The creative industry loves to talk about creatives. But what about the hidden army of people that keep our studios afloat?
The split of creative vs ‘non-creative’ roles is around 50/50 – but it’s rare to hear from those behind the scenes. Client services, operations, finance, HR… Seen as the vital cogs to a studio's success, but too often reduced to emails, admin, or budget police.
This week, we’re joined by Katie Lyons (Studio Manager at Pentagram) & Anna Victor (Business Lead at Mother Design) to unpack how they define themselves, whether they feel valued, and if they get enough credit.
From being ignored in crits, reduced to admin, shielding teams from chaotic clients, impossible budgets, and emotional fallout — they share the invisible labour, the cliche “bad guy” role, and what they wish the industry would do to make them feel welcome.
This is a candid conversation about how we can better support, and celebrate, the backbone of the creative industry.
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HS Creative Operations: https://www.henrystewartconferences.com/creative-operations
Inside Out Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-future-of-in-house-creative-leadership/id1747200978
The Industry Club: https://www.theindustryclub.co.uk/training
Huge thanks to all our anonymous stories.