Theresa Jackson kicks off this episode of the CreativePro Podcast by digging into one of the most common frustrations for creative teams: review and approval chaos. She's joined by Mike McHugh from PageProof. Listeners are invited to learn alongside Theresa as she asks the questions many teams wrestle with every day. Together, they unpack why creative reviews break down, why email and ad-hoc tools fail at scale, and how centralized proofing changes the way designers, marketers, legal teams, and executives work together. They also explore accountability, reporting, and the human side of approvals, including why people—not tools—are usually the biggest bottleneck. The conversation closes with a look at how AI is beginning to support review and compliance, and why clear processes matter more than ever as creative work scales.

Episode Highlights

• Hear Theresa slowly realize this is way more than a proofing tool—and why her workflow brain kicks into overdrive.
• Listen as Mike calls out email as the quiet culprit behind most approval chaos.
• Catch the moment when replacing copy without breaking styles feels almost too good to be true.
• Feel seen as Theresa and Mike put words to what you already know: people, not tools, are where things usually get stuck.
• Hear how visibility and accountability change reviewer behavior once everyone's progress is out in the open.
• Listen as the conversation turns to AI, content credentials, and spotting what changed—and what shouldn't have.

Episode Resources

• PageProof – website
• PageProof Adobe Add-on – learn more
• Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI) – website
• ​​CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code: PODCAST
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code: PODCAST

Mike Parkinson and Jody Wissing join the CreativePro Podcast for a candid conversation about their unexpected paths into presentation design. They explain that presentation design isn't what most people think it is. It's not about making pretty slides. It's about understanding and caring about the content well enough to turn it into a story. They walk through their favorite features for building slides in PowerPoint plus other essential apps for outlining, note gathering, and creating visual elements. Their conversation includes open and honest thoughts about the growing role of AI in presentation design. They share what's helping them, what's changing their workflows, and what keeps them curious—or cautious. They also talk about where they hope AI will take the industry and where they'd prefer it not to go, all while emphasizing the human thinking that still guides great presentation work.

Episode Highlights

• Hear how Jody's very first presentation on a kindergarten playground set the tone for a lifetime of storytelling.
• Follow Mike's winding path from fine art to bioengineering to comic books before he ever opened PowerPoint.
• Learn why Jody sometimes shows 300+ slides in a 45-minute presentation, and how audiences never notice.
• Hear Mike describe AI as a Friction Fixer or Accelerator. It is part of the process, not the product.
• Listen as both designers share how AI is already part of their daily process, what it helps them do, and why the human element still matters.
• Catch their honest fears and hopes for AI—including how far they think avatars might go.

Resources and Links

• Mike Parkinson – Website
• Jody Wissing – Website
• Inkscape – Free vector graphics editor
• Slidewise – Add-in for managing and inspecting PowerPoint content
• NXPowerLite – Windows file compressor
• Creative Cloud Libraries for PowerPoint – Add On
• The Presentation Design Conference 2026, February 17–20, 2026
• CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3, 2026
• Save $100 on any CreativePro event in 2026 with the discount code: PODCAST
• Get $15 off one year of CreativePro membership with the discount code: PODCAST

David Blatner and Theresa Jackson return from Adobe MAX 2025 with stories, insights, and a few surprises. They recap the biggest announcements, their favorite new features, and the feeling of creative inspiration that had nothing to do with Adobe. From AI showing up in nearly every app to Firefly credits, new collaboration tools, and what it all means for creative professionals, they break down the most important takeaways from Adobe's flagship event.

Episode Highlights

• David and Theresa share their experiences at Adobe MAX 2025 — what makes it both inspiring and overwhelming.
• Why David calls Adobe MAX a "double-edged sword" — part innovation showcase, part marketing machine.
• Theresa's favorite new Lightroom feature: AI-powered photo culling.
• Their cautiously optimistic thoughts about Firefly Boards and Creative Cloud Projects.
• An honest conversation about AI credits, ethics, and the future of Adobe's business model.
• What tools and gadgets inspired their friends at MAX — from painting software to portable lighting.
• The unexpected creative tip from Jason Hoppe that had everyone laughing (and rethinking their Halloween jack-o'-lanterns).
• How attending events like Adobe MAX and CreativePro Week builds real creative community.

Links & Resources

• Adobe MAX Sneaks 2025
• Escape Motions: Rebelle Painting Software
• Harlowe Lights
• Jason Hoppe's Pumpkin Carving - https://www.youtube.com/@JasonHoppe
• The InDesign Conference 2025, December 9–12
• The Presentation Design Conference 2026, February 17–20
• ​​CreativePro Week 2026, Nashville, June 29–July 3
• Next Office Hours, Friday, December 19, at 3PM ET