The NDA Podcast

Every agency website says “We’re an inclusive studio” but are they? Beyond the buzzwords, how does that play out for those working there? What are they doing day-to-day to action the claim? Because it’s not a simple one. Especially when what’s inclusive to one person, isn’t to another. So is it even possible to build a studio that doesn’t exclude anyone in it? This week, we’re trying to define inclusivity. Asking what it means to each guest, how it affects client relationships, the red tape and policies need and how to challenge exclusion when you see it.Wale Osunla, Designer at Studio Moross, shares what it’s like to work somewhere that puts so much emphasis on inclusivity, how it works in practice and compares it to other studios he’s worked in.Aries Moross, Creative Director at Studio Moross, reflects on over a decade of building a studio that strives to be inclusive. The lessons, the red flags and the advice they have for other leaders wanting to make changes.Ebony Montague, Director & Founder at HR Said That, helps us understand the practicalities of inclusion, and how HR can empower employees. She also shares her experience witnessing exclusion of all forms.Yee Poon, Illustrator & Designer at Hey What Studio, explains what she’s looking for in a workplace, and how she tackles raising issues without upsetting the status quo.A conversation that asks more questions than it answers, but at least, starts to uncover the issues we so often tip-toe around.–ACAS helpline https://www.acas.org.uk/contactCIPD Knowledge hub https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledgeDefinition of the psychological contract https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/fundamentals/relations/employees/psychological-factsheet#grefThe Other Box https://www.theotherbox.org/Resources for D&I in theatre https://uktheatre.org/theatre-industry/guidance-reports-and-resources/diversity-initiatives-for-uk-theatres/BBC guidance on Neurodiversity in buildings https://bbc.github.io/uxd-cognitive/Job Ad Gender decoder http://gender-decoder.katmatfield.com/Supporting mental health at work: guide for people managers (CIPD & MIND) https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/culture/well-being/mental-health-support-reportHR Rewired: Anti-racism & racial equity advisory firm for the workplace https://hr-rewired.com/ –Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLaren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On average, 1 in 7 people are neurodiverse. In the creative industry, that number jumps to 1 in 5. If we all take a look around our studios, there could be a lot more divergent thinking than we realise.In this week’s episode, we try to unpick what it’s like to be an ND creative and what ND actually is. We discuss all the obstacles neurodiverse people face in our industry. Having to fit into different ways of working, challenging studio environments, attention spans and how those things deteriorate mental health. And of course, the benefits. How masking helps clients, divergent thinking being brilliant for creativity, the freedom in diagnosis and how adjustments for ND creatives would serve us all. Lucy Hobbs, Founder of The Future is ND, reflects on how the industry has changed in the fifteen years since her diagnosis and how she helps studios create more inclusive environments.Ali Slater, Designer Director at Chase Design Group, shares her experiences being in studio environments and the negative impact working from home has on productivity.Ana Jaks, Illustrator & Artist, discusses how working freelance suits her ways of working and the journey to finding an agent who helps facilitate space that enables her best ideas.Daniel Edwards, Founder of Bloody Lovely Branding Co. talks about his dream of setting up the first neurodiverse agency and the strength in divergent thinking for clients and work alike.An insightful conversation that should help us all become more educated about the diversity of thinking in our industry, and question the historic working practices that may not suit us all.–The Future is ND https://thefutureisnd.com/LS:N Global ‘Divergent Design’ Creative Equals Quality StandardLocal Government Association ‘Neurodiversity’BIMA 'Tech Inclusion & Diversity Report 2019'–Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLaren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Female leadership is on everyone’s radar, as the industry works to reverse the sad statistics of the gender split at the top. While we should be celebrating the women who’ve made it there, not many people are asking, how did you manage it? With all the barriers and biases in the way, how did you tackle them? Especially in environments that aren’t set up for women to succeed.In this week’s episode, we hypothesise that the changing of the tide might not be because the industry is creating space for female leadership, but because women are altering their working style to mimic their male counterparts. We’re talking to four female leaders and asking them some really difficult questions about how authentic they’ve been during their career, whether they code-switch, what they’ve witnessed in female colleagues, and whether looking back, they believe they’ve carved a path they want other women to follow.Livia Lima, Freelance Design Director & Lecturer at UTS talks about the stereotypes she’s witnessed being a Brazilian woman, and how she’s embarrassed to have suppressed some of the attributes she believes make her a great leader.Katy Cowan, Founding Editor of Creative Boom tells some shocking stories from her career, and what she can do to ensure young female creatives do not have the same experience she did.Rebecca Harrison, Creative Director of Love Blood Creative recalls women she’s worked with who have defended their hard-won title, and challenges the notion that all women lead with empathy. Jack Renwick, Founder & Creative Director of Jack Renwick Studio opens up her meeting room and tells us what goes on inside – how she runs a successful studio in the face of clients who want her to fulfil a stereotype. An incredible conversation with candid anecdotes from the industry. And a level of introspection that digs deeper into whether we’re truly addressing the gender imbalance in our studios. –Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLarenStatistics from Creative Equals 'Future Leaders 2021' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The dirty topic of money. A conversation held in hushed tones in the staff kitchen. Tentatively approached around the pub table. Awkwardly brought up in a final interview. The creative industry has long had a money problem. But why is it so difficult to discuss? Today’s episode lifts the lid on salary secrecy, debating the pros & cons of transparency, and interrogating why we’re all so tight-lipped about our finances. Cat How, Founder of How&How shares how salary transparency works in their studio and whether her team (both present and future) is on board with telling the world what they earn.Alec Dudson, Founder & Editor-in-Chief at Intern, talks about the creative industry being chronically undervalued and how this bleeds into our view on salaries.Josie Young, an independent designer, reflects on negotiating with employers & sharing with peers, and how those experiences have shaped her negative feelings around money.In an episode filled with those awkward, difficult questions… ultimately, we’re asking today's guests to put their money where their mouth is. –Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLarenHonourable mentions include Johnson Banks & BufferState salary increase bans 'https://www.hrdive.com/news/salary-history-ban-states-list/516662/' Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not many of us can relate to being in university during a pandemic. But we will all meet those who can, as a new generation of epidemic trained academics enter the industry. Creative courses are known for their collaboration, the osmosis of ideas, and use of amazing facilities…. Experiences the 2020 – ’22 graduates missed out on.In this episode, we’re hearing from both sides of the desk. Neeraj Kainth, 2021 BCU graduate, talks about lockdown fatigue affecting his projects and a year’s worth of work that’s banished to the bottom drawer. Claudia Aggett, 2020 Falmouth alumni shares how anti-climactic the end of her degree was and the fear of graduating into a stalled job market.Lecturers Nicola Salkeld (Senior Lecturer at Falmouth, UAL External Examiner) and Martin Schooley (Course Leader at Norwich) look back on how the universities handled the pandemic, the long-lasting effects on the graduating years and how education has changed forever. We ask them all, was it worth the money? And ultimately, did an epidemic education produce designers armed and ready to hit the workforce? –Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLaren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good managers and bad managers. We’ve all had them. And do we all become them?In today’s episode, we’re going to be discussing progression in the creative industries, and the realities of updating your LinkedIn status. After years spent learning a craft, creatives are promoted into roles where they’re taken off the tools and dropped into resourcing meetings. A leap that doesn’t suit everyone — are there other ways to move up the ladder? Are we all suffering at the hands of those pushed into management before they’re ready?We’re talking to Kim French, Head of Production/Marketing at Preen, who shares her decision to step down from the boardrooms and budgets in order to be closer to the work she loves. Senior Designer at JKR, Maisie Benson, discusses what it’s like to be in the grey area between Designer/Director, and the pressure to choose between your craft & your career. Along with Gerald Torto, Practice Director at Re about the importance of job titles and how we can use them to our advantage. Plus a whole lot of stories from the DMs about the worst managers out there. One not to miss.–Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLaren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I can’t believe they paid for that” “That kerning burns my eyes” “Seen this a million times” “Wouldn’t touch this project with a barge pole”Scrolling to the bottom of the page to see the comments is some people’s guilty pleasure — but if it’s your work they’re commenting on, it becomes a more sinister read.What’s the purpose of this echo chamber? Should we be stepping in when comments turn personal? Are we making the work better, or damaging the designers behind it? These are just some of the questions we’ll be asking in this week’s episode, chatting to the people both behind and at the mercy of the keyboards. Speaking to Armin Vit, Co-Founder of UnderConsideration / Brand New and Tom Banks, Editor of Design Week, about the platforms they’ve created and the commentary they incite. To understand what it’s like on the other side, we’re talking to James Greenfield, CEO & Founder of Koto Studio and the designer behind some of the most reviewed projects in history. Plus Olivia King, Head of Design at Eucalyptus discusses a project that was revered in the industry and ripped to pieces by the audience. A conversation that will make you think twice before you hit post.–Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLaren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just 12% of the creative industry is from a working-class background. Did this statistic happen by accident? Or is there more we can do to diversify our studios? Discussing parental privilege, accent mocking, social embarrassment, regionality importance and so much more – this episode highlights some of the barriers to working-class creatives trying to crack the industry, and those already working within it.Relaying lived experience is Verity Wheatley, a Senior Designer who faced some post-graduate hurdles that impacted her whole career. Co-founder of Common People, Lisa Thompson shares stories from her network of working-class creatives and how a lack of diversity affects work. We hear from Craig Oldham, Founder of Office of Craig, who shares how he’s code-switched during his career and how those experiences influence his running of a studio. Along with recent graduate Charlotte Cole who shares what it’s like to study and enter the industry with these additional barriers.A very powerful discussion that should be heard by every creative striving for social diversity. –Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLarenHonourable mentions include Fiasco Studio, DixonBaxi, Koto, Common People, The Working Class Creatives Database, ‘What Is Your Working Class?’ podcast by Aidan TeplitzkyStatistics from The Sutton Trust ‘Bridging the Gap’ report Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When did it become normal to set a brief for an interview? Why are agencies ashamed to admit they do it? How much work is too much work? And should it be free?This week, we're discussing Interview Tasks and the effect they're having on hiring in the creative industry. We'll be hearing from Nikky Lyle who is a Creative Recruiter, and hear all the inside info on what these tasks look like and who is setting them. Fauzima Fazilat Rafiq tells us about her relatively positive experience doing one as a Junior Designer, and how it opened doors for her. Whereas Senior Designer Josie Evans relays a pretty terrible interview experience and a task that became very taxing. We'll hear from Luke Woodhouse, Creative Director of Ragged Edge discussing the reasons he'd never set them (and how his mind was changed)A brilliant conversation, interrogating a practice that's becoming commonplace without anyone realising.–Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLaren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to The NDA Podcast. The creative podcast that's here to challenge topics the industry has been keeping under waiver for years.Unfiltered conversations, without the fear of being cancelled. Bringing creatives of different levels, different backgrounds and very different opinions together. To debate the contentious issues we only dare discuss in our DMs.This season, we'll be exploring topics like Salary Secrecy, Design Commentary, Working Class Barriers and so many more. With over 25 guests from across the creative industry. Speakers from the top agencies, best publications, most awarded universities, fresh graduates, creative veterans... the list goes on (and the opinions are plentiful)So, get ready for some honesty. Because we’re about to break all the NDAs.Hosted & created by Katie CadwellEdited by James from Be HeardOriginal music 'Theme From NDA' by Jamie Ellul & Toby McLaren Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.