BIG Conference review

If you were to take just one message from BIG 2013, it’s this – creativity isn’t just for creatives.

And at the heart of that is innovation. Not invention, though that is one manifestation of innovation, but simply looking beyond the accepted norms.

BIG 2013 (the ‘BIG’ stands for Business Innovation for Growth) was staged by Creative Lancashire at Lancaster University and 250 delegates from across the north west took part in an inspiring day of speeches, workshops and shared learning, with contributions from some of the brightest brands in the UK.

“Historically, the UK’s arts schools were founded and funded by the captains of industry – the idea of creativity benefiting business is not new, but we do need to remind ourselves of its importance and of where it fits.

“To be an entrepreneur, you have to be a creative thinker – you can’t stand still; you must continually change and innovate. That’s creativity.”

“There is nothing more exciting than seeing creativity help drive profits!” he said. “Businesses are most alive when they have moments of inspiration; it’s our job to help them have more.”

Too much emphasis, he said, was placed on seeking ‘the big idea’ or the radical change when, in fact, most innovation is incremental.

And Phil gave advice for those seeking their creative locus: “Disconnect from the work matrix, practise active curiosity and preserve the time you need for creativity.”

He told delegates to trust their instincts and be wary of chasing the money. “Profit is a by-product of business success,” he said.