The Business of Creativity series explores how creativity shapes iconic businesses, bold ideas, and cultural impact. Hosted by Sir John Hegarty, each episode features an iconic founder or creative leader, delving into how creativity has influenced their philosophy, product, brand, and way of working. From ideas and storytelling to design and innovation, creativity is the lens through which success is defined. In the age of AI, creativity is the true competitive advantage. This series celebrates the people who understand its power, and shows how creative thinking drives meaningful business success. Website businessofcreativity.com Instagram instagram.com/business.of.creativity Newsletter businessofcreativity.beehiiv.com
Why do some businesses become cultural movements while others fade into background noise? In this episode of The Business of Creativity, Sir John Hegarty sits down with real estate mogul, media CEO, and bestselling author Ryan Serhant. From studying Theater at London’s Globe Theatre to building one of the fastest-growing real estate firms in the world, Ryan breaks down how sales is purely a "transfer of enthusiasm," why action will always beat perfection, and how to harness creative entertainment to drive massive business growth. They explore: Why taking action creates energy and opportunities, why comfort is the ultimate killer of big dreams, how Ryan uses annual animal themes (Wolf, Orca, Falcon) to unify company culture, measuring brand power using the Brand Power Ratio (BPR) and why entrepreneurs must focus on chasing a belief rather than just profits. ⏱️ Timestamps & Timecodes: 00:00 – Introduction: Why Creativity is Essential in the Age of AI. 01:12 – "All the World's a Stage": How Acting Prepared Ryan for Business. 02:56 – Being "Too Busy to Fail" & Why Inaction Kills Companies. 04:45 – Launching a Company During Bad Times (COVID-19). 05:49 – Innovators, Imitators, and Idiots: Creating Trends vs. Following Them. 07:35 – What Does Being a "Brand Leader" Actually Mean? 09:27 – Overcoming Nerves: Playing Like You Already Have the Money. 10:39 – "Sales is a Transfer of Enthusiasm". 11:48 – How Comfort Kills Dreams & Pivoting From Acting to Real Estate. 13:36 – Building a Movement vs. Building a Brand. 15:05 – Purpose First: Why Profits Follow Meaning. 17:44 – Broadcast vs. Hyper-Niche: Cutting Through the Attention Economy. 20:26 – The Brand Power Ratio (BPR): How to Measure Brand Value. 23:46 – Driving Culture, Purpose, and Staying Optimistic. 25:34 – Defining Culture: The Behaviour You Allow & Removing "Poison Pills". 28:27 – The Boss’s Role: Inverting the Corporate Triangle. 30:42 – The "Theme of the Year": Falcons, Orcas, and Wolf Energy. 35:34 – Expanding Without Becoming a Slow, Boring Corporate. 38:00 – "Money Has a Voice, But It Doesn't Have a Soul". 39:33 – Small Moments of Joy: Why AI & Gamification Matter in Sales. 41:45 – Final Advice for Entrepreneurs: How to Light a Fire When You're Stuck. Subscribe to The Business of Creativity for weekly conversations with world-class leaders, artists, and innovators on how to turn creative ideas into commercial success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Powering Up: How Octopus Energy Ripped Up the Corporate Rule Book | Greg Jackson (Founder of Octopus Energy)
How do you take on a heavily entrenched, multi-billion-pound monopoly and completely rewrite the rules? In this episode of The Business of Creativity, Sir John Hegarty sits down with Greg Jackson, the visionary founder and CEO of Octopus Energy. Awarded a CBE for his services to the energy industry, Greg looked at a sector defined by terrible customer service and rigid, outdated systems, and decided to ask a simple question: why does it have to be built like this? Under Greg's leadership, Octopus grew from a challenger startup into the UK’s largest energy supplier in less than a decade, while simultaneously incubating Kraken—a powerhouse, multi-billion-pound proprietary tech platform that now quietly runs the backend of much of the global energy market. This conversation explores the mindset behind disruption, why outsiders often have the greatest advantage, and how creativity becomes commercially valuable when paired with execution. Greg shares lessons from escaping the corporate "sausage machine," why he values productive boredom, and how letting your people truly be themselves is the ultimate competitive advantage. The discussion also dives into the future of the energy transition, the power of humour in business, and why a brand must be built on real behaviour, not just communication. Whether you are an entrepreneur, creative, designer, or anyone trying to bring a new idea into a rigid industry, this masterclass in category-defining disruption is for you. 🕒 TIMESTAMPS 01:00 – From Procter & Gamble to Energy: Changing an Industry. 03:51 – The Spark of Creativity in Scarcity & Boredom. 08:18 – Escaping the Corporate "Sausage Machine". 14:40 – Dissecting the Energy Industry's Bad Business Models. 19:35 – Pitching a £10 Million Business Plan. 25:37 – How the Octopus Got its Smile. 34:09 – Culture as a Dry Stone Wall. 39:31 – Unleashing the Kraken. 42:13 – The Power of Fun: Easter Eggs in Code. 44:04 – Building a Brand, Driving a Movement. 49:36 – Managing Scale & "Family Dinner". 53:31 – Purpose Over Profit. 56:15 – The Zero-Bill Future of Global Energy. ABOUT THE SERIES The Business of Creativity is hosted by Sir John Hegarty, one of the most awarded creative minds in advertising history. Each episode brings together founders, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders who have used creativity to build category-defining businesses and reshape global industries. Subscribe to the channel for more deep dives into the minds of top creative leaders! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Scaling with Taste and Humanity | Michelle Kennedy (Founder of Peanut)
In this episode of The Business of Creativity, John sits down with Michelle Kennedy, the pioneering founder and CEO of Peanut. From her early days navigating late-night completions as a corporate M&A lawyer to helping shape massive social tech platforms like Badoo and Bumble, Michelle has spent her career understanding exactly where people find value. When she became a mother in 2013, she experienced firsthand the deep isolation and vulnerability that can come with a major life transition. Realising there was a massive gap in the market for an authentic network built specifically for women, she launched Peanut in 2017—a platform that has since connected millions of women globally across fertility, pregnancy, motherhood, and beyond. Tune in as Michelle and John discuss why starting a business is fundamentally a creative act, the shocking reality of venture capital funding for female-led businesses, the difference between being data-informed versus data-driven, and why old-school storytelling and intuition ("taste") beat pure tech algorithms every single time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Building a Global Brand with a "Nothing to Lose" Mentality | David Allemann (Co-Founder, On Running)
What happens when you combine Swiss engineering, an ex-consultant, an advertising expert, and a garden hose? You get On, one of the fastest-growing sportswear companies on the planet. In this episode of The Business of Creativity, co-founder David Allemann pulls back the curtain on how a tiny Swiss startup disrupted global athletic giants to become a publicly listed powerhouse. David breaks down the exact frameworks they used to balance high-level creative design with brutal functionality, why traditional market research would have killed their iconic logo, and how they turned a standard athlete endorsement with Roger Federer into a massive co-entrepreneurial win. ABOUT THE SERIES The Business of Creativity is hosted by Sir John Hegarty, one of the most awarded creative minds in advertising history. Each episode brings together founders, entrepreneurs and creative leaders who have used creativity to build category-defining businesses and reshape industries. Learn more about The Business of Creativity at: https://businessofcreativity.com 📩 New episodes weekly 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with the world's most creative business leaders 💬 Which insight from Sir James Dyson changed how you think about business and creativity? 📉LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-buisness-of-creativity/ 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033o2BL6g2dR6P6gF7gzhQ?si=04550202418746ec --- 🕒 TIMESTAMPS 02:24 — The "Boy Group" Dynamic: How assembling co-founders with completely distinct, non-overlapping skill sets creates the perfect entrepreneurial alignment. 03:24 — The "Vis Tech" Framework: Why visible technology beats heavy marketing every single time, and how to make your innovation immediately scannable to the consumer. 06:26 — Deciding to Leap (The "What If" Mindset): How the co-founders used a mountain hike to flip their perspective from "what's the risk?" to a "nothing to lose" mentality. 12:50 — Stripping It Back to Basics: Navigating the creative tension between form, fashion, and functionality without letting decoration compromise your product's core integrity. 16:17 — Defeating the Consumer Committee: Why relying too heavily on traditional market research leads to a "bland leader" instead of a "brand leader"—and why leaning into your product's "weirdness" is your ultimate moat. 17:54 — Capitalising on Macro Timing: Launching out of a crisis (the post-financial crash era) and using industry stagnation to trigger massive, disruptive innovation. 19:52 — Flipping the Athlete Endorsement Model: The inside story of the Roger Federer partnership—turning a traditional, passive sponsorship into a genuine entrepreneurial investment. 21:30 — Scaling Globally Without Losing Your Soul: Inside the strategic decision to IPO, and why retaining majority voting control is crucial for playing the long game over hitting quarterly targets. 27:51 — The Cost of Delaying Category Expansion: David shares his biggest strategic regret—waiting too long to branch from footwear into apparel—and how category anchoring affects brand perception. #entrepreneurshipbusinessowner #BrandBuilding #MarketingDisruption #businessofcreativity #CreativeBusiness #OnRunning #businessofcreativity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Building a Global Empire on Failure & Creativity | Sir James Dyson
How many times are you willing to fail before you finally succeed? In this episode of The Business of Creativity Podcast, we sit down with one of the greatest inventors and entrepreneurs of our time: Sir James Dyson. Best known for revolutionising the vacuum cleaner and building a global technology empire, Sir James Dyson shares the brutal, brilliant, and often chaotic reality of the creative process. From making 5,127 failed prototypes of his first vacuum to managing a multi-billion dollar company, he opens up about why he values frustration over expertise, how to protect your creative vision, and the true business behind groundbreaking innovation. If you are an entrepreneur, creative, designer, or anyone trying to bring a new idea into the world, this masterclass in resilience is for you. ✨ Subscribe to the channel for more deep dives into the minds of top creative leaders! --- 🕒 TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction to Sir James Dyson 02:15 - The 5,127 Failures: Building the first Dyson 07:40 - Why "Expertise" can kill innovation 12:30 - Navigating the business side of creativity 18:15 - How Dyson protects its wildest ideas 25:00 - Sir James Dyson’s advice to the next generation --- #JamesDyson #BusinessOfCreativity #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #DesignThinking #PodcastInterview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Secret Behind Great Storytelling | Jane Rosenthal
In this episode of The Business of Creativity, Sir John Hegarty sits down with Jane Rosenthal, Oscar and Emmy-nominated producer, co-founder of the Tribeca Festival, and the creative force behind films including Meet the Parents, The Irishman and Bohemian Rhapsody. Jane has spent decades bringing stories to life, but her most impactful project may not have been a film at all. In the aftermath of 9/11, she and Robert De Niro co-founded the Tribeca Festival to help rebuild lower Manhattan through culture, creativity and community. This conversation explores the power of storytelling to shape industries, cities and societies. Jane shares lessons from producing some of Hollywood's biggest films, why authenticity matters more than data, how great creative partnerships are built on trust, and why AI should be viewed as a collaborator rather than a threat. The discussion also dives into audience attention, mentorship, the future of entertainment, and why the most powerful stories are the ones that bring people together. ABOUT THE SERIES The Business of Creativity is hosted by Sir John Hegarty, one of the most awarded creative minds in advertising history. Each episode brings together founders, entrepreneurs and creative leaders who have used creativity to build category-defining businesses and reshape industries. Learn more about The Business of Creativity at: https://businessofcreativity.com 📩 New episodes weekly 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with the world's most creative business leaders 💬 Which insight from Gary changed how you think about business, creativity or AI? #janerosenthal #storytelling #creativity #leadership #filmindustry #tribecafilmfestival #entrepreneurship #ai CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction: The Power of Storytelling 02:10 Growing Up Around Theatre & Creativity 03:37 Why Jane Chose Producing Over Acting 05:36 Her First Break in Entertainment 08:48 Lessons From Live Television & Sports 09:48 How Interesting Experiences Create Opportunity 11:06 Why Great Producers Follow Passion 13:06 Authenticity in the Age of Attention 15:19 How Jane Chooses Stories Worth Telling 16:50 AI, Technology & Creative Opportunity 19:02 Why AI Is Creating a New Creative Class 20:44 The Importance of Editing 22:46 Storytelling vs Audience Segmentation 24:18 Building a 35-Year Partnership with Robert De Niro 26:20 The Birth of Tribeca After 9/11 28:47 How Creativity Revitalised Lower Manhattan 29:54 Why Shared Experiences Matter 31:10 What Brands Can Learn From Entertainment 32:59 Why You Should Never Underestimate Your Audience 34:41 How Streaming Changed Storytelling 36:37 The Freedom of a Tight Brief 37:17 Why Constraints Create Better Ideas 37:47 Mentorship & Building Creative Communities 39:41 Optimism, Consolidation & The Future of Entertainment 46:00 Final Reflections Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Why AI Won't Replace You (But Someone Using AI Might) | Gary Vaynerchuk
In this episode of The Business of Creativity, Sir John Hegarty sits down with Gary Vaynerchuk entrepreneur, investor, CEO of VaynerX, and one of the most influential voices in modern marketing. From transforming his family's liquor store into one of America's first major e-commerce wine businesses to building a global agency network, Gary's career has been defined by one thing: seeing shifts in consumer behaviour before everyone else. This conversation explores the mindset behind disruption, why outsiders often have the greatest advantage, and how creativity becomes commercially valuable when paired with execution. Gary shares lessons from spotting the rise of social media, building communities instead of audiences, and why many companies still fail to truly understand their customers. The discussion also dives into AI, the future of creativity, the rise of analogue experiences, and why the people who thrive in the next decade won't be those who resist change — but those who learn to work alongside it. ABOUT THE SERIES The Business of Creativity is hosted by Sir John Hegarty, one of the most awarded creative minds in advertising history. Each episode brings together founders, entrepreneurs and creative leaders who have used creativity to build category-defining businesses and reshape industries. Learn more about The Business of Creativity at: https://businessofcreativity.com 📩 New episodes weekly 👉 Subscribe for more conversations with the world's most creative business leaders 💬 Which insight from Gary changed how you think about business, creativity or AI? #garyvaynerchuk #garyvee #johnhegarty #marketing #entrepreneurship #ai #creativity #brandbuilding #innovation CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction: Gary Vaynerchuk's Creative Journey 01:47 From Liquor Store to Wine Pioneer 04:40 Creative Courage & Challenging Industry Norms 09:12 Seeing the Future of Social Media Early 12:27 Pattern Recognition & Spotting Paradigm Shifts 14:10 Building Movements, Not Just Brands 16:18 Why Most Companies Disrespect Their Customers 20:01 Dyson, Uber & The Value of Saving Time 24:38 How Gary Built VaynerMedia 29:00 Creativity, Execution & Opening Doors 30:33 Why Outsiders Have an Advantage 34:21 AI, Disruption & Reinventing Your Business 36:31 The Rise of Digital vs Analogue Experiences 38:07 Why Everyone Must Become a Maker 39:06 Creativity, Commercial Success & Execution 41:15 Optimism as a Creative Superpower 41:58 The Biggest Lie in Marketing 45:01 AI, Opportunity & The Future of Work 46:45 Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Business of Creativity
The Business of Creativity series explores how creativity shapes iconic businesses, bold ideas, and cultural impact. Hosted by Sir John Hegarty, each episode features an iconic founder or creative leader, delving into how creativity has influenced their philosophy, product, brand, and way of working. From ideas and storytelling to design and innovation, creativity is the lens through which success is defined. In the age of AI, creativity is the true competitive advantage. This series celebrates the people who understand its power, and shows how creative thinking drives meaningful business success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
