Podcast Summary: The Leadership Dance

Ep. 33: Creativity is a leadership muscle, with Tina Wells

Host: Alissa Hsu Lynch
Guest: Tina Wells (Founder/CEO of Wellspring Studio, Author, Marketer)
Date: January 19, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Alissa Hsu Lynch sits down with Tina Wells—renowned marketer, author, and founder of Wellspring Studio—to discuss the evolving intersection of creativity and leadership. The conversation covers Tina’s early entrepreneurial journey, her pioneering work with Gen Z and Millennial consumers, creative routines, views on generational trends, writing empowering books for young readers, and the future of content. The episode is rich with practical advice for leaders, insights into youth culture, and inspiration for nurturing creativity as a consistent practice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of a Creative Leader: Tina’s Early Life and Entrepreneurship

• Family and Upbringing
  Tina grew up in suburban New Jersey as the eldest of six children, leading a typical American teenage life steeped in ‘90s pop culture ([02:25]).
• First Steps into Media
  At 15, she became a writer for a girls' newspaper, fueling her dream of becoming a magazine editor ([02:25]).
• Founding Buzz Marketing
  Accidentally started her first business at 16 by aggregating product feedback with friends and producing insightful youth trend reports. She didn’t realize initially it was entrepreneurship ([03:41]).
  • Quote: “I think in 1996. We didn't even have the language as a teenager to talk about entrepreneurship.” — Tina ([03:41])
  • A market research client: “I just paid $25,000 for market research. What you and your friends told me was 10 times better.” ([04:22])
  • With support from a college professor, she formalized the business, focusing on authentic teen voices.

2. Scaling Insight: Understanding Youth Culture

• Building the Buzz Spotter Network
  Started with 10–25 friends, expanded to thousands via a Cosmo Girl feature. Technology was more limited in the late '90s ([05:54]).
• Unique Research Approach
  Tina’s team tackled taboo topics, countering industry narratives (e.g., teens and illegal music downloads), attracting clients like Sony Music ([05:54]-[08:10]).
• Evolving with Her Audience
  Continued to follow the generational cohort as they aged into Millennials and later Gen Z ([08:10]-[08:50]).

3. Listening to and Amplifying Consumers

• Tina’s focus: giving young consumers an authentic voice in an era when corporate marketing was top-down ([08:50]).
  • Quote: “I'm on the side of the consumer having a voice. And I always felt like the job, my job as a marketer was to understand what consumers want and to deliver that.” — Tina ([08:50])
• She carried this ethos into projects with Johnson & Johnson, Target, and more.

4. Gen Z (and Gen Alpha): What Makes Them Unique

• Not an extension of Millennials. Gen Z is more diverse, financially savvy, and determined to make institutions work for them ([10:08]).
  • Quote: “It would be a mistake to see them as an extension of Millennials… and then with Gen Z, one, they're the most diverse generation...and the most financially savvy.” — Tina ([10:08])
• Work Preferences: Value flexibility, prioritizing quality of life and remote work even over higher pay ([10:08]-[13:37]).

5. The Return-to-Office Debate: Reframing Community

• Advocates for highlighting the positive, creative, and communal aspects of in-person work rather than focusing on negatives ([13:37]).
  • Quote: “It's great to come up with an idea on your own, but there's nothing like being with a group of people where you all are specialists in different things...” — Tina ([13:37])

6. Navigating Pivots and Reinvention

• Closing Her First Agency
  Anticipated structural changes in the agency world, moved toward content creation, and authored successful book series ([15:35]).
  • Quote: “Content hadn't yet exploded. And it was a really good decision for me. It led me to the partnership with Target, it led me to doing 14 books in three years…” — Tina ([15:35])
• Learned firsthand about product development, from R&D to shelf, deepening her perspective as a marketer.

7. Creativity as a Muscle

• Cultivating creativity requires regular practice, surrounding oneself with independent thinkers, varied inspirations, and staying curious ([18:03]).
  • Quote: “Creativity is a muscle, and I think, like any muscle, you have to have a training regimen for that.” — Tina ([18:03])
  • Curiosity combats stagnation; travel, especially observing people in airports, is a favorite source of inspiration.

8. Balancing Structure and Inspiration

• Creativity needs to be balanced with data and structure, especially in marketing ([20:30]).
  • Quote: “Marketing is an art and science...it's a constant tension between those two things.” — Tina ([20:30])
  • Data grounds creativity; "AI doesn’t scare me...it'll never do the completely human job of connection." ([21:37])

9. Writing for Young Readers and Lifelong Learning

• Focuses on "middle grade" fiction to fill the gap for 7–12-year-olds and provide relatable, empowering, imperfect female characters ([22:26]).
  • Solution-driven writing: Inspired after a mom asked what books her tween daughter should read instead of more mature titles ([22:26]).
• Parents and at-risk readers frequently gravitate to her books, building positive reading experiences ([27:31]).
  • Her series, especially Honest June, stands out for blending humor, realness, and fantasy ([25:53]).

10. Writing Process

• Deep research and immersive world-building precede her "burst writing" sessions ([28:49]).
• Considers both current cultural trends and what will resonate two years into the future ([29:38]).

11. Rapid Fire Round ([30:15])

• Brand that gets Gen Z: Sephora
• How friends describe her: Funny
• Favorite inspiration spot: The airport
• Leadership superpower: Emotional Intelligence
• Song/type to dance to: Yacht Rock — “just feels soothing...brings me back to my childhood” ([30:46])

12. Women, Leadership, and Systemic Change

• Women need more concrete support to balance family and work; societal systems should adapt, not just celebrate discussion ([31:12]).
  • Quote: “We are prioritizing a conversation around family...yet we're not prioritizing a conversation around the support that women need to be both.” — Tina ([31:26])
• Predicts big business opportunities for those who solve for family and “sandwich generation” needs ([33:50]).

13. Confidence in Career Pivots

• Early entrepreneurship, curiosity, and willingness to be uncomfortable fueled Tina’s industry-hopping career ([34:29]).
  • Quote: “I'm always doing research, right?...what's giving me pause? What is it that I'm uncomfortable with? Right. So I want to get comfortable with the things I'm uncomfortable with.” ([34:29])

14. The Future of Content: Analog Yearning & Creative Renaissance

• Predicts a correction in social media, rise in analog experiences, and a renaissance for long-form, depth-driven content ([37:22]).
  • Quote: “People are really looking...to get offline in a unique way...I think it's going to be really great year for artists. I think we need artists to really do their thing and to inspire us again.” — Tina ([37:22])

15. Advice to Her Younger Self & Emerging Leaders

• Don’t take yourself too seriously; prioritize “having a life,” interests, and friends alongside hard work ([41:08]).
  • Quote: “Prioritize having a life, being a really interesting person, pursuing interests just because you're interested.” — Tina ([41:08])
  • Believes Gen Z “gets it right,” achieving a better work-life balance than previous generations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On starting her business:
  “As I said, I was a product review editor...it became too much for me. So I brought on some friends and said, guys, guys, take a survey...” ([03:41])

• On Gen Z's uniqueness:
  “They are the most digitally native...understanding technology and how to make money from it.” ([10:08])

• On creativity:
  “Curiosity is a cure for stagnation.” ([18:03])

• On data and creativity:
  “We can kind of tell when the data part is missing. And then you also see some things that feel very data driven. And you can see where the human touch...is also Missing, Right.” ([21:37])

• On writing for tweens:
  “I write for the kids who maybe wouldn't otherwise pick up a book. Pop culture is something I love. And so I think infusing pop culture and finding a way to make it relatable for the time yet something kids can read ten years later has always been the challenge.” ([27:31])

• On motherhood and entrepreneurship:
  “I see a lot of female founders who are mothers...They have given birth to this amazing person. Right. It's an amazing act of creativity. And...how they see bringing something to life, just seems to 10x.” ([31:26])

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Tina’s Start in Media & Entrepreneurship: [02:25] – [05:47]
• Evolution of Buzz Marketing & Youth Research: [05:54] – [08:10]
• Gen Z Trends: [10:08] – [13:37]
• Remote Work & Community: [13:37] – [15:07]
• Agency Pivot & Content Focus: [15:35] – [17:51]
• Creativity as a Muscle: [18:03] – [20:12]
• Balancing Data and Art: [20:30] – [22:08]
• Writing for Middle Graders/Tweens: [22:26] – [25:48]
• Favorite Series & Readers: [25:53] – [27:31]
• Writing Process: [28:49] – [30:15]
• Rapid Fire Round: [30:15] – [31:12]
• Women in Business/Support Needs: [31:12] – [34:06]
• How to Pivot with Confidence: [34:29] – [37:19]
• The Future of Content & Analog Experiences: [37:22] – [41:08]
• Advice to Her Younger Self: [41:08] – [42:18]

Takeaways for Listeners

• Creativity is accessible: It must be consistently nurtured like a muscle, with curiosity and exposure to different viewpoints.
• Generational shifts matter: Don’t conflate Gen Z with Millennials; each has unique motivators, values, and approaches to work.
• Leadership is both art and science: Effective leaders and marketers balance intuition, creativity, and data-driven insights.
• Support systems need evolution: With more women starting businesses and participating in the “sandwich generation,” organizations must actively build better support structures.
• Don’t let fear block your path: Embrace being a beginner, even when pivoting into new fields—stay curious and commit to life-long learning.
• Live a well-rounded life: Success means cultivating interests, friendships, and joy—not just career accomplishments.

This episode serves as both a masterclass in modern leadership and a motivational blueprint for unleashing creativity in business and beyond.