benjamin Zephaniah (tribute/reference): benjaminzephaniah.com 

If you have enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review here. Thank you!

Support the show

Contact Information

This podcast is hosted by award-winning graphic designer Angela Lyons of Lyons Creative.

If you have any questions or suggestions or would like to be featured on this podcast, please contact Angela here.

Are you creating your own podcast? My set up is easy as I record on Riverside. You can check it out here.

You can follow and connect here:
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Podcast website
Instagram - Creatives Like Us Podcast
Join the mailing list

Buy me coffee or a cuppa tea!

The opinions of our host and guests are their own.
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice or leave us a review. 

*this may contain an affiliate link - I only promote things I use and believe in.

Thanks!