Interview with Lucy Richards

Ahead of her appearance at Inspiring Creativity next month, we caught up with business leader member and StudioLR founder Lucy Richards:

The best advice I ever got
“Be yourself (everybody else is taken). Never try to be something you’re not, or do things in a way that's just not you."

The worst advice I ever got
“To be successful in the design business you need to free pitch.”

Don't underestimate
The commercial power of great design.

Don't over estimate
That what seems obvious to you won’t always be obvious to others.

My golden rule
Challenge convention.

My biggest influence
My parents, both architects, whose influence gave me a sense of purpose, a sense of humour and a healthy social conscience.

The smartest business idea I’ve ever had
Developing design ideas that addresses the challenge of an ageing population, ‘The Silver Tsunami’.

The experience that taught me the most
That anyone can run a marathon if they really want to (anything is possible).

The leader I most admire and why
Current thought leaders I most admire: Sir Harry Burns, Blair Enns, Josh Littlejohn – they have all given me something great to think about!

What I am reading and book(s) I would highly recommend
Right now I’m reading 'More Human' by Steve Hilton - designing a world where people come first. The book I would recommend everyone reads is 'The Pigeon’ by Patrick Suskind.

Tickets are still available for Inspiring Creativity on Wednesday 7 September at Whitespace, Norloch House, Edinburgh.