DESIGN the LIFE you want!

Can you design the life you want using your creativity? Well, Creativity is a powerful force that can reshape not just art, but business, leadership, and your life. It’s all about understanding people and how we work. So the latest guest on The Creative Nowhere land Podcast is, professional thinker and expert in people, Alastair Gill, founder of Alchemy Labs, who has used the creative skills he learnt as a art student and used them to become a groundbreaking leadership advisor in the world of business, a sector not necessarily known for it’s creativity.

EMBRACING THE INPUTS!

Alastair's journey begins at art school, where he admits he often wanted to skip the research phase and jump straight to the final piece. Ironically, that research methodology—the thinking, exploring, and understanding—would become central to his future career. After graduation, rather than pursuing a traditional creative path, Alastair followed his curiosity, travelling the world,d soaking up as much as he could, increasing the inputs he was receiving. But, not only that, also gaining crucial life lessons about work ethic and self-sufficiency. If you want the fun to continue, you have to work for it!

Upon returning home, Alastair found himself working in HR (Human Resources) in local government—a seemingly unlikely match for an art graduate. While pursuing a master's degree in HR, Alastair discovered that the creativity and research skills he once avoided at art school had become his passion. He began questioning established practices and developing innovative approaches to workplace dynamics. And this local council environment became the testing ground where he began to see how his creative thinking could disrupt traditional corporate structures.

GIFGAF - THE FIRST ALBUM!

The real breakthrough came when Alastair joined giffgaff. At the time, a small, disruptive mobile company looking to break all the rules. Now a household name that generates £1/2 billion a year! Here, his creative problem-solving skills flourished as he helped design a company culture built around psychological engagement and removing bureaucratic barriers. By approaching HR challenges with a creative mindset, he helped transform how the company operated, growing with them as they expanded exponentially in revenue and market presence.

ALCHEMY LABS!

Always looking for the next challenge, Alastair left giffgaff and founded his own business, Alchemy Labs. But how do you follow such a successful ‘first album’ like the giant that is giffgaff? Well, it turned out that once word got out that Alastair had gone it alone, a whole number of businesses were seeking his unique blend of creative thinking and corporate expertise. And Beavertown came calling. Not a bad follow-up ‘second album’!

Alastair's approach centres on understanding the fundamental problem (what he calls "first principle thinking"), generating creative solutions, and then testing them systematically. It's essentially applying creative thinking to business challenges. And Alastair was proving that it worked, and this success led to more opportunities with well-known companies like Just Eat and Ernst & Young. As well as speaking gigs in front of thousands of people, all wanting a piece of his knowledge as an expert in his field!

PEOPLE PROBLEMS!

What makes Alastair's story so compelling is his philosophical approach. He emphasises that "every problem is a people problem," and that most issues, whether in business or creativity, stem from miscommunication or lack of understanding. By clearing away unnecessary rules and creating environments where people understand their purpose and direction, individuals and organisations can unlock incredible potential.

For individuals at any stage of their creative or entrepreneurial journey, Alastair offers up some powerful insights that we can all try and utilise moving forward: know your "why" to sustain you through difficult times; do the work without excuses; think of yourself as a product to be developed and marketed; get out of your own way by recognising that your biggest competitor is yourself; hold strong opinions loosely to remain adaptable; and develop the ability to switch between "scout mode" (exploring new possibilities) and "soldier mode" (executing established plans).

ALASTAIR GILL - CNL PODCAST

In this episode of The Creative Nowhere Land Podcast, these insights are all explained in much more detail, and we explore Alastair’s journey. The journey from art student to corporate disruptor offers a powerful reminder that creativity, at its core, is about problem-solving. Whether we're creating art or designing business systems, the creative process remains fundamentally the same, and can be your greatest asset in designing the life you want to lead.

The beauty of Alastair's story lies in its unexpectedness—how seemingly disparate experiences in art, travel, and corporate work combined to create something new and valuable. It demonstrates that creativity isn't limited to traditional artistic pursuits but can be applied to transform businesses, careers, and lives. As Alastair puts it: "You have the tools in your back pocket to design the life you want, and you can paint the picture layer by layer."

This journey from art student to corporate disruptor offers a powerful reminder that creativity, at its core, is about problem-solving. Whether we're creating art or designing business systems, the creative process remains fundamentally the same—and can be your greatest asset in designing the life you want to lead. You can either make an excuse or you can make it happen.

So, get your pen and paper ready, as you might want to take some notes, and enjoy the latest episode.

Check out the links below to Al's Instagram and The Alchemy Labs Website as you listen.

ALCHEMY LABS LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alchemylabs/

AL GILL LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alastair-gill

ALCHEMY LABS WEBSITE: https://www.alchemylabs.co.uk/