creative Archives - Don't Stop Us Now

Life Inside an AI-Native Success Story – Donna Thomas

August 20, 2025
by Claire

Ever wondered what it’s really like inside one of the world’s fastest-growing AI companies? This week we get unprecedented access to the inner workings of Leonardo AI through their Chief Commercial Officer, Donna Thomas.

Leonardo AI is a Gen AI-powered image and video generator and it’s one of Australia’s AI success stories. It scaled from zero to 19 million users in just two years before being acquired by Canva last year.

At ‘Leo’ as they call it, Donna plays a central role overseeing customer, marketing, sales and enterprise adoption, as Leo charts its evolution from a fast-growing creative AI platform to an enterprise-scale solution.

Donna takes us behind the scenes and shares what hypergrowth feels like from the inside. She says Leo has redefined her understanding of speed itself.

In such a fast moving environment, the challenges of managing and sustaining teams through constant change become critical and Donna shares the specific structures and rituals Leo uses to maintain team stability while moving faster than she’s ever experienced.

In this conversation, you’ll also discover:

The key differences between working at a traditional tech giant versus an AI-native startup and what skills become essential
The “listening muscle” required to synthesise signals from customers, competitors, and tech developments in real-time
Practical strategies for managing and sustaining teams through hypergrowth and hyper-fast work rhythms
Why Leonardo embeds AI across everything from customer service to engineering and HR, and how they manage the complexity of using multiple different AI tools internally; and . . .
Donna’s advice for professionals wanting to become more AI-fluent and free up time for deep work.

Whether you’re curious about life inside a cutting-edge AI company or looking for practical insights on adapting and leading in our rapidly changing work environment, this conversation offers a rare glimpse into how a world-leading AI-native organisation is managing these challenges and opportunities.

Enjoy this episode!

Useful Links

Leonardo AI

Interview

Writing Authentically with AI – Anneli Knight

April 9, 2025April 9, 2025
by Claire

Can you imagine spending two decades working in a field you’re totally passionate about and then having an expert friend tell you that within 6 months AI would likely make your career redundant?

Well that’s exactly what happened to our guest this week, Anneli Knight.

Anneli is a strategic writing consultant, author and journalist. She regularly runs workshops helping executives write more effectively with her business, Eloquence Consulting.

Writing isn’t just Anneli’s profession but her passion, so since that conversation with her friend, she’s been on quite the rollercoaster journey coming to terms with the reality of what AI does and what it means, not just for her own business but for all people wanting to write using Gen AI.

Anneli is very candid as she shares with us her journey of confronting a future shaped by AI, as well as the key learnings from her extensive experimentation with AI as a tool.

In this episode we cover:

Anneli’s initial reaction to her friend’s blunt message and what she did next
The “three sets of three sleepless nights” she experienced while wrestling with what AI means for writers
Practical techniques for working effectively with AI for writing without sacrificing your authentic voice
Creative ways to use voice mode in ChatGPT to accelerate the writing you need to do, and . . .
The limitations and ethical questions around the use of AI when it comes to creative writing.

This episode shares invaluable practical tips to improve your AI-supported writing including insightful advice on how to craft effective prompts.

And, needless to say, Anneli has reworked what she teaches business executives!

If you need to write anything in your day job then you’ll love this conversation. So enjoy this episode with the passionate and thoughtful Anneli Knight.

Useful Links

Eloquence Consulting

The book Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick

Subscribe to Don’t Stop Us Now – AI Edition wherever you get your podcasts.

Interview

Creative Journeyer – Elizabeth Eastland

May 2, 2024May 2, 2024
by Claire

Our episode this week features a woman who has one of the most unique backgrounds and skill sets we’ve come across. Elizabeth Eastland is a full time artist these days, however her career prior to the last few years centred around leadership roles in global corporates and academia focussed on technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Liz is a Canadian Australian now based in Sydney, however her career has taken her from North America to Australia and Paris and back to Sydney. She’s been a CEO of a telco startup, held a global role at telco giant Alcatel, and she’s headed up innovation and entrepreneurship programs for two universities, the University of Wollongong and the University of NSW.

What’s so fascinating about Liz is that right from the start she embraced and studied two disciplines: art (initially creative writing) and science, and she’s continued this duality right throughout her executive career. It’s not surprising to learn her father was a rocket scientist and her mother an artist and designer. Plus Liz herself has at least 3 degrees.

In this intriguing conversation you’ll hear:

Liz’s reaction when she was transferred to Australia at age 28
How Liz’s multi disciplinary background has given her unique perspectives on what it takes to be truly innovative
How a planned nine month, mid career break turned into a four year voyage sailing around the Mediterranean
How Liz was effectively responsible for the innovation strategy of a whole nation in one of her roles; and
Liz’s surprising, yet super refreshing, definition of success for herself.

Enjoy this fascinating conversation with the creative and uber-disciplined Elizabeth Eastland.

Useful Links:

Elizabeth Eastland website (including details of her May 2024 art exhibition)

Interview

Yes She Can! – Sarah Jenkins

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023
by Claire

Our guest this week is one of the most positive, resilient and talented people we know.

International award winning and globally acclaimed drone photographer, Sarah Jenkins is not your average drone pilot.

Once fit and healthy, Sarah has been confined to a wheelchair for more than 6 years now and, as a result of her muscular dystrophy, she’s unable to hold and use a normal camera or even the camera on an iphone.

During Covid, confined to the house and looking for something to do, Sarah and her daughter Lucy decided to try drone photography as Sarah knew that she could operate the toggles that control a drone and rest the remote control in her lap.

The rest, as they say, is history.

In this episode you’ll learn how:

Sarah stays positive despite having lost so many physical capabilities
Her attitude to learning her craft as she goes
Despite being invited to enter global awards and having other international recognition she still suffers from imposter syndrome; and
Sarah’s advice to others wanting to pursue a new creative endeavour.

Sarah also happens to be one of Greta’s oldest and best friends. Greta has watched Sarah over the years evolve from being a nurse and a mum, to also becoming a positive and inspirational creative, who just happens to be wheelchair bound.

You’ll hear a few different place names mentioned in this episode. Sarah is based in Perth in Western Australia these days, but during Covid she relocated for health reasons to the isolated coastal town of Port Douglas in far north Queensland to escape the city crowds.

Without further ado, get ready to be inspired by the positive and ‘can do ‘ talent that is Sarah Jenkins.

Useful Links

Air Bare website

Air Bare Studio Insta

Minimalism in Photography Book: teNeues Publishing, September 2022

ABC News Online: Interview; Published May 2022

Interview

Marching to Her Own Beat – Dot Bustelo

December 8, 2022December 23, 2022
by Claire

Our guest on the show today pivoted away from a long standing career in the music industry to found a venture focused on the visual arts.

Dot Bustello is founder and CEO of a business called Loupe, which streams and sells art from around the world and in doing so helps make all those black TV screens in our daily lives way more interesting and appealing.

Not only that, Loupe is ranked number one lifestyle app in 73 countries on Apple TV.

Dot founded Loupe seven years ago after spending nearly ten years at Apple as well as being a music producer.

Never one to believe in having a conventional career, in this episode you’ll hear Dot explain:

How she came up with the idea for Loupe and why she couldn’t believe it hadn’t already been done
The key thing she learnt after nearly a decade working at Apple
Why she thinks NFTs (non fungible tokens) are so revolutionary
Dot’s firm belief that we all have more control over what we do in our careers than most people think; and
The number 1 habit Dot relies on to stay focussed and centred.

Enjoy this fascinating conversation with the uniquely creative and entrepreneurial Dot Bustelo.

Useful Links

Loupe website – stream for free and buy art here

Loupe Insta

Dot on LinkedIn

Interview

Life is Tough but So is She – Briony…

February 22, 2022February 22, 2022
by Claire

We’re super excited about our first guest for the year. Speaker, author and storyteller, Briony Benjamin, is known for the amazing and purposeful viral videos she creates, as well as her book, ‘Life is Tough But So are You’, which came out last year.

Briony is a master at her craft and she’s also incredibly inspiring when she talks about her cancer journey.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

The moment when Briony realised a career in accounting or commerce wasn’t for her
How her life changed in an instant with a diagnosis everyone dreads
What she thinks about when it comes to getting her creative work out into the world
And what habits she cultivates to stay on top of her content game.

Enjoy this episode with the irrepressible, funny and delightful Briony Benjamin.

Useful Links

Briony on Instagram – @briony_benjamin

Website: www.brionybenjamin.com

Must Do – watch this amazing viral video from Briony – ‘You Only Get One Life’:

Briony’s Book – ‘Life is Tough! But so are You’

Books Briony mentions:

Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Get Rich, Lucky Bitch!: A Guide for Exceptional Women to Create Outrageous Success by Denise Duffield-Thomas

Atomic Habits by James Clear

The Artists Way by Julia Cameron

Jerry Seinfeld Interview with Tim Ferriss

Interview

Taylor White – The Art of Creating

July 6, 2021August 10, 2021
by Claire

This week we feature the first ever visual artist on the show when we talk with the entrepreneurial and talented American artist, Taylor White.

Taylor has worked around the world creating incredible street murals and fine art. You may have seen her work in Melbourne, Oslo, Berlin, LA, Miami, and her hometown of Raleigh in North Carolina.

Taylor spent a lot of last year driven by the goal to create and produce her own solo exhibition (The Pursuit of Happiness) inspired by her observations of life in the time of Covid. As you’ll hear, producing your own exhibition is no small undertaking.

Being a professional artist is a tough gig – a recent study showed that only 17% of artists make most of their income from their actual art practise. So Taylor’s experiences make this all the more interesting.

In this episode you’ll learn:

How Taylor creates large scale street murals
Her advice for anyone who wants to be more creative
Why focusing on what you can control is so important
And, why she believes almost anything is possible today.

So don’t miss this great conversation with the thoughtful and creative Taylor White.

Useful Links

Taylor’s Instagram – @taylurk

Taylor’s website

Taylor’s Exhibition – The Pursuit of Happiness – go see it or buy her artwork

Shaun Hussack – Melbourne street artist agency – Juddy Roller

Silo Trail in Australia (very cool murals in regional areas)

Interview

Heidi Hackemer – On Navigating the Worst

April 27, 2021June 1, 2021
by Claire

We have a very special episode this week because we’re sharing the vulnerable story of how one of our guests was subsequently fired from a high profile role in the US and how she navigated her way through the dark times that followed.

That guest is Heidi Hackemer and what she shares in this episode is so generous and valuable for all of us to hear; after all nothing is permanent and plans fall over on a regular basis.

Heidi is a leading creative who had her own brand agency in New York and also headed up the Creative Studio at the philanthropic Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) in California.

Not long after our first conversation with Heidi in July 2018 things went wrong, very wrong. Heidi was fired from CZI and not only that, when she got back to New York, she had to close her brand strategy agency, W&W too. We learnt about this because Heidi wrote an extremely brave and vulnerable article on Medium (link below) describing what had happened and how low she was feeling.

Admiring her generous honesty, we reached out to her just as COVID was taking hold everywhere round the world last year. Heidi agreed to speak with us.

After our conversation, we made a decision not to publish the interview last year, as it just felt too raw. With Heidi’s permission, we’ve all agreed that now is the right time to share the story she has been so generous in sharing with us. She’s well and truly bounced back from the lows she describes and is now the Executive Creative Director for North America at the booming global company, Oatly.

In this episode Heidi shares:

How, after being fired, she initially couldn’t stop worrying about money
Her advice for others who lose their jobs
Heidi’s generous sharing of all the things she did to pull herself out of depression and bounce back,
And the inspiring reason she shared her extraordinary piece on Medium

Even if you are securely employed right now, we really recommend you listen to this unique conversation. And if you know someone who’s lost their job make sure they listen to this too! They’ll thank you later.

Enjoy this episode with the generous, and very thoughtful, Heidi Hackemer …

Useful Links

Our first conversation with Heidi in July 2018

Medium article that prompted this second interview

Greta Thomas – Creating Her Own Path

February 16, 2021February 16, 2021
by Claire

Hello and welcome to another special episode of the show.

For those of you listening in the past few weeks, you’ll know that we have finally relented to the many requests over time to share our own stories.

Claire’s been overwhelmed with the responses to her episode that we aired two weeks ago and this week it’s Greta’s turn to be interviewed by Claire!

Claire loved chatting with Greta about her innovative and fascinating career journey to date.

Tune in now to hear:

How Greta spent the very first part of her working career as a professional ballet dancer
How she hasn’t finished high school and doesn’t have an undergrad degree but managed to get an MBA and work at prestigious management consultancy, McKinsey & Company
How, against all odds, she managed to secure her dream job working for an overseas organisation founded by Bono
And, what she learnt from her time on the executive teams at eBay and Sydney Opera House.

Without further ado, enjoy this episode with our inventive and strategic co-host, Greta Thomas.

Useful Links

Greta on LinkedIn

Greta on Twitter

Don’t Stop Us Now! Website

Full Potential Labs Website

The Lazarus Effect Documentary co-produced by Greta

RED.org

Future Proof Me Mini Episode

Future Proof Me – The Value of Dreaming Big

February 9, 2021February 9, 2021
by Claire

This week’s mini ‘Future Proof Me’ episode is all about the power of dreaming big. One person who’s a passionate believer in the power of the dreams we make for ourselves is stationery and Swedish design entrepreneur, Kristina Karlsson – the founder of kikki.K.

We had Kristina on the show around the time her business went into voluntary administration last year. It was a perfect storm and COVID was the last straw.

However, the great news is that in August last year they found an investor and the brand and business lives on, still with Kristina and her husband Paul continuing to run the business.

Kristina makes a big distinction between goal setting and dreaming. Goal setting is a rational process where you take reality into account, while dreaming, she says, is where you let go of reality and really think about what you would most love to happen – to create your dream life.

We also love how Kristina stresses you don’t have to be special to achieve great things….

Win One of Kristina’s ‘Your Dream Life’ books

We’re thrilled to say we have three copies of Kristina’s book ‘Your Dream Life Starts Here’ to give away to listeners keen to follow the seven steps Kristina mentions in this mini episode.

Simply email us at hello@dontstopusnow.co and tell us in less than 50 words why it’s important to you to be able to think and dream bigger.

Entries close COB Wednesday, 24 February 2021. Winners will be notified by email.

Useful Links

Kristina’s Dream Life website – including Kristina’s new online course

kikki.K website