There's no innovation without creativity. That's according to Audun Fiskerud, a Bond alumnus and Innovation Lead at car repair booking site Autoguru. The Bond University Transformer Coach (who has over 20 years of experience in start-ups!) revealed his top tips for driving creativity when he sat down with The Arch recently. We've compiled some of his keys to getting creative below. It's just a taste of all the valuable tips and considerations that budding entrepreneurs can gain in the new microcredential course that Audun has developed at Bond — The Transformer Startup Process.
Embrace risk-taking
Audun says that fostering a creative climate within his teams meant encouraging risk-taking. He explains that "longshots" and "risky" projects can have big payoffs, even if it means accruing a few failures along the way. That leads to the next tip for transforming ideas...
Get comfortable with failing
Failure should be treated as an opportunity to learn and start over more informed, Audun says. He explains that where failure is frowned upon, people with some of the best ideas drift towards safe projects — "which is the opposite of what you want". He believes that creativity is a muscle, and the more you use, the stronger it gets.
"If you can get comfortable with failing by reframing it as a learning opportunity, be fine with looking stupid from time to time, and get over your fear of the unknown, your creative confidence and innovation output will be turbo-charged," he says.
Hold onto your passions
Audun says your niche interests and passions can really set you apart in the business world, and you can leverage them to stand out — whether in a company or your own startup.
"Don't let anyone reframe your passions as distractions; what you're really into can become what sets you apart," he says.
Stay curious
"Be eternally curious, don't worry about looking stupid, embrace failure along the way and use your creativity as a springboard," Audun says.
On that note, if you're curious about more of Audun's teachings and unlocking your entrepreneurial potential, you can learn more about The Transformer Startup Process here. The courses is available online, self-paced, and open to anyone. Its designed for individuals from all backgrounds who are eager to acquire the fundamental steps and strategies needed to transform a business idea into a thriving startup. There are no prerequisites in terms of experience or prior learning, and no age requirements.