Bet on Yourself: The Power of Self-Belief in Creativity and Career Growth

Too many creatives move through their careers taking what the industry gives them—waiting for opportunities, following the expected path, and slowly losing sight of who they really are. But what happens when you finally confront the toughest question of all: Who am I, and what do I really want?

In this webinar, Stephen shares hard-hitting truths about the struggles creatives face when they’re at a crossroads—whether it’s starting their own business, taking control of their careers, or redefining their personal brand. Drawing from his own journey of leaving the corporate world to start CRZY Design, Stephen will challenge attendees to reframe how they think about risk, identity and success.

Key Themes:
• The Real Struggle Isn’t Business—It’s You: Most creatives get stuck obsessing over logos, brand names, and pitch decks when the real problem is their lack of self-belief and fear of uncertainty.
• Escaping the Corporate Trap: How corporate culture conditions creatives to be replaceable, compliant, and risk-averse—and how to break free.
• The Mindset Shift: The difference between reacting to your career vs. owning your career, and how that one shift changes everything.
• Seeing the Upside: Most people only see what they might lose—not what they could gain—when taking a leap. Learn how to retrain your mindset to focus on growth, opportunity, and happiness.
• Real-World Lessons from CRZY Design: The brutal realities of leaving security behind, taking control of your future, and discovering what truly makes you different.

Stephen doesn’t sugarcoat the truth—this isn’t a motivational speech; it’s a wake-up call for creatives who feel stuck, overlooked or uninspired. The only thing standing between you and the next chapter of your career is you.

About Stephen Gates

Stephen is a renowned designer and leader with a career spanning over two decades as a global design leader, building world-class organizations that integrate research, data and behavioural science with human-centered design methods to drive a long-term vision and near-term business impact. He is currently the founder of CRZY, which is an independent strategy and design studio helping companies find a new vision and purpose for their brands, digital experiences, creativity and existence.

Stephen previously worked at InVision, Citi, Starwood Hotels, WW, and McCann Erickson, building teams that created award-winning global advertising campaigns, multiple Fortune 100 brands, and innovative digital experiences. His clients have included American Airlines, W Hotels, Disney, ExxonMobil, Acura, Old Navy, Nationwide Insurance, Verizon and Subaru. That body of work has received over 150 international awards, and Apple has featured his work in 10 keynotes, 4 TV commercials, the Human Interface Guidelines and more.

He also hosts his award-winning podcast, The Crazy One podcast, an in-depth exploration of issues that matter to creatives, including leadership, creativity, career development, innovation and more. The 100+ episodes of the podcast have won multiple awards, including a 2020 Webby Award Honoree for Best Technology Podcast and a 5-star average review in every global iTunes Store.