We’ve been a little quiet on the B!G 5 Live front recently. While we’ve been busy preparing classes for next year’s programme, we couldn’t resist sharing some highlights from our latest Instagram Live sessions.
Before our short hiatus, we had more fast-paced, lively conversations with mentors — short, sharp sessions that are always worth tuning into.
Most recently, we were joined by Jonathan Leahy Maharaj, Creative Lead at UCC Academy; Nhung Luu, UX Designer at Workday; Siobhan Fitzpatrick, Founder of The Networking Hub; Diarmuid MacMahon (Mac), Product Designer and COO at Design Partners; and Tara Cullen, Design Programme Co-ordinator at Technological University of the Shannon.
Across all our Instagram Live sessions, mentors consistently agree on one thing: creativity is for everyone.
Well… almost everyone — Jonathan jokingly excluded accountants! Still, Mac made a strong point. Every project involves creativity, no matter your role. Whether you’re an engineer, designer, UX specialist, or working in operations, creativity plays a part in everything you do.
And that’s good news for all of us.
There’s no single “right” time to be creative.
For Nhung, creativity flows when there’s no pressure — during everyday moments. Jonathan finds inspiration anywhere, from the shower to lunch breaks or casual conversations. Siobhan thrives when surrounded by like-minded people, bouncing ideas back and forth.
Tara enjoys the energetic, chaotic stage of creativity — when brainstorming is in full swing, ideas are flying, and direction isn’t yet clear. That’s often when the magic happens. Mac, on the other hand, prefers a more structured approach and feels creative at most times of day, except for the dreaded midday slump.
Jonathan shared that his biggest challenge has been something many of us recognise: not believing in himself.
Mac reflected on his degree project, which he considers his biggest creative failure. He wasn’t happy with the outcome — but it’s also where he learned the most.
Mistakes happen in every project. That’s normal. What matters is learning from them and not repeating the same mistakes. This perfectly reflects one of The B!G Idea’s core principles: fLearning — learning through failure.
So what did this sparky group leave us with?
Question everything.
Challenge assumptions.
Stay curious.
Take risks.
Fail, learn, and try again.
And most importantly — believe in yourself.
