The Art of Leading Creative Teams with Purpose - Kevin Forister, S7, Ep 6

In this episode, we are joined by Kevin Forister, Creative Director at Flywheel and a seasoned creative leader with deep experience across ideation, concept development, and team leadership. His work has earned multiple national awards and global recognition. Beyond client work, Kevin is passionate about mentoring creatives and shares practical insights through his book Breaking Into Art Direction and his YouTube channel, Open Door Creative.

Discussion Points

~ How did your journey start, and what led you to become a Creative Director? 1:35

~ What does the role of a Creative Director actually entail, and how do you manage a team of creatives? 5:16
~ How do you balance working within brand guidelines while still pushing creative boundaries? 9:03
~ How is AI changing the creative industry, and what is your take on the fear and imposter syndrome around it? 22:51
~ Tell us about your YouTube channel, Open Door Creative, and what drove you to create it? 34:44
~ Tell us about your book, Breaking Into Art Direction, and what can readers expect from it? 37:16

Show notes

~ Design doesn’t exist only on screens or inside tools. It’s shaped by how much you pay attention to the world, the conversations you listen to, and the ideas you allow yourself to explore outside of your immediate work.

~ A lot of what I know didn’t come from formal training. It came from listening, observing, and staying curious about things that didn’t seem directly related to design at the time.

~ Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating space for better questions, better conversations, and letting people grow into their own strengths.

~ You never really stop learning in this field. We’re all still figuring things out, making assumptions, testing ideas, and adjusting as the world keeps changing.

~ Curiosity is one of the most underrated skills in design. The more curious you stay, the more perspectives you collect — and that always shows up in your work.

~ What excites me most is seeing people take what they’ve heard, make their own assumptions, and form their own point of view. That’s where real creative confidence begins.

Kevin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinforister/

His YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@OpenDoorCreative