A bit of background info: before establishing Secrid, René and his wife Marianne ran a design firm for over 20 years, working with various clients across different markets. This experience would prove invaluable, allowing them to learn and apply their skills in diverse contexts. "We worked for different clients and markets, which was very educational and exciting," van Geer recalls. Eventually, they decided to channel their knowledge and creativity into their own venture. “We wanted to apply all we had learned to our own products and under our own brand,” he explains.The 2008 financial crisis was the final push they needed to fully commit to Secrid. The card protector they launched won the Red Dot Design Award, and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, Secrid's products are sold in over 8,500 stores worldwide, but it’s the owners' focus on creativity that really sets the brand apart. We sat down with René in the Secrid headquarters, housed in a beautifully renovated industrial warehouse in The Hague, to talk business.

<blockquote><h1>"Everyone is constantly engaged in creative activities.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Creativity is quite a broad concept. I'd like to know your definition of creativity.RvG: “There are many degrees of creativity: people everywhere create their own world every single day. For some, that might mean baking a cake, while others change the entire recipe. The point is that everyone is constantly engaged in creative activities.”&nbsp;So, do you believe that people are inherently creative?RvG: “Everyone is creative. Again, the type of creative activity you’re involved in may vary. There are degrees of creativity depending on things like skills and other practical reasons. For instance, we used to renovate homes, and I would be very hands-on, painting walls and building furniture. All in all, it is a very creative endeavor but also a time-consuming one. The house we just moved into was already renovated. I didn’t want to spend more time renovating a house, so this time around, our focus is more on choosing the right rug, painting, or lamp. I don't paint or build furniture myself anymore because it simply takes too much time.”

<blockquote><h1>“Building a company is very similar to developing a product…You solve problems creatively, just like you would when designing a product.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;What does creativity look like in the work you do? Is there room for creativity when you’re the CEO?RvG: “Absolutely. Building a company is very similar to developing a product. It's never finished, and everything is constantly evolving. You develop processes, find the right people, and make numerous decisions, which is very creative. You solve problems creatively, just like you would when designing a product. When you start out as a designer, it can be hard to integrate a lot of different elements all at once. But over time, you learn to consider more factors in your designs, such as the user, the brand, the market, and the functionality. Good design considers all these aspects: you need to be holistic and ensure that what you create functions well in society and is commercially viable.&nbsp;Now that our company is bigger and we have a larger team, we can tackle projects more professionally. We have experts in areas where I lack knowledge, like ICT and legal, which allows me to focus on the creative aspects, which is where my strengths lie. We also try to make sure that the people who work for us can focus on what they’re good at.”

<blockquote><h1>“It's essential for the creative process to include various types of input, from those with engineering minds to those who are more abstract thinkers.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Does working with such a diverse team impact your creative process?RvG: “It adds depth and perspective. Different viewpoints and experiences contribute to richer ideas and solutions. It's essential for the creative process to include various types of input, from those with engineering minds to those who are more abstract thinkers. For years, I’ve been working on a model of our production process, and I’ve narrowed it down to seven levels of abstraction: from the very abstract - the strategic thinking that our product team does - to the more practical art of selling the product, which is the domain of the marketing and sales team. This model is not unlike the chakra system, which also consists of seven steps, or chakras, that help us understand the interaction between body and mind. Each chakra represents a different aspect of our being. For example, the Root Chakra represents stability and security. People strong in this chakra are grounded and practical. The Solar Plexus Chakra is linked to personal power and confidence. Engineers and people who create structure tend to be strong in this chakra. And there’s the Third Eye Chakra, which is related to intuition and insight. This is important for strategic thinkers and visionaries. All these different chakras represent different types of creativity, and having a team with diverse strengths in these areas is crucial.”

<blockquote><h1>"We try to design our office spaces to meet varying needs, ensuring everyone has the right environment to be productive and creative."</h1></blockquote>

What does having a diverse workforce mean for the day-to-day business of running a brand?RvG: “Different roles require different environments. For example, the finance team needs a stable and quiet environment to ensure accuracy and concentration. They benefit from a fixed, calm workspace. Marketing and Sales need areas that foster interaction and collaboration because their work often involves brainstorming and communicating with others. The engineers and developers require structured spaces where they can focus on detailed work without distractions. In contrast, the creative team needs flexibility and inspiration; they thrive in dynamic environments where they can move around and be exposed to new ideas and stimuli.We try to design our office spaces to meet these varying needs, ensuring everyone has the right environment to be productive and creative. In the end, the environment you create must support both the practical and emotional needs of all those people. That’s why we focus on creating spaces that encourage interaction and collaboration. For instance, our espresso bar is a place where employees from all parts of the company come together, fostering informal discussions and idea-sharing.”&nbsp;How do you manage the balance between creativity and practical needs like deadlines and budgets?RvG: “It's about setting clear boundaries. Creativity doesn't have to be a long, drawn-out process. Even within time and budget constraints, you can make creative choices. The key is to prioritize and make the most impactful decisions within those limits.”

<blockquote><h1>“Creativity doesn't have to be a long, drawn-out process. Even within time and budget constraints, you can make creative choices.”</h1></blockquote>

Do you face any specific challenges in maintaining your company's creative edge?RvG: “Design is central to everything we do. We believe that good design can improve the world. This is why we partner with events like What Design Can Do and the Dutch Design Week to showcase how design can address various challenges. Our goal is to highlight the positive impact of thoughtful design on society. One challenge is ensuring that we stay innovative while also managing a growing business. It's a balancing act between exploring new ideas and maintaining the efficiency and quality of our existing products. We strive to foster a culture where both can thrive.”&nbsp;What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to incorporate creativity into their business?RvG: “Surround yourself with diverse talents and create an environment that encourages experimentation and collaboration. Be open to different perspectives and don’t be afraid to take risks. Also, remember that creativity isn’t just about big, groundbreaking ideas; it’s also about making small, incremental improvements that add up over time.”&nbsp;Lastly, are there any personal rituals or habits that help you stay creative?RvG: “I make sure to integrate moments of relaxation and reflection into my daily routine. Whether it's taking a walk, meditating, or simply daydreaming, these activities help me stay open to new ideas. It's about finding a rhythm that works for you and allows your mind the freedom to wander and explore.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Creativity isn’t just about big, groundbreaking ideas; it’s also about making small, incremental improvements that add up over time.”</h1></blockquote>

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Creativity often takes center stage in the bustling world of product design and innovation. But at Secrid, the brand that has transformed the everyday wallet into a piece of innovative design, they went one step beyond. Here, creativity is not just a buzzword; it's a foundational principle. René van Geer, one of the founders and owners of Secrid, shares his thoughts on creativity, entrepreneurship, and the unique approach his company takes to fostering an innovative environment.

DESIGNING SUCCESS: CREATIVITY AT SECRID

KEEPING IT REAL&nbsp;First up: Harshdeep Arora aka prspctivs, an architect from India, who has worked in Delhi, Shanghai and Beijing for renowned firms like UNStudio, Buro Ole Scheeren, Plasma Studio, DADA Partners and AECOM.&nbsp; He’s currently working as a part-time senior architect consultant at CHAP (Cook Haffner Architecture Platform), while successfully pursuing freelance projects as an AI Artist/Architect. He’s making quite some waves with his awe-inspiring designs.&nbsp;It all started back in 2021-2022: the launch of the initial models DALL-E and Stable Diffusion sparked Arora’s curiosity in AI. The introduction of Midjourney, and the “wave of surreal images” that followed, sealed the deal. “It was at this point that I felt a strong desire to explore these processes myself, especially because I had witnessed countless hours wasted on the manual process of 3D drafting and photorealistic rendering over the years.” The learning curve has been steep at times, mainly due to the lack of professional tutorials. Arora: “To overcome this challenge, I delved into reading numerous notes, referring to YouTube discussions by fellow AI enthusiasts, and, most importantly, engaging in hands-on practice to devise my own processes for learning and improvement.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Embracing AI in the creative process opens up new possibilities and allows designers to push boundaries and realize their visions in ways that were previously unimaginable.”</h1><h1>&nbsp;</h1><h1>Harshdeep Arora</h1></blockquote>

PAYING IT FORWARD&nbsp;In the meantime, Arora has made it his mission to inform others about the possibilities and limitations of AI-based tools. “I aspire to motivate people to embrace this revolution and adapt themselves to create more than what they were previously capable of or trained for. Embracing AI in the creative process opens up new possibilities and allows designers to push boundaries and realize their visions in ways that were previously unimaginable.” Although that doesn’t mean computers are ‘taking over’: “AI has made great strides, but precise model generation using AI is still in its nascent stage. As a result, architects continue to rely on traditional 3D modeling and rendering for final designs that will be physically implemented on site.”&nbsp;Speaking of physicality. Many of the designs Arora creates will most likely never materialize and he’s okay with that. It comes with the job: “Over the years, working on concepts and designs of various scales, I've noticed that a significant percentage of large-scale projects never materialize. Many architects find themselves involved in design competitions or commissioned projects that may get stalled midway due to various reasons, such as client budget issues or government interventions. While this might seem like a waste of effort, this process is essential in creating the exceptional 10% of high-quality buildings that do get realized. It's through this iterative and exploratory approach that architects push the boundaries of design and create remarkable structures.”

OPEN SKETCHING &amp; CHEAP IMAGES&nbsp;Andrew Kudless, trained architect, professor of architecture and head of Matsys design studio, is one of those pushing the proverbial envelope. “I sketch with AI in a similar way that artists and architects have used hand sketches to dream possible futures. Sometimes I have a specific goal but more often, it is a form of exploration to help me expand my imagination,” Kudless explains. “I often describe the feeling of using generative AI tools as a form of open sketching. Although I’m not using a pen or pencil to imagine the work, it has the same give-and-take that sketching has.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“These images range from the photorealistic to the painterly to the surreal. However, all of the images exhibit impossible elements, and this is what draws me to them."</h1><h1>&nbsp;</h1><h1>Mark Kudless</h1></blockquote>

<blockquote><h1>"The AI model does not understand the rules of light, geometry, or structure, but it does a reasonably good job of simulating them. And in this simulation, there are glitches that help me think about my work in new ways.”</h1><h1>&nbsp;</h1><h1>Mark Kudless</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Kudless also points out that despite looking almost identical, generative AI images are in some ways the exact opposite of traditional digital renderings: “Renderings are expensive in that they require immense time, labor, and skill. They provide the designer with highly accurate simulations from multiple views. AI images are cheap in that they take nearly no time or skill and will never provide a completely coherent simulation of reality, especially from multiple views. However, there is great value in this cheapness. I can create thousands of variations on a theme in the same time it would take me to create one finished digital rendering of one of my designs. Used correctly and in partnership with traditional design modeling and rendering workflows, AI images can support a designer’s early explorations.”

Veils play a prominent role in the work of Kudless. And when looking at the AI generated works he has put out, it’s tempting to think that the veils are one way of showing what rendering programs can do with transparency and layers. But that is not the case. “I have been fascinated&nbsp;with using fabric in architecture for most of my career. It started in 1998 when I was living in Japan. You can see one of my first projects in 1998 documenting the hundreds of fabric-covered construction scaffolding in the Kansai region,” Kudless explains.&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"I think it is important to test and use a variety of models as they have been trained with different datasets and provide different approaches and functionality. The AI space is evolving so quickly that you need to be open and curious.”</h1><h1>&nbsp;</h1><h1>Andrew Kudless</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;When asked if he has ever had any concerns about living up to the picture-perfect renders he presents to clients, Kudless replies: “As a designer, I always try to make sure the built reality offers something more than could ever be captured in an image. The image is an invitation to a much deeper experience. I used to say that I always wanted to make things that were more wonderful in reality than they were in renderings. And despite the advances in AI images and rendering technologies, I still think this is true as an image will never be able to capture the full spectrum of visual as well as non-visual sensory stimulations we experience in reality.” At the same time, Kudless still thinks it’s important to create beautiful images for they are symbols of the aspirations for a project: “For the designer, they can serve as a guidepost to keep us on track as there are always so many issues in the design process that can lead us astray. And for the client and community, they can rally support in ways that a plan drawing cannot.”

<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/image002_1_scaled_f05334289f.jpg" alt="image002-1-scaled.jpg" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_image002_1_scaled_f05334289f.jpg 120w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_image002_1_scaled_f05334289f.jpg 387w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/medium_image002_1_scaled_f05334289f.jpg 581w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/large_image002_1_scaled_f05334289f.jpg 774w," sizes="100vw">We're very proud to call NOOK one of our partners.&nbsp;NOOK is the official magazine of the Dutch and Belgian professional associations for interior architecture, BNI and AINB. The magazine offers in-depth content, inspiration, and opinions. NOOK is published quarterly in English.&nbsp;The above article was first published in NOOK, the Drawing issue (2023 / #3).&nbsp;

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The rise of electronic tools and AI in creating photorealistic architectural renders has prompted a question: Is there a place for traditional hand-drawn sketches, or do these high-tech renders risk creating unrealistic client expectations? We delved into this issue by speaking to two innovative architects, Andrew Kudless of Matsys and&nbsp;Harshdeep Arora (prspctivs),&nbsp;who employ state-of-the-art software programs to navigate this new frontier of AI.

ARCHITECTURAL RENDERS IN THE AGE OF AI

It's the number one question we ask all our interviewees, and it's an important one: What is creativity?&nbsp;SS: "That's a question I explore at the outset of my book. Creativity is a multifaceted and ever-evolving concept shaped by cultural, emotional, and intellectual elements. It's a snapshot of our capacity to reimagine the world around us, demonstrating that creativity is not the domain of any individual but a universal trait we all share. In my view, creativity involves finding unexpected connections between previously unlinked concepts, leading to new meanings and experiences. This dynamism fuels innovation across music, art, design, and writing, challenging our assumptions and the context in which we view creativity.&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Take people like Einstein, Elon Musk, and even Kim Kardashian— &nbsp;three people who are very different from one another, and their creativity demonstrates the diverse nature of creative expression.”&nbsp;</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Take people like Einstein, Elon Musk, and even Kim Kardashian—each creative in a distinct area. Einstein revolutionized our understanding of physics. Musk is the kind of nutty professor who redefined automotive and space exploration, and Kardashian has mastered the art of personal branding and business. Sure, she smartly uses her looks to run her business, but she is an entrepreneur who has successfully launched several companies and is constantly coming up with ideas. Whether it's in the metaverse or a skin product, she keeps reinventing herself and the market; creativity is an essential part of that. So here we have three people who are very different from one another, and their creativity demonstrates the diverse nature of creative expression.&nbsp;As I went into dialogue with AI, it reminded me that creativity is the ability to embrace mistakes and see them as opportunities for lateral thinking and innovation. This perspective is crucial, especially in a world increasingly influenced by AI, where the 'human aspect' of creativity becomes more challenging to define."

<blockquote><h1>"AI is not just another tool; it's a revolutionary way to augment our creative abilities, offering new methods to refine our ideas and bring them to life in ways we've yet to explore fully."</h1></blockquote>

How do you view the rise of AI and its potential for or threat to creatives?&nbsp;SS: "As creatives, how we view AI—whether as a potential threat or partner for innovation—largely depends on our familiarity and comfort with it. History shows us that every technological advance, from the radio to Google, initially sparked fear because it was unknown and represented change. Yet, these innovations eventually became part of our daily lives, enhancing our ability to communicate and create.&nbsp;I firmly believe that approaching AI with optimism rather than fear opens up possibilities. AI is not just another tool; it's a revolutionary way to augment our creative abilities, offering new methods to refine our ideas and bring them to life in ways we've yet to explore fully. For those of us in creative professions, staying curious and open-minded about AI allows us to push the boundaries of what's possible in art, design, storytelling, and beyond.&nbsp;One fascinating aspect of integrating AI into our creative processes is the potential enhancement of our emotional intelligence. By leveraging AI, we might gain deeper insights into human emotions, enabling us to craft content that resonates more personally. Imagine movies that feel tailor-made for each viewer, not just through a scene or dialogue but in their entirety. This level of personalization in storytelling could redefine our connection with the media.&nbsp;In essence, we stand at the dawn of a new era in creativity, one where AI can help us better understand our audiences, create more impactful content, and explore new dimensions of emotional engagement. This journey is about discovery, and it's a fascinating time to be a creative professional."

<blockquote><h1>“The rapid advancement of technology, particularly in design, has fundamentally shaken the foundations of traditional creative work.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Why write this book?&nbsp;SS: "This is my third book. My first, 'Read Nothing in Here,' was a playful yet profound look at understanding creativity by tackling 21 misconceptions designed to make creativity less intimidating. My second book was a sort of workbook, providing practical exercises to nurture creative skills.&nbsp;With this latest project, my third book, I delve into the complexities of creativity in the modern world. It's born from a growing curiosity about how creativity intersects with societal issues like bias and the evolving business models in the creative industry. The rapid advancement of technology, particularly in design, has fundamentally shaken the foundations of traditional creative work. My book aims to spark a critical conversation about these shifts, questioning how we define authorship, value creativity, and adapt our business practices in response to these changes.&nbsp;Writing this book was an opportunity to address the pressing questions that have intrigued me throughout my career. It's a culmination of my experiences and reflections intended to engage and challenge the creative community and beyond."

As AI rises, many worry about the future of creative professions like copywriting. What's your take?&nbsp;SS: "There's definitely a future. I see copywriters, for instance, turning into emotional intelligence writers. And designers into emotional design specialists. The titles don't matter, but the shifts in focus really do.The thing is, AI can automate basic writing tasks, but it lacks our depth in understanding and conveying human emotions. Our ability to distinguish and appreciate genuine human creativity will only grow, making our role irreplaceable."&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“It's funny that AI reminded me that the beauty of human creativity is the ability to make and embrace mistakes.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;That's an interesting perspective. How do you see us staying relevant in this AI-influenced landscape?&nbsp;SS: "The key lies in partnering with AI, rather than seeing it as a replacement. AI can handle predictable tasks, freeing us to focus on creativity and emotional depth—areas where AI falls short. It's about using these technologies to push our creative boundaries and stay unpredictable. By challenging ourselves and staying curious, we can ensure our place in the industry. It's about adapting to AI and evolving with it to enhance our work.&nbsp;We also have to redefine what we're good at. It's funny that AI reminded me that the beauty of human creativity is the ability to make and embrace mistakes. AI is essentially built to be right; this is where we can thrive with our ideas.It's crucial for creatives to actively engage with their craft beyond professional briefings. Experimentation, personal projects, and constant learning are essential. As AI becomes more integrated into our tools, distinguishing our human creativity becomes even more vital. We must embrace AI as a partner without letting it dictate our creative expression."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“The key lies in partnering with AI, rather than seeing it as a replacement. AI can handle predictable tasks, freeing us to focus on creativity and emotional depth—areas where AI falls short.”</h1></blockquote>

There's a noticeable trend towards authenticity over algorithmically driven content. Companies choose to express their unique voice rather than optimize for social media. How sustainable is this approach?&nbsp;SS: "Choosing authenticity is not just ethically sound; it's a long-term strategy for differentiation and connection with audiences. While not every company can afford to ignore algorithmic trends, those that do often find a more engaged and loyal audience. The challenge is balancing business objectives with creative integrity.Imagine that in a year, more than half of all media is made by or with the help of AI: what's going to stand out? Perhaps these human errors (happy little accidents). It's a weird idea, but there's a truth in there."&nbsp;&nbsp;And what about the ethical aspects? As AI creates, where does that leave the originality and ownership of ideas?SS: "Ethics in the age of AI is a complex issue. While AI can replicate styles and ideas, it lacks human creatives' nuanced understanding and originality. The environmental impact of digital creations also raises concerns. We must work towards sustainable practices, respecting intellectual and environmental resources.But we also need to look closer at our own perspective. I, for example, never really considered AI as an author. In one of these chats, it said: ‘You didn’t make this alone; AI made it with you; who is the real author here?' I thought that was mind-boggling. AI then added: ‘ Authorship isn’t less valued, it's going to be more distributed.' I thought it was an interesting notion to consider when we discuss these topics from a human point of view."

<a href="https://www.bispublishers.com/the-new-creatives.html"><img class="image_resized" style="width:25%;" src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/the_new_creatives_8baf03fd66.webp" alt="the-new-creatives.webp" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_the_new_creatives_8baf03fd66.webp 135w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_the_new_creatives_8baf03fd66.webp 433w," sizes="100vw"></a>Enjoyed this interview and interested in reading more about AI and creativity?&nbsp;Click on the link below to buy Seema's book from our partner BIS Publishers.TIOC members can buy the book with a 30% discount using the code tioc30<a href="https://www.bispublishers.com/the-new-creatives.html">‘The New Creatives: How AI Changes the Face of the Creative Industry’ by Seema Sharma</a>&nbsp;

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The creative industry is buzzing with talk of AI: will it edge out human creativity, or can we work alongside it? Leading creative director Seema Sharma says it's all about teaming up with tech. In ‘The New Creatives,’ a book Sharma co-wrote with AI, she dives into how AI is shaking up creative work, from the skills we need to have, to how we think about our value. Join us as we chat with Seema about the future of creativity, where humans and machines might make the perfect duo.

SEEMA SHARMA: AI & THE CREATIVE INDUSTRY

Early Adaptors: SelgasCanoLong before the pandemic hit, SelgasCano, the Spanish architecture studio led by Jose Selgas and Lucia Cano, made waves with designs that pushed the proverbial envelope. Their own studio, nestled in the woods of Madrid, created quite some waves and was featured in magazines, architecture blogs, and sites worldwide. The - very photogenic - design allowed SelgasCano personnel to work under the trees, literally. In a more recent design, the Spanish studio went to Hollywood, where they created the first US location of the British co-working company Second Home. A former parking lot was turned into a co-working complex with oval-shaped pods, their bright yellow rooftops standing out against the green backdrop, not unlike lily pads in a pond. The site’s design reflects Second Home’s values, says COO Jamie Apostolou: “Biophilic design has always been a part of the Second Home DNA. This concept supports creativity, productivity, and mental health, among many other positive attributes.”

Apostolou said the design brief was simple: “Bring our biophilic design and the architecture by SelgasCano together and scale it across a two-acre footprint. Second Home Hollywood offered us a unique opportunity to apply this design approach to a campus format.” On-site, about 60% of the space is hosted outdoors, surrounded by over 100 species of plants, which some 250 companies enjoy. Apostolou: “Our members represent a broad range of industries, and with that diversity, we see teams reimagine the space in various ways we didn’t envision. The possibilities are endless, from creating classrooms to grouping several studios to form private campuses.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>&nbsp;A former parking lot was turned into a co-working complex with oval-shaped pods, their bright yellow rooftops standing out against the green backdrop, not unlike lily pads in a pond.&nbsp;</h1></blockquote>

#OutdoorOfficeDay&nbsp;Psychologist and social entrepreneur Ioana Biris’s interest in the outdoors predates COVID-19. Biris connects nature, work, and well-being with her company, Nature Desks. She also initiated Outdoor Office Day, which inspires people to take their work outdoors. “The idea came to me about 6 or 7 years ago. I wanted to see how we could improve people’s working lives. Sitting in an office for 9 hours a day didn’t seem very healthy or productive. So I wanted to take people outside so they could experience the benefits of stepping away from their computer.”&nbsp;Working remotely or meeting outside is easier for some than others. And the office culture also plays an important part. Biris: “For some people, going outside and meeting on a bench in the sun feels like playing hooky. We must break that taboo and tell company owners and managers that listening to a podcast or taking a stroll for some much-needed thinking time is still work.”&nbsp;Studies have shown that when in nature, people’s stress levels go down, and their sense of well-being increases. Spending time outdoors and being surrounded by nature can improve health and well-being. When we’re outside, we tend to move around more. Outdoor air quality also tends to be better than indoor quality. Spending half an hour in nature is known to lower pulse and blood pressure, but it is also therapeutic: being in nature decreases levels of stress and depression. In short, we feel better after spending time outdoors.&nbsp;Hard data about the positive effect of nature on people’s productivity or creativity are sometimes debated, although Biris has seen firsthand what going outside does to people. “At the first Outdoor Office Day in Utrecht, we saw people coming together from different companies and walks of life. Men in suits pulled up a chair, took off their shoes, and relaxed in the sun while meeting with the janitor of another company. These people normally never meet one another and get exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking. Going outside creates this water cooler effect but on a larger scale. And so we urge companies to facilitate these kinds of meetings by turning parking spaces on their industrial plot into an outdoor meeting room and include some benches and plants.”&nbsp;Biris is passionate about ensuring outdoor offices aren’t just enjoyed by the happy few or people whose job allows for flexibility but also those working in urban environments or office parks: “I’m not a real estate person, and there’s not some big agency pushing for this change. So I’m doing this in my spare time. It’s a labor of love. But it’s important. With simple adjustments, we can make life a little better and more beautiful: we can’t just spend our days sitting in some office, stuck behind a computer. We can do better than that.”

Sweden Leads the Way&nbsp;One company that is helping to change the way we work is Nola. This Stockholm-based company is known for creating sustainable design furniture for urban environments and was another early adopter of the outdoor office movement. The company has created anything from park benches to modular outdoor furniture systems but also works closely with architects, designers, landscape architects, and city planners to make urban spaces more accessible. For instance, they worked with Charlotte Persson Troije, whose Ph.D. dissertation included a study on outdoor office work. Troije’s study gave “new insights into how outdoor office work may be done—what works well versus less well; how employees experience outdoor work – benefits and obstacles; and what conditions need to be met in order to make it happen.” The collaboration led to the development of the outdoor office Work Lounge Chair: a workstation with a swivel dry-foam seat, laptop-adjusted table, and transparent backrest to create some privacy.&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>Studies have shown that when in nature, people’s stress levels go down, and their sense of well-being increases. Spending time outdoors and being surrounded by nature can improve health and well-being.</h1></blockquote>

“We started designing outdoor offices in 2016,” says Henrik Edlund, Nola’s CEO, “We saw an increasing demand and willingness for people to work outdoors. Of course, there are a few challenges when working outdoors, think sunlight and strong wind, but overall, there are enormous benefits to both body and health. That’s something we identified early on. And the pandemic was an accelerator and validation of the need to work outdoors.”&nbsp;The Swedish environmental certification systems for buildings also helped the push for change and transforming cities. Edlund: “Every new build has to have as low a carbon footprint as possible, be well isolated to keep energy cost low, and include solar panels. But if you want to receive the highest certifications, your project also needs to include areas that benefit the health of the people working or living in the building. And that is boosting the transformation of our city: going green isn’t just someone’s idea or pet project; it is a formal requirement.” Watch and learn, people. Watch and learn.&nbsp;

<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png" alt="Schermafbeelding 2023-11-06 om 16.54.30.png" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png 121w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_54_30_9d3c8c9c16.png 388w," sizes="100vw">We're very proud to call NOOK one of our partners.&nbsp;NOOK is the official magazine of the Dutch and Belgian professional associations for interior architecture, BNI and AINB. The magazine offers in-depth content, inspiration, and opinions. NOOK is published quarterly in English.&nbsp;The above article was first published in NOOK, the Symbiosis issue (2023 / #2).&nbsp;<a href="https://bni.nl/nook/">Order a hard copy of the issue for €12.50, excluding shipping</a>.

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If nothing else, the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way we work. There have been significant changes depending on the nature of work, the technological infrastructure, and the company’s willingness to adapt. For starters, remote working has become more widespread, as has our reliance on technology. We’ve also become more aware of the work-life balance. Spending five days a week in an office suddenly seems archaic and unnecessary. Pair that with the fact that during all those lockdowns, many people rediscovered nature or took on walking as a hobby, and it’s hardly surprising that there is an increased interest in the outdoor office.

CREATIVITY AT WORK: OUTDOOR OFFICE

It's the question we tend to open with: what is your definition of creativity?CB: “It's a lot of different things. You can define creativity as a process that allows you to develop new ideas or challenge existing problems. But I also like to think about creativity as a team culture. And yes, you can also think about creativity as an end product. Creativity is also a skill set that gives you the confidence to be creative.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“No matter what your skill level is when it comes to creativity, you can always advance those skills.&nbsp;</h1><h1>You can become more creative through practice.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Can you learn to be creative?CB: “If you go back a couple of hundred years in history, there was a strong belief that creativity was something you inherited. Some famous researchers looked at European families where creativity existed over multiple generations, like the Bach family, which had some 28 musicians. So, from that perspective, it could seem like creativity is something you can inherit or pass on. It could also be that having the same surname as a famous ancestor allows you to follow in their footsteps simply because certain doors might open a little easier. But there's also the cultural dimension of early childhood, the environment you grew up in, the school you attended, the sports you played, and the organizations you're involved with and work for: they can all nurture your creativity. So it's probably a mix of everything. But the most important thing for everyone to remember is that no matter what your skill level is when it comes to creativity, you can always advance those skills. You can become more creative through practice.”

What kind of practice are we talking about?CB: "If you want to learn a new language, say Chinese or Spanish, more is needed than simply watching a Spanish movie with the subtitles on. You don't learn the language by seeing, hearing, or even understanding it; you have to practice the pronunciation and grammar over and over again. And then suddenly, you become better at it, become more confident about your language skills, and feel emboldened to speak Spanish whenever you can.The learning curve for creativity is the same. If you want to improve your creativity, you need to practice it. It's not enough to read a book on the subject or watch a video about a creative person. You have to start practicing it so you become better at it. And the exciting thing is that, as you become better, you boost your confidence by quite a lot. I've seen studies where If you practice your creativity for 5 to 10 hours, you can advance your skill set for thinking about ideas by 20 to 30 percent. But the creative confidence can boost by even more."&nbsp;What does practicing your creative skills mean? Take up painting?CB: "Funny you should mention painting. For me, that's an expression of an idea. And it's essential for creativity that you're good at expressing ideas.When you develop novel ideas, it can be difficult to persuade others about your idea simply because they can't match it with what they've seen before. If you're launching a new shampoo brand and change the bottle and the scent and opt for a funny color scheme, the procurement officers in the supermarkets will still recognize it as a shampoo bottle. And in their minds, they will be able to link it to a similar shampoo and feel confident they can sell this one as well. But what if you present that same supermarket with a novel idea that the procurement officer cannot relate to existing or historical experiences?&nbsp;Let's say your new shampoo brand comes in a paint can and has an accompanying paintbrush that you use to apply the shampoo. And instead of rinsing the product off in the shower, you let it sit and dry before you shake your head to get it all off. Now that shampoo isn't recognizable as something else: it looks weird and has strange instructions. Very few customers would even recognize it as a shampoo. So, selling that particular shampoo requires much more persuasion if you want people to understand the value and potential of this new idea. You must be very good at expressing the idea and how good it is."

So persuasion is one skill set; what's another?CB: "You need to be able to challenge standards and problems that most people don't recognize as problems yet. If, in a company setting, you only work on problems that everybody else is trying to solve, chances are you will probably come up with some very similar solutions as your competitors. Now, if you want a competitive advantage over everybody else in the industry, you will need a new starting point. Focus on things that most others don't focus on, and find different problems or perspectives. It requires that you're good at challenging the standards that most take for granted.Let's say you work in the swimming pool industry, you own a couple of swimming pools, or maybe run a holiday resort, and you need lifeguards. Now, you cannot just hire anybody because lifeguards need to be able to swim and maybe know CPR. Nobody would challenge the idea that lifeguards need to be able to swim. And that is precisely why it's such a good reason to at least challenge that idea, even though it goes against all logic.So what if you hire lifeguards who don't know how to swim and come up with a system where there is some net on the floor of a swimming pool and all these emergency buttons? So the minute someone is in trouble, you push a button, and up comes the net, lifting everybody out of the pool. In this scenario, you wouldn't need lifeguards who know how to swim but ones who know how to climb a net and how to administer CPR while hanging in the air.This net idea might be unique. It might be interesting. It might be good. It might not be. It might lead to a new type of swimming pool where people with a fear of water – the elderly, disabled, and those without a diploma can safely enjoy the water. But regardless, we now have a fascinating new perspective on safety in a swimming pool."&nbsp;The point of the exercise is to challenge the status quo, then?CB: "Yes, you have to look for the standards in your industry that nobody is challenging—practice identifying them and then challenging them. You can do that by making them extreme or removing them and watching what happens. And then, later, you can start trying out some of these ideas. But it starts with identifying the standards. And you will need to practice that repeatedly before it becomes a skill, a habit, or even second nature."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“You have to look for the standards in your industry that nobody is challenging—practice identifying them and then challenging them.”</h1></blockquote>

How long, generally, before it becomes second nature?CB: "Maybe weeks, months, depending on how creative you are already. You can practice for half an hour every week, 10 minutes every morning, or one hour every month. It depends on your ambition and how fast you want to improve your creativity.There's power in repetition: when you have practiced a lot over time, it becomes a mindset. It becomes a new pair of glasses that allows you to see these standards suddenly. And you instantly start to challenge them as well. It's a great skill to have."&nbsp;It does, depending on the company you're keeping or the company that you work for. When surrounded by people who resist change or creativity, it can be a curse.&nbsp;CB: "It goes back to your first question about the definition of creativity. If you only see creativity as a skill, a process, a technique, or a method, then you will end up having lots of great ideas, but you will start to feel like a weirdo because people need to understand and appreciate your ideas.It's also important to note that you can only expect creativity from somebody who knows how to be creative. It's like expecting people to play the violin when they've never learned to play it. You know it's going to sound horrible, right? It takes time to create a culture of creativity where people have a sense of accomplishment and confidence in their creative abilities. Developing these skills, which we discussed before you start expecting people to be creative, is a crucial step in creating a culture of creativity.In the second part of my book, I write about how you take a journey as a team, as an educational institution, or as a complete organization where you don't just take one of these creative perspectives but a holistic perspective. As a team or company, you must establish when and for what type of problems you need creativity."

<blockquote><h1>“Creativity is a chance process. You never know if something good will come up, but you have to invest time in this creative effort regardless.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;How do you decide what requires creativity and what doesn't?CB: "First, you need to develop a common language for creativity where everybody's on the same page about why we need creativity and what the value of creativity is in certain situations. Once you have the language, you go to step 2, which is developing these specific skills, like the skill to challenge what most people take for granted and the skill that allows you to persuade people and make sure they clearly understand the value of your ideas. Then, there's the skill of developing ideas beyond current logic. And the last skill is the ability to be curiously open-minded.Now, creativity is a chance process. You never know if something good will come up, but you have to invest time in this creative effort regardless. And that circles back to your question of when to be creative. If the problem is important and complex, it's worth investing in creativity. And here, it's essential to understand the difference between complicated and complex. Complicated problems generally only need data and analysis to be solved. For complex problems, we don't need data; we need ideas. And we don't need much analysis. Instead, we need visionary thinking. We cannot just analyze complex problems and then choose the correct solution. We have to come up with new solutions. Things we never thought about before, which is what makes it complex. You're entering unknown territory."&nbsp;You mentioned being curiously open-minded. That seems a difficult skill to master simply because it requires you to put your ego aside and refrain from judgment.CB: "When someone presents an idea, instead of thinking things like - 'This is not perfect. I could do it better. Let me tell him how to do it better next time. This idea is just really weird' – opt for a more constructive approach: 'This is different from how I think about the problem. There must be something they have seen that I haven't seen. Let me try to understand what they have seen. Maybe I could learn something here.' It's about having a curious mind and being open to learning. An idea might contradict everything you believe or know to be true, but maybe this could be interesting because it's something you haven't thought about before.Mind you, this is not easy. It might make you feel uncomfortable at first. But you'll have to learn to tolerate the discomfort. Sit with a pit in your stomach if you have to, but be sure to be curiously open-minded when presented with new ideas. This is a particularly good skill because it will help you actively look for potential in ideas where most people only tend to see problems.Ultimately, it's about integrating creativity into your everyday life, making it a habit. And when you reach that point where everybody in a team knows how and when to be creative, you can expect to see more ideas. We generally consider more ideas to be a good thing because it creates a better foundation for decision-making. When you have five bad ideas and one good one, there is little of a choice. You want to be spoilt for choice and consider the best option out of a dozen ideas."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“It's about integrating creativity into your everyday life, making it a habit.”</h1></blockquote>

We feel like we're forever preaching the Gospel of Creativity, but there are still plenty of people who don't see the added value of creating a culture of creativity. How do you get those non-believers on board?CB: "They should consider the value of creativity on both an organizational and societal level. The World Economic Forum considers creativity the second most important skill for the workforce. It used to be number five a few years ago, but now it's considered the second most important skill. So, from a future work perspective, let's say you're going to apply for a job soon; it's probably a good idea to be able to say that you can practice and implement creativity. It's rational to invest time in creativity, not just in training but also in doing it regularly. Cause it will become even more important in the future.But it's not just about work. You can use creativity in your private life as well. Creativity is about more than just solving big problems. It can also make life easier. It can help you create the life you want. And using creativity, you will become able to design your local society and the global society. So, from a societal point of view, creative people have the ability to engage in a democracy or any situation more actively because they start to get ideas. You see problems around you, and you suddenly start to get ideas for how to solve them more often. When you practice creativity together, you suddenly see some people as creative. Maybe even some people that you've never considered creative before, so being creative together is nice. It has been suggested that these creative moments are some of the peak experiences in life.'&nbsp;Earlier this year, we interviewed brain researcher Dick Swaab and talked about how neurodivergents tend to be good at creativity. What's your take on that?CB: "Say you want to engage in certain activities but don't want others to know you might have some anxiety or phobia; you are actively practicing your creativity in every situation where you feel like you want to seem 'normal.' Society was not designed to support this fear or the issues you face, so you must find your way around them. And as a consequence, you're constantly practicing your creativity because you have to find solutions that aren't standard.What is interesting is that the more creative teams in organizations tend to be better at making effective use of diversity, and that includes diverse thoughts, diverse personalities, diverse backgrounds, diverse perspectives, as well as people who may have a disorder in some way. It's very much related to this notion of having a curious mind. It's good to have diversity. But only if you have a curiosity of mind; otherwise, it becomes ineffective, and those who think outside of the box will soon find themselves in a situation where they are considered the oddballs with the weird ideas, and that is something you don't want."

<blockquote><h1>“You want to create a sandbox environment where everybody gets to know one another as creative human beings and get positive experiences.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Is it bad to be considered the one with weird ideas?CB: “You don't want people to be afraid to be judged about their weird ideas or feel like they are not interesting, intelligent, or 'good' enough. You want to create a sandbox environment where everybody gets to know one another as creative human beings and get positive experiences. You can start by practicing ideas with nothing at stake and where you cannot lose face professionally. That way, you get some really good experience, and you build that creative confidence.”&nbsp;What are creativity killers?CB: “Focus requires concentration. Interruptions kill creativity. The phone can be a creativity killer. As can the computer, the mental to-do lists, or the fight with your spouse earlier in the day. To be creative, you need to rid yourself of all those distractions. Think about it as erasing your working memory from all the disturbing thoughts. And there are very personal ways to do that. Some take a bath, others do push-ups, some drink a cup of tea or walk in nature. Whatever the method, when you see someone is trying to focus and get into a creative mode, leave them be. Don't interrupt them. Refrain from striking up a conversation. Because if you do, you're killing creativity.”&nbsp;And potentially great ideas.CB: "Absolutely. Creativity is a powerful skill. It's very influential. If you're good at it, you can get ideas that can challenge the way people relate to or look at certain something. And those people may have different insights than you have or need help to grasp the full consequences, both positive and negative, of the idea you've persuaded them to like. Ethics are very important in this. We affect people's lives by trying to make them follow new ideas. And therefore, we have a certain responsibility for thinking morally and ethically about these ideas and their impact on the world."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"Creativity is a powerful skill. It's very influential."</h1></blockquote>

Speaking of impact, we can only talk about creativity and mention AI, right?CB: "We are entering into a period where AI can help us be more creative. In a recent study I did, we tested Chat GPT 4 using the Torrance test for creativity. The program ranked in the top one percent of human performance, and very few people can think up original ideas as well as Chat GPT 4 can. We have to find ways to use this advantage and use AI to help us in our creative efforts. Maybe AI can help us even solve problems too complex for us to solve, or maybe it can give perspectives we have yet to think about.If you are good at creativity, you can help AI think more creatively and become more creative. You get more creative resources from AI if you are creative yourself, meaning the more creative, the more you can get out of AI.You can call it a Sputnik moment, referring to the time when Russia got into space quicker than America. Similarly, we're seeing a Sputnik movement here where educational institutions and corporations may have been sleeping slightly. And now AI is so powerful creatively. And we are behind in how to use it effectively, and we may have to be more creative to make effective use of it.We may have to speed up the investment in education to develop creative cultures in educational and corporate settings so we can make effective use of this new powerful tune. Those who become the best at it may get innovative competitive advantages."&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“If you are good at creativity, you can help AI think more creatively and become more creative.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Any final thoughts?CB: “You asked in the beginning what creativity is, and I refused to give you one single definition. Still, please think about creativity this way: it's a rigorous approach. It's a rigorous process in a similar way to research. It has to be done right to be successful in being created. Once you develop it into a habit, the creative culture will feel far more playful, of course, but that's a very important thing to think about: when it starts to feel rigorous, it's a good thing because that means you're on track to becoming a professional creative."

Enjoyed this interview and interested in reading more about cultivating team creativity?&nbsp;Click on the link below to buy Christian Byrge's book.&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.nl/Everyday-Innovator-powerful-cultivate-creativity/dp/9063696817/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_nl_NL=%25C3%2585M%25C3%2585%25C5%25BD%25C3%2595%25C3%2591&amp;crid=75V93FGHJT5K&amp;keywords=everyday+innovators&amp;qid=1699435419&amp;sprefix=everyday+innovato%252Caps%252C318&amp;sr=8-1&amp;_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=tioc08-21&amp;linkCode=ur2&amp;linkId=c0f3de56ceba7d1638d08289a0949e3c&amp;camp=247&amp;creative=1211">Everday Innovator: BUY THE BOOK</a></div>

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Christian Byrge, an accomplished expert in creativity, serves as a full professor in Business Creativity at Vilnius University Business School. With a track record of training over 100,000 professionals globally and advising 300+ organizations on creativity development, he's a leading authority in the field. Byrge is also the author of Everyday Innovator, a practical guide that equips readers with skills to challenge norms, spark innovative ideas, and nurture open-minded cultures. Our discussion with him focused on cultivating creativity as a habit and transforming workplaces into innovation hubs.

CHRISTIAN BYRGE: CULTIVATING CREATIVITY

Nancy’s&nbsp;work hasn’t gone unnoticed. <a href="https://amplifyher.me/">AmplifyHER</a>, the Women's Visibility Conference she started on the heels of the global pandemic, has sold out 2 years in a row. And together with Women Inc, BrandedU started a social media and PR campaign. Titled 'My Name is Peter',&nbsp;the campaign asked women to change their names on LinkedIn to Peter, in order to increase their chances of becoming a CEO. The awareness campaign, which made smart use of influential women to get major attention with hardly any media budget, won the Grand Prix at the Dutch Creativity Awards. High time we sat with this powerhouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

What is your definition of creativity?&nbsp;NP: “Creativity for me is freedom. It's the freedom to explore and discover. I love history because it gives us context and shows us where we're coming from. But overall, I'm a very future-focused person, and I love the creative process of designing something new for the future. It could be a new sound in music or a new way of doing business, which I'm doing now. I built this business in a creative way. People told me that you could only be an entrepreneur when you have people working for you and follow certain rules that define entrepreneurship. But I said no, for entrepreneurship has to work for me. I was sick at the time and had to find a way to be an entrepreneur despite being ill.&nbsp;&nbsp;That meant not going to the office. I couldn't have the burden of constantly having to worry about paying rent or paying a fixed team of employees. I had to do it in a creative way and create as much freedom for myself as possible. And 10 years later, I'm still running this business on my terms. This creative approach also trickles down to everyday work: we just look at the problem areas and start fixing them. And that's basically what creatives do as well. If you work at an advertising agency, people come to you with a problem, and you come up with&nbsp;creative solutions. For me, creativity is about making yourself so free that the answers come to you."&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Artists never conform, and that's why they're my inspiration. They refuse to conform.”</h1></blockquote>

How do you do that?&nbsp;&nbsp;NP: "I love the quote: 'Be curious, not judgmental.' It's about thinking of what could be possible. How would things be if everything was completely different? It's the curiosity that we all have as kids. A lot of people have it knocked out of them. My parents had me when they were young, practically teenagers, and they raised me to ask questions and go against the grain. I was always asking 'why.'"&nbsp;&nbsp;You work with C-suite-level women, but your background is in music.&nbsp;NP: "I started out as a marketer in music. Marketing is about finding a target audience and selling a product. Branding is more about the 'why.' Why did we create this product? Looking back, we did a lot of branding in music back then; we just didn't call it that. We referred to it as marketing. But when we had a new artist we just signed, it was our job to make a connection with the audience. An emotional connection, because that's what music is. I can't sell Alicia Keys's record by running a poster campaign. You need to hear the music; you need the emotional connection. So it's nice to know the background info: why did someone write a song? It's about finding different ways of reaching our audience."&nbsp;&nbsp;You've also worked with international artists, and based on those experiences, you developed this Rock &amp; Roll Branding.&nbsp;NP: "For me, Rock &amp; Roll Branding is about showing yourself to the world and thinking about how you do it. The 'W' questions: Who am I? What do I do? Why do I do what I do? What's the value that I am bringing? And who am I doing it with? When you have answers to these five questions, you already have your story. I love storytelling, and artists are great storytellers. Why do you do what you do? And what do you want to be known for? It's about being conscious of your actions and the impact you try to make. You have to ask these difficult questions. If you are visible, then you can make it to the top. I want different kinds of leaders. If we want to turn women into the same leaders that men currently are, then what's the point? Then we might as well stick with the men. I want women to think about their leadership and know who they are. If you know who you are and why you do it, your self-confidence grows, and you are no longer afraid or embarrassed about sharing your story. Then you don't call it bragging but instead know the value of your story."&nbsp;

<blockquote><h1>“Music has always been my inspiration. I listen to music, and ideas come to me.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;On our site, we urge (young) creatives to share their story, process, and portfolio. Some are nervous or reluctant about tooting their own horn if you will. Seems like music artists have no problems promoting themselves and explaining their work.&nbsp;NP: "Not true. A lot of them do. Beyonce hasn't given an interview in years."&nbsp;&nbsp;OK, but she does know branding. And she uses it.&nbsp;NP: "Yes, because she's creative. And she figured out she didn't need journalists to tell her story. When I started in music, journalists and radio were gatekeepers. They decided who got access to their platform. Social media blew up the game. Creativity has exploded. Look at the number of TV shows, podcasts, and music. The gatekeepers are gone, so you no longer have to wait to be discovered."&nbsp;&nbsp;And that's a good thing?&nbsp;NP: "That's a great thing! But it also means that you must be creative in finding your audience. The true creatives will find an audience."&nbsp;&nbsp;Right, because while social media has enabled everybody to create a platform, the number of people vying for attention is overwhelming. How can you, as a &nbsp;creative, stand out and be seen?NP: "Stay as close to yourself as possible. When I started BrandedU 10 years ago, someone told me not to do it because there were so many similar things out there. But I knew I was creative enough to do it. Music has always been my inspiration. I listen to music, and ideas come to me. But I don't force it. I will spend three hours listening to Bob Marley songs. Artists never conform, and that's why they're my inspiration. They refuse to conform. When hip hop came up, some wanted to dictate what did and did not constitute hip hop, but artists said, '**** that,' and did their own thing. You can't compare Outkast to Eminem or Cardi B, yet it's all hip hop. That diversity and creativity are so inspiring to me. Music inspires me more than visual art because there's so much to dive into—the lyrics, the different sounds, the beats. They resonate with my soul and awaken something in me."&nbsp;

You make the creative process sound incredibly fun and inspirational. So, you never have any creative struggles?&nbsp;NP: "I do, but only when I think about what others expect from me. I need to stay close to myself, and I'm good as long as I do that. I'm creative. Creating an image is about making something that people expect from you. Personal branding is about you and your core values. It's the story that you want to tell."&nbsp;By the way, those feelings of self-doubt never go away. Every new project they’re there, but I’ve learned to lean into the discomfort. Leaning into discomfort makes you more intuitive, and I have learned how to use my intuition. I also learned from working at a record label that you must stop putting things in boxes. When I first worked with Alicia Keys, people in different countries said there was no single on the album. ‘Fallin’' wasn't considered a single. I didn't agree. And in the end, we were the first country in the world with a number-one hit and album. We got a fax from Clive Davis. So it made an impact.”&nbsp;&nbsp;With the events you organize, you also create impact. You often do things very differently than other business events: from live music to good food and a diverse line-up. And you are very hands-on. Why is that?&nbsp;NP: "I just want to create events that I enjoy. That's it. Pretty selfish, I guess, but I don't want to conform to what everyone else is doing. I want to bring my own creativity and make a unique experience for people. It's about being intentional and making choices that align with my values and vision. And that also means that everything from the playlist to the catering to the people working the event needs to align with my vision. I had an all-female stage crew and hammered on the fact that the catering crew needed to be as diverse as possible. Authenticity is key.”&nbsp;

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Creativity isn't, and shouldn't be, limited to those working in creative industries. Meet Nancy Poleon, founder of <a href="https://brandedu.nl/">BrandedU</a>, who is on a mission for more gender equality at the top of the business world. How? By making women more visible through personal branding. Before starting BrandedU in 2014, Poleon worked as a marketing manager for BMG in London, and she worked with artists such as Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, and Pink. She used her experiences and insights from the entertainment world to develop the Rock &amp; Roll Branding method.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NANCY POLEON: ROCK & ROLL BRANDING AND FEMALE LEADERSHIP

Yours is one of the few professions where the client is constantly involved, often physically present on the set. Is that ever frustrating?DH: "The client often dictates a project. Now I see myself as a visual creator who works 360 days a year; the client spends ten days a year on set, at most. So it’s my job and responsibility to advise them. I need to tell and show them how we can make things look better. And sometimes that’s hard. They might be happy with the first shot you take, and you then have to convince them there’s value in making things even better. But that’s my job. I have to do it. I owe that to myself and the client.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>Funnily enough, restrictions or guidelines can actually be quite helpful.</h1></blockquote>

Do you consider clients’ requests as restrictions or essential guidelines?DH: "When working for a client, you have to compromise sometimes. But there are limits. We once did a shoot for a banana company. We had a nice setup: good lighting, pleasing composition, and the works. And then, the client came in with this huge inflatable banana. It was too big and too plastic, and while we tried to include it in a shot, we just had to kill that idea then and there.Funnily enough, restrictions or guidelines can actually be quite helpful. There are no constraints when I do uncommissioned work, and I find that much harder. Having no guidelines, and no structure, can be pretty scary. When I do creative shoots, I just mess around and experiment a bit until something happens. I’ll take a prop of some sort. Put some light on it. Maybe throw in an ice cube or shake it around. I really let go of preconceived notions and just try to see what happens.”

Were you born into a creative family?DH: “My dad was a passionate amateur photographer and had great equipment. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was six years old. My mum is also incredibly creative and very musical. Being exposed to all these creative outlets from a young age influenced me greatly.&nbsp;Although my family is not large, we are a close-knit unit. After my father's death, we became even closer and always had dinner together. Those dinners were like a haven for us, where we could connect over food. That’s probably where my love for food comes from.I went on to study photography but also continued working as a chef. I began to do some food styling, and that’s how I ended up meeting Willem (ed. Willem Groeneveld, food photographer and founder of Twentyten). He ended up becoming my mentor. Willem can be tough, but he is really good at his work. His expertise and guidance have been invaluable in my learning process as a photographer.”

What is your definition of creativity?DH: “I was thinking about that on the train this morning, and it’s quite a difficult question to answer because creativity can be so many different things. I believe that creativity requires some sort of synergy to flourish. Personally, I find that I'm more creative when I'm in a comfortable and secure setting.When I meet new people or potential clients, I tend to be more cautious, trying to understand their perspectives and positions. Unfortunately, that process can stifle my creativity because I try too hard. But, in a supportive environment with like-minded individuals, where everyone shares the same goal of creating something beautiful, you can strengthen each other's creativity.” &nbsp;The creative process can make you feel quite vulnerable, so I completely understand the need for a safe environment. But as a creative, you also want to push the boundaries and step out of your comfort zone, right?DH: “Stepping out of your comfort zone is easier in a secure working environment, one where you know the people and have previously worked with them. You can still explore creative boundaries when working with a new team, but it requires more effort and dedication. It’s just a bit harder.It's a fascinating balancing act because, on the one hand, you aim to produce your finest work, something that comes naturally when you feel at ease. But, on the other hand, you also want to grow as a photographer, which can lead to tension between comfort and growth.”&nbsp;And then add that you do a lot of commercial shoots where time is of the essence. Talk about a balancing act!DH: “Exactly! You’re in the middle of a shoot, and our producer says we have five minutes left to take the shot. That’s just killing but also necessary. Otherwise, you’d keep working at it because you’re never done or satisfied.&nbsp;As a photographer, I want to take the best possible shot. But because I produce commercial work, the definition of a ‘beautiful’ shot tends to vary from what the client wants. The client’s primary objective is to sell a product, so I incorporate a pack shot and brand label, which are essential for marketing campaigns.”

Are you looking for those happy accidents, then?DH: "I’m a recovering perfectionist. Before, I was never really satisfied. I was tough on myself and always wanted everything to be perfect. But perfectionism kills all creativity. So I’ve learned to let go a bit. Usually, when I worked on an idea that wasn’t working for me, I got frustrated and would quit.&nbsp; Now I just keep working on something. I’m much more interested in the process that follows. Not knowing what will happen and not having complete control is crucial if you want to keep growing.The biggest challenge today is finding the time to grow. Of course, creating uncommissioned work is essential, but in the studio, we’ve been so busy over the past year that we haven’t made any, which is a shame because it's really important. It sets you apart from commercial work and is important for future clients who want something different.”&nbsp;Is that the most challenging part about being a creative and an entrepreneur: finding the right balance between creativity and commerce?DH: "It’s the four quadrants of Stephen Covey. There’s quadrant 1: urgent and important.&nbsp;Quadrant 2: not urgent but important.&nbsp;Quadrant 3: urgent but not important.&nbsp;And finally, quadrant 4: Not urgent and not important. As an entrepreneur, a lot of things fall under quadrant 1: the phone rings, and you can’t ignore it; you have to answer it and act. The uncommissioned work and all the prep work fall under quadrant 2. Ideally, I spent most of my time in quadrant 2 because 1 is all about crisis management or putting out fires, stuff you really want to delegate. I want to be working on uncommissioned work more so I can continue growing as a photographer and company. When you just keep churning things out and don’t experiment from time to time, you’ll miss out on projects and clients looking for innovation.”

Where do you turn to for some much-needed inspiration when you already have a heavy workload and busy home life?DH: "I try not to look at the work of other photographers because you unconsciously start copying things you like and I don’t want that. I also don’t like looking at the work or other studios because it takes away from your creativity. So instead, I look at things like design and architecture.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“While sleep is very important to be creative, most of my ideas come to me at night.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;When are you most creative?DH: "I do all the important stuff in the morning because that’s when I’m sharp. And while sleep is very important to be creative, most of my ideas come to me at night. I often wake up in the middle of the night and immediately write everything down. I’m very quick and creative in the early hours of the morning.&nbsp;So I wake around 6 a.m., go downstairs, make coffee, exercise, take a cold shower, and start to work. I try to get the important stuff done before 11 am, and that’s when I have my last coffee of the day. After lunch, everything tends to slow down a bit, and we end the day at six. We don’t work late. At night the team is tired, and you just don’t create good work. I’d rather we all go home, have a good night's sleep, and return the following day.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You have a great new, climate-neutral office, designed to cater to your artistic needs.&nbsp;DH: "Willem gets all the credits, I merely gave some input, but you’re right that everything here was intentionally built and serves a purpose. For example, we put the studio downstairs and face north to get soft light all day. We thought a lot about where to put the windows for the best lighting in the studio so that we could use daylight.”

What are the challenges you face as a food photographer?DH: “The biggest challenge with photographing food, whether that is a recipe or produce, is that it doesn’t stay the same throughout the shoot. It’s not a product you put in front of a camera and looks the same two hours later. So that is a challenge. It’s a race against the clock. Especially in the summer, when temperatures soar, you want the ingredients to look nice and fresh. And the strange thing about our work is that in the winter we shoot things that you would normally use in the summer, like strawberries and raspberries, so finding those is also a challenge.”&nbsp;But aren’t there tips and tricks to keep things looking fresh? I recall seeing a behind-the-scenes video where a food stylist worked with shoe shine and glue to make the food look appealing.DH: "We don’t use tricks. We like working with real ingredients and creating dishes you can eat. That’s what keeps our work looking natural and spontaneous. We’re food photographers, and it has to look and taste like food.”

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Didier van der Heijden, a former chef turned photographer, deeply loves all things food. He is the co-owner of Twentyten, a culinary photography and film studio in Amsterdam. Didier was raised in a creative family, with a father who had a passion for photography and a musically inclined mother. He has fond memories of family dinners in his childhood home. Now with a family of his own, he spends his spare time tending to his vegetable garden or cooking meals from scratch. But most days, you will find him in the studio, doing what he does best: capturing stunning images of food.

DIDIER VAN DER HEIJDEN: FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Holly Blondin is an accomplished creative professional and design strategist. Her creative roots run deep, thanks in part to her upbringing. She was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, to parents who were both creatives. Her father was a carpenter with a love for music and a talent for working with his hands. Her mother had a flair for the unexpected, leaving behind a trail of creative doodles. Growing up in such a creative environment, it's no wonder that Holly developed a passion for the arts at a young age. She pursued a career in acting (she holds a BFA in musical theatre performance) before earning an MBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurship: “After years working in professional creative industries, I both experienced and observed the pitfalls that most creatives have while building careers in the arts. I yearned for solutions, and my curiosity led me to a business education.” Today, Holly resides in Barcelona where she works as a design strategist and educator, combining her love of creativity and business.&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"CREATIVITY IS YOU RIGHT NOW."</h1></blockquote>

Your book is titled 'Creative Struggle is Real,' before we talk about the struggle, let's talk about the creative part: what is creativity?&nbsp;HB: “I don't think creativity has a fixed definition: it depends on your creative context. What motivates you? Why do you need or want to be creative? What drives you? What are your barriers? What are your opportunities? What are your perceived limitations? All those things play into what you define as creativity in the moment. Creativity is you right now.”

If creativity is fluid and its definition varies from person to person, it's hardly surprising that creative collaborations can be a bit of a struggle.HB: "Whenever we collaborate or co-create with others, we must acknowledge that we have different ways of approaching creativity. Respect the fact that everyone has creative vulnerabilities as well as creative strengths. Try to build some trust and find common ground you can build on. Accept that everyone contributes something different, which makes working with others dynamic, exciting, and valuable. It's the differences that make for extraordinary moments of creativity or imagination.If you want to be a true collaborator, you have to respect that other people work differently and try to find ways to share creative leadership. As an introvert-turned-forced-extrovert, I object to the fact that we're all rushed into these collaborative environments. In our society, the extroverted, outspoken creative is often placed on a pedestal. But not all creatives are extroverts. Plenty of creatives are introverts who need time to mull things over. I would urge extroverts to pause, listen more, and invite those who seem to be observers to participate and speak up. Make those people feel comfortable, and give them time and space. And introverts should consider taking a theater or improv class. That's probably the scariest thing imaginable for them, but that's precisely the point. It can help you release those inhibitions and push yourself to the limit."&nbsp;

<blockquote><h1>“TO BE CREATIVE, YOU HAVE TO DO CREATIVE.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Is creativity innate? Is one born with more creative talent than the other, or is it something you can learn?&nbsp;HB: "I teach creative methodologies, so I will say yes. You can learn to access your imagination, work your making skills, or get your hands moving. You can learn how to activate your creative action points - imagine, make, connect, and reflect - through creative methodologies such as design thinking, future thinking, or a beginner's course to creativity; one I have designed called Creativity 101.&nbsp;&nbsp;There are different parts in the creative process, specific touch points that scare or worry us. And you can try exercises to strengthen those capacities. Although some of your vulnerabilities you'll likely never overcome, and that's okay. Everyone has creative strengths and vulnerabilities.It's essential to remember that to&nbsp;be creative, you have to&nbsp;do creative. So if you want to improve your creative skills, you have to figure out why you want to be creative and what drives you. And you have to activate those muscles through practice. So you must create your own creative practice and find that unique fit. Because, again, creativity is just different for everyone."&nbsp;So creativity isn't just a struggle when working with others: a lot of soul searching and 'personal struggle' is involved. In the book, you write that creative struggle is inevitable.&nbsp;HB: “Yes, but it doesn't have to feel impossible. A big struggle for many creatives is that they have too many great ideas and don't know how to harvest one to work with. They have so many talents that they can't choose one thing and instead do nothing at all. And before you know it, depression kicks in. That's part of the struggle: if you're not making, if you're not creating, if you're procrastinating, you become depressed.”&nbsp;What's the solution?&nbsp;HB: "Find out what motivates you. And that can differ from one project to the next. It can be recognition, status, fame, money, authenticity, or the need for expression."&nbsp;

Are creativity killers also part of the struggle?&nbsp;HB: "Yes, one of the biggest creative killers is distraction. Distractions leave you feeling unmotivated and overwhelmed, which leads to procrastination, which leads to more distraction. It's like this vicious cycle. It's hard not to be distracted, especially in this day and age. Just look at the screen of your computer and see how many tabs are open, which is symbolic of how we live our lives now. We have all the tabs open. And the best thing you can do is focus on one tab at a time. One moment at a time, and practice doing that.&nbsp;Also, find your creative sweet spot. For me personally, that's between 10:00 and 14:00. That's when I do most creative activities. A 4-hour window may not work for you; everybody is different. But try doing it for 15 minutes a day. Or take a class once a week and connect with your tribe. It boils down to figuring out what works for you and then sticking to it because that will help you. It will strengthen that creative muscle, build momentum, and you'll end up getting your creative mojo back." Other tips to stop procrastination and get those creative juices flowing again?HB: "If nothing else, get a notebook and take 15 minutes a day - or even easier than that - 5 minutes in the morning and 5 at night and work on some reflection questions. This way, you're at least thinking about and reflecting on your creativity. Then, carry that notebook with you; write it down when something inspires you. Consider it an archive you can grab and flip through anytime.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sometimes we squash our creativity because we think we have to do everything right now and don't prioritize. But it's okay if an idea just sits there for a while. That business idea may take you four years to put together, and that book may take even longer. But you worked on it every day for 15 minutes. That is energy into your creative soul.&nbsp;But if you sit around waiting for the perfect moment, you'll end up waiting and continue to procrastinate until the soul just dies.The notebook makes perfect sense to me. It's my creative companion. It's my friend I go to for support, ideas, and insights. And if you're not a fan of writing, use the notebook to draw. Or keep a digital notebook. Or post something on Instagram every day. Whatever works for you. Whatever motivates you."&nbsp;

Creativity seems to be the new buzzword; why is that?HB: "We're in this creative space now, where we're accepting creativity in a different way. Historically, creativity was something that was considered God-given. Something that belonged to the gods and that was bestowed upon us.&nbsp;Today creativity is perceived differently. It belongs to the individual. This idea has been pushed forward through design thinking especially and through a business lens. And because we live in a capitalistic society, creativity has become really important to the bottom line.The narrative around creativity is more positive because we need creatives more than ever. And we're not talking about building artifacts here, we're talking about building new systems and changing the world. We're in a very wonderful time right now. The world is truly our oyster. We have a blank canvas right now, and that's why creativity is being pressed upon as being the important thing. We're in the acceptance stage of creativity."&nbsp;&nbsp;There are also high expectations: creativity is sometimes considered the solution to most, if not all, of the 21st problems we're dealing with. That's quite a heavy burden for any creative and potentially a creativity killer.&nbsp;HB: "In the book, I write about designing your creative practice and how to do that. There are five different approaches that are common. One is this idea of exercising those muscles. If you want to improve a technique, you put in that time every day. You build the momentum and eventually, you're going to grow your skill.&nbsp;But then there's one on the list I call create to create, which is no pressure. You just make something and don't worry about it. There is this narrative that says everything has to have a meaningful purpose. But forget about that narrative and just create to create. Doodle for 15 minutes a day. Dance to your 3 favorite songs. Something that removes you from all the crap that's stressing you out. Something that lights your creative soul on fire."&nbsp; &nbsp;

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Creativity. Nobody said it was easy. But no one ever said it would be this hard. But while the creative struggle may be inevitable, author Holly Blondin assures us it doesn't have to feel impossible. In her new book, Holly teaches us how to overcome those all too familiar challenges - distractions, procrastination, depression - and achieve our creative goals.&nbsp;

HOLLY BLONDIN: THE CREATIVE STRUGGLE

Wouter Boon's career journey has taken him from law to advertising to branding and finally strategy. Following a brief stint as marketing director at MTV in New York, today, Wouter works as a brand strategist at Boon Strategy. His interest in creativity, however, never wavered and resulted in a book (‘Defining Creativity’), a podcast (‘Creative Achievers’) and guest lectures at different universities (NYU, Columbia University and Boston University to name but a few). He’s currently working on a second book about innovation, but was happy to sit down and talk about all things creative.

A lot of the people we’ve interviewed so far were asked to give their definition of creativity. Seeing you wrote the book on defining creativity, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this.WB: “Creativity is a broad phenomenon and because of that also a bit vague and open to multiple interpretations, depending on the field you work in. In the back of my book, I’ve included some 14 definitions of creativity but the true scientific definition is the creation of something new and valuable. And again, these are somewhat vague terms. Because what is new to me, might not be new to the world at large. And a term like valuable is also open to interpretation. But in general, creativity is all about creating something of value that wasn’t there before.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"Creativity is all about creating something of value that wasn’t there before."</h1></blockquote>

Could you elaborate on this idea of value?WB: “Having a creative or new idea is just one part of the equation. You also have to be able to sell your idea. To demonstrate its value. That’s why I believe that creatives should also have sales skills, even though many creatives consider sales a dirty word. But you have to be able to talk about your work enthusiastically and persuasively in different social circles; you can’t be too modest when talking about your work because that’s what increases the perceived value of your creations.”Speaking of ‘dirty’ words: what role does money play in the creative process? Do you need money to be creative?WB: “Creativity doesn’t require money. However, if you want to give creative ideas wings you need to convince people of the perceived value of your work. You might be a creative genius but if you, or your ideas, never leave the house to tell people about it, it’s never going to take off.&nbsp;Creativity requires a certain level of wealth and welfare. When you have to worry about where your next meal will come from,&nbsp;there is less room for creativity.&nbsp;Money is the oil that keeps the creative machine going. Think of creative cities like Florence or Amsterdam where well-to-do families became patrons of art and innovation and allowed for creative minds to flourish and ideas to be put into action. Just look at the architecture of the time or the statues made by Michelangelo. Someone had to pay for that marble. Someone had to pay for those buildings to be made.&nbsp;But let’s not forget that these rich patrons had a deep love for art and creativity. Money alone isn’t enough. There needs to be a symbiotic relationship between the creative and the patron for it to be a successful collaboration.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"Creativity requires a certain level of wealth and welfare. When you have to worry about where your next meal will come from,&nbsp;there is less room for creativity."&nbsp;</h1></blockquote>

What other factors make for a successful creative collaboration?&nbsp;WB “Creativity is very much a communal thing. Even if you’re a loner who prefers writing novels tucked away in some attic room, in the end, you still need a publisher. Or someone who arranges the interviews for you, the book signing sessions, the publicity, etc. Again that’s where the sales aspect comes in.In order for a creative plan or product to succeed you need to bring different people and skill sets together. Just look at how many people are involved in making a movie. From scriptwriters to set and costume designers. From editors to sound engineers. All those people bring their unique set of talents and skills. And while not everybody involved does something super creative, the whole thing becomes a kind of creative machine. The director heads that machine as the visionary brain, the one that orchestrates the whole operation and heads the entire team.Making a movie is a creative undertaking but also one that needs to make money. The studio, the investors: they’re not just doing it for the love of movies. They want a return on investment. So there is this inherent tension between commerce and creativity.The blockbuster is a good example. If a movie is a hit at the box office a sequel is a commercial no-brainer, but when people start milking a product it almost always affects the creative output. Investors want and expect a return on investment and that results in people opting for safe choices, which aren’t pushing the envelope creatively.”Playing safe, erasing risk: that seems a sure way to kill creativity.WB: “In brainstorming sessions with companies you tend to see that the bigger the organization, the safer the choices. Here you also see people milking success. Every company was once that young, fresh start-up full of ideas and ambition. But as a business, and the boardroom, grow, they tend to opt for the safe choice. And so the real challenge for companies isn’t coming up with fresh or creative ideas, it’s having the guts to act on them.&nbsp;When your company or organization is running like a well-oiled machine you don’t really want to mess with that. But while efficiency is great for a company in the short run, it’s creativity that you want in the long run. But that comes with risks attached to it. You have to be open to the process of trial and error, which is inherently intertwined with the creative process. You don’t know the outcome. You don’t know what the return on your investment will be.”

<blockquote><h1>"In order for a creative plan or product to succeed you need to bring different people and skill sets together."</h1></blockquote>

What can a company or organization do to create a climate that is conducive to creativity?WB: “People need to feel at ease in the place they work and they need to be able to collaborate. But they also need to be able to focus.&nbsp;That’s why you see more hybrid workplaces where you have open-plan layouts, combined with spaces where people can retreat and fully focus.Speaking of collaboration, if you’re at the head of an organization just make sure that different departments interact with each other. Have them communicate and exchange knowledge. Set up the office in such a way that they have physical encounters, even if it’s just at the water cooler."Finally, is it just us or is creativity omnipresent nowadays?WB: “It's difficult to say if there really is more interest in creativity but it certainly is something that’s in the air and a topic of conversation for many people. I think that can be linked to ever-advancing technology. With AI and other automated processes, the question becomes: what is the added value of human beings? In the future, we will have to depend more on our soft skills, including creativity. We, humans, are better able to make disparate connections, and link existing elements that are not obviously matching or not part of the same domain. And thus linking things that no one has ever thought of linking before. AI mostly makes obvious connections, that have been made before in some form or another. Humans are able to zoom in and out and have a wider scope of the world and of culture. And as a result, we’re better able to assess how something will land and whether or not something is of interest to a particular group of people. And that sets us apart from computers. For now at least.”&nbsp;

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In our continuous efforts to define creativity, we turned to the man who, literally, wrote the book on the subject. In ‘Defining Creativity’ Wouter Boon explains what creativity is and how it works, from different scientific angles.

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