Robert Hodgin is an artist and head of research and development at Rare Volume, a design and tech company specialising in large-scale installations that blend technology with artistry. 

His journey began at a science and math boarding school in North Carolina, where he quickly realized his heart belonged to art rather than physics. After attending RISD, Robert discovered a unique space where his dual interests could coexist by visualizing data in artistic ways. His work combines cutting-edge technology with human-scale aesthetics, creating immersive experiences for venues. 

Robert shares candid insights about the challenges of client work, the importance of staying true to creative vision, and why following the flock of birds sometimes requires more courage than jumping out of a plane. He reminds us that even at the highest levels of creative practice, the struggle for artistic integrity remains universal

Key takeaways

• Find your intersection: Robert thrives at the crossroads of art and science, proving that seemingly opposite interests can create unique opportunities for innovation and creative expression
• Question traditional paths: Despite parental expectations and aptitude in science and math, Robert chose art, demonstrating that conventional career paths aren't always the right answer
• Human-scale technology: When working with cutting-edge tech, Robert prioritizes creating experiences that feel human and accessible rather than overwhelming or intimidating
• Data can be beautiful: There's tremendous opportunity to present data in art-forward ways rather than just functional graphs, opening new creative territories for visual storytelling
• Creative integrity is challenging: Even successful artists working on prestigious projects face clients who say they want artistic freedom but ultimately impose their own vision
• Vulnerability creates connection: Speaking authentically about failures, fears, and challenges resonates more deeply with audiences than polished perfection ever could
• Not every project is a win: Robert acknowledges that some client projects get "butchered" and you have to accept that sometimes you take the money and move on
• Embrace failure as learning: Dropping out of astrophysics twice became part of Robert's story rather than a source of shame, showing how setbacks shape our eventual path
• Scale matters: Robert's most satisfying projects like the Samsung three-story video wall and Barcelona installation demonstrate how working at impressive scales can amplify creative impact
• Stay curious about tools: Robert's approach to technology is playful exploration, testing what feels human about new tools rather than chasing trends for their own sake

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 Kyle Wilkison ~ 

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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Kyle Wilkinson shares the extraordinary story of creating Haus of Thrills' first major popup exhibition, The Clinic, in just 90 days, building his own creative universe under extreme time and financial pressure with no client brief and no guaranteed outcome.

He reveals the reality of watching his budget double, choosing 24-carat gold over fake materials, and creating an alternative to traditional gallery spaces where dopamine-fueled social commentary meets immersive experience. 

Kyle's insights on the beauty of naivety, the privilege of pressure, and why knowing too much can be creativity's greatest enemy offer a masterclass in building momentum through action rather than perfection.

Key Takeaways

• Create urgency for yourself — The industry is full of ideas that never happen because there's no deadline. Setting constraints forces execution and prevents endless postponement.
• Sit in the unknown to grow — Like a plant in a crowded rainforest, you must be willing to exist in dark, uncomfortable spaces before breaking through to the light above.
• Choose your own problems — When you select your own constraints and challenges, you halve the stress because you're dealing with problems you've chosen rather than ones imposed on you.
• The beauty of naivety protects creation — Like Noel Gallagher writing "Don't Look Back in Anger," not knowing the enormity of what you're creating allows you to just do it without crushing pressure.
• Budget realism hits differently with your own money — Understanding what it's like when clients spend their money creates empathy, especially when materials like 24-carat gold cost significantly more than anticipated.
• Do it right or don't do it at all — The world doesn't need more mediocre work. If you're going to create something, commit to making it the best it can possibly be.
• Play at the level you want to reach — Using framers who work with Julian Opie and Bella Freud from day one means you're already operating at the standard you aspire to achieve.
• Pressure is a privilege — Being in a position where you can create a show in London under your own steam, doing exactly what you want, is an incredible situation despite the stress.
• If you know the answer at the start, you're doing it wrong — True creativity means not knowing the outcome. If you do, you're just replicating rather than creating something new.
• Create for yourself first, then apply strategy — You've got to want to pick up the guitar for yourself and sing the song before thinking about the broader audience or business implications.
• Build emotional resilience through pressure — The growth that comes from surviving extreme creative challenges prepares you for future projects with greater confidence and capability.

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

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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Rachel Gogel, an independent design executive and "devoted generalist," shares her journey from GQ and Facebook to creating her own fractional leadership consultancy. Operating at the intersection of brand, culture, and technology, she works with organizations like Airbnb and Intuit while teaching at California College of the Arts.

Her career philosophy centers on designing your own path without permission—starting when she unexpectedly became a people manager at GQ in her early twenties. 

Rachel redefines success as a harmonious blend of consulting, mentoring, teaching, speaking, and advocacy—deliberately remaining small while creating meaningful impact. Drawing on experiences with chronic health conditions and loss, she advocates for conscious time design and questions the "FIRE" mentality, reminding us that time itself is a luxury we shouldn't take for granted.

Key Takeaways

• Generalists belong in the creative landscape — The ability to adapt, work across mediums, and jump between projects at various altitudes represents uniquely human capabilities that AI cannot replicate
• Conviction matters more than specialization — In rapidly changing creative industries, having strong principles and adaptability is more valuable than being pigeonholed into a single discipline or title
• Embrace discomfort as a catalyst for growth — The messiest moments and most uncomfortable situations often become the foundation for the greatest career breakthroughs and learning experiences
• Relationships are your greatest asset — Every major opportunity comes through genuine connections built on generosity, empathy, and helping others succeed without expecting immediate returns
• Design your career without waiting for permission — You don't need validation from institutions or traditional career paths; you can package your unique skills and create your own professional identity
• Success doesn't require scaling up — Growth doesn't always mean expansion; you can be a successful solopreneur by remaining intentionally small and defining success on your own terms
• Practice conscious time design — Regularly audit where your time and energy go; ensure you're investing in work that aligns with your values, impact goals, and desired lifestyle
• Remember that time is a luxury — Don't defer meaningful work or authentic living to some distant future; be present and intentional with how you spend your finite time on this planet
• Money and meaning don't have to be mutually exclusive — Challenge the false dichotomy between financial stability and creating meaningful work; both are possible with intentional career design
• Share knowledge and lift others up — Transparency about money, opportunities, and career paths creates community strength and often returns to benefit you in unexpected ways

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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A short bonus episode showcasing a few stand out moments from this week's guest interview with Russ Mashmeyer Meta AI) ~ 

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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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
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 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
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)

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

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 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

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

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