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PODCAST

The Flame

The Flame is a podcast for creatives who are feeling lost, laid off, or stuck in their career journey. Hosted by Bob Raynor, a seasoned Creative Director, this podcast features real conversations with other creatives navigating uncertainty and trying to rediscover their passion. With candid, heartfelt interviews and personal insights, each episode is a reminder that even in the toughest times, we can find a spark to reignite the flame of creativity. Join us as we light the way forward together, one

arts design

All Episodes

00:04:35

The Friday 5 | Show Up. Make Things. Stay Human.

The Flame ·

2026/02/06

Show Up. Make Things. Stay Human. | The Friday 5In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor takes a quieter, more reflective approach to creativity and career life during uncertain times.Amid ongoing layoffs, job instability, and burnout across the creative industry, Bob reflects on a recent New York Times Well article, “An Overlooked Prescription for Happiness,” which explores how engaging in the arts, even casually, has proven mental and physical health benefits.Drawing on research from Dr. Daisy

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00:45:16

EP. 16 — Start With a Blank Page: Carl Napolitano on...

The Flame ·

2026/02/06

In this episode of The Flame, I’m joined by Carl Napolitano, a Creative Director with nearly two decades of experience in pharmaceutical advertising. Carl shares his journey into pharma, why creativity actually thrives within constraints, and how starting with a blank page still fuels his passion for the work.We also dig into the realities of today’s job market for senior creatives — navigating layoffs, recruiter ghosting, LinkedIn’s evolution, and the emotional toll of being on the other side of

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00:04:57

The Friday Five | Ep. 10: Creatively Adapting to AI...

The Flame ·

2026/01/30

In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores how creative careers are changing in quieter, more subtle ways as AI becomes embedded in daily work.Drawing on recent reporting from The New York Times, The Guardian, Adweek, Polygon, and Fast Company, Bob looks at how early creative tasks are shifting, why anxiety around AI makes sense, and how artists are pushing back around credit, ownership, and creative integrity.The episode also examines how AI is reshaping the creative process itself —

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00:04:06

The Friday Five | Ep. 9: Find Your Creative Community

The Flame ·

2026/01/23

In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores how fear shows up in creative work — and why finding the right community can be one of the most powerful ways to move through it.After attending a local Creative Mornings event centered on Koorsoo — a Farsi word meaning “a faint glimmer of hope” — Bob reflects on conversations about fear, courage, and belonging, including insights shared by financial journalist and podcaster Farnoosh Torabi. He connects those ideas to his own experience navigating

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00:45:20

Know Thy Creative Self: Naoma Serna-Zahn on Standing...

The Flame ·

2026/01/18

In this episode of The Flame Podcast, host Bob Raynor talks with Naoma Serna-Zahn, founder of the branding agency Nuevo, about creativity, confidence, and career longevity in today’s design industry.They discuss why designers struggle to stand out, how networking actually works behind the scenes, the impact of “design by committee,” and why separating self-worth from creative work is essential. Naoma also shares her perspective on AI in design, women in business, professional etiquette, and how

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00:05:29

The Friday Five | Ep. 8: Starting 2026 With Clear Eyes

The Flame ·

2026/01/09

Starting 2026 With Clear Eyes | The Friday 5As 2026 begins, many creatives are carrying a mix of optimism, uncertainty, and hard-earned experience into a rapidly changing industry. In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores how creative work is evolving — from learning and skill-building to AI, self-employment, and personal leadership.This isn’t an episode about predictions or hype. It’s a grounded reflection on how to move forward with clarity, intention, and confidence — without chasing

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00:47:45

Ep. 14 — Engineering Creativity: How Bert Archer...

The Flame ·

2025/12/22

What happens when a mechanical engineer walks away from a “safe” career and follows a creative spark?In this episode of The Flame, host Bob Raynor speaks with filmmaker and Director of Photography Bert Archer, who shares his journey from engineering at Lockheed Martin to running his own video production studio. Bert opens up about layoffs, career pivots, the role of improv in unlocking creativity, and how problem-solving skills can transfer across industries.This episode is for anyone navigating

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00:05:13

The Friday Five | Ep. 7: Learning Your Way Forward

The Flame ·

2025/12/19

How Creatives Are Learning Their Way Forward | The Friday 5In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores how creatives are staying relevant in an industry shaped by layoffs, AI, and constant change. From YouTube tutorials and online courses to mentors, business coaches, and peer communities, this episode breaks down how designers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs are approaching continuous education in real, practical ways.Bob shares personal experience working with mentors like Rodd Chant,

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00:05:15

The Friday 5 | Ep.6: When Holding Companies Let Go

The Flame ·

2025/12/13

The recent Omnicom layoffs shook the advertising and creative industry, but they also revealed deeper truths about how creative work is evolving. In this episode, Bob Raynor breaks down what these shifts actually mean for creatives, why layoffs don’t reflect your talent, and how AI, experimentation, and new career models are reshaping the landscape.This is a grounded, supportive 5-minute conversation for anyone feeling uncertain about the future of their creative career.Topics include:Job insecurity

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00:05:29

The Friday 5 | Ep. 5: Creatively Procrastinating

The Flame ·

2025/12/06

This week on The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores the surprising relationship between procrastination and the creative brain. Instead of treating procrastination as a flaw, Bob reframes it as a sign of cognitive overload, incubation, and creative exploration.From the science behind “exploratory delay,” to the power of tiny two-minute actions (“task snacking”), to understanding when procrastination shifts from helpful wandering to harmful avoidance — this episode is a short, honest guide to beating

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00:45:13

Ep. 13 – Layoffs, Love, and Legacy: Daniel Ferguson...

The Flame ·

2025/11/24

In this inspiring Season 2 premiere of The Flame, host Bob Raynor talks with Daniel Ferguson, a Senior Production Artist and Audio Engineer whose career has spanned design, publishing, and audio storytelling. After facing multiple layoffs and taking on the role of caregiver for his mother, Daniel found renewed purpose in preserving his father’s legendary radio archive — the voice of Charlie Tuna.Together, Bob and Daniel explore creativity in the face of chaos, the emotional toll of job loss, the

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00:07:33

The Friday 5 | Ep. 4 — Getting Unstuck: How to...

The Flame ·

2025/11/21

Feeling stuck in a creative rut? You’re not alone. In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor shares practical, honest reflections on how to break free from stagnation and jumpstart your creative momentum.From a simple 20-idea exercise, to building a grounding “one list,” to using Newton’s First Law to your advantage, Bob walks through five ways to clear mental clutter, gain traction, and reconnect with your creative energy.This is a quick but powerful reset for anyone who’s creatively blocked,

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00:06:35

The Friday 5 | Ep. 3: Creative Agility

The Flame ·

2025/11/14

How do you stay creative in a world that never stops changing?In this week’s Friday 5, Bob Raynor shares five ideas on creative agility — from building meaningful brands and experimenting with new tools to reinventing your career and managing your creative value like a pro.🎧 Listen for:Why simplicity and clarity beat trend-chasingHow top designers wish AI would actually workLessons for reimagining the second half of your careerTurning your skills into financial confidenceA thought experiment and

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00:05:41

The Friday 5 | Episode 2 — Starting Small: Creative...

The Flame ·

2025/11/07

Big creative breakthroughs don’t start with giant leaps—they start with small, intentional moves.In Episode 2 of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor shares five reflections on how “starting small” can transform your creative life. From 2025’s design trends and side projects to lessons on career reinvention and financial awareness, this short episode delivers big inspiration in just five minutes.Featuring insights inspired by Andy J. Pizza’s Creative Pep Talk and Farnoosh Torabi’s So Money, Bob reminds

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00:05:30

The Friday 5 | Ep. 1: Facing Fear - Halloween Special

The Flame ·

2025/10/31

Subscribe, leave a review below, and please share your thoughts at theflamepod.com. Follow on Instagram and send me a hello: talk@theflamepod.comIn this first episode of The Friday 5, host Bob Raynor dives into the creative power of fear — just in time for Halloween. From launching his own agency after a layoff to embracing AI tools like MidJourney, Bob shares how fear can become the spark that fuels creativity and personal growth.Discover why Halloween is the most creative holiday on earth, how

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00:57:22

Ep 12. - Unfiltered and Unemployable: Jillian Di...

The Flame ·

2025/09/18

In Episode 12 of The Flame, host Bob Raynor talks with Jillian Di Benedetto, an award-winning multidisciplinary designer and creative leader, about navigating the modern job hunt with humor, honesty, and resilience. Jillian shares her journey through 15+ years in advertising, the challenges of remote work, and the broken realities of today’s recruitment processes; from ghosting and ATS filters to ageism and endless interview rounds.Known for her witty and unfiltered LinkedIn posts, Jillian discusses

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01:03:00

Ep. 11 - The Power of Possibility: Toby Bovingdon on...

The Flame ·

2025/08/23

In Episode 11 of The Flame, host Bob Raynor reconnects with account director Toby Bovingdon, a veteran of omnichannel pharma and B2B marketing with nearly 30 years of experience. Recently laid off, Toby opens up about the challenges of today’s job search—from ghost postings and algorithm-driven rejections to navigating imposter syndrome.Drawing on his background as a multi-degree black belt in karate, Toby shares how martial arts has shaped his resilience and mindset: to be a black belt at life. He

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00:48:40

Ep. 10 - Determination, Design & Doing It Your Way...

The Flame ·

2025/08/14

Designer Victoria Krawiec spent nearly a year out of work before landing her new role in LA. In this candid conversation, she shares how she stayed creative, built her confidence, and refused to give up on the life she wanted.#CreativeResilience#DesignLife#CareerComeback#JobSearchJourney#CreativityMatters#PerseverancePays#DesignCommunity#CreativeConfidence#InspirationForCreatives#TheFlamePodcast

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00:55:53

Ep. 9 - Don't Bother Applying?: Shu Chow on Fixing...

The Flame ·

2025/07/14

In Episode 9, Bob Raynor talks to Shu Chow, co-founder of Don’t Bother Applying, about why the hiring process feels broken—and what we can do about it. From ghost jobs to algorithmic filtering, they explore the real problems behind candidate frustration and the tools that might bring fairness and clarity back to job search.#theflamepodcast #DontBotherApplying#GhostJobs#HiringReform#jobsearchhelp #TechAndHiring#FixTheFunnel#candidateexperience #RedFlagsInHiring#CareerTransparency

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00:47:02

Ep.8 - Unwrapping the Mummy: Kris Klein on Fear,...

The Flame ·

2025/06/07

In this episode of The Flame, host Bob Raynor sits down with Kris Klein—Copywriter, Creative Director, and Content Strategist—to talk candidly about the emotional and professional rollercoaster of being laid off. Kris opens up about the grief, identity loss, and quiet inner battles that come with career disruption, and how he’s using his craft—writing—as a way to process, connect, and begin again.They discuss the recent article Kris wrote comparing unemployment to a child’s irrational fear of

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27 results

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