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How this publication can help you

Hey—it’s Harrison.

There’s been a lot of changes at this publication recently.

New name. New series. New benefits for paying subscribers. It’s all relevant to you, so I wanted to send you this revamped ‘About’ page so that you can see how these changes might help you with your own projects and decide if you want to dive deeper.

I want to say thank you to

Claire Coley

for helping me define how I’m best placed to support people in their creative endeavours. I couldn’t have gotten the clarity and the language needed for this page without the support she gave.

Here’s what you can expect from Creative Thought Partner going forward, along with background on me.

How this publication can help you

As a free subscriber, you will continue to get:

1. Essays about the psychology and necessity of creativity that will help you understand your own creative impulses

2. Weird listicles that make you go "WTF!" so you can break out of conventional thinking patterns and have a laugh along the way

3. Interviews with cool people about their creative practice so you can adopt proven techniques from successful artists and writers

4. Calls for submission to get your work seen and join the communities that pop up around this publication

5. Thematic prompt exercises that will kickstart your imagination when you're feeling stuck

6. Experimental nonfiction forms to expand your writing toolkit and help you express complex ideas

All I wanna do is coach people, write, and be read. As a subscriber, you’re already helping me achieve that goal, so thank you.

Paying subscribers now also get video-based analyses of writing, access to my library of creative prompts, and monthly group coaching calls where we continue to develop our thinking and practice. Consider becoming a paying subscriber to get all these benefits.

About me in a nutshell

I’ve been an electrician, artist, tech founder, and writer. Now I’m a professional coach to high-achievers who use creative projects to do things they didn’t think possible. This publication, Creative Thought Partner, is where I think and write—and share everything I learn.

I’m a people lover, writing nerd, entrepreneurially-minded artist, husband to Corina (who’s also an artist and designer), and I most admire people who do their own thing.

Originally from Sheffield, England, I’m now lucky enough to travel full time.

Me in more depth

I’ve spent a long time thinking about how I’m uniquely placed to serve others, and it comes down to 5 things:

1. Opportunity spotter: I’m great at finding unconventional solutions to conventional problems.

2. Pattern breaker: I move comfortably between vastly different worlds.

3. Shape shifter: I turn setbacks into stepping stones and use obstacles as catalysts for reinvention.

4. Facilitator: I’m great at building community around creative and entrepreneurial projects.

5. Creative survivor: I maintain a creative spirit through hostile environments and navigate significant life transitions.

Here’s my timeline for context:

• 1986: born in Sheffield, England

• Early childhood: developed a severe stammer, creating a frustrating barrier to self-expression. But I was artistically gifted. Our neighbour, an art teacher, noticed my drawings and told my mum they were years ahead of children my age — an early recognition of creative ability that would go dormant for years.

• 1999: after hearing my mum repeatedly complain about her bin being stolen, I spotted an opportunity. I bought stencils and spray paint, and started a door-to-door bin numbering business, earning £100 a day. A customer called me "very enterprising,” and gave me more than I asked for — the first time I connected creativity and initiative with outsized outcomes.

• 2003: without clear direction and seeing friends in trades earning steady income, I followed my uncle Gary's suggestion and began an apprenticeship as an electrician. It was a practical decision that wasn't aligned with my creative instincts but would provide valuable skills.

• 2006: imported winter coats from China to sell on construction sites.

• 2007: started a garden lighting company alongside my full time electrical job, finally discovering a way to combine technical skills with creative expression. I secured King’s Trust funding, bought tools, and landed my first customer, only for the 2008 financial crash to halt my momentum 😤

• 2009: discovered Tony Robbins tapes and completed his Personal Power course. Robbins’ ideas and self-belief were game changing for me. I felt he was the inspiring father figure I’d never had.

• 2011: read that "90 pence in every pound spent in the UK is spent in London" so I decided to move to London. Landed a job building the London Olympic Village.

• 2011: worked part-time in the film industry as an electrician on productions including The Inbetweeners Movie, Now Is Good, and music videos for Wretch 32.

• 2011: landed a coveted electrical job on the London Underground after pestering the hiring manager every day for 3 months straight even though he said, “STOP F**CKING RINGING ME!” I was then promoted to Supervisor within 6 months.

• 2011-2012: ready to reconnect with my creative instincts, I enrolled in a foundation art degree, working nights on the Underground while attending college during the day to cover expenses.

• 2012: secured a place to study Fine Art (BA) at Central Saint Martins London. This is my life-defining achievement (CSM is like the Oxford or Cambridge of the art world). I finally began pursuing my creative dreams while maintaining income through weekend electrical work.

• 2014-2015: lived and studied in Turkey and Thailand during my BA.

• 2015: invited to create site-specific sculpture in Norway and presented my work to the Norwegian Queen.

• 2016: secured a place to study Contemporary Art Practice (MA) at the Royal College of Art, the world’s top art school, funding it through a crowdfunding campaign where I made original artworks for all contributors.

• 2016: won a commission to create award trophies for the Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival and had my first solo exhibition in Sheffield.

• 2017: by now my work had appeared in over 20 international exhibitions.

• 2017: worked as assistant to Turner Prize-nominated painter Hurvin Anderson.

• 2017: won a national competition with my concept for a Slack-like digital platform for construction sites, combining my creative skills with industry experience. I became the first artist granted a place at the RCA's prestigious entrepreneurship centre.

• 2017-2022: built the company, raising venture capital and hiring a team. The company combined my practical knowledge with creative vision in a way few others could attempt but ultimately failed — a humbling and devastating experience that forced reassessment.

• 2022: me and Corina left England to travel full time.

• 2022: created this publication knowing that I wanted to write, create interesting projects, and help others do the same.

• 2022: began learning structured coaching skills using the GROW™ model.

• 2023: won an O'Shaughnessy Scholarship to participate in David Perell’s renowned Write of Passage (WoP) writing school, a transformative writing course that connected me with a community of exciting writers.

• 2023-2024: became a crew editor and workshop facilitator for WoP.

• 2024: joined full-time as WoP’s Dedicated Writing Mentor — professionally integrating my creative and coaching skills.

• 2024-present: I now coach people to make significant life transformations: new career pathways, identity-shifting creative projects, and personal reinvention.

5 important things about me:

✦ I value freedom (but know it has limits): I’m passionate about freedom but aware too much creates paralysis. I believe meaningful growth comes from constraints and overcoming resistance.

✦ I go deep (which is both a blessing and curse): I can be a detail-oriented perfectionist. This makes me excellent at managing others' projects but can slow my own work.

✦ Work is my centre of gravity: I prioritise creative work above all else. My mental health suffers without regular creative expression.

✦ I'm a full-time traveler with a global mindset: Traveling with my wife for 2+ years. I’m icky about nationalism and arbitrary borders. This nomadic lifestyle has become core to my identity and worldview.

✦ I love humans: I’m a natural people-person with warm curiosity about others. My art tends to involve other people because I find people more fascinating than anything else. Paradoxically I’m both individualistic and deeply invested in others' potential.

That's me! Everything I learn and create comes through this publication, and as someone who's already chosen to have a creative thought partner in your corner, you’ll continue to receive my essays on creativity.

Remember that if you become a paying subscriber, you’ll also get access to video breakdowns of writing, my full library of creative prompts, and monthly group coaching calls where we discuss creative processes. I hope you’ll consider it.

“When I began working with Harrison as a mentee, I felt overwhelmed, lost, and uncertain about my creative path. I was working on an application for my first artist's residency, submitting an ambitious project that I struggled to communicate clearly to my audience. Harrison went above and beyond every step of the way. His mentorship helped me not only clarify the core concepts behind my project but also find confidence in my own voice and perspectives. Through his guidance, I learned new ways to approach my writing process—from initial ideas to execution—helping me feel more organized and focused. Harrison continuously showed up for me as a mentor, and beyond practical advice, I have felt genuine companionship in our work together, navigating the joys and frustrations of writing.”
— Jeremy Mathew, Artist

★

"Harrison is so much more than simply an "accountability" coach. He is a nimble, high-idea-generating, creative troubleshooter. He can weave effortlessly back and forth between strategy and tactics (and then zoom out, and operate at a level even more meta than that)! He loves the craft of writing and that enthusiasm comes through in every interaction."
— Jennifer Scott, Poet

★

"Think of a sounding board, but better - like an intellectual creativity board. That’s one of the many talents Harrison offers in the writing world: he stimulates, nurtures, and empowers the creative inside of you. From high level brainstorming to practical tips on language and structure, his guidance would be a huge advantage to anyone looking to take their writing to the next level."
— Michael Skinner, Entrepreneur

★

"Harrison absolutely aced the editor "exam" during our training (60/60), and has helped two cohorts of students around a range of technical and psychological blocks. His experience in art school enables him to give a perspective shift to anyone he works with."
— Michael Dean, Editor-in-Chief at Write of Passage

★

“Harrison’s guidance came at a moment where I was transitioning in my creative journey. After completing the "Write of Passage" bootcamp, I felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of feedback and the realization of how much I needed to work on. I felt lost feeling the pressure to quickly revamp what writing process I thought I had. Harrison’s approach to nonfiction writing was a much-needed change of pace. He made real the idea of playfulness and patience, transforming what felt like a giant, overwhelming task into flexible, bitesize explorations every week. Watching him write alongside us and seeing others similarly struggle made the journey feel human and achievable. My encounter with Harrison, planted the seeds for me becoming a more open and resilient writer.”
— See Eun Ma, Entrepreneur

★

“When I was building a new web application called Shiny Dimes, I hit a wall. I had already curated a rich collection of quotes, essays, and insights—things I knew would resonate with the kind of people I admire and follow online. I had even validated the concept with early users. But I couldn’t figure out how to present it all. What was the best way to communicate the value? What should the aesthetic and vibe feel like? What would actually land? This is when I reached out to Harrison. He has a rare gift: the ability to give real-time feedback that’s both emotional and precise. Whether it’s an essay or software, he can immediately articulate how something feels... and equally as important, why it feels that way. He points out what’s confusing, what’s distracting, and what might be turning people off, even if it’s subtle. It’s like working with a great video editor. You know that feeling when a movie just doesn’t work, but you can’t quite explain why? Maybe the pacing is off, or there’s an awkward cut. Harrison can see those things in a product or a piece of writing.”
— Daniel Hunter, Entrepreneur

★

“Working with Harrison was invaluable in helping me identify my writing weaknesses. He was able to shine a light on why some of my writing wasn't working. This has made a huge difference, as I now understand what I need to improve on and work on the most. He's a nice guy, fun to work with, and is really interested in being as helpful as possible. I definitely recommend Harrison as excellent in his space, and he will help you improve your writing skills dramatically.”
— Owen Fitzpatrick, Psychologist & Author

★

"Harrison is a discerning, collaborative, and attentive creative partner. He’s helped me out with my writing for over a year now and I just know that whatever piece I’m working on will be a few notches better once it’s got a ‘Harrison pass’. He’s also incredibly resourceful, being able to pull in a variety of prompts and references from his ever-growing library."
— Becky Isjwara, Artist & writer

★

"The value of your coaching comes from those moments that are difficult to replicate alone. It could be that writing 'reps' are almost as effective alone as they are with a coach. But those 'aha' moments that happen during conversation are unique. Just bouncing ideas gave me access to a part of my brain that is usually difficult to access alone."
— Justin Nothling, Entrepreneur

★

"When you call out things I didn't notice and when you put on your mentoring hat, I honestly feel like you have a lot of great ideas, Harrison, and you really have a good understanding of the craft because of your experience."
— Linart Seprioto, Marketing Manager

★

“The most valuable aspect of working with you was discussing new ideas and getting new thoughts about things I didn't even think of checking. You made me realize that I don't write badly, I just frame it badly and overcomplicate it. Now I'm trying to be more straight-forward with my writing first, and add details and jokes only when it's necessary.”
— Matheus Felipe, Consultant

★

“Harrison helped me clarify my thinking much earlier in the writing process. His Strategic Questions have become a go-to tool I use after a first draft to catch logic gaps before getting too deep into revisions.”
— Ved Shankar, Consultant

★

“You are personable and approachable in a way that puts me at ease but also passionate about writing and expression, which I think is important when trying to strike a balance between ‘taking something seriously’ and being playful and curious. I like to think about how you approach the habit of writing as a fun experiment, there are many ways to get into writing and what to choose to focus on. Systems and habits are all well and good, but when you are reflective and connected to your ‘why’ it helps staying aligned while not putting pressure on yourself in a way that sucks the fun out of what should (ideally) be a challenging yet playful endeavour.”
— Marios Georgiou, Psychologist

★

“Harrison, I wanted to let you know I was able to get out of the house and find a coffee shop to write for over an hour tonight. I completed a SFD [shitty first draft]. I really appreciate it!”
— Kevin Doffing, Company President

★

I worked with Harrison on a draft that was giving me fits. He left me with two vital and memorable pieces of feedback: 1) list on a separate page all key themes/topics discussed in the piece and focus on the 2-3 that are the heart of your draft. 2) Instead of editing the current piece, start over with those 2-3 key themes—what! It worked. My next draft was focused, clearer, and cleaner, allowing me to get to the heart of what I wanted to write. Harrison is an enjoyable, thoughtful, and clear communicator that will make you and your writing better.
— Brandon Lee Weaver, Writer

★

"I went from a mess of ideas to writing pieces that connected with people. Harrison has a skill and approach to bring out the best in your writing. I've seen this improve in my writing and how I work with teams."
— Dominik Gmeiner, Senior Design Leader

★

"Harrison helped me overcome a creative block while I was rewriting a few essays. His questions—always rich and unexpected—pushed me to think and feel differently. He's the kind of person who opens your eyes to things you didn’t realize were missing. He especially brings such positive energy to writing. It’s contagious. Suddenly, something that felt like a grind becomes playful and, dare I say, fun. Perhaps that’s the most valuable thing Harrison has given me: the joy of writing again."
— Hugo Lebarrois, Product Manager

★

"One eagerly awaits additional commendations.”
— Queen Elizabeth, Contemporary Monarch