Over the past few weeks, our 2022 Mentors have been playing a blinder on Instagram Live. Each week, they join Kim for a fast-paced session packed with creativity, insight and a bit of pressure. With only 15 seconds to answer each question, things move quickly — and that’s exactly what makes it so entertaining.
Recently, we’ve welcomed:
Together, they bring experience from design, marketing, tech, recruitment and user experience.
The format stays the same each week. Kim asks five questions. The mentor gets 15 seconds per answer. Naturally, the first question — “Who are you and what do you do?” — helps everyone settle in. However, things get more interesting with the next one: “What does creativity mean to you?”
Paul, Jessica and Ken all agreed that creativity is fundamentally about problem-solving. It begins with understanding the user and defining the problem clearly. Only then can you design the right solution.
As Paul explained:
“For me it’s problem solving — finding the right solution for the problem at hand. That means understanding the user and the problem itself, and then creating something that works.”
It’s always fascinating to hear when people feel most creative. This time, the answers varied widely. Paul and Ken admitted they work best late at night when the house is quiet. In contrast, Ian prefers early mornings before the world wakes up. Meanwhile, Jessica and Aoife find creativity in immersion — whether that means losing themselves in focused work or getting hands-on with children and play.
Despite their different routines, one thing is clear: creativity doesn’t follow a single timetable.
Creative fails inevitably entered the conversation. However, as Paul pointed out, creativity doesn’t truly fail. Instead, it teaches. This aligns perfectly with one of The B!G Idea’s core principles: fLearning (Failure + Learning = Flearning). Fail early. Learn quickly. Adapt. Grow. No matter the outcome, every attempt adds experience and insight.
When it comes to advice, we remove the 15-second limit. We don’t want to miss any golden nuggets. Jessica encouraged students to practise reflection. Take time to look back and recognise how far you’ve come. Ian emphasised keeping an open mind and enjoying the process. When you have fun, innovation follows. Aoife acknowledged the effort students invest — not just in this programme, but in school overall. She encouraged them to carry that confidence into every future opportunity. Paul advised students to carve their own path. Creativity thrives in uniqueness, not comparison.
Finally, Ken reminded students to spend at least half their time understanding the problem before rushing to solve it. Collaboration, he stressed, strengthens outcomes. Don’t work alone — diverse perspectives lead to better ideas.
Don’t miss B!G 5 Live on Instagram every Wednesday at 11 am. Because creativity moves fast — and so do we.
