The Creative Mindset

What is it like for a professional designer to use AI for client work, and how can you find the right balance between AI and humans to enhance output?On this week’s episode, we welcome Pum Lefebure, co-founder and chief creative officer of Design Army, to hear about how she built a full-fledged campaign using Midjourney. From specific processes to the nuanced balance between AI and human touch, she shares the advantages and disadvantages of incorporating AI for creative processes.An award-winning creative director and savvy business leader, Pum has developed numerous international campaigns for high-profile clients such as Adobe, Netflix, Neenah Paper, The Ritz-Carlton, PepsiCo, Saucony, Hong Kong Ballet and the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.Guided by an entrepreneurial edge, Pum has elevated Design Army’s reputation as a trendsetter while establishing her own hallmark: a distinctive union of the artistic and the commercial. With a rare balance of creativity, strategic thinking, and industry savvy, she has proven that good design is the cornerstone of good business. Her thought leadership has appeared in Fast Company, the New York Times, Adweek, Entrepreneur, and Forbes to name a few. She currently serves as Vice Chairperson on the Board of Directors for The One Club for Creativity in New York.Timestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:02:00 Introducing the Adventures in A-EYE00:11:38 Visual Descriptions of Adventures in A-EYE00:14:24 Process to start off the campaign00:16:01 Ethical precautions in using AI00:20:41 Breakdown of Pum’s four-week project00:24:18 AI is the future of design00:25:10 Possibilities and creativity that AI allows00:27:03 Use AI as a tool instead of being a slave of AI00:27:26 ClosingEpisode References:Adventures in A-EYE | Campaign SitePum Lefebure | InstagramDesign Army | InstagramDesign Army | Corporate SiteRei Inamoto | InstagramSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When creativity works, business impact and returns outsize anything derived from efficiency, according to Tara Tan.On this week’s episode, we welcome back Tara Tan, Founder and Managing Partner at Strange Ventures, to hear about her investment experience at IDEO Ventures, qualities that she looks for in company founders as a designer-turned-capitalist, and specific examples of design helping companies succeed.Timestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:01:12 VC Hits and home-runs throughout Tara’s career 00:03:23 If a founder doesn’t value design00:04:41 Case 1: How design helped shape PillPack00:06:06 Case 2: How River Financial turned to design to discover its users00:08:38 Early stage companies and product-market fit00:10:03 Founders have a personal purpose tied to their business00:10:33 The art and science of finding unicorns00:18:57 Capitalism needs creativity, more than creativity needs capitalism00:19:45 Lightning questions00:23:10 Three takeawaysEpisode References:Tara Tan | The Strange ReviewTara Tan | LinkedInRei Inamoto | InstagramRei Inamoto | XI&CO | Corporate SiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Creatives and capitalists generally don’t mix well in the sense that creatives would spend as much time and money making things, while capitalists prefer to monetize as efficiently as possible. This may be an overgeneralization, but what if this tension between the dichotomy was actually a good thing?On this week’s episode, we welcome Tara Tan, Founder and Managing Partner at Strange Ventures, to take a deep dive into the world of venture capital. We’ll hear her views on the tension between capitalists and creatives as an investor-turned-designer. The conversation includes specifics about Tara’s career, what led her to founding Strange Ventures, and the intimate relationship between design, technology, and business. The conversation wraps up a discussion on how AI can help businesses scale and be more creative.Timestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:03:22 Tara’s transition from designer to investor00:11:06 What does a venture capitalist do?00:12:57 Tension between Capitalists and Creatives00:16:14 Advice for all technical and creative founders00:17:41 Business is storytelling with numbers, Design is storytelling with pixels00:19:46 Design discovers, Design distills00:21:48 Human creativity will increasingly come at a premium00:25:26 AI will enable creativity to scale00:30:52 AI provides contextual intelligence as a canvas to work on00:33:14 Product of a creative brainstorm with AI00:38:28 Three takeawaysEpisode References:Tara Tan | The Strange ReviewTara Tan | LinkedInRei Inamoto | InstagramRei Inamoto | XI&CO | Corporate SiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rei answers questions on how AI tools, WEB3, and new technologies may affect our professions. Referring to the emergence of photography as another significant moment for the relationship between technology and humans, Rei talks about how technology is an opportunity for new forms of expression.Liya Safina comes on our show with questions as a digital product designer based in Hawaii, and Head of Creative and Innovation at Safina & Shektman, Inc.Episode References:Liya Safina | Online PortfolioLiya Safina | LinkedInRei Inamoto | InstagramRei Inamoto | XI&CO | Corporate SiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rei answers questions about personal branding. He shares his observations on the impacts of technology on personal branding, the importance of finding the perfect medium for yourself, and advice on measuring personal performance. Reflecting on years of building and writing, which led to a pivotal publication, Rei also talks about how quality, consistency, and patience are key in creating a personal brand.Liya Safina comes on our show with questions as a digital product designer based in Hawaii, and Head of Creative and Innovation at Safina & Shektman, Inc.Episode References:Liya Safina | Online PortfolioLiya Safina | LinkedInRei Inamoto | XI&CO | Corporate SiteSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Debating in the workplace can be challenging - even personal at times - but a degree of friction is important for creativity to flourish, according to Joel Podolny.On this week’s episode, we welcome back Joel Podolny, the CEO and co-founder of Honor Education, to hear about specific episodes and lessons that he’s learned from his experience at Apple, the defining line between debate and argument, and what enables a company to be great at executing collective creativity.Joel Podolny is the CEO and co-founder of Honor Education, a technology company focused on higher education and corporate learning. Honor’s mission is to create and scale transformational education through collective engagement. Prior to founding Honor, he served as Vice President at Apple and Dean of Apple University, overseeing leadership, management, and culture. He has also served as Dean of the Yale School of Management and held several faculty positions at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Harvard University, authoring or co-authoring over 30 articles and two textbooks. Joel received his BA, MA, and PhD in sociology from Harvard University.◆Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/reiinamoto/◆Twitterhttps://twitter.com/reiinamotoTimestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:02:56 Common purpose leads to the best decision00:03:39 Significant decisions at Apple00:06:13 What tipped Steve Jobs over00:07:45 It's about the idea, not who said what00:08:39 Collective Creativity00:10:31 Debate v. Argument00:14:50 Creativity comes with friction00:15:44 About Honor Education00:17:19 Examples of Collective Engagement00:26:12 Lightning Questions00:29:18 Closing and three lessonsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A creative edge is critical for companies and individuals to remain competent and innovative. But what exactly do environments fostering creativity look like, and how should they be designed?On this week’s episode, we welcome Joel Podolny, the CEO and co-founder of Honor Education, to share his insights gained from teaching at business school and Apple University throughout his career. He shares his thoughts on what fosters creativity in both academic and corporate settings and outlines three steps to make a company more creative.Joel Podolny is the CEO and co-founder of Honor Education, a technology company focused on higher education and corporate learning. Honor’s mission is to create and scale transformational education through collective engagement. Prior to founding Honor, he served as Vice President at Apple and Dean of Apple University, overseeing leadership, management, and culture. He has also served as Dean of the Yale School of Management and held several faculty positions at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Harvard University, authoring or co-authoring over 30 articles and two textbooks. Joel received his BA, MA, and PhD in sociology from Harvard University.◆Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/reiinamoto/◆Twitterhttps://twitter.com/reiinamotoTimestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:02:34 Is creativity nurture or nature? How do you promote creativity in the context of education?00:04:15 Creativity is original thought and skillful action 00:07:53 Key learnings about teaching00:09:45 Transformative learning experiences allow students to walk out as another person00:10:51 Classes on what makes “innovation”00:18:10 Diverse views flourish with skillful presentation00:19:33 How can different views be presented in a corporate setting?  00:23:32 Common purpose anchors creativity 00:25:29 Reverence for expertise 00:27:30 Closing and three steps to make a company more creativeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rei answers questions on how to lead groups of people that have different living experiences and cultural backgrounds. He specifies the role that creative leaders play, and shares the importance of finding commonalities while embracing differences between one another in the workplace. As a more general piece of advice at any career stage, Rei then closes the episode with some key traits that one should look for in a leader.Carren O’Keefe comes on our show with questions as she makes her transition to step up as Chief Creative Officer role at Digitas UK and London.◆Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/reiinamoto/◆Twitterhttps://twitter.com/reiinamotoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For our first installment of “Ask Me Anything (AMA)”, Rei answers questions on what he believes to be the most important when stepping up to becoming chief creative officer at an agency. He shares past mistakes, what he’s learned from these experiences, and detailed steps that he’s taken to become a better leader. Carren O’Keefe comes on our show with questions as she makes her transition to step up as Chief Creative Officer role at Digitas UK and London.◆Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/reiinamoto/◆Twitterhttps://twitter.com/reiinamotoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Creatives are often seen as the crazy ones, and creativity as a nice-to-have in the context of business. But that’s not going to be enough for businesses and individuals in an age where creativity may be the only job left for humankind.On this week’s episode, we welcome back David Lee, Chief Creative Officer of Squarespace, to hear about the importance of creativity at the adult’s table, effective ways to understand a company’s value proposition and what it truly cares about, and insights on companies placing ads during the Super Bowl.David Lee is the Chief Creative Officer of Squarespace, leading their award-winning creative team. David has been honored as Brand CCO of The Year by Ad Age in addition to his team becoming Ad Age In-House Agency of the Year. During his time, Squarespace has been honored as the Brand of the Year by the Art Directors Club, and the number one globally awarded in-house agency of the year at the One Club for Creativity. David has won an Emmy Award, been included in the Adweek Creative 100 List and named as one of the Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company. He has also been recognized by the Gold House A100 list, honoring Asian Pacific leaders who made the greatest impact on culture and society. David graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design and currently serves on their Board of Trustees.◆Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/reiinamoto/◆Twitterhttps://twitter.com/reiinamotoTimestamps:00:00:00 Intro00:02:06 Defining creativity at the adult’s table and what that meant for David00:07:13 Company founders are the answer to what a company cares about00:08:52 Specifics that convinced a new beginning00:10:34 Work and life spaces are the best brand expressions00:19:27 Moments where creativity propelled business at Squarespace00:28:45 Is an ad spot during the Super Bowl worth it for companies?00:36:19 Career questions and a Midlife crisis00:43:55 Lightning Questions00:48:12 Three takeawaysSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.