Building a creative community with patience, persistence and purpose - Katy Cowan (Creative Boom)

"I had this kind of crazy idea that if you have a passion, a creative passion, that's a hobby, you feel dirty if you turned it into something that made money." - Katy Cowan A candid conversation with Katy Cowan, founder of Creative Boom, about her 15-year journey building one of the creative industry's most respected platforms. From her early days in journalism to running a PR agency, Katy shares how she transformed a passion project into a thriving digital magazine that champions creatives worldwide. Her story illustrates the power of authentic long-term commitment, showing how a simple WordPress site grew into a global creative platform working with brands like Meta and Microsoft. What began as a desire to help creatives who weren't getting noticed has evolved into an influential voice in the creative industry while staying true to its original mission. Key Takeaways: Success often requires extraordinary patience - Creative Boom didn't make money for its first 5-6 years Sometimes scaling down rather than up can lead to greater fulfillment and success Building a trusted platform takes time - Creative Boom's growth from chaos to structure took over a decade True leadership can emerge from simply following your passions and interests It's okay to grow and evolve your business model over time rather than getting it right immediately Creating a warm, welcoming space in the digital world requires intentional curation and clear values Personal growth and business growth are often intertwined - being willing to change and adapt is crucial Daring Creativity. Daring Forever. Podcast with Radim Malinic daringcreativity.com | desk@daringcreativity.com Books by Radim Malinic Paperback and Kindle > https://amzn.to/4biTwFc Free audiobook (with Audible trial) > https://geni.us/free-audiobook Book bundles https://novemberuniverse.co.uk Lux Coffee Co. https://luxcoffee.co.uk/ (Use: PODCAST for 15% off) November Universe https://novemberuniverse.co.uk (Use: PODCAST for 10% off)