The Creative Boom Podcast

n this week's Spark, Adam J. Kurtz gets refreshingly honest about creativity, identity, and letting go of perfection.

From why "good enough" is often more than enough, to the surprising power of putting on a pair of socks, Adam shares the small shifts that can make a big difference to your day. He reflects on trusting your instincts, embracing imperfection, and why chasing "cool" might be the very thing holding you back.

There's humour, a bit of chaos, and some genuinely thoughtful moments along the way, including a simple question about what you'd do with $150 that reveals more than you might expect about priorities, creativity, and how we choose to live.

It's a short one, but it might just stay with you.

In this week's episode, Katy sits down with artist, author and beautifully honest human Adam J. Kurtz to talk about what happens when you reach the thing you thought you wanted… and realise it's not the whole story.

Dialling in from Hawaii, Adam shares how leaving New York forced him to untangle his identity from his work, his city, and the version of success he'd been chasing for years. What followed wasn't a dramatic reinvention, but something quieter and more meaningful—a shift towards simplicity, honesty, and figuring things out in real time.

They talk about burnout, creative cycles, and the uncomfortable question so many of us are sitting with right now: what next? Adam reflects on how his work has evolved alongside his life, moving from hopeful striving to something more grounded, self-aware, and forgiving.

There's also a glimpse into his upcoming book, Now What?, a project shaped by uncertainty, growth, and the reality that none of us ever really have it all figured out.

It's a conversation about letting go of perfection, embracing change, and finding a version of success that actually feels good to live with. Funny, candid, and quietly reassuring, you'll realise that you're allowed to change your mind, path, and pace... no matter where you are right now.

In this week's bonus episode of The Spark, we get to know Aporva Baxi a little better. From photographing shadows and beams of light to whispering ideas into his phone in the supermarket, Aporva shares the small habits that shape his creative life.

We chat about music that fuels his thinking (hello Aphex Twin), the films that have stayed with him (Kubrick, of course), and why noticing the everyday might be the most important creative skill of all.

There's also talk of creative heroes, strange rituals, and the kind of dinner party that would properly stretch your mind. Yes, it's a lighter, more personal conversation. But as always, there's plenty in there to take away.

Today's guest is Aporva Baxi, co-founder of DixonBaxi, one of the world's most respected branding agencies. Our host and founding editor Katy Cowan recently spent some time at their London studio, having a proper nosey at how they work. And what stayed with us wasn't just the output, it was the thinking behind it. The curiosity, energy, and that constant push to evolve.

So in this episode, we get into all of it. AI, of course. The pace of change. And this idea that keeps coming up right now… that when everyone has access to the same tools, what really sets you apart is your taste.

We talk about the risk of everything starting to look the same. Why originality still matters. And how to hold onto your voice when the world is moving this fast.

It's a big conversation. But, as we've come to expect from Aporva, it's also an optimistic one. It's about possibility and making things. About not waiting around for permission.

So if you've been feeling a bit unsure about where you fit into all of this, this one might just give you a boost.

In this week's Spark, we swap strategy for spontaneity, as Nicki Sprinz, CEO of ustwo, returns for our quick-fire bonus round, where things get a little more personal.

We talk dream dinner parties featuring Tilda Swinton and Ann Patchett, why "just follow your passion" might be the worst advice in the creative industry, and what she's currently curious about in a world obsessed with short-form everything.

Nicki shares her most controversial creative opinion, the one trend she's quietly over, and the small change that instantly improves her workday. There's also ambient electronic music, imaginary album titles and a question for the next guest.

It's thoughtful. It's playful. And it reveals more of the human behind the CEO title. If you enjoyed Monday's episode, this is where you'll get to know Nicki a little better.