Now Go Create

Claire Bridges

In today's world, creativity isn't a nice-to-have in business, it's a must-have. But despite some common misconceptions, creative is not a department, it’s a mindset and a range of skills that anyone can learn and master. The Now Go Create podcast is hosted by Claire Bridges, a former Creative Director, author and now educator who is obsessed with creativity! She’s trained over 40,000 people in creative thinking skills, and worked with teams at brands like ASOS, Netflix and Marks and Spencer to use creativity to their advantage. She’s seen firsthand what impact powerful creative ideas can have to change behaviour, raise awareness, drive sales and be a force for good. With the Now Go Create podcast, she’s here to help you do the same and build your creative toolkit. With each episode, the podcast will take a deep dive into all things creative in business, with actionable advice and practical tools you can use right away. Claire will be chatting with some of the smartest creative thinkers and experts out there to get the inside scoop on what makes us tick creatively. Going behind the songs with Grammy nominated artist Dyo, how to hack your brain for creativity with neuroscientist Ben Martynoga and how to have ideas on demand with improv expert Max Dickins to name just a few. In her solo episodes, Claire will share her favourite and most effective creativity tools with real-world examples and case studies along with a downloadable pod sheet packed with exercises and resources to help you put these ideas into practice. Never run a rubbish brainstorm ever again! Whether you're leading a team, running a business, or just looking to unlock more creativity in your daily work this is the podcast for you. Tune in to unleash your creative potential. Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts has worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 40,000 of people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. About Now Go Create: Creative thinking is one of the most in-demand workplace skills. At Now Go Create we help individuals and businesses to improve their creative capabilities and skills to bridge what the World Economic Forum call a ‘21st century skills’ gap. Our focus is on practical ways to up the creative output and improve the quality of thinking in your business for competitive advantage. Working as a creative catalyst for clients like Netflix, Kenwood and ASOS as well as hundreds of PR, social and digital agencies, our training and approach is underpinned by academic rigour and science. Our training covers everything from tackling the blank page, to how to devise the strategy to underpin creative ideas, to how to pitch your brilliant ideas once you’ve had them! It is for everyone from communications teams to brand managers to CEO’s and PR’s who want to be more creative day to day. Find out more about our creative thinking training courses at www.nowgocreate.co.uk Connect with Claire Email:claire@nowgocreate.co.uk Website: www.nowgocreate.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Buy Claire’s book In Your Creative Element on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/0koP5OB

  1. Ep 40: Strategy Toolkit: The Premortem

    20 HR AGO

    Ep 40: Strategy Toolkit: The Premortem

    In this toolkit episode of Now Go Create, Claire Bridges introduces the concept of the premortem, a powerful technique for anticipating project pitfalls before they derail your ideas. Drawing from her extensive experience in creative thinking and strategy development, Claire demonstrates how asking the right questions early can transform uncertainty into opportunity and help teams avoid costly missteps. Clare shares real-world examples from organisations including Google, Stripe, Pixar, and Netflix, illustrating how pre-mortems foster honest feedback and more robust creative outcomes. You’ll learn practical steps to run your own pre-mortem, alongside insights into building resilience and healthy collaboration in creative projects. Key Takeaways: Many projects fail from overlooked risks, not the initial idea.Premortems give permission to voice concerns without negativity.Run premortems when ideas are solid, not in their early stages.The process helps surface hidden assumptions and blind spots.Use individual reflection before group discussion for unbiased input.Pixar and Netflix embed radical candour and continuous feedback in their cultures.Brain trusts provide expert peer feedback, helping refine ideas without hierarchy. Something to Try: Before your next project goes live, gather your team and run a pre-mortem. Imagine your project has failed six months down the line, and ask everyone to individually list reasons why it might have happened. Then, share and discuss the risks together, prioritise the most serious ones, and brainstorm ways to prevent them. Finish with a reflection on what you learned. This could be the critical step that takes your idea from good to great. About Claire Bridges: Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as a PR agency Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 50,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. Connect with Claire: Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14 Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

    17 min
  2. The Art of Facilitation with Robert Cserti

    18 FEB

    The Art of Facilitation with Robert Cserti

    How do you turn a frustrating workshop into a creative, inclusive space where everyone feels heard without reinventing the wheel each time? In this enlightening episode of Now Go Create, host Claire Bridges sits down with Robert Cserti, co-founder of SessionLab, the go-to platform for workshop and meeting design loved by facilitators worldwide. Claire and Robert get honest about the art and science of facilitation, what makes a meeting truly work, and why embracing both introverts and extroverts is the secret sauce to group creativity. If you ever find yourself leading meetings, brainstorming sessions, or workshops (even with a little dread), this episode is packed with practical tools, stories, and mindset shifts plus a few laughs around “the dreaded icebreaker.” Here are this week’s highlights: Robert Cserti shares the story behind creating SessionLabWhat are the most popular workshop templates?The debate around icebreakers: cringe or crucial? Designing sessions for every kind of thinkerWhat to do when your agenda goes out the windowIncorporating movement and mental breaks: Claire’s “cloud walk” and other playful ideas to reignite energy and imaginationThe rise of facilitation as a professional superpower Behind the scenes at SessionLabThe challenge (and chaos) of hybrid meetingsManaging your energy as a facilitator. Try this week: Next time you plan a meeting or workshop, pick one new tool or method this episode or a simple silent reflection exercise. Notice how it pulls in different voices and improves the outcome. About Claire Bridges: Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as a PR agency Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 50,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. Connect with Claire: Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14 About Robert Cserti: I'm fascinated by the art and science of facilitation. Since taking my first facilitation training in 2009, I've been captivated by how thoughtfully designed workshops transform the way people collaborate and learn together. This passion led me to co-found SessionLab. After years of designing and facilitating workshops myself, I grew frustrated with the lack of tools that truly supported the creative process behind effective group experiences. I wanted to create something better – not just for myself, but for all the facilitators in the field. Today, SessionLab has grown into a platform that helps thousands of facilitators, L&D and OD professionals design thoughtful group experiences. While building our company, I continue to facilitate workshops whenever possible – these hands-on experiences keep me connected to the challenges and joys of bringing people together for meaningful collaboration. Connect with Robert: Website: https://www.sessionlab.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertcserti/ Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

    38 min
  3. Think With Your Feet On A Creative Safari

    4 FEB

    Think With Your Feet On A Creative Safari

    What if your best creative breakthroughs aren’t sitting on your laptop, but waiting for you outside? In this episode of the Now Go Create podcast, Claire Bridges invites you to step away from your desk and into a more embodied creative practice. Claire draws on her own experience running creative workshops, her creative director roots, and insights from psychology to explore how movement, the world around us, and even a simple walk can spark fresh ideas and deeper creative thinking. Inspired by John Cleese’s quote, “We don’t know where we get our ideas from, but we know we don’t get them from our laptops,” Claire challenges the default habit of expecting ideas to emerge from our teams when they’re glued to screens and instead encourages everyone to embrace a Creative Safari as a way of working and generating new perspectives. In this episode: The science behind why staying glued to your screen actually blocks great ideasHow embodied cognition thinking with your whole body can help generate creative breakthroughsWhy “thought walks” and creative safaris are Claire’s go-to approach for teams and individuals to unlock new perspectivesPractical exercises you can try: from tuning into your senses on a walk, to noticing new things through your peripheral visionHow giving your mind and body space (even just 10 minutes outdoors) enriches your creative processWhy noticing, not forcing, is key: letting curiosity and observation lead you to new insightsUsing themes (Claire plays with the idea of “abundance” in the podcast) to subconsciously expand what you see, notice, and connect withTools for working alone or with teams including photographing what sparks your interest during your creative safariHow the principles of incubation, permission, and curiosity nurture original thinking and help fight creative blocks Try this week: Don’t force your next idea. Instead, take Claire’s advice and go on your own creative safari, or take your team on one. Leave your desk, walk with a loose prompt or question, and see what you notice.When you return, ask yourself how your fresh observations might connect to your creative challenge or simply enjoy the wider perspective it brings. About Claire Bridges: Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as a PR agency Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 50,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. Connect with Claire: Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14 Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

    18 min
  4. The Scrappy Strategy One

    10/12/2025

    The Scrappy Strategy One

    In this short, slightly, scrappy, 10-minute bonus episode, the strategist’s strategist Julian Cole joins me again - this time for a real-time riff on how to devise a usable strategy brief… when you don’t actually have one. Julian has worked with Uber, Apple, Facebook, Disney and more, and is known for demystifying strategy and making it accessible. In our previous full-length episode, we got so deep into strategy chat that my producer gently told me off for going way over time. So here’s the fun bit we couldn’t bear to delete. What we cover in this mini-episode:Where to start when no usable brief exists Julian shares his “brief audit” approach — the mandatories, the nice-to-knows, and how to avoid reinventing the wheel. Live strategy development: The Dog Teeth Whitening Brief Yes, really. We take a fictional vet chain launching a dog teeth-whitening service and unpack:The business problem vs the consumer problemHow to explore audience motivations, goals and fearsWhy aesthetics is never really about aestheticsHow social connection, status and even loneliness show up in strategic thinking Inside Julian’s strategic process We walk through:Defining goals and problemsUsing goal/fear dynamics to find emotional territorySpotting potential insightsBuilding three “strategy napkins” — quick, rough territories you can test with clients or creatives Why messy thinking is part of the process Strategy rarely arrives fully formed. This episode shows the real-world expansion phase — the part most people never see. Why listen to this bonus?If you ever need to develop a strategy without a proper brief (which, let’s be honest… is more often than we may like), this episode gives you a practical, human, and transparent look at how a top strategist begins to approach the problem. About Claire Bridges Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 40,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. Join our weekly email for free resources and worksheets to go with the podcast. Connect with Claire: Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14 About Julian Cole: Julian Cole is a strategy consultant to leading brands including Uber, Apple, Facebook, and Disney. Previously he was Head of Comms Planning at BBDO New York, where he oversaw a team of 15+ strategists who created award-winning work for Bacardi, Footlocker, Mountain Dew, GE, Snickers, M&Ms, Lowes, Interscope Records, Bombay Sapphire and the Sandy Hook Foundation. Prior to that he was Head of Communications Planning at BBH New York, helping to launch the PlayStation 4 to be the highest selling console launch in gaming history. With a void of practical strategy education, in 2019 Julian started the Strategy Finishing School and he has taken his world class experience and taught it to over 4,000 strategists. Connect with Julian: Website: https://strategyfinishingschool.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliancole/ Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

    17 min
  5. Fake Arrests, Cat Waiters & A Royal Wedding with Daisy Amodio

    22/10/2025

    Fake Arrests, Cat Waiters & A Royal Wedding with Daisy Amodio

    What does it take to turn an idea into a brand new industry? In this lively episode of Now Go Create, host Claire Bridges sits down with Daisy Amodio, creative dynamo, founder of The Proposers, a royal wedding planner, and visionary behind 5,000 unforgettable marriage proposals. Claire and Daisy dig into how an impromptu treasure hunt for her brother kickstarted Daisy’s journey from advertising account manager to “queen of proposals,” defying doubters, inventing her own playbook, and genuinely creating a category from scratch. If you’ve ever been told your ideas are ‘rubbish’ Daisy’s story will inspire you to trust your gut, experiment, and persist despite the naysayers. Listen in for Daisy’s take on creating bespoke experiences for an audience of one, and turning Pinterest boards into live events, including dressing up cats and negotiating to have your face on the Eiffel Tower! Here are the highlights: Daisy turned her brother’s proposal into a creative business idea and, despite scepticism, pioneered the proposal planning industryEven after surveying 500 men who dismissed her idea as “rubbish,” Daisy trusted her gut and pushed forwardHow to get personal for an audience of one - Daisy and her team dive deep into clients’ lives, stalking Pinterest boards, social media, and moreSpectacular proposals: From a fake drug arrest in Barcelona to 50 cats dressed as waitersDaisy and Claire discuss the unique challenges of balancing spectacular creative ideas with seamless executionDaisy often says yes first taking on wild requests and figuring out solutions laterDealing with burnout and Daisy’s journey to a more sustainable work-life balance.Daisy urges aspiring entrepreneurs to be determined, trust themselves, and “fake it till you make it” Try this week: Got a “rubbish” idea you can’t shake? Take a small action toward it research, pitch, or share it with someone you trust. Explore your creative niche: What’s your unique story, and how could you double down on it, even in the face of scepticism? About Claire Bridges: Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as a PR agency Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 50,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. Connect with Claire: Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14 About Daisy Amodio: Daisy Amodio is the trail-blazing Founder & CEO of The Proposers, the first-ever marriage proposal planning company, and the global pioneer of romantic event planning. Recognised as the No. 1 Proposal Planner in the World, Daisy transformed a heartfelt idea into a thriving industry, planning over 6,000 unique proposals with an unparalleled 100% “YES” success rate. Operating from her office at the top of her game in The Shard London, Daisy leads a dedicated team of seven planners who bring the magic to life for international clients; including royalty, sports stars, actors, and many high-net-worth individuals. Their work is celebrated across international newspaper press and radio and frequently by the BBC. Daisy is no stranger to TV either from her first Sky TV show in 2011, famously called The Proposers, to her most recent Channel 4 “Will You Marry Me” show. Daisy is a confident presenter and keynote speaker at business industry conferences and the global stage. Connect with Daisy: Hello@daisyamodio.com The Proposers https://www.theproposers.co.uk/ Will You Marry Me Channel 4 https://www.channel4.com/programmes/will-you-marry-me https://www.linkedin.com/in/daisy-amodio-9845ba48/ Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

    41 min
  6. Find Your Creative Mojo

    08/10/2025

    Find Your Creative Mojo

    Are you feeling flat, uninspired, or stuck in a rut with your creative work? You’re not alone and you don’t have to go it alone either. Following on from last week’s episode of Now Go Create Claire Bridges chats to improv specialist and storytelling coach Maria Peters for a lively, practical deep-dive into getting yourself out of a creative slump (and why it’s actually normal to have one!) Claire and Maria open up about the telltale signs of a slump, the difference between external and internal validation, why creative flow is so elusive, and how helpful constraints, a dash of play, and some improv magic can get you unstuck fast. Plus, they explore tools including the ‘artist date’ and an eye-opening exercise they call the ‘jealousy map’, a fresh way of using envy as a creative compass. If you’ve ever compared yourself to others, felt your creativity wane, or simply wondered how to nudge yourself back toward inspiration, this episode is packed with stories, and practical micro-actions you can try right away. Here are the highlights: Spotting a slump: Why comparison and self-doubt are classic signalsInternal vs. external validation and how to recentre on your own creative compassThe magic (and science) of flowHow limits can jumpstart your ideas (and why improv isn’t as wild as you think)“Yes, and”: Using the improv mindset with your own ideasMorning pages, artist dates, and creative ‘micro-doses’The jealousy map, playful exercise to use envy or jealousy as a signpost for your own creative desiresRefilling your creative well, why pleasure, play, and tiny nudges matter as much as big breakthroughsHow to shake yourself out of autopilot (and what to try if you’re in a rut today!). Try this week: Schedule an ‘artist date’ with yourself - two hours (or whatever you can manage) doing something just for fun, no output required. Do your own jealousy/creative envy check: Whose work, life, or output do you wish was yours? What is it specifically you want? Let that guide your next small creative move. Do you have a creative challenge or dilemma for a future episode? Email claire@nowgocreate.co.uk or join our weekly email for free creativity resources and worksheets at nowgocreate.co.uk About Claire Bridges: Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as a PR agency Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 40,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. Connect with Claire: Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14 About Maria Peters: You might have seen her at The Comedy Store in Leicester Square, guesting with Paul Merton & Suki Webster's Impro Show. Or as a member of the Yes Queens London West End's first female lead improv comedy group. As a performer and co-creator of The Playground one of London’s most popular nights. Or improvising musicals in Bristol with This is Your Musical. You might know her from her critically acclaimed solo show, The Science of Cringe, that played to sell-out audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. On BBC One or heard her writing on BBC Radio Comedy. Maria has collaborated with Now Go Create to run our storytelling workshops and With her diverse background in comedy, writing, and performance with the BBC, UKTV and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Maria brings a unique and valuable perspective to all of her workshops. ​ Connect with Maria: Website: https://www.mariapeters.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariapetersimprov/ Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

    47 min
  7. Beat Your Creative Slump

    24/09/2025

    Beat Your Creative Slump

    What do you do when the creative ideas stop flowing? In this episode of Now Go Create, host Claire Bridges gets real about a topic we don’t talk about enough: the creative slump. She shares her own recent experience, and explores why slumps might happen, how they differ from creative burnout or “block,” and why we shouldn’t panic when the creative tide is out. Introducing her practical “Creative CAT Scan” self-check-in, designed to help listeners get curious about their own moods, take micro-actions, and approach themselves with genuine tenacity and compassion. If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank page feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just plain flat even though creativity is part of your job, this is the episode for you. Here are the highlights: Why creative slumps are different from burnout or creative blockWhat’s really happening in our brains during a slump and why rest helpsClaire’s go-to tactics for an immediate energy boost (walks, smoothies, noodling, and more)The “Creative CAT Scan”, a self-diagnosis exercise for Curiosity, Action, and TenacityExpert insights: practical suggestions from Claire’s creative networkWhy self-compassion (not criticism) can help you out of a holeInspiration from past guests and listeners on resilience under creative pressure Do you have a creative challenge or dilemma for a future episode? Email claire@nowgocreate.co.uk or join our weekly email for free creativity resources and worksheets at nowgocreate.co.uk About Claire Bridges: Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as a PR agency Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 40,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. Connect with Claire: Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14 Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

    18 min
  8. Your Creative Playbook with Jody Orsborn Medina

    03/09/2025

    Your Creative Playbook with Jody Orsborn Medina

    In this episode, Claire Bridges sits down with Jody Orsborn Medina, experiential creative director and founder of Recess, a global creative community and incredible resource hub. Jody shares her journey from in-house and agency life to freelancing, and how the need for authentic connections inspired her to start Recess. What began as monthly internal inspiration sessions has blossomed into a worldwide network and the must-have Creative Playbook, championing collaboration and open access to creative resources. Jody and Claire discuss the realities of creative life: battling “inspiration overload,” embracing your nontraditional path, and how everyone from producers to designers to strategists can lay claim to creativity. They dive into global creative trends from the Playbook, practical hacks for working smarter, battling imposter syndrome, and the importance of breaking down gatekeeping in the creative industries. This episode is packed with actionable insights for anyone looking to stay inspired and build a creative community, whatever your job title. Here are the highlights: Introduction: Why Jody started Recess Anatomy of a Recess session and what makes them work The Creative Playbook: How it came about, what’s inside & who it’s for Favourite creative hacks, daily tools & tips from the Playbook How Jody curates the playbook, and why diversity of resource matters How freelancers can beat isolation & build community The creative power of producers and challenging creative ‘gatekeeping’ Nonlinear creative careers: permission to claim creativity Imposter syndrome: lessons from creative leaders What Jody’s experimenting with next, making space for personal creative work Quickfire: Jody’s two top suggestions to spark creativity right now. Do you have a creative challenge or dilemma for a future episode? Email claire@nowgocreate.co.uk or join our weekly email for free creativity resources and worksheets at nowgocreate.co.uk About Claire Bridges: Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as a PR agency Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts have worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 40,000 people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. Connect with Claire: Website: https://nowgocreate.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NowGoCreate LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14 About Jody Orsborn Medina: Jody Orsborn Medina is an Experiential Creative Director who has worked on projects for Shopify, Canva, Vice, Live Nation, Intel, Google and more. As a freelancer, she missed having a time in the day to connect with other creatives and share inspiration. So she created one and RECESS was born - an online gathering bringing creatives, designers and strategists together to share what’s currently inspiring them in the world. She also releases a yearly free-to-download Creative Playbook featuring tips, tricks and insights from global creatives. Get the playbook: https://www.cometorecess.com/playbook2025 Connect with Jody: Website: www.cometorecess.com (download the Playbook for free!) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cometorecess/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodyorsborn/ Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

    49 min

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In today's world, creativity isn't a nice-to-have in business, it's a must-have. But despite some common misconceptions, creative is not a department, it’s a mindset and a range of skills that anyone can learn and master. The Now Go Create podcast is hosted by Claire Bridges, a former Creative Director, author and now educator who is obsessed with creativity! She’s trained over 40,000 people in creative thinking skills, and worked with teams at brands like ASOS, Netflix and Marks and Spencer to use creativity to their advantage. She’s seen firsthand what impact powerful creative ideas can have to change behaviour, raise awareness, drive sales and be a force for good. With the Now Go Create podcast, she’s here to help you do the same and build your creative toolkit. With each episode, the podcast will take a deep dive into all things creative in business, with actionable advice and practical tools you can use right away. Claire will be chatting with some of the smartest creative thinkers and experts out there to get the inside scoop on what makes us tick creatively. Going behind the songs with Grammy nominated artist Dyo, how to hack your brain for creativity with neuroscientist Ben Martynoga and how to have ideas on demand with improv expert Max Dickins to name just a few. In her solo episodes, Claire will share her favourite and most effective creativity tools with real-world examples and case studies along with a downloadable pod sheet packed with exercises and resources to help you put these ideas into practice. Never run a rubbish brainstorm ever again! Whether you're leading a team, running a business, or just looking to unlock more creativity in your daily work this is the podcast for you. Tune in to unleash your creative potential. Claire Bridges is Chief Spark and Founder of leading creative training consultancy Now Go Create, whose philosophy is that everyone can be creative. Claire worked as Managing Director and Creative Director working with global brands including Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Unilever, P&G and Danone in her previous PR career. Upskilling individuals, teams and organisations with practical creativity tools is Claire’s mission. She’s one of only 250 people globally to hold an MSc in Creativity, Leadership & Innovation, and authored an Amazon best-selling creative handbook In Your Creative Element based on her academic studies. Claire and her hand-picked team of experts has worked on thousands of creative projects and trained over 40,000 of people around the world since starting Now Go Create in 2011. About Now Go Create: Creative thinking is one of the most in-demand workplace skills. At Now Go Create we help individuals and businesses to improve their creative capabilities and skills to bridge what the World Economic Forum call a ‘21st century skills’ gap. Our focus is on practical ways to up the creative output and improve the quality of thinking in your business for competitive advantage. Working as a creative catalyst for clients like Netflix, Kenwood and ASOS as well as hundreds of PR, social and digital agencies, our training and approach is underpinned by academic rigour and science. Our training covers everything from tackling the blank page, to how to devise the strategy to underpin creative ideas, to how to pitch your brilliant ideas once you’ve had them! It is for everyone from communications teams to brand managers to CEO’s and PR’s who want to be more creative day to day. Find out more about our creative thinking training courses at www.nowgocreate.co.uk Connect with Claire Email:claire@nowgocreate.co.uk Website: www.nowgocreate.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-bridges-b6205b14/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nowgocreate/ Buy Claire’s book In Your Creative Element on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/0koP5OB