Mischievous. Hands-on. Alive.
A new visual identity for this publication
Dear subscribers,
This is an informational post to tell you, firstly, about this new visual identity for this publication. Secondly, to say a little bit about why I love it and what it means to me. And thirdly, to tell you how you could get something of your own designed this well by working with my talented wife Corina.
When I first created this publication back in 2022, I had a general impulse to write, but no idea what my niche would be or whether I would ever try to solve a problem for anyone in particular. I therefore chose a simple 3-colour scheme, which I found on Pinterest, that I felt was visually agnostic enough to allow me movement in any direction I wanted. I told myself I’d work within the simple constraints of this colour scheme and save all of my attention and effort for the writing itself.
Since then, writing on the internet has taken me in several interesting professional directions, such as working at Write of Passage and becoming a writing mentor, teaching people how to leverage AI in their work, and, more recently, building a practice and training to become a Positive Psychology coach. I’ve been wanting to refresh my brand identity to reflect these new developments for a while now, but didn’t have a catalysing reason to stop and do it.
That was until my wife Corina designed a landing page for a group coaching programme I’m planning. I liked it so much that I knew I would roll it out across my publication as a whole.
Here are some screenshots from that programme landing page:
First off, I really like the colours in this new aesthetic. They feel ageless, dynamic, and alive.
There’s also something about them that captures the mischievous, deviant sides of me that, in all honesty, I’ve struggled to express through my writing alone. I think it’s that I’ve been trying really hard to write well, and that this has led me to write with a level of seriousness that isn’t very characteristic of me in real life.
My most recent post was an adaptation of a talk I gave to some management consultants about how every organisation needs a trickster. Tricks and pranks are an important part of my history and identity, and these new colours, these new fonts, and everything that Corina has made for me really capture that trickster energy in a way that my old branding didn’t.
Another thing this new identity captures is the juxtaposition between the messy, haptic quality of working with your hands and the cerebral, nonmaterial quality of working with you head. This combination is important to me. As a traveller, I haven’t been able to use my hands to build anything physical for four years now, but I actually have a history—both in construction and as an artist—in building sculptures, installing electrical systems, making furniture, drawing, and painting. This year we will settle in Valencia and establish a home, and we’re both looking forward very much to having a physical studio again.
In many ways, both in terms of moving to Valencia as well as in terms of revamping my publication to reflect the work I do today, it feels like a homecoming to a fuller version of myself.
I’m grateful for your engagement and support over the last four years and for continuing to read what I write. It means a lot :)
Without further ado then, here’s the all-new Creative Thought Partner website.
Corina is the most gifted illustrator and most empathic person I know, which is what makes her such a great designer. She also has an unbelievable sense of taste, and her research skills are incredible. It’s this constellation of strengths that put her head and shoulders above other designers for whom these things are a chore. Here’s her portfolio. Get in touch with her if you want to discuss a project.
Here’s to the next four years!
⬥
Hey 👋 Thanks for reading.
If you want more direct help, I’m a Positive Psychology Coach and I work with professionals navigating significant transitions like career changes, bold projects, and moments where an old story no longer fits.
If that’s you, feel free to reply to this email or get in touch directly. I read everything.
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Excellent work, the look and feel is right on brand!
Looks fabulous! Feels very energetic.