I recently had the opportunity to listen to a 49sparks.com podscast interview with Mark McGuinness of wishfulthinking.com. As 49sparks interviewer, Chris Ritke, put it (and I paraphrase), “Wishful thinking? Doesn’t that sound a bit like ‘Ugh … Can we even do this?”

Some background is order, first, I believe. Mark works as a coach for creative freelancers and companies in the Creative Industries. He has been coaching creative and business professionals for over 10 years. Originally trained as a psychotherapist, he also holds an MA in Creative and Media Enterprises (Warwick University, UK). Er … not too shabby. The creative industry can often be nutty as one of Grandma’s Christmas fruitcakes. Mark is a guy you would do well to listen to.

Oh, and before we forget, Mark is also one of BoDo’s Visiting Authors.

The podcast was hardly about about, “Ugh … Can we even do this?” It was about ideas in innovations, shaking up the hierarchy and enhancing emotionally connections. Marks addresses an important issue – people. We’re not simply a bunch of hands on a keyboard. We need to emotionally resonate at the heart of our businesses. Strong words and very, very true. Mark hints at “integrity.” “Integrity,” means that who you are and what you think on the “inside,” is the same as you project on the “outside.”

Mark talks about the “people” side of creativity. The side that’s not often talked about. Yet, being in a service business business, “people” are pretty darn important. Not just clients, but our coworkers and suppliers, as well. We tend to talk about this font or that and why this color is more in fashion than that one. We talk about why a spot UV on the cover would be the bomb. Mark brings up the notion that talking with others might just be a way to expand our creative minds and create solutions that go beyond us or what we could develop on our own.

Take a listen at 49sparks.com. It will be worth your while and likely spark some new ideas. Maybe 49 or even more.

Until the next
Podcast Humpday,
nt