The Creative Life Show

Nicola Peel is an environmentalist, film-maker and self-described solutionologist, based in the Amazon. She’s spent her career finding solutions to questions like: how do we get clean water when all the local water is untreatable? How do we deal with plastic rubbish, and how do we turn it onto a resource? Her projects have had an impact around the world.

What I love about Nicola’s work is how she starts at the grass-roots level, but always with a bigger vision. We talk about how it regularly brings her into conflict with collaborators who want to make quick local progress, and how she insists on prioritising long-term sustainability.

Nicola chooses to work by herself, but far from alone. She’s become a very active and powerful hub to bring together experts and local people, ideas and solutions from around the world. She shares how a chance trip to an unusually tidy village in Guatemala became the start of an eco-brick movement that’s now having an impact around the world - and how she’s moved on to an even more powerful project which turns plastic rubbish into a source of income for the poorest communities.

Nicola is deeply practical and resilient problem-solver, even when the problems seem never-ending. She shares her journey creating rainwater filtration systems, and how each stage just seemed to open up another layer of challenge.

We also talk about how to deal mentally with problems that could seem overwhelming, and where Nicola gets the inspiration and motivation that keeps her going.

This is an essential listen if you’ve got far bigger ideas than you’re currently able to make happen.

Get more information at creativelifeshow.com/012-how-have-huge-impact-working-alone-nicola-peel

Click to view: show page on Awesound

Top handbag designer Shona Easton shares the frustration and opportunities that came from going from freelance to setting up her own label of bags. As head designer for one of the biggest UK fashion chains, her bags sold thousands, but in 2002 she launched her first range under he own name.

Shona shares her experience of frustrating freelance work and being asked to create designs that didn’t resonate with her at all, but feeling obliged to take the work. We talk about her breakthrough that led to her to setting up her successful own label, and how that has fundamentally changed how she works.

At the heart of her success is how Shona combines her free-spirited approach with strong relationships. She shares how relationships have led to suppliers, customers, and how she works with her team members to make her business successful while allowing her to travel almost full-time.

We talk about how many of the issues that creatives have in combining their creativity with running a business, including why basing your business model on a large corporate is a struggle and how she balances creative work with day-to-day commercial demands.

If you’re employed or freelance, Shona has essential advice for you on how to work with buyers and managers, and how to stop frustration getting in the way of your own creative voice by speaking up.

Click to view: show page on Awesound

Top handbag designer Shona Easton shares the frustration and opportunities that came from going from freelance to setting up her own label of bags. As head designer for one of the biggest UK fashion chains, her bags sold thousands, but in 2002 she launched her first range under he own name.

Shona shares her experience of frustrating freelance work and being asked to create designs that didn’t resonate with her at all, but feeling obliged to take the work. We talk about her breakthrough that led to her to setting up her successful own label, and how that has fundamentally changed how she works.

At the heart of her success is how Shona combines her free-spirited approach with strong relationships. She shares how relationships have led to suppliers, customers, and how she works with her team members to make her business successful while allowing her to travel almost full-time.

We talk about how many of the issues that creatives have in combining their creativity with running a business, including why basing your business model on a large corporate is a struggle and how she balances creative work with day-to-day commercial demands.

If you’re employed or freelance, Shona has essential advice for you on how to work with buyers and managers, and how to stop frustration getting in the way of your own creative voice by speaking up.

Click to view: show page on Awesound

How would your life be different if you could get your creative work finished? Mike Monday, international DJ and producer, had a lousy job, no money and a computer full of unfinished tracks when he decided he'd had enough, and set out to make music his life. He now works with musicians and producers to get their music finished and out of the door, with a practical, powerful system to release their creativity and get things done. We talk about how to break through the distractions and inner critic that stop us completing work, and how to put in place the rock-solid habits that make sure you'll make progress, no matter where you are now. Find all the show notes and extra resources on focus and more at creativelifeshow.com.

Click to view: show page on Awesound

How would your life be different if you could get your creative work finished? Mike Monday, international DJ and producer, had a lousy job, no money and a computer full of unfinished tracks when he decided he'd had enough, and set out to make music his life. He now works with musicians and producers to get their music finished and out of the door, with a practical, powerful system to release their creativity and get things done. We talk about how to break through the distractions and inner critic that stop us completing work, and how to put in place the rock-solid habits that make sure you'll make progress, no matter where you are now. Find all the show notes and extra resources on focus and more at creativelifeshow.com.

Click to view: show page on Awesound

Novelist, playwright, journalist, librettist and blogger, Jessica Duchen has been writing professionally for nearly 30 years, during which time the world for writers has changed beyond recognition.

While many writers have given up, defeated by decreasing rates, increased competition and the impact of new technology, Jessica has found ways to take her writing into new directions.

Core to her success has been finding new ways of presenting her work. She’s turned her novels into plays and concert versions, and often creates expanded versions of her journalism for her own community.

Jessica’s fifth novel, Ghost Variations, is set in 1930s Germany, based on a true story and full of spirit messages and real-life characters. After publishing four with a traditional company, she's now working with the innovative publisher Unbound, which uses a crowd-funding model while keeping conventional editorial standards. She shares what an extraordinarily uplifting experience it has been, and how she got her novel fully funded in just 12 days.

Despite this, Jessica describes herself as being very uncomfortable with the unknown. We talk about how relationships have been core to expanding her work, and allowing her to go in new directions. She also shares her frustration about the publishing world, and how she has refused to compromise on her core values to be more commercially successful.

Click to view: show page on Awesound

Novelist, playwright, journalist, librettist and blogger, Jessica Duchen has been writing professionally for nearly 30 years, during which time the world for writers has changed beyond recognition.

While many writers have given up, defeated by decreasing rates, increased competition and the impact of new technology, Jessica has found ways to take her writing into new directions.

Core to her success has been finding new ways of presenting her work. She’s turned her novels into plays and concert versions, and often creates expanded versions of her journalism for her own community.

Jessica’s fifth novel, Ghost Variations, is set in 1930s Germany, based on a true story and full of spirit messages and real-life characters. After publishing four with a traditional company, she's now working with the innovative publisher Unbound, which uses a crowd-funding model while keeping conventional editorial standards. She shares what an extraordinarily uplifting experience it has been, and how she got her novel fully funded in just 12 days.

Despite this, Jessica describes herself as being very uncomfortable with the unknown. We talk about how relationships have been core to expanding her work, and allowing her to go in new directions. She also shares her frustration about the publishing world, and how she has refused to compromise on her core values to be more commercially successful.

Click to view: show page on Awesound

Laura Kriefman's Mass Crane Dance was an extraordinary creative spectacle, attracting 10 thousand people and 4 million online to watch three cranes perform a synchronised dance over Bristol docks. And yet not long before, Laura had given up her work as a choreographer and dancer, frustrated by no one being willing to fund her or believe in her vision.

We talk about the transformation that brought her back to creating work, and that has taken her to a new, internationally acclaimed level as as creator and speaker. We also discuss how to take a team with you into innovative, risk-taking chaos, and finding the comfort there, and how to get other people to understand your vision.

Click to view: show page on Awesound

Laura Kriefman's Mass Crane Dance was an extraordinary creative spectacle, attracting 10 thousand people and 4 million online to watch three cranes perform a synchronised dance over Bristol docks. And yet not long before, Laura had given up her work as a choreographer and dancer, frustrated by no one being willing to fund her or believe in her vision.

We talk about the transformation that brought her back to creating work, and that has taken her to a new, internationally acclaimed level as as creator and speaker. We also discuss how to take a team with you into innovative, risk-taking chaos, and finding the comfort there, and how to get other people to understand your vision.

Click to view: show page on Awesound

'Wherever there is great inspiration and there is our soul’s purpose, not far away there will be tremendous resistance.' That's the core of today's conversation with Nick Williams, author of 13 books and 'coach, spiritual advisor and encourager' to individuals and companies including McKinsey and the NHS

There's a myth that when you're following your passion, everything becomes easy. Not so, says Nick. We talk about the ever-present doubt and resistance that accompanies all creative work. Rather than trying to get rid of it, Nick talks about how he focuses on knowing his purpose and habits that allow him to get his work done.

At the heart of Nick's work is a very clear, consistent message about finding purpose in what you do. We talk about how focusing on that one message has opened up endless scope for creativity and inspiration - completely the opposite from the common fear of having a niche becoming limiting.

I also ask Nick about the challenge that leaders face in trying to develop self-expression and creativity, particularly in cultures that only value success, and where vulnerability is unlikely to be considered a virtue.

I love Nick’s honesty in this interview. Even before we started the recording he was keen to point out that he doesn't see creative block something he’s overcome, but instead as resistance that he has to overcome all the time. You’ll hear his take on resistance as a natural part of creativity, and some of the ways he uses to overcome it.

Click to view: show page on Awesound