Russ Mashmeyer's journey from fine art student to Meta's AI Product Design Director reveals the unexpected connections between creativity and code. Growing up in suburban Georgia where "everything was new," Russ found himself drawn to New York's layers of history, studying fine art at NYU before joining a touring indie band called The XYZ Affair. What began as building Flash websites for his band evolved into a career defining how we interact with technology.~

 Now leading Meta's Pathfinding team, he explores rapid prototyping of AI-powered products, helping designers and creators understand AI not as a replacement for human creativity but as an accelerant for bridging skill gaps.

Russ brings a unique perspective to AI development, viewing it through the lens of cultural history—from photography's disruption of fine art to desktop publishing's transformation of graphic design. He argues that AI models deliver "mediocre, average expected results" by design, making human taste, perspective, and cultural awareness more essential than ever. 

Key Takeaways

• Software as artistic medium requires the same creative intuition as traditional fine art, just expressed through different tools and faster feedback loops
• The best preparation for emerging fields is developing insatiable curiosity about how things work rather than mastering specific technical skills
• Cultural and historical context matters more than ever in AI development—understanding what resonated with people before helps predict what will matter next
• AI models are designed to produce average results, making human taste, lived perspective, and cultural relevance the differentiating factors in creative work
• "Naïve optimism"—the mindset of "how hard could it be?"—is essential for innovation, especially in spaces where no one is an expert yet
• Children benefit enormously from watching adults play, fail with smiles, and create together, normalizing creativity as a lifelong practice
• Every major technological shift creates cultural upheaval, but society consistently figures out how to metabolize new tools and elevate them to art forms
• The most powerful use of AI raises the floor of competence in areas where you have skill gaps while you remain exceptional in your core strengths
• Treating your first band like a startup teaches essential lessons about entrepreneurialism, feedback loops, and creating products people love
• New technology succeeds when it serves human intent rather than replacing human creativity, becoming a tool that unlocks what people inherently want to do
• Building in public fields where no one is an expert yet levels the playing field—depth of historical knowledge matters more than technical seniority
• The transition from planning perfect UIs in Figma to sculpting functional prototypes with AI represents a fundamental shift from drawing to three-dimensional creation
• Emergent capabilities in AI models—features that weren't explicitly designed—mirror how creative misuse of instruments led to entirely new musical genres

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
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A short bonus episode showcasing a few stand out moments from this week's guest interview with Lauren Hartstone of Sibling Rivalry ~ 

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
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Lauren Hartstone is a Creative Director and Partner at Sibling Rivalry, where she's spent the past decade mastering the art of fusing brand architecture with compelling storytelling. From creating iconic title sequences at Imaginary Forces to revolutionizing sports graphics, her journey reveals how creative fearlessness and systematic thinking can transform entire industries.

Growing up with a market research executive father and artist mother, Lauren developed an understanding of both human behavior and visual expression. Her obsession with David Fincher's Se7en title sequence led her to Imaginary Forces for five transformative years. At Gretel, she experienced a humbling moment of having to step back and learn systematic branding. Becoming a mother of two fundamentally shifted her leadership approach—embracing merged work-life roles rather than separation.

Now revolutionising sports graphics, Lauren's admission of knowing nothing about the sector became her greatest asset. Her philosophy centers on finding stories that already exist, working smarter as a leader, and maintaining excitement about possibility even after decades in the industry.

Key moments: 

• Merge branding with storytelling: The most powerful work happens when systematic brand thinking meets emotional narrative craft—they're not separate disciplines but symbiotic forces that strengthen each other
• The story is usually already there: Stop searching for manufactured insights and bigger concepts outside—the most authentic and resonant stories often exist within the brand, the people, or the culture you're trying to represent
• Strategic fearlessness beats safe permanence: Brands hold back from bold creative choices because they fear permanence, but campaigns are ephemeral—there's more power in being willing to take expressive risks that can evolve over time
• Fresh perspective is your superpower: Not knowing a sector intimately isn't a weakness—it's an opportunity to bring new eyes, question conventions, and offer what you do best without being constrained by industry dogma
• Leadership shifts from hours to impact: As you grow into creative leadership, especially as a parent, your value transforms from volume and hours worked to vision, clarity, and the ability to work smarter and faster
• Keep work and life merged, not separated: The stress of maintaining rigid boundaries between creative passion and family responsibilities can be replaced by flexible integration—showing your children what creative work looks like teaches possibility
• Stay excited about where things could go: After decades in the industry, maintaining genuine enthusiasm for "there's so many places this could go" at the start of each project keeps creativity alive and prevents complacency
• Find where you feel your best self: Long-term creative fulfilment requires finding the team, the environment, and the work that allows you to stretch, learn, feel confident, and be authentically yourself.

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk

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A short bonus episode showcasing a few stand out moments from this week's guest interview with Luke Woodhouse of RaggedEdge ~ 

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk

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Luke Woodhouse, Executive Creative Director at Ragged Edge, shares his 15-year journey from a four-person studio to a 40-person powerhouse creating category-defining brands. 

This conversation explores the evolution of branding from nice websites to transformative digital ecosystems, revealing what it takes to create work that generates immediate business impact. 

Luke discusses major projects including Wise's global rebrand and Solflare's bold cryptocurrency positioning, explaining how Ragged Edge works with clients who are "confident in the unknown" to create brands that users adopt and celebrate. 

He shares practical insights on keeping concepts loose while opinions stay strong, collaborating deeply with in-house teams, and why getting comfortable with uncomfortable is essential for breakthrough creative work.

Key takeaways

• Self-selecting clients are the best clients—when you stand for something bold, people who share your mindset will seek you out rather than needing convincing
• Keep early concepts rough and loose to invite client collaboration, which prevents teams from becoming too precious while helping clients feel ownership of the direction
• The concept should be the creative director, not personal opinions—focus on communicating the core idea in the strongest way possible rather than aesthetic preferences
• Testing for distinctiveness matters more than testing for likability—brands need to stand out, and uncomfortable feelings toward something new are often positive signals
• Build real-life relationships at project kickoff and during initial concepts when ideas are most delicate and nuanced conversations determine direction
• Deep collaboration with product and in-house design teams three-quarters through the project helps stress-test brand elements and find the balance between disruption and usability
• Case studies that explain why and how, not just pretty pictures, are crucial for winning new work because people love ideas and stories
• Separation of self-worth from work is essential—celebrate talented people pushing hard while maintaining a "no ego" approach where the work is what matters
• Different means new, new means unfamiliar, and unfamiliar is uncomfortable—getting comfortable with this discomfort is where breakthrough creativity lives
• The trend toward agency and in-house teams working as one unified team will continue growing, leveraging client expertise on their business to get great work launched

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk

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A short bonus episode showcasing a few stand out moments from this week's guest interview with Alison Black of Studio Craig Black ~ 

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk

Lux Coffee Co. https://luxcoffee.co.uk/ (Use: PODCAST for 15% off)

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Alison Black traded her career as a mental health nurse in a Scottish prison to become Managing Director of Craig Black Studio, joining her husband in building one of the world's most distinctive visual art businesses. In this revealing conversation, Alison shares how she overcame self-doubt to bring her unique skillset—from deescalating challenging situations to delivering difficult news with grace—into the creative industry. 

She discusses the realities behind the glossy brand collaborations, the intensity of running a family business where perfection is non-negotiable, and how working with prisoners taught her perspective that stress in the creative world pales in comparison to real-world problems. 

From art Nashville residencies to Disney collaborations, Alison offers an honest look at what it takes to support creative excellence whilst maintaining boundaries, raising their daughter Olivia in the studio, and proving that sometimes the best person for the job comes from the most unexpected background.

Key Takeaways

• Transferable skills from intense environments like mental health nursing—including interpersonal communication, deescalation, and giving difficult feedback—can be invaluable in creative business management
• Setting clear expectations from the start prevents problems later; being honest about what's achievable builds trust more than overpromising
• Self-doubt often stems from feeling like an outsider, but the creative community's welcoming nature and willingness to help can quickly transform imposter syndrome into confidence
• Running a family business requires strict boundaries between work and family time, though the flexibility to travel together and be present for children makes the challenges worthwhile
• Perspective matters; asking "did anyone die?" helps recalibrate stress levels and reminds us that creative challenges, whilst real, aren't life-threatening
• Working as a husband-wife team succeeds when roles are clearly defined and each partner plays to their strengths rather than trying to do everything
• Brands value confidence and expertise; suggesting better ideas outside the brief often wins trust rather than just delivering what's requested
• Building a support network including mentors and peers who genuinely want you to succeed is essential when entering a new industry
• Perfectionism drives quality; refusing to compromise on standards or miss deadlines, whilst demanding, creates the reputation that attracts premium opportunities
• Exposing children to creative possibilities from a young age, from studio craft days to major brand collaborations, shows them what's possible without forcing a particular path

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk

Lux Coffee Co. https://luxcoffee.co.uk/ (Use: PODCAST for 15% off)

November Universe https://novemberuniverse.co.uk (Use: PODCAST for 10% off)

A short bonus episode showcasing a few stand out moments from this week's guest interview with Jono McCleery ~

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk

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Singer-songwriter Jono McCleery shares his journey from falling asleep to his jazz pianist stepfather's music to becoming an acclaimed artist bridging folk, jazz, and electronic dance music. 

Raised with music after regaining his hearing around age five, Jono taught himself guitar at seventeen and began writing deeply personal songs influenced by John Martyn and Nick Drake. He discusses his collaborative approach with producers like Five One and his philosophy of working within limitations—preferring standard guitar tuning to explore endless creative possibilities. 

Jono reveals his process of recording improvisations first, letting melodies dictate lyrics, and protecting creative space from social media noise. With no plan B beyond music, he maintains an "endless fire" of creativity while navigating label expectations, album production challenges, and the evolution from acoustic folk to electronic collaborations that expand his audience across genres.

Key Takeaways

• Finding freedom within limitations creates deeper creativity than constantly changing instruments or approaches
• Recording improvisations unconsciously allows themes and melodies to emerge naturally before structuring lyrics
• Collaboration works best with people who already understand your music and bring unexpected creative surprises
• Protecting creative space from social media noise and external pressures is essential for authentic artistic expression
• Having no plan B strengthens commitment and resilience when pursuing creative careers through difficult periods
• Working across genres through collaboration bridges different musical worlds while maintaining artistic integrity and personal voice
• Validation comes from individual connections with listeners rather than streaming numbers or social media metrics
• Discipline develops through working with analog limitations before digital technology makes everything instantly accessible and overwhelming
• Live music needs more alternative spaces including family-friendly environments to strengthen human connection beyond screens
• Finishing albums requires setting firm deadlines and accepting that creative work evolves through compromise without losing core integrity

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk

Lux Coffee Co. https://luxcoffee.co.uk/ (Use: PODCAST for 15% off)

November Universe https://novemberuniverse.co.uk (Use: PODCAST for 10% off)

A short bonus episode showcasing a few stand out moments from this week's guest interview with Luke Carson ~

Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic

daringcreativity.com | [email protected]

Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc
Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook
Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk

Lux Coffee Co. https://luxcoffee.co.uk/ (Use: PODCAST for 15% off)

November Universe https://novemberuniverse.co.uk (Use: PODCAST for 10% off)