Mining gems from creative briefs
My process story
I’m sharing process, not because I have it all figured out, but because I believe we grow stronger by reflecting, refining and collaborating on what we have learned along the way.
Becoming a prospector
Before the digging begins, great prospectors study the land. The same applies to creative work. Instincts matter, but they’re strongest when backed by knowledge and data.
The sharpest tools I have, comes from when confidence meets agile curiosity. From insights to instincts, I use these tools to dig deeper, uncovering ideas that are more meaningful, timely and better aligned with business goals.
Identifying the mining grounds
Great ideas start by knowing where, and why, to dig. What holds the most strategic and emotional impact?
Points of curiosity – Threads worth following
Idea mapping – A thorough download of ideas
Themes – Deeper shared values
AI assist – I pass parts of this through AI to test alternative framings or generate lateral connections I might not have yet seen
Ensuring ideas are rooted in ironclad relevance.
Exploring and digging deep
Armed with raw ideas and early themes, I compare them against real-world factors to shape direction and strengthen differentiation. This is where good ideas are refined into right ideas.
Sketching sharpens instinct, surfaces the unexpected and protects early thinking from over-polishing too soon. Sometimes the most valuable ideas are the one that feels too raw, too bold or too different. But that is where the real digging begins.
Polishing a few rocks
Concepts are pressure-tested against the strategy. And where iterations aren’t just visual options, they’re a way to challenge assumptions and disrupt safe choices. It’s how the team can stay accountable.
Collaboration always plays a key role here. Helping surface blind spots, sharpen thinking and elevate the work beyond individual instinct. This is how ideas can gain depth, nuance and staying power.
Picking and pitching the perfect setting
Even the most beautiful gem needs the right setting to shine. Just like a concept is only as powerful as the confidence it inspires.
That’s why I frame the work so clients don’t just see it, they believe in it, and walk away with the language to carry that belief forward.
For me, success isn’t just strong creative, it’s empowering clients with clarity and confidence so ideas gain lasting traction.
Knowing who we’re digging for
It’s easy to fall in love with an idea, but harder and more valuable, to fall in love with how it will matter to someone else.
That’s why audience insights are woven through every layer of my process. To better understand deeper human truths that turn creative into connection.
Because the richest gems aren’t the ones that shine in a deck, they’re the ones that resonate in the hearts and minds of the audience.
A note to fellow prospectors
I feel like mining gems is both mindset and method.
It’s some of the best value I believe I bring to the table. As a passionate and optimistic realist* I have the practiced confidence to continuously sharpening my tools, trust my gut and dig with purpose.
Always keep digging! Gold’s in the grit.
*Totally a real thing. An Optimistic Realist is someone who balances hope and confidence with a grounded understanding of the world.
