Method in the Madness

Gregor sits down with George Sullivan, CEO and Founder of The Sole Supplier, Europe's leading online destination for all things sneaker culture-related. George tells us his incredibly inspiring story of turning his small footwear blog into a rapidly growing successful business with over 3 million monthly users, delivering over £20m in revenue to its retailers per year. He also discusses the importance of building a great team and the mindset required for developing your own business. And both Gregor and George chat about where their interest in personal development originated and how they keep themselves motivated. Find out more about The Sole Supplier at: https://thesolesupplier.co.uk

Gregor sits down with Justin Gignac, CEO and Co-Founder of Working Not Working, a curated, global community connecting the world’s best creative talent with the most innovative companies. Prior to Working Not Working, Justin was an award-winning Art Director and Creative Director at ad agencies around the United States and is perhaps best known for helping create the original ElfYourself.com and his personal projects such as NYC Garbage. Justin tells us the story of his creative journey, his thoughts on the state of the creative industry and gives us an insight to finding your purpose. Find out more about Working Not Working at: https://workingnotworking.com

Gregor sits down with Simon Coley, Director and Co-Founder of Karma Drinks, a soft drinks brand founded on the principle that what you drink should not only taste good, it should be good for the land, good for the people who grow the ingredients and good for you. Simon takes us on the journey of Karma Drinks - telling us the stories of their origination and their purpose, why they opted for their distinctive branding and visiting Sierra Leone for the first time. Simon also gives us a candid insight into what life is like as a business owner during the COVID-19 crisis and the importance of adaptability. Find out more about Karma Drinks at: https://karmacola.co.uk This episode was brought to you by iZettle's ForeverLocal - discover and support local businesses in your area and find out how you can make a difference. Check it out today at: https://www.foreverlocal.com

Gregor sits down with Aaron Draplin, one of the most-recognised designers in the industry today. Aaron is also a keynote speaker, author of the book Pretty Much Everything, Co-Founder of Field Notes and a merchandiser extraordinaire. Aaron gives us an insight into where his relentless work ethic comes from and what motivates him to continue taking on so many projects. He also discusses where he first felt creative and how that has led him to where he is today. Gregor and Aaron also discuss the importance of staying true to yourself and not falling into the trap of believing your own hype. Find out more about Draplin Design Co. at: https://draplin.com This episode was brought to you by Power A Life - the world's most empowering chargers. With every product you buy, they gift a solar light to a child in Africa. Get yours today at: https://poweralife.com

Gregor sits down with Dave Nguyen, Creative Director at Indeed, who have been helping people find jobs for over 15 years. Dave tells us where his creativity comes from, how that led him into the industry and his journey to his current role at Indeed. Gregor and Dave also discuss the importance of brand story and identity within product design as well as chat about the struggle finding the balance between being hands-on designers and leading design teams as their careers have progressed. Find out more about Indeed's design team at: https://indeed.design This episode was brought to you by Power A Life - the world's most empowering chargers. Every product we sell, we gift a free solar light to a child in Africa. Get yours today at: https://poweralife.com

Gregor sits down with Benjamin Greengrass, Creative Director of ThoughtMatter, a strategic branding and design studio based in New York. Ben gives us a detailed insight about his start in the creative industry, starting as an in-house designer before moving to Elmwood where he worked his way up to becoming Creative Director, before joining ThoughtMatter. We also discuss the importance of good mentoring, figuring out what kind of Creative Director you are and handling our multiple 'career-mid-life-crises'. Ben also tells us about some of the amazing projects ThoughtMatter have been a part of and their philosophy to creating #WorkWorthDoing. Find out more about ThoughtMatter at: https://thoughtmatter.com

Gregor sits down with David Duke, Founder and CEO of Street Soccer Scotland and Change Centre. In the early 2000s, David was homeless, living on the streets with an alcohol problem. But it wasn't until he saw a poster advertising for the Homeless World Cup that gave him the motivation and confidence he needed to improve his life. A few years later in 2009, David started Street Soccer Scotland, a non-profit social enterprise that uses football to help create positive change in the lives of socially disadvantaged adults and young people, just like the sport did for him. Now, Street Soccer has grown to be a global success, touching and improving the lives of thousands. David's inspiring work has earned him a number of awards and accolades such as The Sunday Times ‘Change Maker’ of the Year in 2012, a CNN Hero in 2016 and in 2018, he was awarded an MBE in the New Years Honours List. Find out more about Street Soccer Scotland at: https://streetsoccerscotland.org  This episode is brought to you by Dinghy - insurance for freelancers by freelancers. Get your quote in seconds at: https://getdinghy.com/mitm

Gregor sits down with Abbie Eaton, a professional racing driver and driving coach who is a multiple British Champion in series such as the Mazda MX-5 Supercup and the Production Touring Car Championship. Abbie was also the first woman to win the Blancpain Endurance Series and has appeared on TV shows such as ITV's 'Drive' where she coached Professor Green, and most notably, was the test driver for Amazon's 'The Grand Tour' alongside Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. Abbie gives us a detailed insight into the world of motorsport and discusses its demands both physically and mentally. We also chat about her journey into motorsport, what keeps her motivated as well her upcoming season in the W-Series, the all-female Formula 3 racing championship. Find out more about Abbie at: http://abbieeaton.com This episode is brought to you by Dinghy - insurance for freelancers by freelancers. Get your quote in seconds at: https://getdinghy.com/mitm

Gregor sits down with Loral Quinn, CEO and Co-Founder of Sustainably - a FinTech platform that allows you to round up your spare change and donate it to a charity of your choice. Loral tells us about her personal journey from leaving her career to co-found Sustainably with her daughter Eishel. Loral also provides an insight into the world of running a startup by detailing the many hurdles involved, as well as highlighting the significant challenges female CEOs face when pitching for investment. We also discuss initiatives such as #MovingForward, which highlights venture capitalists that are committed to diverse, inclusive and harassment-free workplaces. Sign up to Sustainably today at: https://sustainably.co Find out more about #MovingForward at: https://wearemovingforward.github.io This episode is brought to you by Dinghy - insurance for freelancers by freelancers. Get your quote in seconds at: https://getdinghy.com/mitm

Gregor sits down with Chris Baker, General Manager at KeepCup. Chris tells us about his journey from working as a Packaging Technologist to finding his current role at KeepCup. He also discusses the difference between a sustainable business and a responsible business and how they hope to inspire behaviour change at KeepCup. Chris and Gregor also talk more broadly about sustainability and how Jobs To Be Done Theory could potentially be applied to the single-use cup problem to help find an innovative solution. Find out more about KeepCup at: https://keepcup.com This episode is brought to you by Dinghy - insurance for freelancers by freelancers. Get your quote in seconds at: https://getdinghy.com/mitm

Gregor sits down with Duncan Wardle, former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney. Duncan worked at The Walt Disney Company for 30 years, starting as a 'coffee-boy' fresh out of university, before moving into PR then working his way up to fulfil his role as Head of Innovation & Creativity. Duncan now runs his own design thinking and innovation consultancy id8 & innov8 where he helps organisations embed a culture of innovation and creativity. Duncan tells us the stories behind some of his Disney projects including the Disney MagicBand and demonstrates some of the many tools he uses to foster curiosity, creativity and innovation. Find out more about Duncan and his consultancy practice at: https://duncanwardle.com This episode is brought to you by Dinghy - insurance for freelancers by freelancers. Get your quote in seconds at: https://getdinghy.com/mitm

Gregor sits down with Joe Stitzlein, Executive Creative Director of Stitzlein Studio. During his career, Joe has worked with Steve Jobs to define Apple’s photography and packaging standards, with Michelle Obama to launch her Let’s Move program for healthy schools, designed iconic identities for Netflix, Nike Flyknit, dwell magazine and Mac OS X, built a global design studio at Google and created campaigns that made the Nike Free - the world’s best selling shoe, period. Joe guides us through his decorated career, his creative philosophy and provides a detailed insight into some of the projects he led during his position as Global Creative Director at both Nike and Google. Find out more about Stitzlein Studio at: https://stitzstudio.com This episode is brought to you by Dinghy - insurance for freelancers by freelancers. Get your quote in seconds at: https://getdinghy.com/mitm

Gregor sits down with Helena Good, Design Lecturer at Edinburgh College where she helps run the award-winning mentoring scheme. Helena is also the Founding Partner of Daydream Believers which brings creative professionals together with secondary school pupils to help them develop essential skills such as creativity, critical thinking and problem solving. We discuss Helena's journey, what inspired the Daydream Believers programme and the importance of mentoring for young creatives. Find out more about Daydream Believers at: https://daydreambelievers.co.uk This episode is brought to you by Dinghy - insurance for freelancers by freelancers. Get your quote in seconds at: https://getdinghy.com/mitm

Gregor sits down with Director and Designer Gavin Strange from Aardman Animations. Gavin also pursues many passion projects under the alias JamFactory that include everything from filmmaking and animation to toy design and illustration. Gavin and I chat about how he found his start in the design and creative industry at a time where he was unsure of what he wanted to pursue. Gavin then gives us an insight into his creative process and his most recent work on the Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon movie. We also speak about the importance of finding your own way to a fulfilling career and the value in developing creative side projects. Find out more about Gavin Strange and his book 'Do Fly' at: https://www.jam-factory.com This episode is brought to you by Dinghy - insurance for freelancers by freelancers. Get your quote in seconds at: https://getdinghy.com/mitm

Gregor sits down with renowned photographer and director David Eustace, known for his fashion and portrait photography. David tells us his fascinating story, growing up in the East-end of Glasgow in the 1960s, joining the Royal Navy Reserve as a minesweeper to becoming a household name in the fashion and editorial realm, regularly working with GQ and British Vogue. David provides us with a detailed insight into his life and career and details the many heart-warming, humorous anecdotes and valuable life lessons he has learned along the way. Find out more about David Eustace at: https://www.davideustace.com

Gregor sits down with Andrew Dobbie, Founder & CEO of MadeBrave, a creative brand agency based in Glasgow. Andrew tells us about his career journey and how MadeBrave came to fruition after deciding to start his own company with only £1000 in his bank account and a two-week old baby. He also discusses the importance of resilience and tolerance to risk when running a successful business. Andrew gives us an insight into what makes a great leader and we chat about his own podcast Just A Chat With that is available on all popular podcast platforms. Find out more about MadeBrave and Just A Chat With at: https://madebrave.com and https://justachatwith.com

Gregor sits down with Vibha Bamba, Design Lead at Airbnb. In this episode, Vibha provides an in-depth look at the design culture of Airbnb, how their culture allows anyone to bring a project to the table and discusses how user-generated content has driven some of their most recent design solutions. Vibha also discusses her journey into design after studying electrical engineering and her passion for calligraphy. Find out more about Vibha Bamba at: http://www.vibhabamba.com

Gregor sits down with Jeremie Warner, Founder of Power A Life, a social business that sells smartphone accessories such as power banks and with every product they sell, they gift a solar light to a child in Africa. Jeremie tells us about his personal journey and what inspired him to start Power A Life. He also gives us a great insight into what it takes to run a social business, his experience dealing with investors as well as ensuring their products are of the highest quality. Power A Life has recently launched a new campaign 'Give the Gift of Light this Christmas' whereby each product they sell they will donate two solar lamps, with the hope of empowering 3000 children with the gift of light this Christmas. Find out more about Power A Life at: https://poweralife.com

Gregor sits down with Calum Haggerty, Managing Director of COCO Chocolatier. COCO Chocolatier craft a variety of premium chocolate bars with the world’s finest South American cocoa. Calum gives us an insight into how their chocolate is made and collaborating with artists around the world. He also provides a candid and refreshing take on the struggles of running a small, but successful business and debunks many of the misconceptions of the chocolate industry. Find out more about COCO Chocolatier at: https://cocochocolatier.com

Gregor sits down with Tiffany DaSilva, a growth marketing consultant and founder of Flowjo.co. Tiffany has worked for global companies like Shopify and Achievers, worked on over 500 websites and has launched her own consulting company. In this episode, Tiffany shares her entertaining story of how she discovered SEO and growth marketing by creating an affiliate link website at the age of 11. We also chat at length about imposter syndrome, the importance of surrounding yourself with positivity and her new brand of productivity tools, Flowjo. Find out more about Tiffany and her work at: https://tiffanydasilva.com. Additionally, all listeners of Method in the Madness can receive 25% off Flowjo products by using the discount code METHOD25 at the checkout - snap up yours today at: https://flowjo.co.

Gregor sits down with Luke and Hazel Robertson, Explorers-in-Residence at the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, Guides for The Polar Academy and endurance athletes. Luke and Hazel are on a mission to encourage exploration in everyone and have taken on some of the toughest challenges and expeditions in the world such as the 155-mile Marathon Des Sables, the 250-mile Cape Wrath and a 1,500-mile sea-kayak and cycle through Alaska. In 2016, Luke became the first Scot, youngest Brit and the first person in history with an artificial pacemaker to trek to the South Pole unassisted, and together, they have raised £90,000 for Marie Curie. Find out more about their story and work at: http://everyday-exploring.com

Gregor sits down with Dave Ward, Creative Director and Co-Founder of CreateFuture, a creative consultancy based in Edinburgh that work with clients such as Expedia, Penguin Random House and Adidas. Dave and Gregor discuss design thinking and trying to find the balance between doubting yourself to drive yourself forward and valuing what you do. Find out more about CreateFuture at: https://createfuture.com

Gregor sits down with Craig Black, an award-winning typographer, lettering artist and independent designer. Craig's versatility has allowed him to work with a range of clients from local businesses and startups to globally-recognised brands. He is also the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Creative Inverclyde - a social enterprise aimed at utilising the creative sector to be the nucleus for positive social change across Inverclyde and Scotland. Craig tells us where his fascination with typography came from and discusses how making mistakes has helped him develop his ability to adapt. Find out more about Craig's work at: https://craigblackdesign.com

Gregor sits down with Don Smith, an Inventor and Founder of invention and disruption practice One Hundred Flowers. Prior to becoming an Inventor, Don worked as a Creative Director for 20+ years in advertising and digital marketing agencies such as HHCL, The Union and Realise (now AmazeRealise). Don discusses the inspiration behind his first invention, what it takes to be an inventor and the importance of broadening your horizon of interests out-with creativity to become a better creative. Find out more about Don's work at: http://inventdisrupt.com

To kick off the show, Gregor provides a very brief introduction to Method in the Madness covering why he has started a podcast, what he hopes the show will become and some things that the show definitely won't be.