The Creative Boom Podcast
Episode Summary: Brian Collins on Fighting Second Dragons, the Power of Orange Ties and the Future of Creativity
Host: Katie Cowan
Guest: Brian Collins, Co-founder of COLLINS
Date: October 27, 2025
Main Theme
This episode offers a wide-ranging, heartfelt conversation with Brian Collins, design legend and co-founder of COLLINS. While Collins’s impressive client list (Spotify, Nike, Dropbox) sets the stage, the real focus is his philosophy on courage, curiosity, the importance of asking better questions, and embracing transformation—personally, creatively, and culturally. The chat is rich in family anecdotes, Irish heritage, the creative journey, and straight talk about today’s challenges, including the implications of AI for creatives.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Resilience, Health, and the Power of Doing What You Love
- Both Katie and Brian share stories of recent, personal health scares and recoveries, framing how adversity clarifies what matters.
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Katie recounts her battle with a herniated disc and rediscovering gratitude for her work.
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Brian recalls the weekend he feared for his health and how it made him double down on his creative purpose, not change direction.
"If I get bad news...I want to continue to do what I'm doing."
—Brian Collins [04:03]"After loss, the courage you suddenly have, the gratitude—you realize, 'Oh God, I love what I do.'"
—Katie Cowan [04:57]
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2. Irish Heritage, Family, and Fuel for Creativity
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Brian describes a creative childhood nurtured by parents who championed reading, music, and the arts.
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Family stories reveal the value of expression, music, resilience, and nonconformity.
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A poignant tale about his mother’s final night captures the humor and humanity running through his family.
"Rooms made for everybody...my family always made sure guests felt like they belonged."
—Brian Collins [13:46]"It's not about preserving heritage in amber; it’s using it as fuel to light up every room you’re in."
—Brian Collins [15:00]
3. Migration, Difference, and the Creative Leap
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Brian discusses the immigrant journeys of his grandparents and the impact on his worldview and hiring philosophy.
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He values diversity and the courage to start anew.
"Those kinds of differences, that kind of variety...that's what I've tried to generate, because I'm more fascinated by people who are not like me."
—Brian Collins [19:54]"The first value and the most important one is courage."
—Brian Collins quoting Maya Angelou [20:56]
4. Courage, Curiosity, and the Importance of Asking the Right Questions
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Brian’s mantra: don’t spend your creative life answering other people’s questions.
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True innovation begins by asking questions beyond the surface.
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The "two dragons" model (inspired by Beowulf): every client brief hides a deeper challenge beneath the stated problem.
"You can spend a lot of your career answering somebody else's questions. I'd sooner risk failure chasing my own imagination."
—Brian Collins [21:06]"There's always a question under the question...If you don't find the second dragon, you'll end up solving the wrong problem."
—Brian Collins [23:31 and 29:44]"Whenever I run into a problem I can't solve, I always make the problem bigger. If I make it big enough, I can begin to see the outlines of a solution."
—Brian Collins quoting Eisenhower [31:28]
5. Stories from the Industry: Spotify and Beyond
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Example: With Spotify, Collins’s breakthrough wasn’t a new visual identity, but redefining Spotify from a tech company to a music company—recognizing and articulating the narrative under the brief.
"You're not an engineering or streaming company. You're really a music company. Be the music company."
—Brian Collins [25:23] -
Importance of providing clients with clarity and language for their ambition and brand:
"No one's ever put a voice to what my ambition was. And you just did."
—Unnamed CEO, recounted by Brian Collins [33:19]
6. Bravery, Authenticity, and Nonconformity
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Brian shares the story of wearing a bright orange cravat to school, facing bullying, and standing his ground, with the support of his aunt. This became symbolic of his philosophy: keep showing up as yourself, no matter the pushback.
"If you don't learn to stand up now, you never will."
—Brian’s aunt [47:36] -
On not reducing yourself to a “personal brand”:
"Building your personal brand is just so limited and unimaginative. You really want to put yourself in that kind of a cage?"
—Brian Collins [44:11]
7. Paths, Ditches, and the Value of Getting Lost
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The metaphor of the path recurs: the highways of life are not as rewarding as the meandering, uncertain, personal ones.
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Losing your way is not failure; it’s proof you’re on your own path.
"When you’re lost, that’s your path. If it’s already made for you, it ain’t yours."
—Brian Collins [40:52-41:41]"You're always making future-making decisions. The questions I would ask: what can I best do now so I can have the impact I want 10 years from now?"
—Brian Collins [48:26]
8. Facing the Future: AI, Change, and Staying Relevant
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Brian urges creatives to face the coming wave of AI head-on, rather than clinging to the status quo.
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He notes from past experience how parts of the design world became obsolete by ignoring technology.
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Those who embrace artistry, curiosity, and new tools will master the future. Those in denial risk being replaced.
"The low and the middle end of design will be replaced by AI. Those who understand what it is and use their artistry...will be masterful."
—Brian Collins [51:13]"It's not artificial intelligence, it’s an alien intelligence. You have a choice: run for the hills or go out and meet the spaceship—we’re choosing to go meet the spaceship."
—Brian Collins [53:45]
Memorable Quotes
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On resilience and love of work:
"I couldn't wait to continue to do what I love to do."
—Brian Collins [04:35] -
On finding the deeper problem:
"There's always a second dragon. The aesthetic solution might look good, but you may be answering for the wrong story."
—Brian Collins [29:44] -
On asking tough questions:
"Sometimes the most difficult questions are the most transcendent. My experience—if you ask them with sincerity, generosity, curiosity—you get some pretty good answers."
—Brian Collins [39:35] -
On walking your own path:
"You know you’re on your path when there isn’t one."
—Brian Collins [40:43] -
On wear and standing out:
"Because the first day it was my orange. I loved orange. I’d go back to my 10-year-old self and ask—why did you do that? We ultimately are the authors of our futures."
—Brian Collins [48:13] -
On AI and the future:
"You have a choice when it comes to aliens—you can run down in the basement and put a tinfoil hat on, or you can go out and meet the spaceship. We’re choosing to go out and meet the spaceship."
—Brian Collins [53:45]
Notable Moments & Timestamps
- Introduction & Health Scares [01:33–05:44]: Katie and Brian swap personal stories about health, trauma, and rediscovering creative purpose.
- Irish Family and Roots [06:41–15:50]: Brian’s family, resilience, and the role of music and nonconformity.
- Immigration & Valuing Diversity [17:42–20:37]: The story of his grandfather’s crate and why difference is crucial in the creative world.
- Courage and Chasing Your Own Questions [20:40–23:18]: Why courage is essential and how to avoid living by others’ scripts.
- Collins and the Power of the Second Question [23:31–33:19]: The "two dragons" approach; how deep questioning transformed Spotify and other clients.
- Creativity, Humour, and Standing Out [34:25–36:01]: Bantering with intimidating CEOs and the value of playful courage.
- Mythology and Creative Identity [37:02–41:41]: Percival, the Grail, and the value of asking ‘What ails you?’
- The Trouble with Personal Branding [43:36–45:02]: Why Brian refuses to define himself as a "personal brand."
- The Orange Cravat Story [45:30–49:20]: Standing ground on nonconformity as a child—orange became his symbol of transformation.
- Navigating a Changing Creative World [50:00–56:55]: Advice for lost creatives, embracing AI, and learning from past technological shifts in design.
Takeaways for Listeners
- Courage and curiosity aren’t optional—they’re essentials for a fulfilling creative path.
- Ask the questions beneath the questions; look for the deeper challenge or truth in every brief.
- Don’t be afraid of change—historically, those who embrace new tools and tell new stories thrive.
- Stay true to your quirks, background, and passions—they’re what make you valuable and resilient.
- When lost, remember: it very likely means you’re forging your own, unique way forward (and that’s exactly where you should be).
Further Listening
Catch Brian’s bonus episode “The Spark” for quickfire fun and more candid moments.
Explore more conversations on creative journeys, resilience, and transformation at creativeboom.com.