MEET TRUDI DONAHUE, OUR APRIL 2025 SPEAKER

This month we will be welcoming Trudi Donahue, founder and CEO of Wild & Kind @we.are.wildandkind

Trudi brings over nine years of entrepreneurial experience, leading businesses through some of the most challenging economic landscapes of our time. Her resilience has been a key factor in keeping Wild & Kind afloat through Brexit, the pandemic, and the cost of living crisis.

Her experience has honed her problem-solving skills, a strength rooted in her ADHD, which enables her to think creatively and strategically under pressure. She is deeply committed to the mission of Wild & Kind and has successfully rebuilt the company from the brink, ensuring its survival and growth against the odds.

CM Glasgow: What comes to mind when you think about ‘Crossroads’?

Trudi: A shift in direction, taking a leap of faith and realising its time for a change - as scary as that can be.

CM: What are you motivated by? Who inspires you?

Trudi: Anyone that needs help to succeed. I’m motivated by anyone who has an idea and wants to create something new. It really gives me a buzz!

CM: What’s a typical day like for you?

Trudi: Oh wow, every day is so so so different, I’ve two kids so every day as you can imagine is a wild ride. School and nursery drop offs, emails in our coworking space, 1-2-1 support calls with clients wanting business support and currently planning what our new space will look like and feel like. 

CM: Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?
Trudi: Wafers 

CM: Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be? 

Trudi: Authentic

MEET RACHAEL ARNOLD, OUR MARCH 2025 SPEAKER

With over 20 years’ experience at the cutting edge of developments in the arts and creative sectors, Rachael Arnold is a trusted advisor, a respected entrepreneur, and a sought-after voice for thousands of creatives worldwide. Her current work includes serving as Chief Executive Officer of the Creative Entrepreneurs Club - a global membership community that connects, upskills, and empowers creative freelancers and businesses - and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 

CM Glasgow: What do you think about when you consider this month’s theme of PARALLEL?

Rachael: The first thing that comes to mind is the idea of a parallel universe. Sometimes I need to choose which one I’m in: sometimes it’s in a crazy place and other times it’s in a sensible place. I think it’s true that two things can be correct at once, whether they’re contradictory or not. And when you get used to that idea you start to feel a lot happier; a bit more humble, a bit quieter, a bit more engaged in what you do.

People used to talk about ‘what hill are you going to die on, what mountain are you going to climb?’. I’m not in that space anymore. I’m quite leisurely canoeing down a river somewhere, and there’s two sides: there’s the left bank and the right bank, and my life is both of those things at the same time. 

I choose calm and I choose chaos at the same time. I choose light and I choose dark at the same time. I also feel very strongly that you can embrace contradictory things if you’re kind and considerate and you’re doing the right thing. I like to see everything from every angle.

CM: What motivates you day to day?

Rachael:  Everybody around me in the Creative Entrepreneurs Club inspires me. I find that I have a privileged position where I get to spend my time with extraordinary people, and extraordinary people inspire me. And very often, those extraordinary people don’t know how brilliant they are. 

I love to see the potential in people, and I get excited by the fact that I can help and support and engage with them. I’m inspired by people that get stuff done. I think there’s so many people in the world that care and have the ability to be kind and have the resources to do different things and make things possible. And I’m really motivated by that. I like spending time with people that just get shit done and get shit done for the right reasons. 

I think given the fact I’ve had a cancer journey, I’ve been incredibly inspired by the care and attention that people in the NHS have given over to their lives, the dedicated lives of service. I’m impressed by that. 

I get inspired by people that make a choice to be good and kind and interesting, who are focused and selfless, and they deliver that. 

CM: What’s a typical day like for you?

Rachael: I don’t have a typical day. I think most people that work in the creative industries or are entrepreneurial work this way. I do have a routine, though. That helps me get organised because I have various things to contend with. 

Every morning I get up at six and I spend a couple of hours getting organised for the day ahead. I live on a beach – which is amazing – so I always go for a walk on the beach. I make sure my children and I have a good breakfast (I eat 150 grams of protein a day so I’m very specific about breakfast!)

I also tend to be very specific about what days I have meetings. Typically I’ll have two days full of meetings alternating with three no-meeting days. I’m somebody who doesn’t like structure, believe it or not. That’s all my ADHD-neuro-spicy-dyslexia coming in. But I do like knowing what I’m doing – I like to have a plan.

I can jump between many different things. I could be talking to young people about the complexities and the inspiring parts of the creative industries. I could then jump to speaking to the Scottish or UK government at ministerial level about why arts, creativity, culture is important. I could then jump to a business that might not be in the creative space: I work with a lot of commercial businesses, helping them be more creative and social. 

I could then be doing one-to-one support sessions with composers, dancers, studio engineers, actors or other musical theatre professionals in my role as Creative Entrepreneur in Residence at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 

So a typical day for me starts with routine, but the most important thing is that my head is clear so that every single person I’m having an interaction with gets the best version of me. 

CM: Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?

Rachael: Caramel wafers all day long, and in fact, I’d steal to get caramel wafers!

CM: Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be?

Rachael: Audacious. 

*********

Rachael will be our speaker on Friday, March 28th at 8:30am at ALT’s offices at McLellan Works on Sauchiehall Street. Tickets include breakfast and are free but space is limited. Get yours here!

Please note our January 2025 event will be on THURSDAY, JANUARY 30th (not Friday this month). You can read more below about our speaker Fatima Uygun, a Glasgow-based community activist, artist, playwright, and cultural worker and snag your free ticket for the event here! See you there!

MEET FATIMA UYGUN, OUR JANUARY 2025 SPEAKER

January’s global CreativeMornings theme is JOURNEY, chosen by the Muscat chapter in Oman. 

As we travel through life, everyone you meet is at a different point in their own unique journey. Some of us know where we’re going. While other paths are full of twists, turns, and obstacles thrown in our way. The trick is to embrace the detours and delays. Because there are no shortcuts on a journey of self-discovery or creative expression. Just please remember: you are not traveling alone.

When we were thinking about the theme for this month, the journey of the Govanhill Baths comes to mind, which was closed many years ago, almost sold off, but then through remarkable community organising and protest, were saved which began a long journey to creative fundraising and renovation through the development of the Govanhill Baths Community Trust. One of the consistent driving forces behind the efforts is this month’s speaker, Fatima Uygun. Being a leading part of the Govanhill Baths story is actually just one feather in Fatima’s hat, though. In addition to community activist, Fatima is also a artist, playwright, and cultural worker.

CM Glasgow: What do you think about when you consider this month’s theme of JOURNEY?

Fatima: I think life is short, fill it with experiences and memories that help make the world a better place. We are also social beings and our journeys always intersect with others which is when we can make a real impact.

CM: What motivates you day to day?

Fatima: Someone once described me as a, ‘obsessive 'lifeaholic’. I’m not sure what that means other than I don’t like to sit still very much. Two things motivate me. One is discovering and experiencing new things, learning and being creative. The second is the felief that we are social beings with the power to bring about collective change.

CM: What’s a typical day like for you?

Fatima: My days are almost always full, made up of weekday and weekend routines.

During the week I awake, make breakfast and make lunch to take to work. Do a sudoku puzzle or play online chess with coffee. I’m an admin on a number of social media sites so I do some admin for that and do some charity admin. By 9.30am I start work: meetings, funding applications, budgeting, etc. At 5.30pm I’m off for a walk home and then dinner. I have a number of weeknight activities like 5-a-side women's football, political meetings, or something creative like writing night or spend time in studio doing pottery or painting. On Fridays is usually arts night, see a play, music or another cultural event. 

On Saturdays I do gardening–outdoor gardening in spring and summer and indoor gardening year round (I have 84 plants). I spend time in the studio, meet friends, watch football (Celtic and Crystal Palace), and have a movie night. Sundays are for papers, crosswords, housework, a walk in park, and in the evenings Star Trek.

CM: Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?

Fatima: Caramel wafers, though I don’t really have a sweet tooth.

CM: Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be?

Fatima: Bruised.

Fatima will be our speaker on Friday, January 31st at ALT’s offices at McLellan Works on Sauciehall Street. Tickets include breakfast and are free but space is limited. Get yours here!

MEET JEN HOGG, OUR NOVEMBER 2024 SPEAKER

November’s global CreativeMornings theme is THREAD. Though we interpret themes in a variety of ways, this month we’ve gone literal with our speaker Jen Hogg. Jen is a textile toolmaker, sewing and knitting person, and Great British Sewing Bee semifinalist (tickets!)

Jen says, “I’ve been sewing and knitting for longer than I can remember.  I got to the semi-finals of The Great British Sewing Bee in 2019, and now run my own business, Jenerates, sending unique tools and notions for sewing and yarn crafts all over the world. I’ve been a litigation solicitor, shop owner, graphic designer, card maker and charity advisor, and now a sewing and knitting person. At CreativeMornings I’ll be chatting about being on the Bee, accidentally starting a business and my creative process.”

CM Glasgow: What do you think about when you consider this month’s theme of THREAD?

Jen: Immediately I think about the wall of threads I have in my sewing room. Very practical!

CM: What motivates you day to day?

JH: The creativity of making my own clothes is my main motivation, that it lets me wear whatever I want. I also enjoy working with waste fabric and factory surplus. My business is entirely based on designing things that I need for myself!

CM: What’s a typical day like for you?

JH: My business is full time and then some. Typically I pack orders, walk the dog, spend time on the computer and if I can, in the afternoons I try to do something more creative, that could be content creation for social media, sewing, working on product designs.

CM: Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?

JH: Caramel wafers. Probably. Though there’s always room for a tea cake too.

CM: Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be?

JH: In one word? It has to be Gallus.

Jen will be our speaker on Friday, November 29th at ALT’s offices at McLellan Works on Sauciehall Street. Tickets include breakfast and are free but space is limited. Get yours here!

MEET OUR OCTOBER 2024 SPEAKER: MATT LYGATE of DREAM MACHINE

October’s global CreativeMornings theme is VISION and it got us thinking about big visions and what it takes to translate that into reality which led us to Creative Director of the Dream Machine, Matt Lygate, our speaker on Friday, October 25th (tickets!)

Matt says, “I’ve been a creative entrepreneur, musician, artist, and events and social project manager for over a decade across Glasgow. Years ago, I transformed a derelict building in the Barras into a thriving community hub. Today The Dream Machine and The Space are both growing stronger despite the challenges of Covid. With my roots in DJing, the electronic music scene and the third sector community in Glasgow, I am a pioneer in using music, art and creativity in their truest form as social tools for transformation, integration and actualisation.”

Matt is a kindred spirit in making space for community, connection and celebration and was kind enough to answer a few questions…

CM Glasgow: What do you think about when you consider this month’s theme of VISION?

Matt: What are creatives and entrepreneurs if not visionaries? Every tribe since the dawn of humanity needed its visionaries, to see our faults, express our pains and guide us to new opportunities. If you are reading this, you are a visionary. Willing to speak your truth and present your solutions. Now more than ever, we need more visionaries and less conformity in a world on fire in desperate need of change.

CM: What motivates you day to day?

ML: Coffee…and my hyperactive ADHD brain that seeks constant stimulation, shiney new projects to start (but never ever finish!), but its super power is its power to manifest even 1% of my crazy dreams into some sort of reality, always to share for the benefit of others, not because I’m a super moral or religious person. Because doing things for others is the greatest reward! If its just for me, who am I going to celebrate with!?

CM: What’s a typical day like for you?

ML: No such thing! I live in a van, spread out between 3 countries across the year, almost daily i wake up to new sites and sounds. I abhor structure but equally love it when its imposed on me. So a successful day for me is one where I meditate, do some exercise, eat healthy and sleep well. Everything else called ‘work’ makes or breaks upon that foundation.

CM: Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?

ML: We sell a vast variety of delicious vegan chocolates in our Vegan Green (vending) Machine at The Dream Machine where no mothers were forcibly milked to death so we can enjoy a sugary snack. Trust me, vegan chocolates have gotten so good, you can now have you cake and still eat it! #Goveganbeforewedestroytheworld (also the guy who runs Tunnocks is a capitalist, unionist who threatened his workers to vote against Scottish Independence…so aye… 🤣)

CM: Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be?

ML: Kind

Matt will be our speaker on Friday, October 25th at Dream Machine. Tickets include breakfast and are free but space is limited. Get yours here!

MEET OUR SEPTEMBER 2024 SPEAKER: LINDSAY JOHNSTONE

Lindsay Johnstone is a Substack Bestselling life writer, literary critic and expressive writing facilitator based in Glasgow. She is the author of one memoir and is currently working on her next narrative non-fiction title and her first novel. Her work explores mental health, midlife, parenting and caring. She is represented by Caro Clarke at Portobello Literary.

She won the John Byrne Award in 2023 for an extract from her memoir, was shortlisted for the Writing Award at the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival in 2022 and has been selected as one of the non-fiction writers on Arvon’s inaugural Advanced Writing Programme for 2024-26. Her writing has been published by Motherlore Magazine, London Lit Lab and Hillcrest Journal. Her author interviews and reviews of memoir and poetry are published by Glasgow Review of Books and she is a judge on Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Award 2025.

September’s Creative Mornings theme is REFLECTION and Lindsay will be sharing her expertise on why expressive writing - or writing about the self - is beneficial to our mental and physical health. She brings her extensive facilitation experience to the session, offering prompts that will encourage us to reflect upon ourselves and our relationship with the world we live in.

CM Glasgow: What do you think about when you consider this month’s theme of REFLECTION?

Lindsay: When I think about reflection, I am drawn to consider the practices I use that help me understand myself in an increasingly confusing and distressing world. I think about making time for myself with just the blank page, a nice pencil and a hot drink, knowing that maintaining and ritualising a writing practice helps me to both regulate and assimilate.

CM: What motivates you day to day?

LJ: I’m an extrovert and glean so much energy from being with and working alongside other people. I’m motivated by the belief that the work I do has value and that it offers me the opportunity to forge genuine, deep connections. I love the way that different creative disciplines influence one another and I’m tentatively working on a novel that draws heavily on the early paintings of Alison Watt. I’m inspired by so many of the people I have the honour of working with to develop their writing, and find that sense of common purpose and the cross-pollination of ideas that can spring from it so nourishing. Oh, and synchronicity. I can’t get enough of that!

CM: What’s a typical day like for you?

LJ: Up around 7 and until 8.30am, it’s family time. Next, a brisk walk, a savoury breakfast and coffee. I settle down to work by 9.30 and, though the days are varied, I’ll mostly be writing, recording audio and video or attending to the admin that comes from running online courses. Lunch will be leftovers or something quick and a couple of times a week, I lift weights and grab a sauna before getting back to my desk in the afternoon. Evenings are family time (or parent-taxi time) if I’m not attending events or running courses.

CM: Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?

LJ: Teacakes, because I can make them last longer than a wafer.

CM: Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be?

LJ: Home

Thank you Lindsay! <3

Besides CreativeMornings on September 25th, you can catch Lindsay at her next in-person expressive writing workshop with poet Donna Matthew at Paisley Arts Centre 6.10.24: Sunday Writing Workshop (ticketsolve.com).

Follow Lindsay on her Substack: What Now? with Lindsay Johnstone

MEET THE SPEAKER: ELEANOR STEWART

We are delighted to announce Eleanor Stewart, founder of Clubhouse Animations as our speaker this month.

If you’ve followed her work for as long as we have you’ll know she is a big fan of lovely, bright colours, so we thought she would be perfect to speak on the topic of Vibrant!

Eleanor will talk about her work and share her take on embracing your niche style and the benefit of creating colourful vibrant work that stands out.

About Eleanor and Clubhouse

Eleanor is an award-winning Animation Film Maker and Paper Artist with over 14 years experience working in animation, and specialises in creating playful hand-crafted models and animations out of paper.

She has produced work for a variety of international clients including Dior, the RSPB and the National Galleries of Scotland. Her bespoke paper models and set design have featured in magazines, advertising and window displays. She was a Finalist in the category of ‘Best Visual Artist’ in the Sunday Herald’s Scottish Culture Awards.

Upon graduation, she was awarded the Bram Stoker Medal for most imaginative work in her final year Degree Show at Glasgow School of Art and a D&AD Best New Blood Award in London. Her animations have been screened in the UK and internationally, including performances with live symphony orchestras. 

Each month we like to ask our speakers some questions to get to know them a little better!

CM Glasgow: Vibrant is our theme for May. What does that bring to mind for you?

Eleanor: When I looked up the dictionary definition of Vibrant, it said - full of Energy and life. Immediately that makes me think of animation and I think it is a really great way to talk about animation and the work I love to create.

CM: What’s your motivation? Who inspires you?

ES: I’ll never get bored of watching back an animation I have just created - it still feels like magic. My inspiration comes from pioneer filmmakers such as Lotte Reiniger, Vladislav Starevich and Bagpuss.

CM: What’s a typical day like for you?

ES: Get up and feed my giant rabbit, Paddington. My studio is based in town, so I hop on the train and bribe myself with a croissant to go for a swim before I start work. I will spend the day potentially drawing storyboards, making paper models or animating. Although, like many a creative professional, I also spend an incalculable amount of time sending emails!

CM: Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?

ES: Tea Cakes all the way, I’ve even made a tiny paper Tunnocks Teacake, such is my love for them!

CM: Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be?

ES: Braw

Thank you Eleanor!

Follow Clubhouse’s adventures on Instagram, X and Facebook.

MEET THE SPEAKER: JAMIE LAPSLEY

Production Designer Jamie Lapsley has designed the heart-pounding Golden Globe & Emmy-lauded series BODYGUARD for Netflix/BBC and also recently designed the cat-and-mouse thriller WE HUNT TOGETHER for SHOWTIME.

Working between Scotland, London and Europe she’s designed across all genres and budgets, winning accolades for her work alongside being a key collaborator on many award winning features and drama.

Ahead of our event we asked Jamie to share a few thoughts.

CM Glasgow: Perspective is our theme for March. What comes to mind when you think about Perspective?

Jamie Lapsley: There’s an amazing Art Directors Guild quarterly journal called ‘Perspective’ which features breakdowns and folio’s from all the current films/shows released and it’s amazingly inspiring to see the details of other designers work.

CM: What are you motivated by? What’s your motivation? Who inspires you?

JL: I love being part of a storytelling machine - the discovery that I get to use design and colour, form, texture to illuminate characters and stories for my collaborators and the audience.

CM: What’s a typical day like for you?

JL: When in production it’s sketching out any ideas for my team, thinking about the what and how of any story element, finding time to do this thinking, and desperately trying to get all the ideas out of my head into other peoples hands who can run with them.  Then home to my partner and our delightfully needy cat and trying to decompress before racing back into the maelstrom the next day

CM: Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?

JL: Love a tea cake but (I know it’s an awful thing to say) they’re too sweet. Caramel wafer for the win

CM: Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be?

JL: Home
————
And there you have it <3
To join us Friday, March 29th at 9am at BAM, get your ticket at https://creativemornings.com/talks/jamie-lapsley-on-perspective

We’re pleased this month to welcome Glasgow photographer Euan Anderson to the stage! Many from the CM Glasgow community will recognise Euan from his work, as well as his time on our volunteer team as our chapter photographer.

Euan is a Glasgow-based photographer, juggling his time among advertising, fashion, and food and drinks photography. With 16 years in the industry, Euan’s journey has touched various sectors, from press and journalism to the glitz of fashion and cosmetics advertising.

A Native Glaswegian, Euan is keen on supporting the local industry. In 2022, he opened Cove One Studios, boosting Glasgow’s reputation in Scotland as a go-to spot for high-end photoshoots and a place for nurturing new talent. At our event on Friday, February 23rd (register here) Euan will be in front of the camera on stage at ALT agency to talking about social media’s impact on how we read the visual images we see daily, including:

• How does the surge in the frequency of imagery in our daily lives impact our interpretation of it?
• How does this shift in appetite serve as a positive for those in the creative field?
• Does it mean a potential loss of local cultural uniqueness?

This is sure to be a topical and fascinating talk! If you’ve not got your ticket yet, be sure to register as spaces are limited! For those who do not know Euan already, we asked him to share a few things about himself with us:

What are you motivated by? What’s your motivation? Who inspires you?

16 years ago I would have answered I was motivated purely by a passion for photography and the world it opened to me. I was motivated to reach a wider audience to show my work and was inspired by the great photographers, Bailey, Watson and Avedon etc. Nowadays though, the answer to all 3 is my girls, my wife Kim and kids Sophie and Emily. Though the old answer still plays a large part.

What’s a typical day like for you?

Too short. My days change constantly and a lot of the time very quickly and at short notice, The only constant is that it feel like there are never quite enough hours. I run 2 businesses and have young family, so maybe that’ll change someday.

Tunnocks Tea Cakes or Caramel Wafers?

Caramel Wafer every time

Lastly, if you could describe Glasgow in one word, what would it be?

Complicated

**************

And there you have it! Get your ticket and we’ll see you there!