The Creative Boom Podcast

Right, this is where things get a bit more… unhinged. In this bonus episode, Katy and James Martin ditch the big topics and just have a proper chat. It's looser, more playful, and exactly the kind of conversation you'd have if you were sat next to each other at the pub after the mics were meant to be off.

They get into the small stuff that says a lot. The daily rituals that keep you sane. The trends that quietly drive you mad. The advice you wish would disappear forever. And yes, it goes exactly where you'd expect… pasta shapes, rave memories, and a few moments where you wonder how you're both still alive.

There's honesty in here, too. The kind that sneaks up on you when you stop trying to be clever and just talk. It's messy, funny, and full of those little insights that only come out when you're not overthinking it.

And, of course, it ends with a question for the next guest that might reveal more about someone than anything else. Don't take it too seriously. That's kind of the point.

What does "personal branding" actually mean anymore? And do we really need to be visible all the time to build a successful creative career?

In this episode, Katy sits down with designer and founder James Martin (Made by James) for a candid, funny and surprisingly deep conversation about the reality behind the buzzwords. From the pressure to show up online to the myth of "being your authentic self", they unpack why so much of what we're told just doesn't quite sit right.

James shares his perspective on branding as something far simpler and more grounded. Not performance, but reputation. Not chasing attention, but building trust over time. Together, they explore what actually matters if you want to grow a creative career that lasts.

There's talk of confidence, comparison culture, and the uncomfortable truth that many of us still don't quite know who we are, let alone how to present ourselves online. Katy reflects on her own journey of stepping forward after years of staying behind the scenes, and why letting go of perfection can be the turning point.

Along the way, James introduces his 'DEEDS' model, a practical way to think about building a reputation through action rather than noise. It's a refreshing reminder that you don't need to play the game the way everyone else is.

It's honest. Messy. And it's a much-needed reset for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to be seen. So if you've ever questioned whether you're doing it "right" online, this one's for you.

After a pretty emotional main episode, we ease things up a bit with Natty Harris in this week's Spark. And yes, there's still depth, but there's also plenty of laughs.

We get into the creative trends Natty's quietly over (sorry, sans serif lovers), the tiny things that can instantly improve your day, and why a really good pen might be one of life's greatest underrated joys. There's also a very relatable chat about overthinking, writing, and that awkward gap between what's in your head and what actually makes it onto the page.

Natty shares her creative hero, Frida Kahlo, and why being unapologetically yourself is harder than it sounds but absolutely worth striving for. Plus, we build the ultimate dinner party guest list, talk Netflix obsessions, and get into the kind of questions that are somehow both silly and weirdly revealing.

And of course, we end on a high note with possibly the best question we've ever had for a future guest. It involves pasta. You've been warned.

This week, Katy sits down with senior designer Natty Harris for a deeply honest and emotional conversation about grief, loss, and rebuilding your life when everything changes. At the heart of the episode is Natty's brother Thomas, who died suddenly at 24, and the profound impact he had on shaping who she is today.

Together, they explore the many forms grief can take, from losing a loved one to navigating life changes that quietly alter who we are. Natty shares what it was like growing up as a young carer, the complicated mix of love, responsibility and identity that came with it, and how those experiences continue to influence her work as a designer and storyteller.

The conversation gently moves through the realities of grief. The chaos, the stillness, the strange moments of laughter, and the importance of allowing yourself to feel everything rather than pushing it down. Natty reflects on therapy, timing, and how doing the work before loss changed the way she was able to process it when it came.

There's also a wider thread here about creativity. What it means to show up when your emotional tank is empty, how grief shifts your perspective on work, and why so many creatives are feeling exhausted right now. This is an episode about humanity as much as it is about loss.

Ultimately, it's a conversation full of hope. About carrying the people we've lost with us. About finding courage in the hardest moments. And about learning, slowly, who you are on the other side.

n this Spark episode, things get a bit looser and a bit more revealing. Katy puts David Airey on the spot with a mix of quick-fire questions, unexpected tangents, and the kind of prompts that lead to surprisingly honest answers.

They get into David's most controversial creative opinion, why he's wary of social media and the way it shapes design, and the one thing he'd quietly challenge about how we're all told to build a creative career. There's also a brilliant moment on discipline versus passion that flips the usual advice on its head.

Along the way, there are stories from early career missteps, thoughts on saying yes to everything, and a few nostalgic detours that remind you how different things used to be. It's lighter in tone, but still full of insight. And then it lands on something bigger. What you'd wish you'd done more of. What actually matters. The kind of question that lingers long after the episode ends.

A relaxed, honest, and quietly thought-provoking finish to the conversation.