opinion – Page 4 – Hello, I'm DK – creative producer and speaker coach

2023 Annual Review | Surviving To Reviving

At Moco Museum, Barcelona, October 2023.

A glance back, a look around and a momentary peer towards the future.

As predicted last year, chapters were burning to a close and new ones were stirring in their embers.

2022 was tough. The long tail of the pandemic set in which continued the survival mode of the previous two years, where I and others it seemed to battle and scrape through (emotionally and financially). It was a year which went on to provide a foil to 2023…

…as the borders of the world re-opened I was able to travel and explore and connect into latent communities once again. This created momentum and re-ignited hopes plus fanned the muted coals of my ambition. I was hungry in ambition again and my heart was re-opened!

So lets begin this end of year review with recapping the significant 2023 pages turned and adventures ended:

LEAVING NEW ZEALAND

Visiting Lake Takepo, New Zealand, March 2023.

3 months ago I left (see / read Leaving To Arrive | Way Led On To Way) after 3 months of preparing, which is half a year of transitioning from one immense state of being to another.

It was challenging!

For nearly a decade, I knew I was living in a wonderful country. I had built epic friendships and had intense, transformative experiences. I crafted a different career skillset and personna (when I left I was all about social media and was taking my little company(s) with me to be bought and relaunched there, which never happened). I basically created a life full of richness and was very grateful even against the downside of being so far away from everything.

Then the pandemic hit and boy the isolation got amplified. And with that the communities and activities around TEDxWellington and Creative Leadership NZ went away plus most of my work dried up. Although as I mentioned above, my ambition did the opposite and was back with a vengeance end of last year and beginning of this. So I started applying for big roles and got nowhere. I also noted that when going offshore there was far more opportunities and significant gigs (purely due to market size plus openness of other cultures as NZ is conservative no matter what they tell themselves and the world).

Then I met someone (who lives in Europe).

With that and against the backdrop of a major global market contraction plus a desire to keep pushing the boundaries of my own learning experiences I knew I had to leave (and friends / mentors where also saying the same).

As a citizen I can always return but for now, I’m trying really hard to follow Mr Dass’s advice and be here now because I miss the land of the long white cloud so very much!

CREATIVE WELLY

Read full blog post review: Wrapping Up Creative Welly | A Study In Human Intimacy

After 50 episodes, featuring 100 bold humans having courageous conversations, this imaginative enterprise found a natural end.

I’m so massively proud of what Jono (Tucker from Empire Films) and I did over the three years of this project. There’s nothing like it in the world of podcasts and to have 100 other people participate in a long-form media offering like this still astounds me.

We did one extra episode (watch above plus read all about it here) and if this is the first time you’ve heard about this please, please, please watch this one as it’s a great introduction plus celebration of lessons learned.

CREATIVE PRODUCING

I love creating space for people and also designing opportunities for others to have voice. That to me is the essence of a creative producer in the context of events and activations.

This year I got to collaborate with an array of clients to develop tailored and specific stakeholder engagement experiences which went much further than the usual talking at people and asking them a couple of questions (this by the way is called a seminar).

I truly feel at home in the design process of such things: aligning the goals and aims to the advocacy of the delegate experience; going back to first principles to constantly check against presumptions; dealing in evoking emotion and potential; trusting the process of discovery through intuition and informed experience.

So whether it was developing a multi-day / venue experience around the country for a major government organisation who were launching a massive new policy or shaping an arena for high level government elected officials to understand the work of their organisational leads via a showcase, all briefs were delivered with the understanding of creating learning experiences which show rather than just tell, and always impact beyond expectations.

See below on details on how this has now become my day job.

X’ITING TWITTER

After 17 years I’m no longer ‘tweeting like a fool’.

TEULO

After nearly 4 years of MC’ing their online events and leading their in-studio productions plus producing most of their audio podcasts, my time with Teulo drew to a close with my emigration.

Just to be at the start of a new venture is a gift, let alone an initiative such as this, to watch it flourish and blossom from the inside as an aligned delivery partner has been a pure treat.

Thank you Jay for the trust you placed in me and the opportunity to learn aside you.

Will continue to watch and clap in celebration from afar!

And what about the opening acts of new narratives:

RETURNING TO BLIGHTY

For the reasons above, I got a job back in the UK.

I applied for well over thirty jobs in Spring and early Summer this year. Two were in the UK and I got an interview for one with a job offer arriving a week later.

Since returning, I’ve settled back in the heart of the valleys, re-engaging with the family and roots. It’s amazing to be called ‘but’ and ‘bach’ again. It’s an odd thing to find myself where I said I would never go back to but I know I’m just passing through. The aim is to move up to the Celtic north early next year and lay my hat in that region for the foreseeable future.

NEW JOB

Can’t share much but what I can say is that I’m working for a central government agency, leading a new department with a newly formed team, to develop and deliver a major conference plus some other in-house experiences.

It’s a wonderfully challenging place to be and I’m totally fascinated by everything that that includes (as you can imagine).

In a few months the conference details will be public so sorry about the sparse details but more will follow mid-year.

LEADING (A NEW TEAM AND…)

…an organisation through a new new literacy set regarding events as a professional discipline. That’s the longer game alongside the shorter one of establishing a new team, with the right culture and approach.

As a manger, I try my best to take a servant leadership approach, which manifests in principles relating to collaboration, trust and creativity.

From my previous leadership training and coaching, as well as being exposed to many amazing pioneers in my speaker coaching work plus meeting many more impressive ground-breakers via TED, TEDx, Creative Welly, Creative Leadership, events like HATCH, C2 Montreal, BIF etc., it’s become obvious that the nature of such a role is not about power. It’s about devolving power and forging opportunities to grow. It’s about aiding others to become more than they are which in turn positively impacts on organisational delivery / brand / effectiveness.

For me, authority has never been a title but a demonstration of pedigree, expertise and competence.

Leading is always, always, always, approached with all the compassion and grace I can muster.

SPEAKER COACHING

I negotiated a four-day-week in my current role with the intention of continuing my speaker coaching services because it fills my soul.

For the beginning of 2024 I will be working with just one client to increase the in-house capability of their staff for external speaking opportunities, which means I have no time to offer any masterclasses for the first quarter of next year. However, still open for a couple 1-2-1s with impressive leaders though so just holler and happy to book other things in from April onwards.

ONLINE COURSE

Had another 60+ sales of my Presenting Engagingly Online course this year.

If you present online for any reasons like speaking at virtual events or pitching for work through digital channels, then this cheap-as-chips course is for you (get in now as going to be hiked up next year after a reboot).

TEDx TALK & BOOK

Right at the end of 2022 I spoke at TEDxNelson, a small event situated in the extreme north of the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.

And since going live I’ve been amazed to watch it creep towards the half a million views mark (currently at 477+k views). It does a good job of condensing nearly a decade of practice in under 20mins.

A few months after it went live I released an ebook / audiobook package which was inspired by the talk and was 20 years in the making.

My hope it that it ignites creative action plus aids your future public speaking endeavors (read Speaking With Purpose: A guide to delivering impressive presentations! | Buy The Ebook & Audiobook Bundle for the full backround plus free chapters).

For only $10NZD this bundle deal features an ebook with 37 juicy chapters, nearly 14,000 words across 89 pages plus a 1hour34mins audiobook version (read by me).

buy on GUMROAD

Other highlights from this chunk of time have included:

GIGS

2023 clients who have aided me paying the rent have included: Accenture, ACC, Do Digital Agency, Groov, IBI Arcadis, Impact Hub Munich, Pro Clima Teulo, Shaw Festival Theatre, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Wellington Regional Leadership Committee, plus many 1-2-1s with leaders (as well as a couple I can’t talk about due to NDA’s).

Usually, I do a breakdown of how much money I earned from the different categories of services I offer although due to the simple reasons of time and energy, not happening this year.

HATCH

So good to be back with my tribe again attending the first ever HATCH in Europe (Switzerland).

Read all about it here.

BRAVE LEADERSHIP

What an array of insights gained from those who spoke and such a high caliber of delegates (everyone I talked to was doing impressive things).

Read all about it here.

FEATURES: DAN & PAUL & CNIC

Leadership Now Podcast With Dan Pontefract | Sharing Insights From My Speaking Coaching & Creative Producing Experience

Helping People Perform Podcast | My Journey & Current Approach

Thank you all, deeply and with humble deep waist bows!

CURATED / CREATED

As social media eats it tail, am grateful to have this blog (an activity which I’ve been doing for nearly 25 years now).

Here’s my 2023 tally including curated posts which have so many goodies and further things to explore (I’m in constant wonderment regarding the goodies found online and even more by those who prefer to watch TV instead):

Not bad going…

TRAVEL

Eckhart Tolle life is an adventure quote

Been so very fortunate to explore new and old places this year such Auckland, Northland, Christchurch, Queenstown, road trip around South Island (of Aotearoa New Zealand), Barcelona, Edinburgh, Montrose, London, Munich, Berlin, Dublin, Montreux, Toronto, Niagara on the Lake & the Falls.

In 2024 I’m hoping to do a lot more of Europe and the UK whilst also visit the last populated continent I’ve yet to visit: South America.

And as for the coming 2024 chunk of time, I have plans but we all know planning is guessing, then again, for what it’s worth:

REDO PEO

As mentioned above, Presenting Engagingly Online is due a reboot.

I’ll basically add more chapters, build out more of the peripheral content and resources plus weave in some ‘show and tell’ of other new tech which I’ve been playing with.

A couple of my peers have mentioned how stupidly cheap it is (even to the point of stating I should add a “0” to the end). Will definitely be upping the price to match the extra content and think about some affiliate options as well.

THIRD BOOK

Been fascinated by some of the historic tales from when the Romans first invaded these lands and the beginning of the cultural colonisation which followed for what would become the Welsh.

Due to the imperialism and in some cases the genocide of the culture, Wales has had the least storytelling from all the Celtic nations appear on a global stage.

So I’m penning an historical fiction tale for no other reason than to try and offer something in the space (and not going to use ChatGPT for it).

RESEARCHING FOURTH BOOK + FOURTH BUSINESS

I’ve also started research on a fourth book and planning out a movement / business idea.

This one has been bubbling for some time and aligns to the last decade of creative producing and other more artistic activities.

It’s a slow burn and I’m in no rush with this one as the world isn’t ready for it just yet, so for now it’s about allowing it to come through organically, through conversation, leaning (again) into my Celtic heritage of aural / oral mediums.

PODCASTING AGAIN (MAYBE)

I’m dusting off an old idea and thinking of podcasting, again.

Ever since I started in 2006, it’s a medium which has liberated and fulfilled many aspects of my persona.

Again though, it will be with the intention of furthering the genre in a creative way (like with Creative Welly).

WRAPPING UP

Was feeling pretty buoyant coming to the end of 2023, albeit knackered after moving from one side of the globe to the other and starting a brand new job with a new team doing something this organisation I’ve never collaborated with has ever done before.

Then some words / actions of others scuppered those good feelings and transformed levity into stressful times and troubling thoughts.

Luckily, I had good souls around to comfort plus offer support and guidance. Seeking further insights from others, I switched into being proactive and produced a solution or two and then activated my creative strategy skills in manifesting potential pathways. I also reflected on other challenges I’ve overcome in the past and in terms of scale how this is very manageable. I uncovered through this process how deeply tied to my values I am and how that is a very good thing for the soul.

So now all there’s to do is greet the oncoming shift upwards in suffix numerals to denote a calendar change with a smile, and welcome the possibilities of greatness we’re all manifesting. With love.

So, how was your 2023 and what does 2024 have in store for yous?

Previous years reviews: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009…

Kiwi Diary 2024 | A Transmedium Contribution

From digital musings about analogue times to an analogue feature to digital again.

What a joy to get the image above which shows a little blog post I wrote back in 2018 now in print:

“The Kiwi Diary showcases Aotearoa’s people, landscape and stories, and becomes a treasured, personalised keepsake. KD is “good nutrition for your cognition” – adorned with art, recipes, poetry, and thought-leadership. Kiwi Diary content is designed to keep us connected to what is good for planet & people.”

Thought I’d have a crack at reading it out loud to add some ‘soul’ to the piece (4m32s):

Thank you to Freda for continuing to curate and produce this wonderful artifact (which you can purchase here).

Authority Doesn’t Come From Titles | Brave Leadership Summit 2023 Review

Still brimming with new ideas, juicy insights plus useful language after my time at the first ever Brave Leadership Summit last week.

Devised and organised by the fantabulous David McQueen a dear friend who delivered a masterclass in crafting and holding space for others to shine. Developing a learning experience with superb speakers and all the aspects to make it go smoothly is no small feat so want to publicly celebrate the success of those who are bold enough to try (plus nail it)!

Took loads of notes and the biggest takeaways for me were:

Leadership is supposed to be tough: step into that discomfort with gratitude
Privilege is about power: often just to simply have and use your voice
Brave leaders hold space for uncomfortable feelings and conversations: especially around topics relating to anti-racism (see fifteen characteristics of white supremacy culture)
Compassion and vulnerability takes courage: lots of speakers were channeling Brene Brown on this topic
As a leader, have you created a culture of trust, for people to ask questions, to make mistakes, to be bold etc: culture is only culture when lived (not words on a page or spoken out)
There’s no room for ego in leadership
“You can’t pour from an empty cup”
“It’s not about laying bricks, it’s about building a cathedral”

The experience is still reverberating through me, the side conversations, the language and insights shared plus being surrounded by considerate humans all purposeful & respectful of each others journeys as well… can’t wait till next year!

#57 October 2023 | Monthly Digital Breadcrumbs

A bunch of things (which I added to my Tumblr) for your eyes and ears plus brain to spend time on (as no longer on Twitter).

All monthly digital breadcrumbs posts.

#56 September 2023 | Monthly Digital Breadcrumbs

The ‘Welsh Not’, which usually consisted of a small piece of wood or slate inscribed with the letters ‘W.N’, was hung around the neck of a child who was caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day, the child wearing the ‘Welsh Not’ would be punished by the schoolteacher via People’s Collection Wales.

A bunch of things (which I tweeted) for your eyes and ears plus brain to spend time on.

READ

95% of NFTs are Worthless: Report “…study investigated 73,257 NFT collections, 69,795 of which have a market value of zero ETH.”

Indian actor Anil Kapoor wins court battle over AI use of his likeness the start of many, many, many more.

Scientists excited to find ocean of one of Jupiter’s moons contains carbon & Nasa says distant exoplanet could have rare water ocean and possible hint of life.

Google gets its way, bakes a user-tracking ad platform directly into Chrome, the browser now directly tracks users, generates a “topic” list it shares with advertisers (stop using it as a way to communicate this is not cool!).

EU unveils ‘revolutionary’ laws to curb big tech firms’ power, “…tech companies have six months to comply with a full list of dos and don’ts under the new laws, after which they could be fined up to 10% of their turnover.” BOOM!

Rassie Erasmus: ‘Winning the World Cup is nice – but the most beautiful thing is what we have created’. Some great leadership reflections / insights in this piece for anyone interested.

WATCH

EXPLORE

Over 500+ free CSS-only loaders made using a single element.

Check out this search engine for AI platforms / services, at current time of posting: 7,678 AIs for 2,103 tasks and 4,847 jobs.

EmojiGen, an open source emoji generator.

220+ ZX Spectrum 8×8 bitmap fonts & use for free with citation. My fav is Invasion, what’s yours?

All monthly digital breadcrumbs posts.

Tweetmailing No More | X’iting The Shitfire

After over 16 years, 36,600+ tweets, many connections / friends made, conversations / communities explored, good stuff curated and shared… I’m out!

For some time Twitter has been a bit of a turd.

A turd rolled in glitter.

Then Elon Musk was forced to buy it and decided to set it on fire.

So now it’s sparkly shit, in flames, stinking up the place…

I remember a time when it was an active community of humans adding value to each other (as when you tweeted people would see it, respond, share on etc).

It’s not anymore.

I remember when tweet-ups were a thing (literally tweeting out where you were going to be in a city or place or event and folks would join you from the virtual community to make themselves real).

It’s not anymore.

I remember when geo-location was available as a search criteria (as a way to connect into physical communities of practice and tracking some fun stuff).

It’s not anymore.

I remember when ‘Follow Fridays’ was a thing (celebrating people in your network for their efforts online and exposing them to your network for more follows).

It’s not anymore.

I remember when RSS feeds where available on profiles and even searches / hashtags (which allowed an opportunity to mash-up that data as research and insights or even as a way to curate clusters of people into fun groups).

It’s not anymore.

I remember when the platform had trust in its user base by showing just the tweets from people you were following (by the way if you want that, start a private list as sponsored tweets don’t appear in there when viewed and tweets are sorted by latest).

It’s not anymore.

I remember when Twitter was fun and allowed third party services like IFTTT to again curate and play with what’s being shared in interesting ways (I used to tweet quotes from Rilke and have them automatically curate to a Tumblr blog called ‘Missing Rilke‘).

It’s not anymore.

…the reason I stayed this long was due to the legacy echo of community and connection.

Alas, the algorithms, sponsors and shareholder return is all that matters now, along with a silly man in charge making sillier decisions (take your time).

My engagement (folks I talk to and who respond to my tweets) has flat lined to nearly zero these past few years. And just like with all my relationships, I need some parity of energy and effort to continue investing from my side.

Twitter will probably become one of the worst financial investment failures in modern history and all because one person thought he could do better than others for himself not the community as a whole (success in one arena does not equal mastery in another).

So I’m going back to things I can control. The stuff I used to advocate for when delivering new media training back in the day with my second company MediaSnackers. This blog (please do subscribe in the sidebra / footer or grab the RSS feed) will become the center point of future activities and my community (yes I’ve sniffed out Mastodon, Discord, BlueSky etc but I have no energy to build a new community elsewhere and dilute my offerings / energy further, plus I’m going to be busy for a while with my new job).

So thank you Twitter.

Thank you for connecting us to each other.

For allowing us to express ourselves.

To be heard in a loud world.

To be part of something, expansive.

It worked. For a while. Now it doesn’t:

My first ever tweet, see ‘I’ve Been Tweetmailing For 15 Years | How The Twittersphere Has Changed‘

Leaving To Arrive | Way Led On To Way

After a 12 years, I’m off to take up a role with a central UK government agency where I’ll be leading a newly formed team to develop and deliver an international multi-day conference in 2025 (see Open Call To Play | Back On The Creative Market).

In 2011 I moved from the capital city of Cymru Wales, to Christchurch, four months after the February earthquake. It was a challenging place to settle and in under a year I moved again to the capital of Aotearoa New Zealand, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, where I’ve been ever since.

I will miss this place, dearly.

I didn’t want to move and the short story is this is a career opportunity I wouldn’t get if I stayed and I’m hungry (there’s a longer story and happy to share if you ask / buy me a peppermint tea).

For anyone reading this who has emigrated you will attest to the logistical and emotional toll such a journey encompasses. The mountain of action needed to traverse from one geographical region to the next whilst also facing down multiple emotional experiences. And as shared in the wrap-up bonus episode of Creative Welly, I will miss the people the most.

Such a move makes one reflective and a retrospective of my time here will follow, but for now, I’m head down in downsizing / goodwilling / recycling / gifting all my stuff ready for the move plus catching up with people that matter, along with lining up living options on the other side of the planet.

So it’s onwards into a new chapter.

A new country to live in.

A new capital city to explore.

A new community to serve.

~~A new job to do (I’ve negotiated a four-day week contract to ensure I can continue my speaker coaching with leaders and some other side projects which I’ve put off for a while)~~ (see Open Call To Play | Back On The Creative Market).

So if you’re looking for a masterclass or speaker coaching session get one in super-fast in the next two weeks. Or if you want to catch up in-person before I leave these shores then please just reach out (quickly), as who knows when I’ll be back this way again:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The Road Not Taken, By Robert Frost

*sighs*

Wrapping Up Creative Welly | A Study In Human Intimacy

The final episode of this three year journey in creating something beautiful (in podcast form).

Last week I posted episodes 49 and 50 of the unique podcast I conceived and produced, Creative Welly, where we have courageous conversations with bold humans, and today the final ‘bonus’ episode went live—watch above for the back story and insights into the whole adventure.

So why end?

Simply put, it achieved its goals plus as discussed in the episode above, I (probably) won’t be around much longer.

The first episode went live in June 2020 and after 50 episodes, 100 humans, over 80 hours worth of conversation shared, it’s time to wrap it all up in a neat bow and stand back as a gift to the community of participants, partners and watchers / listeners alike.

This was a selfish project in some ways (which I talk about above) although with a high intention of creating space for humanity to flourish (through conversation) and in doing so offer a way to deeply connect back into something ritualistic and primal.

You see, Creative Welly is a fireside.

A democratic gathering of humans through a bond of openness, curiosity and design.

Everything about it was crafted with this in mind: the circular table aiding the balance of the storytelling space for those who sat at it; the key-light which lit all participants equally and wonderfully; the black and white aesthetic to continue the attempt of harmony; moving the cameras far back into the shadows so they don’t get in the way; the visual split of everyone being on screen in the final edit which serves a further purpose to amplify intimacy in the viewers (as every nuance of non-verbal gestural cues was on display not like other podcasts or video content).

Metrics of success

As discussed, in many episodes and the one above, I never once looked at the stats relating to the project.

Having 100 of my network to say yes and share this experience with them, was reward enough.

However, other noticeable achievements was the invite to apply (under sponsorship) for a Webby Award (we didn’t win but amazing to be invited), got interviewed by the local radio station plus we were notified also that Creative Welly was in the top top 4% of content creators on Spotify as well.

Many are still surprised to find out the whole project was funded by:

~~Sponsorship~~
~~Membership~~
~~Donations~~
~~Affiliate links~~
~~Paid participation spots~~
~~Selling branded merchandise~~
~~Selling tickets to live shows~~
Our own time and money (independently produced and hosting paid for us).

…and the fact we made so many episodes is a total accomplishment (as again detailed in the above episode, the amount of work which goes into them is a lot).

Recognition

Apart from me there were three entities who made Creative Welly bloom:

ALL the videos were produced by Jono Tucker of Empire Films.

Not only that, this amazing person also aided massively the stupendous visual fidelity of the project.

Can honestly say that without this man Creative Welly wouldn’t have been the artistic success it was, thank you Jono!

Most of the episodes were hosted / shot at FlashDog Studios, thanks to proprietor David Hamilton.

David sadly passed away the day after we shot the final episodes and he will be missed by the photography and film studio community in Wellington.

The first 9 episodes were previously hosted at Xequals offices. Thanks to them and specifically Alex Matthews (who participated in Episode 14) for again believing in the project when it was just an idea.

Epilogue

So, checking against the brief, to both create something unique in the podcast genre which creates intimacy for the participants as well as the viewers and celebrate humans who are doing imaginative things in this fair city and beyond (hence the name):

Creative | adjective : imaginative / original people adding value to the world.

Welly | British informal : with dynamic energy and vigour.

…can smile when I say: we nailed it!

Last week we also held a gathering inviting all who have participated at the new Empire Films studio (like we did back in July 2021) as they were the first to know we were wrapping up the project:

And here’s the monster list of all the episodes in case you missed any:

Keep having courageous conversations with bold humans!

Check out some other podcasts I’ve been on.

#55 August 2023 | Monthly Digital Breadcrumbs

The original Wicker Man origin: an image from a set of 8 extra-illustrated volumes of A tour in Wales by Thomas Pennant (1726-1798) that chronicle the three journeys he made through Wales between 1773 and 1776 (via Wikipedia).

A bunch of things (which I tweeted) for your eyes and ears plus brain to spend time on.

READ

Buyers of Bored Ape NFTs sue after digital apes turn out to be bad investment (insert-shocked-face-gif) -> if this is successful the floodgates will open…

…and hopefully more will follow for young people who are taking entitled boomers in leadership regarding the climate damage they continue to be the cause of to court: Judge rules in favor of Montana youths in landmark climate decision.

Meta’s Reality Labs (the metaverse tech dept) has now lost more than $21 billion since the beginning of last year: WOW & along with Musky it’s safe to say now that these ‘tech leaders’ don’t know what they are doing!

Why fidgeting is good for you, first paragraph bloody shocking as never thought this to be true, do people actually think that (asking for me as a fidgeter)?

Turning Empty Offices Into Vertical Farms (good for cities who are emptying due to working from homers and want to utilise their empty buildings but of course the great and good won’t contemplate that as that’s about doing something different and ah well sighs etc).

WATCH

EXPLORE

This podcast with Topaz Adizes on ‘Can a Single Conversation Change Your Relationship Forever?‘, good for your ears / brain.

The Text FX project (from Google Labs) for some wicked fun ways to “expand the writing process by generating creative possibilities with text and language.”

I don’t pay much attention to web3 stuff as I used to although this newsletter (from Molly White) keeps me in touch in what’s happening in the silly crypto space.

Lunar Codex is an attempt to put an archive of 30,000+ creative artists from 157 countries on the Moon in 2026 as part of NASA Artemis program.

The NYC city government public Rat Information Portal.

All monthly digital breadcrumbs posts.

Flawed Social Media Engagement Tactics | A Simple Fix

A snippet from a recent Creative Welly episode which sums up my thinking on why our online feeds are so ineptly corrupt these days plus a simple strategy to solve the problem.

And I meant a psychology degree in addiction.

“Trust people to be human and adults about this. Let them follow who they want to follow and just serve them that stuff, nothing else. And you’ll be surprised then the uptake of activity because you’ve trusted them.”
Clipped from Creative Welly Episode #49 | Julia Capon & Jake Nash

WATCH (like 1million+ others, my TEDx talk, now on ted.com), the public speaking lesson you never had, and BUY the companion Speaking With Purpose e/audiobook.

A glance back, a look around and a momentary peer towards the future.

LEAVING NEW ZEALAND

CREATIVE WELLY

CREATIVE PRODUCING

X’ITING TWITTER

TEULO

RETURNING TO BLIGHTY

NEW JOB

LEADING (A NEW TEAM AND…)

SPEAKER COACHING

ONLINE COURSE

TEDx TALK & BOOK

GIGS

HATCH

BRAVE LEADERSHIP

FEATURES: DAN & PAUL & CNIC

CURATED / CREATED

TRAVEL

REDO PEO

THIRD BOOK

RESEARCHING FOURTH BOOK + FOURTH BUSINESS

PODCASTING AGAIN (MAYBE)

WRAPPING UP

Previous years reviews: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009…

From digital musings about analogue times to an analogue feature to digital again.

Still brimming with new ideas, juicy insights plus useful language after my time at the first ever Brave Leadership Summit last week.

A bunch of things (which I added to my Tumblr) for your eyes and ears plus brain to spend time on (as no longer on Twitter).

READ

WATCH

EXPLORE

A bunch of things (which I tweeted) for your eyes and ears plus brain to spend time on.

READ

WATCH

EXPLORE

After over 16 years, 36,600+ tweets, many connections / friends made, conversations / communities explored, good stuff curated and shared… I’m out!

Related posts: Flawed Social Media Engagement Tactics | A Simple Fix, Twitter Basics | Plus The Things They Never Tell You, Ulearn12 | The Rise Of The Tweetmailers, Tweriod | When Your Audience Is Online For Engagement, plus all monthly digital breadcrumbs posts.

After a 12 years, I’m off to take up a role with a central UK government agency where I’ll be leading a newly formed team to develop and deliver an international multi-day conference in 2025 (see Open Call To Play | Back On The Creative Market).

The final episode of this three year journey in creating something beautiful (in podcast form).

So why end?

Metrics of success

Recognition

Epilogue

A bunch of things (which I tweeted) for your eyes and ears plus brain to spend time on.

READ

WATCH

EXPLORE

A snippet from a recent Creative Welly episode which sums up my thinking on why our online feeds are so ineptly corrupt these days plus a simple strategy to solve the problem.