untalented

This episode's guest is Alex Bec - co-founder of It’s Nice That, builder of multiple creative businesses, and now the driving force behind Creative Lives in Progress, the platform reshaping how young people break into the creative industry.

Alex grew It’s Nice That from a scrappy blog into a global creative community reaching 8.5 million people a month. 

This episode is about what's happening right now in the creative career space the collapse in junior opportunity, the rise of AI, the moral cost of “efficiency”, and how an entire generation is being squeezed out before they even

Untalented's host Ollie Scott sits down with Jim Houghton from Waypoint, one of the most experienced M&A advisors in the creative industry, and someone who has seen more agencies born, scaled, bought and sold than almost anyone else.

But this isn’t a finance podcast.

It’s the conversation creative people never get, but absolutely need.

Jim breaks down:
• why UK agencies fear failure 
• how creative people massively underestimate their own power
• why early equity dilution ruins lives
• what actually triggers agency sales 
• how private equity suddenly took over the creativ...

In this episode, we sit down with the founder of Buttermilk - a world-class creator agency. Jamie Ray digs deep into his founder journey: a story of how a bored trainee lawyer walked out of a City job, set up shop in a Krispy Kreme, and built Buttermilk into a $50m+ creator agency.

We get into how influencer marketing actually works now, why TikTok and COVID changed everything, how brands are using super fans to decide what products to launch, and where AI fits into the creator economy. 

It’s honest and funny - a proper loo...

We sit down with Ben Saul-Garner, Co-Founder of Attachment, to talk about the intersection of culture, talent, and brand storytelling.

In this episode of Untalented, Kate Rush-Sheehy, Chief Strategy Officer at GSD&M, breaks down what really makes a brand cool  and why over-focusing on Gen Z might be the least strategic move of all.

Mohan Ramaswamy, Co-Founder of Work & Co, shares what it really takes to build products people love, and why staying close to the work matters more than ever.

From co-creating digital experiences for the world’s biggest brands to redefining what creative leadership looks like, Mohan unpacks the value of being hands-on, choosing the right clients, and surrounding yourself with people who push you to think sharper.

In this episode of Untalented by Unknown and Canva, Daisy Morris, Founder of The Selfhood and author of Community is Your Currency, breaks down what it actually means to build community in a world drowning in noise.

From prescribing rest as a growth strategy to calling out “trend fatigue,” Daisy shares how brands can move beyond vanity metrics, build human-first ecosystems, and create connection that lasts longer than a viral moment.

Koral Ibrahim, Founder of The Ready House, joins Untalented to share his philosophy on building brands with physical spaces that feel alive with community.

From his father’s advice, “never reject coffee”, which opened doors early in his career, to his take on why department stores lost their way, Koral unpacks how curiosity, connection, and culture shape the future of retail spaces.

In this episode of untalented, we sit down with Cultural Strategist Josh Proctor to unpack the hidden “whys” behind culture. 

From camping out for sneakers to truths behind “soft clubbing,” Josh explains why friction is essential for belonging. If you’ve ever wondered how brands can stay relevant without being performative, this one's for you. 

Got a minute? Kae, Executive Creative Director at Superside, shares the moment she realised she could lead differently, what “AI-powered” really means for creative teams, and why confidence changes everything. 

Catch up with Jessy Gill from Apna Studios a year after her episode from season 1. Jessy is slowing down, listening harder, and moving with purpose. In this episode, she unpacks the power of going slow to go fast, why community strategy beats top-down branding, and what it means to turn cultural truth into real change. 

Shirin Majid is a multidisciplinary creative director and artist with more than 25 years experience at creative agencies. She reflects on building campaigns that truly matter and resonate. She’s not here to play it polished. She’s here to bite into the ass of life and drag it to her.

What if the art world wasn’t built for you - so you built your own? Marine Tanguy created the world’s first art talent agency, redefined public art, and made it profitable. A breakdown of money, privilege, visual dominance, and the unapologetic ambition behind rebalancing who gets to make it.

Marine Tanguy built MTArt to change how artists are seen, supported, and paid.
She believes art should be part of everyday life, not locked in galleries or priced for the few. From public murals to brand partnerships, her model puts creators at the centre.

Tosh Hall doesn’t pull punches. The Global CCO of JKR talks about building cult-like creative cultures, calling out branding BS, and why a logo won’t fix your business. 5 minutes with one of the industry's sharpest minds. 

Jimmy Knowles, Global Head of Experiential at Canva, shares how he brings the brand to life offline, and why “IRL” is bigger than events. 15+ years of strategy experience squeezed into 5 minutes.

Callum McCahon, Chief Strategy Officer at Born Social, gives us a crash course in thinking differently. From the power of subcultures to the future of social-led branding, and why taste is your biggest competitive edge. 

What happens when a cartoonist becomes a global design chief? From sketchbooks to sonic branding, Teemu Suviala rethinks what great creative leadership looks like through curiosity, chaos and contradictions. In this episode, we talk visual music, inconsistent brands, and why curiosity always wins. 

Amy Daroukakis gets lost on purpose - and that’s the strategy. From finding future fandoms in playgrounds to calling out frameworks as creative crutches, she breaks down cultural strategy without the jargon. This one's for the people building brands from the outside in.

Saskia (Deputy CSO) and Felipe (ECD) from BBH London know what real creative partnership looks like, ten years of collaboration, no ego, and just enough conflict to keep the work sharp. In this episode, they talk candidly about why healthy creative tension is underrated, how briefs should never be thrown over the fence, and why creativity only works when it’s built on trust, not templates.

Dita Atassi, Creative Lead at Accenture Song Middle East, breaks down why the UAE, Saudi, and Qatar are the world’s most exciting creative markets right now, what the US could learn from startup energy, and how focus is her not-so-secret weapon. 

Madolyn Grove, Head of Creators at TikTok UK, isn’t here to sugarcoat it. Want to win online? Get focused, get real, and stop recycling ideas from 2019. 

Trevor Robinson, founder and Executive Creative Director of QuietStorm, joins the Untalented Summer Series to talk about what drove him to build one of the UK's most original creative agencies. Trevor shares why creative ownership matters, how resilience shaped his career, and how hard it is to recognise greatness.

A true highlight from Cannes: sitting down with the one and only Sir John Hegarty - founder of BBH. Decades of experience, distilled into one conversation that’s packed into just 5 minutes. 

Max Ottignon, Co-Founder of Ragged Edge, shares expert insights into branding in the age of AI, exploring how to harness artificial intelligence effectively and why human creativity remains at the heart of great brand strategy.

Luke shares his journey into publishing. The full scoop into the shift from traditional mass media to today’s digital-analogue landscape and what it means for the future of publishing.

The dynamic duo behind brand consultancy, Benji Wiedemann and Alex Lampe, share their 18-year journey through design, technology, and strategy. A deep dive into what’s shaped their approach and how they connect brands with culture and community.

James Kirkham breaks down the power that is culture, why it's essential in modern marketing and what it takes to stand out.

Amazon’s Head of Marketing, Lucrece Sicat Loeb, joins us to unpack the ins and outs of the creator economy. This episode explores influencer marketing myths and reveals why authenticity and community are key to success.

Liam Parkinson, Co-Founder and CGO at Inflverse, dives into the world of influencer marketing and talent management, sharing key strategies creators need to succeed and what drives lasting success.

Co-founder of Supernova, Tom Sneddon, gets chatting about what real success looks like today. Tom is all about the social-first mindset, and sometimes this level of creativity isn’t about luck.

Known for his subversive innovation, Stephen Mai is a culture-first marketing genius. This is a deep dive into how to build brands that break rules and truly resonate.

Listen to the founder of edition+partners, Tom Garland, dive into the world of brand strategy, exploring the challenges of revitalising legacy brands and the rise of standout names like On Running and Lacoste.

Adam Field, ex-Head of Marketing at Reiss and former strategist across social platforms and sports fandoms, joins us to talk about what actually builds brand loyalty in 2025. This conversation pulls back the curtain on modern marketing with substance. 

William and Chris, the creative minds behind Studio Drama, join us to talk about designing brands that actually stick. Known for their expressive work in brand identity, art direction, and type design, the duo shares how they bring personality to every project

Director Ben Doyle joins us for a sharp, culture-forward conversation on what it really means to create in a world that moves at the speed of the scroll.

Viv Greywoode gets into his journey into his career in design. Now, as Head of Design of Stink Studios, the creative superstar unpacks favourite projects, integrations of AI, and how to keep on top of the game. 

Creative superstar, Wayne Deakin, discusses the evolution of his leadership style. A brutally honest conversation on bold branding today and keeping commercially relevant while staying true to creative principles.

We're at SXSW London?! Welcome to our new Summer Series, we're partnering with Canva to bring you a fresh batch of industry insights from the people killing it in the game right now. Our micropodcast format means that you'll only get ten minutes of the juiciest conversations around South by South West London. We're kicking things off with a word from Tom, the Creative Director of Canva Europe, with Untalented host and founder of Untalented Ollie Scott. 

In this episode of Untalented, Jaime Robinson, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Joan Creative walks us through her remarkable journey from TGI Fridays to top agencies like Chiat/Day and Goodby Silverstein, and ultimately to launching Joan in 2015.

Jaime shares what drove her to build an agency that creates smarter, more resonant work, especially for women, and the milestones that have defined Joan’s rise: from the iconic Netflix “Rules for the Modern Woman” campaign to expanding across New York, London, and Berlin.

We get into leadership, storytelling, tight deadlines, and the creative resilience required to thr...