B!G 5 Live: Mentors honest Insights on Creativity

20 December 2021
B!G 5 Live: Mentors honest Insights on Creativity
The B!G Idea
The B!G Idea
The B!G Idea
The B!G Idea

“Creativity often shows up when you stop trying so hard and simply give your mind space to wander.”

— B!G Idea Mentor Community

The B!G 5 never fails to entertain — and the most recent interviews were no exception.

Over the past six weeks, we had the pleasure of chatting with an incredible group of mentors on B!G 5 Live, including:

  • Dr Iain McDonald, Head of Design Innovation at Maynooth Universi
  • Róisín Lafferty, CEO of Kingston Design
  • Sean Lennon, Founder of Think Design
  • Grace Hughes, Conversational Design Lead (Europe) at Fjord / Accenture Interactive
  • Peter Murphy, Industrial Designer at Design Partners
  • Aisling O’Neil, Homewares Designer at Primark

What a line-up!

Each mentor had just 15 seconds per question — which might sound generous, but as they quickly discovered, it flies by. The result? Fast-paced, honest answers packed with creative gold.


When Are We Most Creative?

One encouraging pattern came through clearly.

When asked when they feel most creative, nearly everyone mentioned moments of relaxation or enjoyment.

Grace finds ideas flowing while walking her dog or cycling. Róisín feels most creative when travelling. Iain admitted his best ideas arrive just as he’s about to fall asleep — not ideal for rest, but very relatable!

The message was clear: creativity often appears when the mind is free.


Advice Students Really Need to Hear

The mentors shared powerful and practical advice for students.

Grace encouraged everyone to believe in themselves, even when the process feels chaotic or overwhelming. Trust your instinct — you’ll get there.

Iain reinforced a core value of The B!G Idea: don’t fear failure. We call this fLearning — learning through failure. Making mistakes, taking risks, and exploring new ideas are essential parts of the creative process.

Róisín focused on curiosity. Her advice was simple: ask questions — and then ask some more. The more you ask, the more you understand, and the more enjoyable the journey becomes.

Aisling added that if you don’t know who to ask, ask online. Someone, somewhere, will have the answer.

Peter offered a reminder we all need from time to time. Comparing yourself to others is distracting and unhelpful. Focus on your own work, because your voice matters and your opinion matters.


A Final Thought

Wise words from an inspiring group of mentors — and the invitation is open for others to join them.

Creativity thrives when people share, support, and encourage one another. And that’s exactly what The B!G 5 Live is all about.

Creativity is the best part of life, it’s the fun, it's self expression, it's playfulness.

Rosin Lafferty

Reach out to people and ask them questions. Your teacher might not know the answer but someone will.

Aisling O’Neil

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