Unorthodox Blend Conversations

Rosie Lee Group
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An unorthodox blend of disciplines and undisciplines. This is how we used to talk about Rosie Lee. In all honesty, we don’t fully know what it means but I think that's why we love it so much. unorthodoxblend.substack.com

  1. 4 FEB

    UBC050 - Drieke Leenknegt

    For our 50th conversation, we wanted to speak to someone who embodies much of what our Unorthodox Blend project stands for - honesty, reflection, creativity and courage. So it felt only right to invite one of our most inspirational and respected collaborators Drieke Leenknegt. Drieke is one of those rare leaders who doesn’t separate intuition from intellect. Her approach to brands, culture and team building is grounded not in performance metrics or surface-level positioning, but in a deep commitment to truth. Throughout her career she consistently brings presence, care and conviction to everything she does. Her 20+ years of experience leading end-to-end brand, product and enterprise transformations across the U.S., China and Europe is just the start - she is recognised for building culturally resonant brands, steering organisations through complex change and unlocking sustainable growth at speed. — In this 50th episode of Unorthodox Blend Conversations, we went deep on the essentials of contemporary brand building and transformational leadership in a global economy. A key theme we discussed is the crucial role of empathy as the most important leadership skill. Drieke argues that true leadership and business strength come from fostering cross-functional and cross-regional experiences, which builds empathy and curiosity for diverse cultures and job roles. This perspective of bringing together the “art and science” of business ensures that leaders understand and champion the non-negotiables for both financial success and long-term brand health without sacrificing one for the other. The discussion frequently returned to the idea of tension as a necessary and positive force for growth and innovation. Specifically, Drieke highlighted the critical tension between chasing short-term business metrics (like P&L and margins) and protecting long-term brand elevation, which requires consistent investment. — Drieke reminds us what leadership looks like when it’s rooted in depth, not just short term metrics. Her thinking blends strategic clarity with an emotional intelligence, but what makes it so compelling is the way she lives that balance - not as a theory, but as a daily practice. She doesn’t frame tension as a problem to be resolved, but as a creative space to be inhabited - where brand, business and humanity can all be present in bucket loads. There’s a clarity to how she sees things - a way of cutting through complexity without oversimplifying it. Her ability to hold space for opposing forces - performance and purpose, intuition and rigour, now and next - feels increasingly rare in the fast-paced world we find ourselves in, and feels more necessary than ever before. In a landscape full of noise, she speaks with calm conviction (and everyone with any sense listens!). Her ideas and beliefs about what we need to do reminds us of what’s possible when you lead with curiosity and build from a place of care. We know full well that journey won’t be made easy for us but if we’re prepared to be our best selves every day then the end result will be worth it. — A big thank you goes out to Drieke for joining us on our 50th podcast episode, when we started we weren’t sure we would get this far but we’re glad we did. Hopefully you’ve learned as much as we have over the last 2 years of conversations, and will continue to join us as we speak to more wonderful people. Get full access to Unorthodox Blend at unorthodoxblend.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 13 min

  2. 21 GEN

    UBC049 - Wei Kan

    Wei Kan is a strategist and brand advisor with a rare ability to bring clarity to complexity. Having spent years working across Asia - particularly within the shifting cultural and commercial landscapes of China - he’s seen firsthand how fast things move and how fragile so many assumptions can be. But Wei doesn’t deal in noise - his approach is slower, more considered. He thinks about systems and people at the same time. And rather than speak over the top of a problem, he tends to pause, listen and gently reframe what’s actually being asked. We’ve known Wei for some time now. Our first collaboration was over a decade ago, on a project that involved cross-cultural complexity, time zone navigation and more moving parts than we’d care to count. Even then, it was clear he had that rare ability: to stay calm, see clearly and bring order. — Our conversation unfolded quietly, but with intent. We talked about how brands try to operate across cultures - and why so many still fall back on translation, rather than transformation. Wei’s view is that successful work isn’t about adapting surface codes, but understanding underlying behaviour. That means tuning into local rhythms and being honest about the limitations of a global playbook. We also explored the idea of identity - not just for brands, but for people navigating increasingly hybrid contexts. And a recurring idea came through - that in a world trying to speed everything up, presence matters more than ever. Being clear on what you stand for and careful about how you show up. — Wei brings a kind of clarity that’s rare. He’s not there to impress, or to take up space - but when he speaks, you can’t help but listen. There is a grounded intelligence to the way he sees the world and a generosity in how he shares it. What stayed with us from this conversation isn’t a soundbite, but a thoughtful, calm and aware posture that he holds which resonates through everything that he says. Mark and I agree that Wei is the kind of person you always want on your team, no matter what the project. Get full access to Unorthodox Blend at unorthodoxblend.substack.com/subscribe

    59 min

  3. 8 GEN

    UBC048 - Jacquill G. Basdew

    Jacquill G. Basdew is a creative director, researcher and brand thinker whose work sits at the intersection of identity, memory and self-authorship. Through Living+, Jacquill has been exploring how personal history, aesthetic language and cultural intention can be brought together into something that feels both expressive and grounded. His work isn’t defined by a particular medium or discipline. It moves between visual research, storytelling, fashion, publishing and brand - but always starts from the same place: the emotional and intellectual weight of lived experience. — This conversation was a quiet and thoughtful one, and well timed at the end of a pivotal year for all of us. We talked about how creative language can emerge not from the need to produce, but from the need to process - to give form to ideas and memories that haven’t always had space to surface. Living+ emerged from that space - not a commercial brand in the traditional sense, but a working structure that offers enough definition to give direction, while still allowing for growth, exploration and change. We spent some time talking about Memories in Motion, a research project that looks at how stories travel across generations - visually, emotionally, sometimes invisibly. Drawing on family photography and oral histories, it’s a piece of work that doesn’t just document, but refreshes and reorganises meaning to bring new energy to what might otherwise stay archived or unspoken. The conversation moved between ideas of cultural responsibility, intuition, design rhythm and how to find your own tempo in a world that encourages speed and performance. What came through clearly was Jacquill’s ability to hold space - to make work that’s careful without being cautious, and emotional without being over-explained. — Some people create for attention, while others create to understand. Jacquill’s work feels much more like the latter - less about the show and more about the process, and if you’re prepared to join him for the journey yo'u’ll learn and grow along the way. There’s an honesty to how he speaks about authorship, and a kind of quiet refusal to rush things that don’t want to be rushed. He reminded us that creative platforms don’t always need to be large or loud - they can be precise, local, personal and even subjective. Meaningful work doesn’t always need to be positioned, explained or wrapped in narrative. Sometimes it just needs to exist and to hold for people to relate to it in their own personal way. Get full access to Unorthodox Blend at unorthodoxblend.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 7 min

  4. 10/12/2025

    UBC047 - Mitch Paone

    Mitch Paone is the founder of DIA Studios, the studio behind some of the most rigorous and rhythmically expressive identity work in the last decade. But what you might not realise, or at least not feel fully until you hear him talk, is just how deeply this work is rooted in music, tempo, timing and practice. In our conversation, Mitch talks about the overlap between music and design, not just as a light metaphor, but something much deeper. Mitch offers an honest, unique and useful perspective on creativity that doesn’t lean on mystique or soft language. He speaks with clarity and humility, and talks openly about the need for intuition alongside training. — Our conversation is about how good systems don’t limit expression, they enable it - and how our individual experiences can positively shape creativity, bringing life and humanity into the work. We talk about the problem with brand decks that throw everything in - 150 pages of expression with no clear purpose. The conversation pushes into systems thinking, but always with feeling. He uses phrases like ‘architectural thinking’ and ‘orchestrated performance’, but not in a way that sucks the life out of the work more as additional lenses to view our work through. — Mitch is someone who trusts the process, not as rules for the sake of rules, but because he’s refined his methods and trusts his own decisions. He knows when to refine the work, when to add more of himself and when get out of the way. We really enjoyed his discussions about the parallels between disciplines, and his openness to the idea that mastery in any subject matter can have relevance in the creative world if we choose to bring it. We also connected deeply with his idea that commercial success comes doesn’t have to come from simply ‘trying to make money’ - it often results from pure curiosity and a desire to continuously evolve Get full access to Unorthodox Blend at unorthodoxblend.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 10 min

  5. 26/11/2025

    UBC046 - The Maka Twins

    John & James Makanjuola aren’t typical business founders. They’re cleaners and they’re building a company (The Maka Group) rooted in care, pride and a powerful sense of purpose. What started as a small cleaning business has grown into something much larger - not just a service, but a statement about pride, resilience and about how we see and value one another. In this conversation, they speak with warmth and clarity about their journey - from growing up in South London to running a business that challenges perceptions and puts people first. Their story is one of self-belief, wisdom and the quiet power of doing things properly. — From the beginning, James and John talk about cleaning as something bigger than tidying a space. For them it’s about clearing mental clutter, sharing positive energy and helping people - “Cleaning changes lives”. In our conversation, they reflect on their early days, navigating hardship and stigma and creating their own philosophy rooted in focus, determination and positive energy. What comes through is their strong sense of identity and their belief in people - they’ve built a team based on attitude, not CVs, hiring people who bring energy, care and a willingness to grow. Recognition matters to John and James, but it has never been their goal. What matters more is creating a genuine positive impact and changing how the wider world sees their industry. — What really hit home for us about James and John is their sense of clarity and wisdom. They speak with a depth of understanding that far surpasses what you might usually expect from people their age - and they share their philosophy with humility, clarity and purpose. With John and James there is no need for spin or performance because they are the real deal. Without specifically intending to, they’ve been quietly building a movement that the world really needs today, one rooted in honesty, positivity and meaningful work. In a world full of noise and influence marketing, their focus on care, consistency and contribution feels quietly radical. And in a time when so much of business is about optimisation and scale, this is a reminder that real impact often starts simply - with how you treat people, and how you show up consistently trying to do the right thing.Check them out and see the movement we’re talking aboutInstagram, TikTok, Facebook and Youtube Get full access to Unorthodox Blend at unorthodoxblend.substack.com/subscribe

    55 min

  6. 12/11/2025

    UBC045 - Nanna Sine Munnecke

    Nanna Sine Munnecke is a designer, creative director and lifelong observer - someone who doesn’t just translate ideas into visuals, but also translates feelings into meaning. Over the past two decades she’s grown a self-made career at ReD Associates, rising from intern to brand director, helping turn complexity into communication - always with curiosity at the centre. She talks about herself as part astronaut, part ethnographer. Someone who explores new worlds, but also participates in them - from global branding projects to underground running communities. Nanna grew up on a self-sufficient farm with artist parents, played tenor sax in a funk band and still forages mushrooms when she can. — Our conversation opened with a discussion about meaning in our work and from there, it unfolded into a broader reflection on the creative industry’s obsession with productivity, and how that shapes not just what gets made, but how it feels to make it. Nanna is sharp, thoughtful and unafraid to say what many feel - that too much of the work being made doesn’t need to exist. We reflected on the conditions that allow meaningful work to happen: space, intention, and the freedom to prioritise quality over quantity. Rather than framing creativity as an endless upward cycle of innovation, Nanna sees the value in pausing, in creating work that sits with people, not just scrolls past them. If designers aren’t deeply engaged in their work how can they be expected to create anything that does the same for the work’s audience. — Nanna brings a calm conviction that means a lot to us - a fine balance of wisdom and humility made the conversation feel meaningful but light at the same time. She seems to be someone on a mission but not at the expense of anyone else taking part in the same conversations. What stood out most was her willingness to name the unease many creatives feel but rarely voice. That instinctive sense that we’re producing too much, too quickly, with too little meaning attached. She reminds us that creative work only becomes valuable when we give it space and ask better questions. Get full access to Unorthodox Blend at unorthodoxblend.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 10 min

  7. 29/10/2025

    UBC044 - Chris Howell

    Chris Howell is the founder of SPX, a gym design company working at the intersection of fitness, hospitality and lifestyle - creating aspirational spaces that do more than just house equipment. His approach blends physical function with emotional resonance, drawing on storytelling, service design and high standards from the best of hospitality. This conversation is about human experience, what makes a space memorable and why design decisions are also brand decisions. Chris speaks with clarity and warmth about career transition, creative leadership and the ongoing tension between digital convenience and analogue connection - especially in wellness. — There’s a clear sense throughout that Chris sees design as a vehicle for storytelling - not in a superficial sense, but as a way to shape emotion, loyalty and belonging. His reflections on projects with hotels and service-led businesses underline that true service goes much deeper than we expect and that how something makes you feel matters just as much as how it works. We talk about the evolution of the gym from a practical space to something far more aspirational. Chris shares how SPX designs with that in mind, creating spaces that fit seamlessly into high-end residential and hospitality environments. The conversation also opens out into personal territory - his shift from finance to fitness, and the process of building a business aligned with personal interest and purpose. Chris is candid about the realities of that journey, the value of hiring for cultural fit and the impact AI may have on the future of recruitment. — Chris brings a thoughtful balance between craft and curiosity, blending the practicalities of commercial design with an intuitive feel for how people move through space. What stood out most was his willingness to hold onto high standards without becoming rigid and to let the emotional quality of a space guide the decisions behind it. Chris reminds us great design isn’t just about what’s seen, it’s about what’s sensed. Get full access to Unorthodox Blend at unorthodoxblend.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 4 min

  8. 15/10/2025

    UBC043 - Derek Morrison

    Derek Morrison is a brand builder, entrepreneur and co-founder of Peak - a mood-enhancing drink designed to help people feel more present, balanced and connected. But describing Peak as a functional beverage brand doesn’t quite capture the breadth of Derek’s thinking or the depth of intention behind what he builds. This conversation moves between creative business and broader cultural shifts - from nootropics to neurodiversity, from brand-building to belief systems. Derek talks with clarity about trust, team dynamics and the challenges of creating a new category. The kind that directly acknowledges how people feel, not just what they want to buy. — At the heart of Derek’s work is a tension many entrepreneurs will recognise: the pull between creativity and commerciality, between the desire to create something new and the need to make it viable. We talk about Peak not just as a brand, but as an attempt to reflect something back to the consumer that feels emotionally resonant, useful and true. The conversation also touches on the complexities of value: what it means, how it’s perceived and how quickly it can be diluted in a noisy, digital-first world. Derek talks openly about the challenges of building trust within a team and the psychological weight of trying to create something meaningful in a culture that often rewards speed over depth. — Derek brings a kind of clarity that’s hard to fake. He’s reflective without being indulgent, confident without being rigid and there’s a calm, deliberate energy to the way he talks about building something that matters. There’s a discipline in his approach that makes space for new ideas to land without rushing to explain them. A useful reminder that creativity often comes not from speed, but from stillness and from noticing what the world might actually need next. Get full access to Unorthodox Blend at unorthodoxblend.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h 25 min
Elenco completo (50)

Descrizione

An unorthodox blend of disciplines and undisciplines. This is how we used to talk about Rosie Lee. In all honesty, we don’t fully know what it means but I think that's why we love it so much. unorthodoxblend.substack.com

Informazioni

  • Creatore
    Rosie Lee Group
  • Anni di attività
    2024 - 2026
  • Puntate
    50
  • Classificazione
    Contenuti adatti a tutti
  • Copyright
    © Rosie Lee Ltd
  • Sito web del podcast
    Unorthodox Blend Conversations

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