Welcome to the very first episode of The Creative Strengths Podcast. I’m so excited about today’s conversation because this is the foundation of everything we’ll be looking at together.
There’s something I need you to understand right from the start. It’s something that leading research proves again and again, but that most creative business owners haven’t fully grasped yet.
Your creative thinking… the way your mind works, the way you naturally see problems and solutions, this isn’t just a lovely thing to have. It’s not just something that makes you good at design or photography or writing. It’s the number one factor for future business success.
The Research That Changes So Much
This isn’t just motivational talk (although that’s important too!)… this is actual data.
Leading research consistently shows creativity as the number one factor for future business success. Not marketing tactics. Not hustle. Not following proven formulas. Creativity.
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs reports that creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability are among the top skills for the future of work. A major IBM study surveyed over 1,500 CEOs globally, and they identified creativity as the single most important leadership quality for navigating complexity and change. Not technical expertise. Not strategic planning. Creativity.
LinkedIn’s analysis shows that creativity and creative problem-solving are consistently among the most sought-after capabilities across industries… not just in creative fields, but in business, technology, healthcare, everywhere.
And Adobe’s research found that companies that embrace creativity are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers in revenue growth. Three and a half times.
When I say your creative thinking is a huge business advantage, I’m not just being encouraging. I’m stating what leading research proves.
What Creative Thinking Means in Business
When most people hear “creativity,” they think about making beautiful things or coming up with clever ideas. That’s part of it, of course… but creative thinking in business is so much more valuable than that.
As a creative, you have the ability to see challenges from fresh angles. Where someone else hits a wall and stops, you naturally think, “What if we approached this completely differently?” You see possibilities where others see obstacles.
You quickly spot opportunities others miss. You notice patterns and connections that aren’t obvious to everyone else. Your mind naturally makes connections between seemingly unrelated things, and that’s where innovation lives.
You intuitively create emotional connections through your work. You don’t just deliver a service or product, you create an experience that resonates emotionally. In a world where so much feels transactional and impersonal, this ability to create genuine connection is extraordinarily valuable.
And you’re able to adapt when circumstances change. The businesses thriving right now are the ones that can adapt quickly, see opportunities in change, and create genuine connections with their customers. All creative thinking capabilities.
Your Unique Creative Strengths
Creative thinking isn’t one thing. It shows up differently in different people.
Some creative thinkers are brilliant at seeing the big picture and making unexpected connections. Others excel at finding elegant solutions to complex problems. Some naturally create experiences that resonate emotionally. Others spot opportunities in data or trends that everyone else misses.
The question isn’t whether you’re creative enough. The question is: what specific way of thinking comes naturally to you?
What do you do that feels obvious to you but others find remarkable? What problems do you solve without really thinking about it? What do clients consistently value about working with you that has nothing to do with your technical skills?
These are your specific creative strengths. And when you understand them clearly, so much can change.
But when you don’t understand your creative strengths, you try to compete on the same terms as everyone else. You undervalue what comes easily because you think, “if it’s easy for me, it can’t be valuable.” You copy other people’s approaches instead of trusting your own way of seeing things.
When you do understand your creative strengths, you can position yourself distinctly. You can charge premium prices because you’re offering something genuinely different and highly valuable. You can market yourself authentically because you’re speaking from your real, genuine, very unique perspective.
My Own Experience
When I was building my floral design business, I spent years thinking I needed to be more structured, more systematic, more like the established London florists who seemed to have everything figured out.
I’d look at their linear processes, their clear systems, their traditional approach, and think, “That’s what a proper business looks like. I need to do it that way.”
But it never quite worked. I’d try to implement their systems and feel exhausted. I’d follow their pricing structures and feel undervalued. I’d copy their approach and feel inauthentic.
What I eventually realised was that my creative strength wasn’t in following established formulas. It was in seeing possibilities others didn’t see. In making unexpected connections between countryside aesthetics and high-end London clients. In adapting quickly when circumstances changed. In creating emotional experiences—it wasn’t just about delivering flowers.
Once I understood that and built my business around my creative strengths rather than trying to mimic someone else’s, so much changed. My positioning became clearer. My pricing became confident. My client relationships became genuinely enjoyable and really strong. And the business became more successful because it was more authentically me.
What Becomes Possible
When you understand your creative thinking as your competitive advantage and build your business around it, everything shifts.
Your positioning becomes effortless. You’re not trying to find clever ways to differentiate yourself—you’re simply being clear about how you actually think and work. And that clarity is magnetic to the right people.
Your pricing shifts completely. When you understand that your way of seeing problems and creating solutions is genuinely valuable, charging what you’re worth becomes natural rather than uncomfortable.
Your marketing stops feeling forced. You’re finding approaches that align with how you naturally operate and communicate. It’s simply you being you, talking and sharing from your heart, sharing what matters to you and your way of seeing and doing things.
Your client work becomes more satisfying. You’re attracting people who value your creative thinking. They’re seeking you out specifically because of how you think.
Your business becomes sustainable. You’re not burning out trying to be someone you’re not. You’re building something that actually fits how you’re built.
And perhaps most importantly, you develop genuine confidence. Not the fake-it-till-you-make-it kind. The kind that comes from understanding exactly what you bring that’s exceptional and building everything around it.
What This Podcast Explores
This is what The Creative Strengths Podcast will explore every single week.
How to identify your specific creative strengths—the ones you might be completely overlooking because they feel too easy or obvious.
How to see those strengths as the competitive advantages they actually are, backed by research and real examples.
How to build a business that works with your creative thinking rather than fighting against it—from positioning to pricing to marketing to operations.
How to create real financial viability without compromising what makes you exceptional.
Behind this podcast is a much deeper body of work. A six-month programme that launches in early 2026, designed specifically for creative entrepreneurs who are ready to do the foundation work of understanding their strengths and building everything around those.
But for now, I just want you to start thinking differently.
Your creative mind—your ability to see fresh angles, spot opportunities, adapt quickly, create emotional connections—this isn’t just a quirk. It’s not a nice quality.
It’s your business advantage. Leading research proves it. And the creative entrepreneurs who understand this and build around it are the ones creating thriving, sustainable businesses.
Comments +