Alison Grade has been a professional freelancer all her career and describes her key skill as transforming creative concepts into a business reality. She accomplishes this with the films she produces, the creative entrepreneurs she mentors, small and medium enterprises she advises, and in her book, The Freelance Bible (Penguin).
The minute I came across an article about Alison, I knew I wanted to interview her on the podcast to discuss, not only what it means to embrace a freelancing career, but also the tricky relationship between creativity and business.
Drawing from her academic training, as well as from her experience as an entrepreneur who has established her own businesses and worked at senior level in many media companies, Alison shares her take on creativity as problem-solving. Whether it’s finding solutions and new ideas for enterprises or helping creative entrepreneurs becoming empowered, solving problems is at the core of everything she does.
And at a time when we’re redefining work conditions and productivity, after a year of working from home, I’m sure many of you will find it inspiring to hear her debunk myths about freelancing and describe the joy and excitement of seeing her clients understand their 'why' and own their space, story, and value in the world. So I hope you will enjoy our conversation.
For further details on Alison’s work:
ABOUT THE CREATIVITY FOR ALL PODCAST
A maths teacher can be creative. So can a financial adviser, a community builder, and a yoga teacher. Not to mention a speed painter, a potter, or an actor!
Creativity is everywhere and I love nothing more than to explore it in The Creativity for All Podcast, either by focusing on a theme – such as perfectionism, feeding your creative brain, or the pressure to be creative – in my solo episodes, or through my conversations with all manner of creative people.
I want to challenge the perception of creativity and, in the process, debunk many myths attached to it: it's painful, for artists and the chosen few, etc.
My guests and I are keen to zoom in and dissect the origin of an idea, the impulse that makes us engage with our own creativity, with the hope that it will inspire listeners to get creative too.
My podcast is designed for anyone who’s already being creative, or is tempted to use their creativity, in particular those of you who think they are not creative or can never be. I would love to change your mind!
The Creativity for All Podcast is sponsored by Blue as an Orange, where we believe in creativity through communication, and offer mentoring and coaching for aspiring writers and tailored language tuition for individuals and companies.