Podcast Summary: Daring Creativity. Daring Forever.

Episode: Dare to Choose What Matters – Thiago Maia

Host: Radim Malinic
Guest: Thiago Maia (Founder, Cookie Studio, London; Brazilian animator)
Date: September 22, 2025

Overview:

This episode features an in-depth, candid conversation between host Radim Malinic and Thiago Maia, a Brazilian animator and founder of Cookie Studio in London. From a creatively rich childhood in São Paulo to a bold move to the UK with little English, Thiago reflects on building a creative career, overcoming severe depression, and redefining success around personal freedom and well-being rather than business growth. The discussion touches on themes of creative influences, adaptability, mental health, parenting, and the art of enjoying the ride rather than obsessing over destination.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Creative Roots and Childhood in Brazil

• Rich Cultural Backdrop:
  Growing up in São Paulo amidst vibrant Brazilian and Japanese cultures, Thiago was surrounded by visual creativity—from cartoons and anime to his mother’s art gallery.
  • “Brazil is a massive country, ...huge in culture. Every state is a different culture… So as you can imagine, it's a lot. Colour is a lot. Visual expression and visual things you learn and absorb all the time.” (Thiago, 04:57)
• Freedom & Exploration:
  Thiago credits his mother’s free-spirited parenting style for allowing him to roam, experiment, and develop creative confidence.
  • “I’ve always been like a creative kid. I always really liked doing things by hand… My mom always let me play a lot and be quite free…” (Thiago, 04:57)
• Early Influences:
  Key inspiration from Japanese pop culture due to São Paulo’s large Japanese community; cartoons such as “He-Man” and live-action Japanese shows had a lasting impact.
  • “São Paulo has the biggest Japanese community outside Japan… So all the packaging, all the manga, everything we could access that. And on the TV... Jiraiya… big influence on my life.” (Thiago, 08:56)

2. Migration, Hustle, and Growth in the UK

• Arriving With Nothing But Drive:
  Thiago moved to London with minimal English and two suitcases, fueled by a desire to learn and inspired by studios like Aardman.
  • “…didn’t speak the language, didn’t know anyone, didn’t have iPhones… But I always love explore and I think it’s part of being a creative as well. I can’t settle down in something for too long…” (Thiago, 13:32)
• First Jobs & Language Barriers:
  Took hospitality roles, leveraging openness to new experiences, and struggled with English (“cup of tea” vs “cappuccino” confusion).
  • “I couldn’t speak at all. That was scary…The guy gave me the job [and] put me with this old English lady…I couldn’t understand her or anyone talking to me.” (Thiago, 20:40)

3. Breaking into the Creative Industry

• Persistence & Adaptability:
  Thiago helped Brazilian students at university with animation, slowly reconnecting to his creative skills while studying English.
• Landing the First Junior Design Role:
  Using industry magazines for job ads, he landed a junior animator/designer job at ETV production house with the help of Ralph, an Australian head of department who became mentor and friend.
  • “Ralph always was kind of older brother for me that he look after me…After I opened the studio, Ralph worked with me as a freelancer as well.” (Thiago, 27:17)

4. Founding Cookie Studio: The Evolution of Independence

• From Freelancing to Studio Owner:
  Progressed from unsatisfying production jobs to a fruitful freelance career, then co-founded a studio (first called Cake, then Cookie) with collaborator David. They started small, leveraging past contacts.
• Pragmatic Growth:
  The studio’s initial pitch: “Same fee as one freelancer, but two of us will finish in half the time.”
  • “…we start getting work when we get the jobs. I used to start tell them, oh, we work as a studio now…you can pay us the same…do the job in half the time.” (Thiago, 30:23)
• Rebranding After Split:
  When David moved to Spain, Thiago rebranded to Cookie Studio and reignited relationships with existing clients, emphasizing sustaining bonds over cold prospecting.
  • (See 36:53 for advice on reconnecting with your network.)

5. Creative Burnout and The "Dark Times"

• Success Outside, Struggle Inside:
  Despite business growth, Thiago experienced severe depression, leading to loss of enjoyment, energy, and purpose. The pandemic's isolation and pressure compounded his distress.
  • “I was hit by a wall…something I never believed is a depression. I had a massive mental breakdown. 2021 was the best year of this huge pandemic was…Studio was running well…but…complete facts.” (Thiago, 39:46)
• Therapy and Realizing You're Not Alone:
  Initially dismissive about mental health, Thiago found value in therapy and honest conversations; sharing his story opened doors for others and for his own healing.
  • “I realize we grow up swallowing that shit…boys don’t cry, you just move on. The only way to go is pushing through. So I never really spoke…until I met a friend…he introduced me to his therapy and that gave me that light in the end of the tunnel…” (Thiago, 39:46)

6. Redefining Happiness & Freedom

• Freedom Over Growth:
  After burnout, Thiago shifted focus from business growth and external measures of success to prioritizing personal freedom, especially as a parent and creative.
  • “Happiness for me is having freedom…running the business, a lot of people confuse that…But I think what was I felt trapped…a bird inside a small cage, then couldn’t fly.” (Thiago, 46:49–49:47)
• Role of Scaling Down:
  Both Radim and Thiago discussed the power in scaling back studios and choosing a lighter, more intentional workload to reclaim creative joy and self-expression.
  • “…there is no shame in actually scaling back because I think there's a lot of liberation…because you don't have to fill up your cognitive space with so many extra worries…” (Radim, 52:24)

7. Parenthood, Mentoring, and Passing Down Wisdom

• Influence Through Parenting:
  Thiago draws parallels to his childhood freedom and seeks to provide his daughter with both guidance and room to explore, experiment, and get things wrong.
  • “I think my daughter teached me more than I teach her…My place is to give her the tools and the guide and let she experiment what she can.” (Thiago, 58:01)
• On Creative Process Today:
  Emphasizes the importance of letting go of rigid goals and enjoying the journey—applicable to both creative work and raising children.
  • “…we need to be more kind to each other…sometimes it's just a word and change that person's day or like even the career.” (Thiago, 63:24)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Thiago on enjoying the creative process instead of fixating on purpose:

  “You need to have your why. You need to find your why where you're going. And I said, and I realized, I said, you know what? You don't. You can just sit there and drive and enjoy the ride.” (Thiago, 00:38 & 54:06)

• On the myth of “doing what you love”:

  “People think, hey, do what you love and you will never have a breakdown. I was like, yeah, that's a bullshit.” (Radim, 44:21)

• Building a legacy beyond business:

  “You don’t have to be anyone for a long time, just as long as you enjoy yourself. Get lost in everything, try everything, taste everything, smudge every color and see what you find in there.” (Radim, 55:34)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:38 | On “Why” and enjoying the creative journey
• 04:57 | Childhood creativity and Brazilian/Japanese influences
• 13:32 | Decision and journey to London
• 20:40 | Language barriers and first jobs in the UK
• 27:17 | Ralph’s mentorship and first creative industry job
• 30:23 | Founding Cake/Cookie Studio and early business approaches
• 36:53 | The power of reconnecting with your existing network
• 39:46 | Depression, mental health struggle, therapy, and honesty
• 46:49 | Redefining happiness as personal freedom
• 52:24 | On finding liberation through scaling back
• 54:06 | On releasing the pressure of purpose and enjoying the ride
• 58:01 | Parenting as creative mentorship and guidance

Conclusion

Thiago Maia’s story is a testament to daring reinvention, honest reflection, and the courage to scale down in pursuit of genuine creative and personal freedom. His candidness about mental health, burnout, and the cost of “success” offers valuable insights for creatives at any stage. The episode closes with both Radim and Thiago highlighting the importance of kindness, the freedom to experiment, and prioritizing the journey—reminding listeners that creativity is as much about curiosity and imperfection as it is about achievement.

For more resources and episodes, visit radimmalinic.co.uk