Daily Creative with Todd Henry

In this episode, we sit down with Maggie Fost, VP of Design at Shopify, to explore what it means to leave a genuine imprint on creative work—especially in an era increasingly dominated by automation and efficiency. We trace Maggie’s journey from indie music labels to the tech world's frontlines, discussing lessons learned about craftsmanship, authenticity, and the art of leading creative teams.

We kick off by reflecting ...

In this episode, we explore the subtle dangers of drifting through our routines on autopilot—even when we feel present and focused. After an immersive experience inside a maximum-security prison where distractions were stripped away, we reflect on the moments in life and leadership when attention is our most valuable currency. A near miss at the airport—ironically due to being unplugged and undistracted—sparks a d...

In this episode, we unpack the story of Teruo Yabe and his remarkable turnaround of the Tokyo bullet train cleaning teams—transforming a low-morale, high-turnover environment into the global gold standard for operational excellence. We explore how a simple shift in ownership and agency can unlock creativity, engagement, and even industry-changing outcomes.

We challenge the notion that we have to wait for the perfect job, brief...

This episode pulls back the curtain on how creativity gets stifled—both in our early lives and inside our organizations—and explores practical ways to reclaim it. We start with the extraordinary journey of Ruth Asawa, whose education as an artist began in the unlikely setting of an internment camp, not a prestigious institution. Her story dismantles the widespread myth that creativity is a resource problem and reframes ...

In this episode of Daily Creative, we reflect on the story of mathematician Andrew Wiles, whose years-long journey to solve Fermat's Last Theorem becomes a metaphor for creative perseverance. We examine how our attention is constantly siphoned away in small increments—a phenomenon dubbed "human fracking"—leaving us with little space for deep, transformative thought. We challenge listeners to resist the lure of constant ...

In 1852, a mid-level postal surveyor named Anthony Trollope gave Britain its iconic red pillar mailbox. He also wrote 47 novels, most of them before breakfast, 250 words every 15 minutes with a pocket watch on his desk. When he told the truth about his method in his autobiography, critics wrote him off for decades. People wanted genius to descend like weather. Trollope knew it was assembled, a small daily task at a time.

My guest to...

In this episode, we explore the creative paradox that sometimes the best work begins when we stop trying to produce our "best work." We revisit the story of Richard Feynman, who rediscovered his passion for physics by indulging in what seemed like trivial curiosity—with world-changing consequences.

We’re joined first by Ian Bogost, author of The Small Stuff, professor, writer, and game designer, who unpacks the idea of &...

In this episode, we explore what really drives demand for creative products and services. Through the story of how OXO Good Grips was born—not from a brainstorm, but from noticing real pain in the kitchen—we examine why the most successful innovations aren’t invented; they’re observed in real-world frustration.

Our guest, Rob Snyder, introduces “the Pain Cave” and the concept of the “hell ye...

In this episode, we explore the hidden dynamic that often derails creative professionals and leaders: the gap between what we say, what we actually want, and what we’re really building. We share the story of why some of the best music never makes it to radio, revealing how entire industries (and teams) quietly organize around mediocrity—chasing the safe middle, or as we call it, "the three." Drawing from lessons learned...

In this episode of Daily Creative, we explore the nuanced experience of failure and the creative courage required to start over. We open with a story about recognizing when to let go of failed dreams and the importance of closure—giving our abandoned ambitions the dignity of a “decent burial” rather than carrying emotional residue into our next ventures.

We’re joined by Steve Kamb, founder of Nerd Fitness and...

In this episode of Daily Creative, we explore the tension between individuality and belonging, drawing inspiration from both jazz legend Miles Davis and the philosophical tradition extending back millennia. Our guest, Luke Burgis—author of The One and the Ninety-Nine—joins us to dig deep into why it's so hard to be part of a group without losing ourselves in the process.

We discuss the perils of both extreme individualis...

In this episode of Daily Creative, we explore what it really takes to do meaningful, protected creative work in an age of perpetual noise and overwhelm. We kick off with a story from Claude Shannon, the mathematician whose revolutionary thinking about “signal vs. noise” in communication provides the perfect lens for today’s creative challenges.

First, we sit down with Ron Friedman, author of Superteams, who shares ...

Why does the title never feel like enough? Why do so many of us hit every goal we set and still go to bed feeling like we came up short? My guest this week has a name for it. Brooke Taylor calls it the success wound, the pain that comes from mistaking our productivity and achievement for our worth. We get into where it comes from, why creative people are especially prone to it, and what it actually looks like to stay ambitious with...

In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked gap between creating meaningful work and actually releasing it into the world. Starting with the story of Vivian Maier—the prolific street photographer whose life’s work was discovered only after her death—we examine why so many of us hesitate to share our creations.

We’re joined by Tina Roth Eisenberg, founder of Creative Mornings, who discusses the power of c...

In this episode, we explore one of the most powerful—but counterintuitive—practices for sustaining high-performance teams: making it safe to bring bad news forward, early and often. Drawing from manufacturing history and deep space exploration, we examine the critical link between team culture and breakthrough solutions.

First, we hear from Lindy Elkins-Tanton, planetary scientist at UC Berkeley and author of Mission Rea...

This week, we explore two forces that shape every creative journey: constraint and uncertainty. Drawing on the remarkable artistic reinventions of Hokusai, we look at how creative legends transitioned from running from the box to thriving within it—and how that same process plays out in creative work today.

Our first guest, David Epstein, author of Inside the Box, systematically dismantles the myth of the blank canvas and show...

In this episode, we examine what really drives our actions as leaders and creators, and why our best intentions often fail to deliver results. We open with the image of a child learning to walk—stumbling and falling, while well-meaning parents instinctively rush to protect. That same inner protection mechanism stays with us into adulthood, quietly shaping our creative work and leadership decisions.

First, we hear from Dr. Henr...

In this surprise revival of the Herding Tigers Podcast, we kick off a new direction with an exploration of what it means to "optimize" as leaders. We discuss the invisible drivers that cause organizational tension, challenging the idea that conflict always comes from personality clashes or miscommunication. Instead, we unpack the reality that everyone—ourselves included—is optimizing for something different, whether it&...

This week, we explore the invisible boundaries that shape our work, our relationships, and our own sense of what's possible. We open with the story of the four-minute mile: for nine years, no one could break it—until Roger Bannister did, and the floodgates opened. What changed? Not the runners’ bodies, but their sense of possibility. This episode is about those frames we rarely question—the ones that quietly dicta...