The Changemakers

The art of unplugging - Practising creativity without permission : Li-Anne Dias, Brex

• Shaped By • Episode 64

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0:00 | 22:25

In this episode of The Changemakers, recorded as part of our Bring Your Own Bold series, Dave Corlett sits down with Li-Anne Dias, Executive Creative Director at Brex, to explore the vital practice of "creativity without permission". 

They discuss:

  • Utility vs. creativity: why designers must break free from the "mandate of utility" to rediscover their creative instincts.
  • The power of physical constraints: how forcing a "one-mile distance" from your laptop can spark the muscle memory of true art.
  • Building a cinematic universe: why viewing your work as a holistic body of output, rather than a collection of corporate briefs, changes your perspective.
  • Subversive inspiration: how finding beauty in old matchboxes and cartoons can sharpen your instincts for high-stakes tech design.

Whether you’re an in-house creative feeling the burnout or a leader looking to inspire your team, this conversation is a masterclass in reclaiming your creative soul. Don't let your "professional self" swallow your "creative self."

🎧 Listen now

Timestamps:

01:43 - What is "creativity without permission"? 

02:22 - The trap of utility and the fundamentals of design. 

03:35 - Operating within business constraints vs. creating for yourself. 

04:29 - Li-Anne’s personal rituals: Sharpies, sketchbooks, and Berkeley trees. 

05:55 - The discipline of the "forcing function" to stay off screens. 

08:28 - How outside art translates into sharper instincts at Brex and Handshake. 

10:31 - Finding influence in matchboxes and subversive cartoons. 

13:00 - Your "Cinematic Universe": Looking at the whole body of work. 




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