5 Creative Truths That Matter
Every creator, podcaster, and entrepreneur eventually learns the most powerful lessons aren’t complicated. In many cases, they’re timeless.
These learnings show up again and again, whether you’re building a brand, a show, or a career. With this in mind, here are five creative truths from some of the world’s greatest thinkers that shape how I think about work, connection, and growth.
Consider this the first set with more truths to come.
1. Your Brand Is What People Say About You
"Your brand is what people say about you when you're not in the room." — Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon
Many podcasters and creators talk about the loyalty of "my audience," believing they deeply understand what their listeners want, only to be surprised when the audience starts to drift away.
Staying in touch is everything.
Your show and your personal brand are living, breathing organisms. You risk falling out of sync if you aren’t actively listening through feedback, analytics, conversations, or even gut checks.
Tom Webster lays this out in his excellent book “The Audience is Listening,”which is included in the curriculum for my The Business of Podcasting at NYU class.Audiences evolve. Creators must change, too, or risk waking up one day wondering where everyone went.
Key reminder: You don't own your audience's loyalty. You earn it again and again.
2. Trial and Error Is the Process
"I can never find the thing that does the job best until I find the ones that don’t." — Thomas Edison, a pioneer of innovation
Trial and error aren't signs of weakness. They’re proof you're in the game. Every great show, project, or product improves by working through what doesn’t fit first.
Take Seinfeld as an example. Early episodes included Jerry performing stand-up routines that framed the story, a device that quietly disappeared by Season 4 as the show’s real voice and cadence emerged. The characters sharpened. The storytelling developed. The magic took time.
Key reminder: Embrace early mistakes. It's the tuition you pay for greatness.
3. Collaboration Is Exponential
"If I have an apple and you have an apple and we exchange them, we both still have one apple. But if I have an idea and you have an idea and we exchange them, we both have two ideas." — George Bernard Shaw, playwright and critic
Some of the best business days for me aren’t about closing deals. They’re about opening minds. There’s an alchemy that happens when you sit with smart people and start exchanging ideas. One thought sparks another. A half-baked concept becomes a new strategy. Suddenly, you’re not thinking in your usual two-lane road. You’re racing down a four-lane highway of possibility.
Key reminder: Collaboration isn’t just helpful. It’s exponential.
4. Master the Rules. Then Break Them
"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist." — Pablo Picasso, a visionary who redefined art
The most compelling creators didn’t start by rejecting the system. They started by mastering it.
They learned the structure, format, and expectations, played with them, pushed them, and ultimately created something fresh.
When you know the rules by heart, you can bend them with purpose, not accident. That’s where transformation happens.
Key reminder: Mastery first. Then mischief.
5. Don’t Tell Everything
"The secret of being a bore... is to tell everything." — Voltaire, French writer and philosopher
Good storytellers know that mystery is a feature, not a flaw. You don't need to say it all. You don't need to explain every move.
Great storytelling often lies in what you choose not to say. Pauses and unanswered questions invite the audience to fill in the gaps. Overexplaining, over-talking, and overstuffing can suck the life out of content. Especially in a TikTok world, brevity can be rewarded. BTW, this Voltaire quote is from 1738. Even then, it appears brevity was valued.
Key reminder: Leave them wanting more and not checking their watches
Final Thought
Creativity isn’t random. It’s built on a foundation and truths that work across industries, generations, technologies, and content platforms. These axioms aren’t rigid laws. They're guideposts and reminders of how the best ideas (and the best shows, brands, and businesses) stay vibrant over time.
More creative truths are coming soon.
What’s a creative or business truth/axiom you live by? I’d love to hear it.
In May, Coleman Insights VP Jay Nachlis and I will be present The State of Video Podcasting 2025 at Podcast Show London. We look forward to seeing you there.