Stephen Gates on Speaking the Language of Business

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Stephen Gates—global design leader, keynote speaker, and host of The Crazy One podcast.

Stephen’s career has spanned more than 20 years leading creative teams at companies like Apple, Citi, InVision, and McCann, where he’s built award-winning work across branding, product design, and customer experience. Known for his candid, no-nonsense approach to leadership and creativity, Stephen now works with organizations and teams around the world—helping them unlock better ideas, build stronger cultures, and navigate the complex realities of design at scale.

In this episode, we get into what it really means to lead as a designer, how to break out of safe thinking, and why creativity and business have to speak the same language. Stephen shares hard-won lessons on building trust with executives, the traps teams fall into when chasing innovation, and the mindset shifts that can make the difference between a good career and a great one.

Whether you’re a design leader, an ambitious creative, or just curious about what it takes to make work that matters—this conversation is equal parts practical, inspiring, and refreshingly honest.

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