We had a B!G birthday to celebrate last week — B!G 5 Live turned one! Over the past year, we’ve interviewed, chatted and laughed with an incredible group of B!G 5 Live creative mentors. Every week, they’ve shared wisdom, creativity and real-world experience with our students. Although our mentors come from different industries and backgrounds, they all share two things: a sense of fun and a passion for creativity.
Over the year, we welcomed:
Together, they represent design, advertising, innovation and technology at the highest level.
When asked what creativity means to them, each mentor offered a different perspective. For Neil, creativity is imagination — rearranging familiar elements in unfamiliar ways and experimenting freely. Meanwhile, Aoife emphasised that creativity goes far beyond drawing or painting; it’s a vital way of thinking. Mick described creativity as a way to “trick” his brain into thinking differently from everyday routines. Although their definitions varied, one thing remained clear: creativity is a mindset, not a job title.
Interestingly, their creative peaks differed too. Some felt most creative first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee. Others found inspiration late at night when the house finally went quiet. However, they all agreed on one powerful truth — collaboration fuels creativity. Being around others sparks ideas and pushes thinking further.
Creativity and collaboration truly go hand in hand.
When asked about their biggest creative fails, three mentors gave the same answer: there is no such thing as failure — only fLearning. Neil explained it perfectly. In hardware development, teams build failure into the process. Just like rehearsals before a show, those “failures” strengthen the final performance. In other words, fail fast and learn faster. Similarly, Aoife described her proudest achievement not as awards, but as meaningful work with charity partners. For Lauren, completing her Master’s degree — with all its creative challenges — marked a major milestone.
The final B!G question always delivers the best insights. Neil encouraged students to value their own way of thinking. Everyone thinks differently, and every perspective has value. Aoife focused on the importance of understanding the brief. Read it. Understand it. Know your audience. Then create. Meanwhile, Mick encouraged students to use this time to test whether a creative career might suit them. Lauren emphasised listening — not just hearing, but truly listening — especially when stuck. Ronan, staying perfectly on-brand, championed fLearning: fail forward, have fun and avoid being overly critical. When you relax and accept ideas openly, your brain becomes more receptive to possibilities.
Taken together, these conversations form a powerful web of knowledge and guidance. As a result, we feel incredibly confident that our students are in safe hands with such inspiring mentors supporting them. So here’s to creativity, collaboration and courageous thinking.
Happy 1st Birthday, B!G 5 Live!
