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Dear Creativity...born at a sticker machine
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Dear Creativity, Last week I found you at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, tucked in the corner of a conference afterparty, right between a Prince exhibit and a surprisingly good cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” There was so much to take in. Rock and roll memorabilia. Interactive music stations. Curated video segments that made me emotional in a very controlled conference-attendee way. And of course, great conversation about what we’d all learned that week. But what caught my eye wasn’t the flashy stage costumes or the wall of electric guitars; it was a little sticker-making station. A kiosk. A virtual keyboard. A prompt. The printer wasn’t working — naturally — but that didn’t matter. Because in that moment, I realized: you’ll take whatever chance I give you. And so, Black Unicorns was born. No album. No rehearsal. Just a name. That was enough to feel the creative wheels spin and connect the idea that has been circling in my mind for a while now, since I officially launched The Innovation Doctor on August 17, 2023. On my launch poster, I wrote: I am a black unicorn that makes magic happen. I love how you are always connecting my new and old. And now you have me wondering... You’re sneaky like that. You don’t always need a full plan. Sometimes you only need a name, a mood, and a poorly functioning printer to put me in conversation with you. So thanks for showing up, even at 7:59 p.m. in the corner of a music museum. Next time, I’ll bring the sparkle. You bring the tour bus. Innovatively yours, |
Diary of a Wannabe Creative
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Dear Creativity, You know I’m not the easiest traveler. I like my comforts, my routines, my familiar little rituals — probably because I’ve had my share of travel mishaps over the years. But today, somewhere between the security line and 30,000 feet in the air, you reminded me that you can show up anywhere. In the TSA agent moving people through the lines, not with a robotic monotone delivery, but with a grin and a few jokes to make us laugh. In the gate agent with the cheeriest voice,...
Dear Creativity, I said yes to that business planning retreat for one reason: two full days to focus on my ideas. And maybe — if I’m honest — I could have stayed somewhere basic. A plain hotel room. Beige walls. A desk that reminded me of all the tasks I should be doing instead of dreaming. It would have worked. Technically. But I didn’t want to be practical. I wanted to be wrapped in inspiration — morning, noon, and night. So I chose this beautiful boutique hotel, The Mining Exchange. A...
Dear Creativity, You got me excited about HatchDay. I followed the spark. I mapped ideas. I said yes to the possibility.But lately, something’s been nudging me — gently, steadily — in a different direction. At first, I resisted. Wasn’t I supposed to follow through? Wasn’t this what you wanted? But you’ve never been about straight lines. You’ve always been more about movement — the kind that surprises, pauses, and pivots. This weekend, I was driving with an old friend through Garden of the...