Podcast appearances and mentions of natalia talkowska

In this special wrap-up episode of Data Malarkey, host and Master Data Storyteller, Sam Knowles, takes us through the standout moments from Season 6 of the podcast. From neuroscience-driven storytelling to data privacy law, this compilation showcases some of the smartest and most impactful ways people are using data to improve communication, branding, and societal outcomes. Featuring insights from a diverse lineup of experts, this episode is packed with lessons and strategies for anyone curious about making data work smarter. Key Highlights: The Neuroscience of Marketing (00:02:10): Cristina de Balanzo discusses how to avoid the pitfalls of “neurobollocks” in neuroscience-driven market research. Data-Backed Simplicity in Storytelling (00:07:02): Natalia Talkowska explains how neuroscience and behavioural science enhance storytelling effectiveness in data-heavy communication. Breaking the Curse of Knowledge (00:12:26): Mike Ellicock shares tips for simplifying data communication, especially in utilities and financial services. GDPR: A Force for Good (00:18:09): Alice Wallbank defends the GDPR and unpacks its hidden benefits and costs. Levelling the Playing Field for Women Scientists (00:27:22): Ylann Schemm highlights how Elsevier uses data to advance inclusive research and health. The Science Behind Accurate Exit Polls (00:34:05): Professor Sir John Curtice reveals how academic methods have transformed election night predictions. Barbarians Rugby's Data-Driven Rebrand (00:42:00): Branding guru Bill Wallsgrove showcases how data informed a fresh, digital-first identity for the iconic club. External Links: Using Data Smarter guest application form: Submit a Guest Follow Sam Knowles on LinkedIn: Sam Knowles Catch full episodes and video content on YouTube: Data Malarkey YouTube Channel Subscribe and Stay Connected: New episodes drop every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Music. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review! To find out what kind of data storyteller you are, complete our data storytelling scorecard at https://data-storytelling.scoreapp.com. It takes just two minutes, and we'll send you your own personalised scorecard.

In this episode of Data Malarkey, we sit down with Natalia Talkowska, founder of Natalka Design, to explore the fascinating intersection of neuroscience, visual communication, and storytelling. Natalia shares her inspiring journey and how she helps people overcome self-doubt, embrace creativity, and communicate their big ideas with impact. From her revolutionary Visualise Futures tool to the importance of breaking perfectionist habits, this episode is packed with insights for anyone looking to unlock their creative potential. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Why visual communication is the future of storytelling. How neuroscience can guide effective communication. Overcoming perfectionism and self-doubt. The role of AI in enhancing creativity and connection. Natalia's personal tips for building confidence and creating impact. Links & Resources: Natalka Design Website: www.natalkadesign.com Visualise Futures Substack: visuaisefutures.substack.com Creative Brain Club Newsletter: creativebrainclub.substack.com Data Storytelling Scorecard: data-storytelling-scorecard.com Follow Natalia Online: LinkedIn: Natalia Talkowska Instagram: @natalkadesign If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review on your favourite podcast platform!

On this episode of the Startup of the Year Podcast, our host, entrepreneur, and investor, Frank Gruber (https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankgruber) is joined by Natalia Talkowska and Rohit Bhargava.    Natalia Talkowska is the Founder of Natalka Design, a high-stake visual consultancy that provides communication tools to enable leaders to communicate and engage with their audiences so that they can take action. Rohit Bhargava is the Founder and Chief Trend Curator of the Non-Obvious Company, a network of experts that aims to help leaders, organizations, and individuals develop habits to see what others miss.   This interview covers what it takes to think outside of the box and to see conventional practices and techniques in a new light. The group discusses marketing, identity, networking, and more.   We invite you all to join our Startup of the Year community today to access the support, expert advice, and resources you need to elevate your startup by going to: www.est.us/join       Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: www.est.us      Subscribe to the Startup of the Year podcast: https://podcast.startupofyear.com/    Subscribe to the Established YouTube Channel: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube       ***  Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Checkout Startup of the Year at: www.startupofyear.com       The program includes in-person and virtual events, including our annual SXSW startup pitch and competition. All of this culminates at our Startup of the Year Summit, where the Startup of the Year winner is announced and has an opportunity at a potential investment.      Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand (acquired by an international publishing company), we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators best further (or create) their brand & accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: www.established.us    Connect with us on X - @EstablishedUs and Facebook - facebook.com/established.us

Natalia Talkowska shares her journey from Poland to London's startup ecosystem and how her insatiable curiosity led her to transform lives through visual storytelling. Interviewed at the Austin Public Library, Natalia delves into her mission of connecting people and making them feel seen and understood. She recounts the pivotal encounter with Darren Robson, a mentor who fundamentally shaped her career and personal growth. Natalia also discusses her approach to visual thinking as a strategic tool for distilling complex challenges and empowering decision-making within businesses. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of human connection, creativity, and storytelling in an increasingly digital world. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in innovative problem-solving, personal development, and the evolving role of AI in creativity. Thanks to Dave Birss for the recommendation.Time Codes00:00 Intro01:46 The Impact of Mentorship and Personal Growth02:08 Exploring the Roots of Creativity and Connection04:40 The Transformative Power of Curiosity and Networking05:39 The Entrepreneurial Leap: Support and Strategy10:40 Reflecting on Legacy and Future Ambitions18:32 Strategic Storytelling and Visual Thinking Explained20:05 Unlocking Creativity in the Corporate World20:33 Why Visual Storytelling Works for Businesses21:38 Overcoming Brand Fear with Creative Solutions22:45 The Power of Simplifying Complex Ideas23:10 Developing a Unique Methodology for Engagement26:19 The Journey of Visual Storytelling and Its Impact33:14 Navigating the Future of Storytelling in the AI Era40:28 Advice for Navigating Uncertainty and Embracing Creativity44:35 Final Thoughts and the Importance of Community Social Links WebsiteLinkedinIGYouTube Links Books:The Creative ActMovie:The Matrix Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natalia Talkowska, CEO and founder of Natalka Design shares her journey as an entrepreneur and the impact of AI on her business. She discusses the importance of human creativity and the role of AI in visual storytelling. Natalia also introduces Visualise Futures, a project that explores AI breakthroughs in various industries. Natalia emphasises the need for a balance between AI and human involvement, particularly in healthcare. Additionally, she highlights the power of drawing and in-person connections in fostering creativity and well-being.TakeawaysAI has had a significant impact on Natalka Design, allowing for faster ideation and reducing administrative tasks.The human element is crucial in visual storytelling, as AI is limited in its ability to think creatively and understand context.Visualise Futures explores the potential of AI in various industries, focusing on problem-solving and human connection.In healthcare, AI can assist doctors in note-taking and translating complex diagnoses, but the human doctor-patient relationship remains essential.Doodly Doo, an immersive drawing experience, empowers individuals to embrace their creativity and connect with others.Video communication is a powerful tool for building connections and understanding, and in-person interactions are still vital for well-being and innovation.

On this week’s show Matt and Michelle are joined by Natalia Talkowska to talk about the importance of “the hook”, telling stories, creativity and other tales. You can find Natalia’s business at natalkadesign.com Matt mentioned his Business Meerkat cards (pre-order them here) and also the TBD Conference he is speaking at at the end of […]

“Overwhelmed by the Pressure FOMO has created to make us all feel like we don't do enough. We don't see people. We're missing out on all this great stuff happening around us. And, actually, there's space for everything, and sometimes I feel like we're all overdoing it." – Featured Expert, Natalia Talkowska shares on the Balance Boldly Podcast. Taking layered and complex data and turning it into beautiful sense-making art that's not only consumed but admired by your clients and audiences is one of the core ways Natalia Talkowska has made her name in the strategic communications world. Founder of Natalka Design, Natalia is on a mission to use visual communication to inspire change and progress. Originally launched in London, her business now operates globally with a dedicated team of strategists, storytellers, and visual communication designers. When she's not helping her clients share their vision in a way that truly resonates with their intended audience, Natalia is focused on the joy of missing out, by giving herself permission to slow down and fill up. What to expect in today's BBP episode:- Importance of sharing and connecting with others, regardless of age, background, or career- Encouragement to share interests and passions, even on a small scale- Appreciation for the power of aesthetic intimacy to ignite change through Psychology and human centered design- The benefit of JOMO over FOMOMore about Natalia TalkowskaNatalia is the founder of an outcomes driven strategic communications and visual sense-making company Natalka Design, working with business leaders to deliver high-stakes engagements. Her gift is in visualizing the invisible. She's a critical thinker and innovative storyteller.Contact Natalia Talkowskawww.natalkadesign.comwww.doodleledo.com@natalkadesign@doodleledoSubscribe, REVIEW, Share & Balance BoldlyOn the Balance Boldly Podcast, host Naketa Ren Thigpen talks with ambitious women in business (and a few brave men) from a wide array of industries about their pursuit of success, how they face business burnout, navigate relationship hurdles, and what overall work/life balance looks like for them. Not your conventional personal development podcast, Balance Boldly uncovers real solutions to real problems afflicting real people at home and in the workplace, daily.If you enjoyed this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, or your favorite podcast app to subscribe to the show and leave your honest review.Now Go! Enjoy the balance of your day, but remember, do it, BOLDLY!Thank you for listening!

Matt and Alper interview Natalia Talkowska about the importance of putting some of your own story into your presentations, even if you feel a bit unsure about it, and how your audience needs that from you in order to connect with your message. Also, Natalia challenges Matt to draw a stick man on LinkedIn. 

In the 72nd episode of the On Branding Podcast, Arek Dvornechuck interviews Natalia Talkowska and we talk about the power of visual storytelling. Podcast page: https://www.ebaqdesign.com/podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ebaqdesign/support

In this episode, Julia Knyupa shares her visual thinking journey, the war in Ukraine and her journey fleeing war, and how she came to be where she is now. She also shares how the sketchnote community came through for her in her time of need.Sponsored by ConceptsThis episode of the Sketchnote Army Podcast is brought to you by Concepts, a perfect tool for sketchnoting, available on iOS, Windows, and Android.Concepts' infinite canvas lets you sketchnote in a defined area while still enjoying infinite space around it — to write a quick note, scribble an idea, or keep pre-drawn visual elements handy for when you need them most.The infinite canvas lets you stretch out and work without worrying if you'll run out of space. When combined with powerful vector drawing that offers high-resolution output and complete brush and stroke control — you have a tool that's perfect for sketchnoting.SEARCH “Concepts” in your favorite app store to give it a try.Running OrderIntroWelcomeWho is Julia?Origin StoryJulia's current workSponsor: ConceptsTipsToolsWhere to find JuliaOutroLinksAmazon affiliate links support the Sketchnote Army Podcast.Julia's websiteJulia on instagramJulia on LinkedInJulia on FacebookYoutube TEDx Talk in UkrainianNatalia TalkowskaThe Sketchnote Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Visual Note-Taking by Mike RohdeToolsAmazon affiliate links support the Sketchnote Army Podcast. iPad ProNeuland Marker pensA4 Printer papersProcreateCanvaToonlyDoodlyTipsFake it till you make it. Work-life balance. Just continue learning every day, getting inspiration from everywhere, from your colleagues, traveling, and following people from different industries.Authenticity is the most important value nowadays so allow yourself to be yourself and be very kind o yourself. CreditsProducer: Alec PulianasTheme music: Jon SchiedermayerShownotes and transcripts: Esther OdoroSubscribe to the Sketchnote Army PodcastYou can subscribe to the podcast through iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube or your favorite podcast listening source.Support the PodcastTo support the creation, production and hosting of the Sketchnote Army Podcast, buy one of Mike Rohde's bestselling books. Use code ROHDE40 at Peachpit.com for 40% off!Episode TranscriptMike Rohde: Hey everyone, it's Mike Rohde, and I'm here with my friend Julia Knyupa. Did I say that right, Julia?Julia Knyupa: Yeah. More or less. Everyone, even in Ukraine struggle with pronunciation of it, so it's fine.MR: You mentioned that it's even an unusual name in Ukrainian, so maybe you can give it a little tidbit in that, in your origin story, but before we get to that, let's first say, Julia, who are you and what do you do?JK: Yeah. Hello, everyone. Hello, Mike. I'm very happy to be here with you today. My name is Julia Knyupa. I'm 32. I'm Ukrainian, and last year I felt like I became even more Ukrainian. I speak to you from the United Kingdom where I temporarily based, and we'll see where life will bring me next. Originally I'm from Ukraine. I'm a visual practitioner, sketch noter, graphic facilitator, whatever you call it. I help to translate ideas into visual language.MR: An interesting question would be, I know that you use digital tools. Do you also use analog tools like large boards and markers and such? What does your practice look like when you do that work?JK: Actually, I need really to come back in time to talk about this because mostly it happened in Ukraine and before COVID, and of course, before the war. I worked as a graphic recorder on event. Mostly they were conferences and sometimes strategic sessions in organizations. Little and big, no matter. Mostly I worked being most attentive listener in the room and trying to keep all the ideas put on the paper, or like phone board. This is another type of paper I use.This was since 2017, I started my journey in my native town, Turka, and then moved to the Capital of Ukraine, Kyiv. I spent wonderful few years doing this to different conferences and I never, never put any efforts to promoting myself. I still don't have a proper website. It was always word of mouth sharing information in my contact. This is in short.MR: Interesting. Well, I've always believed that word of mouth is always the best kind of advertisement even better than having to send someone to a website. But of course, websites do provide good information and are valuable as well if you wanna branch out.It sounds like you started in the analog space in Ukraine, and now that you're in the UK, are you still doing analog practice? Do you, like many practitioners see a shift towards digital for a variety of reasons? Is that true for you as well?JK: Last year brought me one chance to do analog graphic recording. It was in Moldova in October, two days of educational forum. Mostly, I do now digital sketchnoting and graphic recording. As I still mostly work with clients from Ukraine and sometimes from other countries. But mostly it's very, very convenient for all of us and cheaper for organizers of events. Of course, it kills the magic of being present in the room with other people, but if they're all also are present digitally, so it has no sense.MR: Then the last question I have around this is, have you experienced the case where you're doing your work on the iPad, and then it is being projected on a screen to the side? Is that something you've experienced yourself?JK: Yeah, I tried it with a few organizers, but we found out that it not focuses people, but distracts them. Now I offer organizers both options, but after explanation, most of them come to idea of having it afterwards. Sending participants via email or somehow else. Because if you want to see a person who is talking to you when it's digital because it's so many distractions and it's better to be focused on people, not on drawing. In analog world, I would say the opposite.MR: I wonder too, if it's with the analog world, because you're in the front and the scale is smaller for someone, say in the back. They see someone's doing something, maybe they catch a tidbit here and there, but if you're far enough in the back, you can't really read anything and you're not tempted to. So, you know it's happening, but your focus and attention is on the speaker.Whereas with digital, a lot of times you might have a pretty large screen, and then if you're like me, I'm zooming in to do work. And they're probably seeing this zoom-in and the zoom-out. It can be very distracting in that regard where you can actually sort of see a little more. It almost draws you towards that in a way that analog maybe wouldn't.I'm just asking these questions because as this transition is happening and I encounter graphical recorders, I'm curious to see their experiences 'cause everyone seems to have a little bit different one, and it's really great to hear your perspective on that.Let's shift into, I wanna hear your origin story. How did you become the Julia that we know? That we see your work and you're doing this work, right? You didn't just come out of kindergarten and suddenly you were a graphic facilitator. You had to build up and probably experience a lot of things. Tell us your story from when you were a little girl, what are some of the key moments that directed you to the place where you are?JK: It's a very nice question. Bringing me back in my memories. You said about kindergarten. I never was in kindergarten. I spent my childhood with my granny. It was very calm and nice, and she was very, very nice and creative person. I remember she spent a lot of time with me playing, showing me how to find a way in the forest. Drawing as well as her dream was to become a painter like an artist.Unfortunately, she didn't have this chance in her life. I feel when I'm drawing now that I'm kinda a little bit helping her to fulfill her dream. I had a pretty basic childhood, very common for post-Soviet countries. Nothing really special. And it was pretty boring by the time I became a student.My first degree is in publishing and editing. As when I was a kid, I liked to read books so much. My dream was to create books and to help people to get really interesting and important information in a nice way. I liked to write things, so I was really happy to play with wording, with editing.Of course, when it comes to English, I'm not so good at explanations, but in my native languages, I'm much better. Believe me, just believe me. Also, when I became a student, I found out that there is not much happening in my little hometown. So I started to look for opportunities to grow and to travel as well as my family didn't have a lot of money, so I never left my hometown till the time I was 17, 18.I started to apply for different trainings, projects, and conferences, and that's how I discovered that a lot of youth is participating in something like non-formal civic education. And I was really, really excited about this. That's how I decided, like deeply in my heart that I want to become a facilitator, a trainer, and not to be only a participant of this, but also to guide other people.By the time I finished the uni, I already was a facilitator in youth programs. I'm really, really grateful for this education through Theodore Hoch College. This is a German program. Also, a nice and interesting part of this story is that I was a journalist, a TV presenter, and in newspaper when I was a student.It was a very fun experience for me. Also, my granny was very proud that she can turn on TV and see me on the screen. This was something exciting about this. It also taught me that people really like when information is set up nicely and that time is money. Because on TV you suddenly realize that one minute is very expensive, so you start to put words in short which is also a very useful skill to what I do now.Seven years of facilitation of youth projects gave me a lot of nice opportunities to learn about people, diversity, social projects. It gave me a chance to travel a little bit around the world, not like the world, around eastern Europe, let's say. It was a very great experience when I started to think that the world is something much more interesting than my little hometown.MR: This reminds me a little bit of a interviewee we had last season with Natalia Talkowska who grew up in Poland, in post-Soviet Poland, really similar experience where she was just really hungry to see the world and to get out. Probably a little bit of a similar personality. We'll make sure and put a link in the show notes. If you wanna connect to between Julia and Natalia, you can listen to both of those interviews. Anyway, continue. Please continue.JK: Yeah. Cool. This brought me to the moment of my life when I was practicing, doing seminars with young people. And I saw that my colleagues, especially from Germany, are using wonderful skills, drawing while explaining something. And I was really excited. I never saw anything like this. It was a totally a new world for me, but I thought that it's absolutely impossible to learn how to do this as I never draw before I was 25.It was just kind of a dream, but I never even tried because I didn't believe that it's possible for me. But in 2016, it was my birthday and I was very lonely that day, so I decided to scroll Facebook and I saw that there is a training in Kyiv, in the capital of my city on visual storytelling.It takes three hours to get to Kyiv from my city. So I bought myself a ticket and went to this training and I was so excited. It was the best birthday present I could give to myself. I tried that basically I can do this and I can use it on trainings. I started to put it in practice.At the end of the year, I created my first big visual recording. And participants were excited because in Ukraine that time there was only one person who did this professionally. No one was really acquainted with this kind of, I would say, social art. That was amazing. It gave me an inspiration and gave me confidence that I'm able to do this.I decided from the first day that it's a very difficult thing to do, it's not like hobby so I need to do this for money. So I set up a tiny, tiny price for it, but for me, just to know that I'm doing this to grow and to be a professional and not just to play with it. I took it very seriously. But I didn't get any support from my ex-partner. He saw my first picture, and he said, "Oh, such a shame. I don't think that anyone will pay you for this."MR: Wow.JK: That made me so angry. To be honest, anger is a power which really can bring you very far. So I decided to prove--MR: Him wrong.JK: That he's wrong. Yeah.MR: Good for you.JK: I decided to create visual notes. Now, I do visual notes digitally and if needed offline. I do explainer videos, and animated stories, and I also teach sketchnoting people in Ukraine in the Ukrainian language. For few years, I think few hundreds of people learned it with me. And I always recommend them your books, Mike.MR: Wow, that's great. My book is in Ukrainian, by the way. I think you know this, right?JK: Yeah, yeah. Of course.MR: I don't know how well it's selling. I haven't gotten a report on it, but anyway.JK: I'm sure I was a great promoter of your book, Mike.MR: Thank you.JK: Half of books in Ukrainian are sold because of me--MR: Right. I like it.JK: Lobbying.JK: You may not be wrong, actually. Well, we'd have to see. Along this story, I dunno where this fits in, but we met each other in Portugal when we went to the International Sketchnote Camp. That's when I remember first meeting you and chatting with you really briefly, because a lot of people were talking and stuff. But it was really fun.And I thought that sort of brought full circle for me, knowing that the book had been translated into Ukrainian and I have copies here. Honestly, I'm pretty aware of the world, but Ukraine was sort of a blind spot for me. I just never thought of it separately from Russia simply because when I grew up, they were kind of the same thing, right?MR: That's probably my own blind spot. I was really excited when I learned that there was this, well, there's really like a separate language. Then as the more I learned, like actually this culture is really old, it's a really old culture, and it's this whole different experience. That was kind of my first awareness that. Of course, then I met Yuri Malichenko, who I learned as Ukrainian as well.Then suddenly like all these Ukrainians started popping up in my experience, like you and I think there's some others that I've met. It was kind of a fun awakening for me. Like, wow, there's this whole country. I was not aware of it, and now it is and there's these really cool people.My book is in this language. It was a fun way to be introduced to a country in a really positive way. Anyway, that's somewhere in this story, we met each other, I think that was 2018 in Portugal where we met.JK: Yeah, I think so. This was my first time ever I met visual community.MR: Really?JK: Yeah. Because Ukraine is really, really far from what is happening in Central and Western Europe. Yeah. I felt like I'm really the first person who came from so far to sketch note camp. I was excited. And I remember it was very expensive for me. This was my first time I asked the community for support. I said, "I can volunteer, I can do something there. So please just give me a chance to come. I will be really, really excited to see all of you."Because on the time, I only could follow people on Instagram, and it was unbelievable to see all them offline. That was great. When I saw you, I even didn't have words. I was so scared to approach you, and I was so happy then when you approached me. Like, "Oh my gosh."MR: That's funny. I remember you being very quiet and then we were chatting, I think it was after a session, I don't know which session, maybe it was Michael Clayton's session potentially or something. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I remember we had a good discussion. There are so many people in those camps. You're sort of lucky if you get maybe 30 minutes with somebody unless you intentionally spend time together. So yeah, it was really great to meet you there.JK: Yeah, that's for sure.MR: Well, that's really interesting. Go ahead.JK: Coming back to what you said before about Ukraine and the Ukrainian language, I also had a feeling and in my childhood, it was a very common narrative that Ukraine is a part of brotherhood, of big brotherhood. Also, my family has some roots, or not roots, but history is connected with Russia. My granny and my mom were born in Siberia, which is very far and it's a very cold place.But life circumstances brought them to Ukraine so I was born there, but I always knew a lot of facts about Russia, and Russian culture. We spoke Russian in our family, and even my school studies were in Russian. I grew up on a lot of very propaganda narratives, let's say.It's a very common story, unfortunately, for a lot of citizens of my country, but the good thing, which is happening now, we are finally becoming very, very independent. The freedom of thinking, the freedom of expressing your culture. I would say that being Ukrainian is not about your origin, but about what you feel yourself, about your soul, about your values, and how you identify yourself.Even it came out that I don't have any Russian origin, I'm Jewish, which is another funny story. I feel so much Ukrainian these days. I feel like I'm so much with my country and it is in my heart every day, and it made me even more Ukrainian these days.MR: I can imagine. I can't even imagine what that would be like. It's not even in my ability to imagine what it would be like. I'm so glad that you made it safely. Now, I guess, it's somewhere in this origin story. I'd love for you to tell what happened when you were there and how you got to the UK and all that stuff. It's really important for us to hear.JK: In Feb, on February 24th 2022, like a lot of people in my country, I woke up from explosions and sirens in my city. And the first thing I did, I thought this is a siren of ambulance because I was sleepy and I didn't realize what is going on. And I thought that all the explosions are also happened in my night dream. I didn't take it serious, even I was very worried before.I was anxious. Few months before the war happened, I kinda had a feeling that something gonna happen. The first thing I did, I opened the chat with my friends and then saw a message, "Oh my God, girls, the war has started. I remember that I had a very, very clear thinking, and I managed to do it very quickly.I mean, I realized that I cannot stay there because I'm--in short, I have some mental disorder, which is anxiety and I couldn't stay there because I knew that, unfortunately, I couldn't manage to--MR: Yeah, too much.JK: --be productive, and yeah. So I decided to move from Ukraine the same day.JK: Wow.JK: It was a long journey as I live in the very center of Ukraine. By the way, I think that a lot of listeners even don't realize how big is our country. It's the biggest country in Europe. I don't remember if it's bigger than France or France is bigger, but we are kind of the same size. It's a huge country. It took me one day to get to the border and I spent two days on the border.It was 36 hours in the car with my friend. My friend helped me to escape. She was driving. I spent one month in Poland. And it is an amazing country. Thank you all Polish people who are listening to this now. You are really great and your support of Ukraine is priceless and what you need to help our country is amazing. Not to underestimate the help of other countries, just we could really feel that this is a real friend now to us.Later when the United Kingdom started a governmental program which allowed Ukrainians to come because early it was very, very difficult to get visa to the UK for us. It's really an amazing chance to start your life somewhere in safe place with all the support provided from this country.So they offered local people to host Ukrainians. It is an amazing thing. And all last year was about feeling how world is supporting. A wonderful family in the UK offered to host me. So I still there. I still here. I'm very, very grateful to this amazing family who has eight children in total.MR: Wow.JK: They call me the ninth kid, and I really can feel it. I can tell this. And all other people who I met here, also very supportive and amazing. I even met here an amazing partner, like the best person I ever met in the whole life. Andy, I know you're listening and watching this. This is an amazing journey even it sounds horrible because of all this difficult circumstances like millions of people had to go through.Some of us really suddenly could feel that our dreams came true. A lot of us wanted to travel, and we got this. A lot of us wanted to try something new. We have all this, but unfortunately not in the way we usually plan to have this. It took me half of a year to feel where I am, what is going on in general, to find out myself standing steadily on the ground.And yeah, I started to look for chances to continue what I was doing, because I remember that it's such an amazing thing when you do what you love, it supports you. I don't want to share it as a long story, but what I was doing in Ukraine, like visual facilitation, et cetera, it's helped me to overcome depression. Of course, combined with the help of specialists, but it is an amazing thing.If you can do what you love, it really helps you to be focused on your goals and your dreams. That's how I found out that, oh, my old iPad is not working anymore like it's used to. I dunno how to say this in English. So I cleaned it from the dust, and I found out, oh my gosh, it works only like 30 minutes even being plugged in. I cannot provide quality services to my clients anymore.Unfortunately, it was not so popular last year in Ukraine to have visual facilitation as not so many conference has happened. So I had to start looking for new clients. It was a very stressful moment. However, one day I decided, oh my gosh, why I am struggling so hard trying to earn really little money if I can ask people to help me, because I remembered that if you ask, you have a chance to get it. If you don't ask, you will never get this.I decided I will try. I didn't believe tha it'll be fast. I didn't believe that a lot of people would love to support an unknown person, really stranger. I would say I wasn't a part of English speaking visual community for a long time. I was very focused on Ukraine and people I worked with. It was really needed that time so I never invested a lot of efforts and time to be in touch with English-speaking visual practitioners.However, it was an exciting moment when I realized that, oh, I can message some people I know. And that's how I messaged you and you were so kind to share my request. I created a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe and I just ask people if they will be so kind to support a person who has to start a new life from the scratch. And yeah, it was a magical period of two weeks when I was like sitting and realizing that unknown person from Malaysia sent me $5. A person I don't know.I really was sitting and sending mental love and kindness and gratitude to people I never saw before for the support and help. In two weeks we got the amount I needed and I bought myself an iPad and I was able to create again.It was a wonderful, wonderful experience. It made me think how much community matters and how we can really support each other. In my goal list is one day to pay it back or pay it forward. However, today I need to be focused on helping my country, and I try to do as much I can to work for Ukraine and to donate to support my people.MR: Well, that was a great story. I remember when you reached out and I thought, well, "This is exactly what our community is supposed to be here for. If we can't take care of someone like this, then what are we doing? Why are we even here?" When I posted it and encourage some friends, I just felt like, "Okay, come on, community. You gotta show up here 'cause this is what it's about."Everybody did. I haven't looked at the campaign, but I think we exceeded whatever--you had a a minimum requirement. I think we exceeded it by the end, which was really good feeling and a lot of people contributed. There was a variety of people, quite a list. So that was really encouraging to me to see that.JK: If you're listening now, this wonderful people, I'm sending you my best wishes and gratitude for supporting me. Thank you very much again.MR: It was exciting. It was really fun to see that happen and know that we were making an impact because we could all see what was happening. I think the other thing too was, I did some donations toward Ukraine for food and other stuff, but you feel like, especially in the U.S. maybe not so much in Europe, I guess, you sort of feel like it's so distant.Then the problem of the news cycle means, you know in a week you forget about it because it's not on the front page. The fact that I knew Ukrainians, it was more on my mind pretty often, but you feel a little bit like, how can I have an impact? You can donate, but it still feels like so distance. Having a person who started her life over and needs this help to do the things that we all do, that felt like, wow, I can actually apply something to a person who's doing the work that we do and she's part of our community and I've met her.That was a really great feeling to have that direct impact. Often the donations, you don't see the people getting fed, or the whatever you're donating to is sort of distant. So this was great to see it directly go to you and to help you move forward.As much as it helped you, I think it also helped us. In a community, it's really a win-win situation where you win because you can move forward and we win because we feel like we're making a difference in your life. That's a really great, great way to be.JK: That's like amazing. Since that time using this equipment, I already like finished more than 20 different projects for Ukraine. A few animations, a lot of visual notes. I was surprised, but by the end of the 2022, a lot of conferences had happened and most of them are now devoted to the topic, how can we support each other? How can we develop our country even in these circumstances? How can we rebuild our country?That made me think about what should I do when I come back to Ukraine. What will be my next step to support my country? I decided while I'm here in England, I have a great plan to make a master degree in illustration. It's a very strange choice for a visual practitioner to choose illustration because it's kinda what we are moving from because the idea of illustration is very different from what we are doing.It's about ideas not art, but I found out a very nice program which helps to design your learning path. And showed them what I'm doing and they said, "Okay, we're gonna support you in learning what whatever you need." Now I'm applying for university and this is a dream. I never told anyone except of my few friends about this. And today I'm sharing with everyone about this.I hope that when I come back to Ukraine, I will be able to illustrate something really important. Something about social issues, strategic sessions, how to rebuild the country, et cetera, et cetera. I want to really come back and being well prepared to this and have all the skills to show how much we can do when we work together and think visually.MR: That's really great. That's such a great wrap-up to that story. And it's not the wrap-up, right, because you still have it when you return, that will be the next phase of the story. It's great to hear that story and to hear that you're investing in yourself. 'Cause I think investing in yourself will eventually lead to investing in your country. That's a really great way to think about it long-term, I think.JK: I think every visual practitioner, going into metaphor is kind of a prism which accepts a light and helps to spread the light.MR: Yeah. Yeah. Interesting.JK: If you can be a really sharp prism, you can do a lot of change in the world. I hope to be a nice prism for Ukraine.MR: Great. I love that imagery. I love that imagery. Well, it's hard to shift away. Just wanna keep on enjoying hearing about all the work that you're doing, but I think it's really important that we continue with tools. At this point, talk a little bit about what are your favorite tools. We'll start with analog tools, which I know maybe you're not using as much, but maybe they're still part of your practice. Then, of course, digital tools. What are your favorite software and other things that help you do the work you do?JK: Yeah, of course. Talking about analog tools, I'm not original. I use what master visual practitioners in the world use. I use quality markers like Neuland because they're available in Europe and phone board because I guess it's more thick and it stay longer than paper. I know that some companies I worked with still have this board in their offices. It helps to prolong the effect of session, which is visualized. Also, sometimes I use just usual paper like usual A4 paper and Pilot pen.Nothing really original. I always compare it to like, cooking our favorite Ukrainian dish, borscht. So if you come to a person who, usually it's a woman who made a nice borscht, you don't tell her, "Oh, you maybe have a good pot." Because it's all about skills.The same about visualization. Good equipment is important, but it's mostly dependent on skills and love and knowledge, not about only--when people learn sketchnoting with me, I always say, "No matter which instruments you have today, we'll draw anyway even if it is a toilet paper, I don't care. Please just bring some paper and some pens." When it comes to digital instruments, I use iPad Pro with a pencil and Procreate.I chose them just because a lot of visual practitioners in Facebook community advised it so I just started to use them and never switched to anything else. It's very unusual, but I would recommend a online service Canva, which is for non-designer. Because it's so well developed nowadays that you can really create something visual note style, even without drawing if you don't have anything like a tablet. It's very easy nowadays.For animations, I use Toonly and Doodly, which is kinda the same company who produces them. This is a very basic software. I'm pretty satisfied with what you can create because I didn't want to invest too much because I was not sure if I will continue doing this.But yeah, people are very satisfied with what I produce because it's very quick when you, for example, create an animation with cool animations today, it takes months. But I can really create it in a few days, which is amazing nowadays.MR: That's great. All the power is right there in that iPad with some software, which is great.JK: Yeah, that's true.MR: Cool. Well, I love that you have a simple tool set. I believe in being able to go to the drugstore and find your pens and your paper and be able to work. Again, it's really about your skills and your love and your soul, and not so much about the tools, but good tools do help, right? Bad tools can definitely distract.JK: Yeah.MR: Let's shift into tips now. The way I frame this is, imagine someone's listening who's a visual thinker, whatever that means to them. They feel like they're on a plateau, they're not growing, and they need some encouragement, they need some inspiration. What would be three things that you would tell them, either practical or theoretical to help them think about ways they can move forward?JK: It's a very nice question. I'm a person who needs a boost now because I start to work with absolutely new audience for me, English-speaking audience. I'll give this tips, first of all to myself, and I hope that they will be useful to someone else. The first principle I always use when I try to do something new when I need to learn something is like, fake it till you make it, but I change it a little bit. I do it as a game.You can pretend being a master in this and doing this, or you can think that you are a YouTube vblogger and you're telling to your audience how to do this or teach five-year-kid how to do this. I kinda try to pretend that I already know how to do this because I find it much easier to advice to someone than to do it myself. So I pretend that I'm just advising. So fake it till you make it with the first principle.The second one is about work-life balance. I never understood it earlier, but now I realize how it is important to observe beauty and consume quality content. I really recommend to get inspiration from everywhere, from colleagues, from traveling to follow people from different industries. For example, I found a lot of inspiration in design industry, psychology, coaching, facilitation. Just continue learning every day and follow good people on Instagram. Let's say this is the second tip.And the third one is a very important gift of allowing yourself to be yourself. What I mean by this that for example, I'm a very slow thinker and slow doer, so I give myself permission to do it in my own pace and with my own style is sometimes I think, "Oh my gosh, it's so ugly. Why people at all should like this or should pay for this, even."I know now that authenticity is the most important value nowadays. Authenticity is very important so please allow yourself to be yourself and be very kind to yourself. It's very easy to say, but it's very difficult to do. But it's a moment where you are healing your inner child and be just very kind to what you're doing. Talk to yourself as a caring parent and support yourself. It's wonderful what you can reach when you kind to yourself.MR: Those three are great. I love those tips. All three of those. The last one I especially like, and I often tell people, give yourself grace especially new learners who are doing sketch noting the very first time, like, "Okay, look, you've never done this before, how can you expect to be amazing?" It's gonna take time. Let yourself be yourself, in that sense. So I love that one, especially. Well, Julia, like we thought was gonna go really fast. So here we are at the end of the show. Can you believe it?JK: No, this is crazyMR: Now what I wanna do is let people know where they can find you, your social media. I'm gonna make the bet that your website will be done by the time this episode comes out. If it is, we'll make sure and put all these in the show notes. So if you wanna contact Julia and reach out to her to connect with her, if you've got projects for her. What is the best place to start?JK: Yeah, any social media, like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, you can find me with the name Julia Knyupa. Hopefully, I will have a working website by the time when this episode will come up. Also, if you want to kinda learn something and to hear some inspiration from me on YouTube, there is my TEDx Talk in Ukrainian, but with English subtitles. It was in 2019, and I talked there about creative confidence. If you want to learn about this place, find this on YouTube.MR: Julia, we'll have you send some links to us and we'll make sure those get into the podcast show notes so people can click on it and watch that as well. Last question is, do you know what your website domain name or URL will be for the website yet?JK: Not yet.MR: Okay. Not yet. Normally, I would've had you give the website and then people would just type it in and go there, and maybe by the time they hear this it would be live, but that's okay.JK: I want to thank you for this wonderful chance to talk to you and to all of your people who are listening to this now. I know that it's tricky, but I want to ask you to continue to support Ukraine because the war is not over and we are fighting for the whole democracy and freedom in the world. So please continue to support Ukraine and I will be absolutely happy to work with people from different countries. Please reach me if you want to support Ukrainian artists.MR: Yes. I love it. I love it. We definitely will. Thank you, Julia, for your time. And for everyone listening, that's another episode of the “Sketch Note Army podcast” wrapping up. And until the next episode, this is Mike and I'll talk to you soon.

In this episode, Natalia Talkowska, visual communicator and founder of Natalka Design. She shares how she left a small town in Poland, landed in London, started a solo visual practice, and has grown that business into a team of fifty people.This inspiring discussion with Natalia is one you won't want to miss!Presented by The Sketchnote Handbook's 10th BirthdaySave 50% when you buy any two of the The Sketchnote Handbook, The Sketchnote Workbook, or The Sketchnote Handbook Video together with discount code HAPPY10.For details on the offer, visit:rohdesign.com/happy10Offer ends December 31, 2022.Sponsored by ConceptsThis episode of the Sketchnote Army Podcast is brought to you by:Concepts: an infinite, flexible creative tool for all your good ideas. Available on iOS, Windows and Android.The new Concepts 6 for iOS has exciting new features, including a modernized canvas interface, a freshly structured, easier to use gallery that integrates with the iOS Files app, and RGB and HSL color options added to its already extensive Copic color palettes.Concepts' infinite canvas lets you spread out and sketch in any direction. Draw and take notes with liquid pens, markers and brushes in your favorite colors.Everything you draw in Concepts is a flexible vector, so you can move your notes around the canvas, or change their color, tool or size — with simple gestures.Drag+drop images onto the canvas, and use layers and grids to organize your creative space.When you're ready to share, export straight to your friends or team.SEARCH ”Concepts” in your favorite app store for infinite, flexible sketching.Learn more: Concepts AppRunning OrderIntroWelcomeWho is Natalia?Origin StoryNatalia's current workSponsor: Concepts appToolsTipsWhere to find NataliaOutroLinksAmazon affiliate links support the Sketchnote Army Podcast.Natalia on LinkedInNatalia on TwitterNatalka DesignNatalka Design on InstagramDoodledooDoodle MapsGeorge BerlinVestaboardToolsAmazon affiliate links support the Sketchnote Army Podcast.Traveler's NotebookStaedtler Pigment LinersSakura Pigma MBPentel Arts Color Pen, Fine Point ColorsAdobe CS SuiteProcreateAdobe FrescoWacom TabletMicrosoft Surface StudioReMarkableTipsTalk to other people, especially outside of your areaDo something else to break out of your old ways: course, approach, etc.Believe who you and and this is what you doCreditsProducer: Alec PulianasTheme music: Jon SchiedermayerSubscribe to the Sketchnote Army PodcastYou can subscribe to the podcast through iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube or your favorite podcast listening source.Support the PodcastTo support the creation, production and hosting of the Sketchnote Army Podcast, buy one of Mike Rohde's bestselling books. Use code ROHDE40 at Peachpit.com for 40% off!

It's safe to say that this podcast wouldn't be what it is today without the help and support of today's guest.Her name is Maddy Russell and she's the Founder of Paiv Creative - a design company specialising in brand identity, print and digital design that helps to build brands that have a 'because.'Maddy reached out to me on New Years Day 2018. I was four months into She can. She did. She was a third year graphic design student. We chatted, I saw her portfolio and we've worked together ever since.She's quite simply one of the most talented, supportive and kind women I know. She's been AMAZING doing the rebrand of this business (which by the way is coming your way in exactly 7 days time) and I can't wait for you to hear her story. Enjoy!Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!Say hello to this week's ad guest...Not only have Pleo sponsored this series but they've also handed the mic over to members of She can. She did. so that they can promote their businesses in Pleo's ad space... what legends, we know! This week, you'll hear from our amazing member Natalia Talkowska, Founder of Natalka Design - a global team of digital visual storytellers that help bring your stories to life.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...She can. She did. @shecanshedidPaiv Creative @paivcreativePleo @pleo.ioNatalka Design @natalkadesign See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To round off week four of this bonus series, I spoke to my good friend and one of the most creative women I know, Natalia Talkowska - the Founder of the London-based creative design agency focused on visual storytelling that is Natalka Design and Doodleledo - the interactive experiences that take place all over the world, for anyone that thinks they can't draw.With a client list that includes YouTube, Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Twitter, Sony, Samsung and Disney... (this list goes on...!) prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Nat's days would be spent travelling to conferences and events all over the world with her team in order to turn key messages from presentations and speeches into visual drawings that could be digested quickly.As the Natalka Design slogan says, she 'draw(s) peoples attention for you!'Given that events all over the world have come to a standstill though, this is how the past few weeks have played out for Nat and how she's adapted both business models to ensure that both companies stay relevant in the weeks to come... We were a tad giddy recording this last week because we were both signing off for Easter... I hope you enjoy it!The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidNatalka Design @natalkadesignDoodleledo @doodleledoTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's drawing on the radio with Natalia Talkowska and Matt Ballantine

We are proud to present the first episode of Matt and Natalia Talkowska’s side project Drawpod. Get involved! Share your Drawpod Doodles with the hashtag #drawpod. You can subscribe to Drawpod at http://drawpod.buzzsprout.com/170477.rss

Natalia is a top creative mind and runs an agency Natalka Design specialising in visual storytelling that works with TED/Microsoft/Gov etc. She also launched Doodleledo - fun social experience for anyone who says 'I can't draw!' ran in 20 countries and growing. Find Natalia at www.natalkadesign.com and @natalkadesign  This conversation is all about the entrepreneurs journey, from closed minded thinking sticking to the day job, to jumping in with both feet into her own business. An industry that didn't exist as an option in her home country of Poland. 'The only person who will make it happen is you' says Natalia as she applies her work ethic and determination to everything she does.  Running a successful business for 6 years, this one is for anyone who has a dream but is scared of making the jump.

Welcome to the NL Sketchnoting, Graphic Recording, and Visual Thinking podcast where we celebrate the lives and work of visual thinkers and allow them to showcase things they are enthusiastic about! Today, I'm talking to Natalia Talkovska. Natalia is founder and owner of Natalka Design. She helps people tell their stories in creative new ways and gives them the tools to turn their communications upside down and make a lasting impact. Those tools include live sketchting, sketchnoting, videos, visual facilitation, training, and yes, even in-person consulting. Now, that is just her day-job. By night, when she's not out dancing semi professional, she furthers the cause of doodling by running a worldwide network of Doodleledo's, meetings where people that think they can't draw find out they actually can, and meet a bunch of like-minded awesome people in the process. You'll leave there with friends, not business cards. Want to learn more about Natalia? Check out her online presence: http://www.natalkadesign.com/ https://twitter.com/natalka_design http://www.doodleledo.com/ https://twitter.com/Doodleledo https://twitter.com/NatiTal https://www.instagram.com/natalia_talkowska/ https://medium.com/creative-dna/creative-dna-natalia-talkowska-cb02ad23a1ca#.p7y1hnhxm   The International Forum Of Visual Practitioners: https://www.ifvp.org/ Sparkol Videoscribe (affiliate link): http://www.sparkol.com?aid=816051 Want to subscribe to the NL Sketchnoting, Graphic Recording, and Visual Thinking Podcast? Subscribe via iTunes, or Stitcher. Your feedback is appreciated. Please leave your comments in the shownotes. Better yet, send in a voice message so we can put you ON the show! Credits The sounds used for podcast imaging are created by audionautix, musicradiocreative, and premiumbeat. All interviews were recorded in stereo with a Zoom H2N or in double mono with a Marantz Pro PMD661 recorder using a handheld AKG D230 dynamic mic, a Rode NTG2 condenser mic on a boompole, or a KEL HM-1 condenser mic on a mic arm resulting in a 96.0 kHz, 24-bit WAV file. Editing was done on a Macbook Pro using LogicPro with iZotope RX, Alloy, Nectar, and Ozone. Post production was done using Auphonic resulting in the final MP3 file for upload to Libsyn and distribution through iTunes and Stitcher.  

Natalia Talkowska is Founder, Director and Chief Visual Storyteller at Natalka Design Ltd, a creative production house where they draw your ideas and bring projects and events to life. Part of which is Doodledo, a movement to inspire everyone to draw. www.doodleledo.com