The Creative Lead Playbook Podcast

So today I have something that is kind of special to me. It's special because it's based on some advice that my dad gave me a very long time ago when I first started my career.

I don't think I'm over exaggerating by saying that might've been the most important advice I've ever gotten.  In fact, the more, more and more I think about it, the more and more it applies to pretty much everything that I've done in my career. 

Listen on to find out more!

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I’m Cathy Davenport Lee, and I hope today’s episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to push the boundaries of your creative career. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and sign up for Lunchbox Notes—my free encouragement and advice letter for creatives. Stay connected for more insights, tools, and resources to help you thrive. Until next time, keep creating, keep pushing, and let’s move this industry forward together.

Follow for more:
IG  |  Website

When you're running a project, it's important to make your clients feel INSPIRED....but SAFE. 

What am I talking about?  

Well, I think people go to one of two extremes when they are creatively directing a project.

Either they are in full "razzle dazzle" mode - where they're vibing and exploring without a clear plan....

ORRRR they've got the whole project choreographed down to the MINUTE and if their client steps one toe in a direction that isn't in the plan, they bug out.

The thing is, BOTH "freestyling" AND sticking to a plan are actually vitally important to the success of a project.  It's just that they have to be balanced.

I call this "structured flexibility" and it's what today's episode is all about. Listen on to find out more.

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I’m Cathy Davenport Lee, and I hope today’s episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to push the boundaries of your creative career. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and sign up for Lunchbox Notes—my free encouragement and advice letter for creatives. Stay connected for more insights, tools, and resources to help you thrive. Until next time, keep creating, keep pushing, and let’s move this industry forward together.

Follow for more:
IG  |  Website

Back again with another installment in getting your work approved. Today I want to discuss the importance of leveraging precedence.

Because you can't effectively guide your client into green-lighting a new creative direction if you don't understand and don't have respect for where they've been.

It's kind of like knowing how to do traditional photography, even if 99% of the time you just do the same kind of effect with Facetune or Photoshop. 

Listen on to hear more.

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I’m Cathy Davenport Lee, and I hope today’s episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to push the boundaries of your creative career. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and sign up for Lunchbox Notes—my free encouragement and advice letter for creatives. Stay connected for more insights, tools, and resources to help you thrive. Until next time, keep creating, keep pushing, and let’s move this industry forward together.

Follow for more:
IG  |  Website

Today I wanted to talk about the importance of learning how to get your work approved.

The psychology of YES, as it were.

Getting things approved is a SKILL. And it’s an important one.

Approval doesn’t happen just because the work is amazing (even though our society seems to have this invisible agreement where we pretend we only care about the quality.)

IMO, only 50% of the key to getting work approved is the quality of the work itself. Maybe less. 

Listen on to find out what you can do to improve your chances.

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I’m Cathy Davenport Lee, and I hope today’s episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to push the boundaries of your creative career. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and sign up for Lunchbox Notes—my free encouragement and advice letter for creatives. Stay connected for more insights, tools, and resources to help you thrive. Until next time, keep creating, keep pushing, and let’s move this industry forward together.

Follow for more:
IG  |  Website

Today we're talking about how being BAD at something is actually the secret to becoming good at it.

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I’m Cathy Davenport Lee, and I hope today’s episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to push the boundaries of your creative career. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and sign up for Lunchbox Notes—my free encouragement and advice letter for creatives. Stay connected for more insights, tools, and resources to help you thrive. Until next time, keep creating, keep pushing, and let’s move this industry forward together.

Follow for more:
IG  |  Website

A well-designed system is almost invisible. All you "see" is the absence of a problem. But a poorly-designed one will have you up all night and on edge all day. Join us this week to talk about how getting good at system design is part of becoming a creative lead.

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I’m Cathy Davenport Lee, and I hope today’s episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to push the boundaries of your creative career. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and sign up for Lunchbox Notes—my free encouragement and advice letter for creatives. Stay connected for more insights, tools, and resources to help you thrive. Until next time, keep creating, keep pushing, and let’s move this industry forward together.

Follow for more:
IG  |  Website

Today we’re talking about how a workplace situation that feels chaotic can actually be an opportunity.

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I’m Cathy Davenport Lee, and I hope today’s episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to push the boundaries of your creative career. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and sign up for Lunchbox Notes—my free encouragement and advice letter for creatives. Stay connected for more insights, tools, and resources to help you thrive. Until next time, keep creating, keep pushing, and let’s move this industry forward together.

Follow for more:
IG  |  Website

I've noticed that one of the hardest mental transitions people make at work is the transition of thinking about themselves as an individual versus thinking about themselves as a team lead. 

I wanted to share with you a personal anecdote about thinking of the team as a whole, and what that can unlock for you and them, if you can successfully manage this mental transition. Listen to hear more about my experience when I worked as a VP of Interactive Design for HBO.

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I’m Cathy Davenport Lee, and I hope today’s episode leaves you feeling inspired and ready to push the boundaries of your creative career. 

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and sign up for Lunchbox Notes—my free encouragement and advice letter for creatives. Stay connected for more insights, tools, and resources to help you thrive. Until next time, keep creating, keep pushing, and let’s move this industry forward together.

Follow for more:
IG  |  Website