Show Up. Make Things. Stay Human. | The Friday 5

In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor takes a quieter, more reflective approach to creativity and career life during uncertain times.

Amid ongoing layoffs, job instability, and burnout across the creative industry, Bob reflects on a recent New York Times Well article, “An Overlooked Prescription for Happiness,” which explores how engaging in the arts, even casually, has proven mental and physical health benefits.

Drawing on research from Dr. Daisy Fancourt of University College London, the episode explores creativity as a “forgotten fifth pillar of health,” alongside sleep, diet, exercise, and nature. Bob connects this research to the lived experience of creative professionals, emphasizing the importance of making things for their own sake and seeking out community, not for networking, but for connection.

This episode is a reminder that creativity doesn’t always need to be productive or monetized to matter and that showing up, making something, and being around other creative humans can be enough to carry you forward.

Topics covered:

• Creativity and mental health

• The impact of layoffs and industry uncertainty

• Art as a form of care and stability

• Community as a source of resilience

• Why making things still matters

Keywords: creative mental health, creativity and wellbeing, Friday 5 podcast, Bob Raynor, creative burnout, art and happiness, creative community, future of creative work

In this episode of The Flame, I’m joined by Carl Napolitano, a Creative Director with nearly two decades of experience in pharmaceutical advertising. Carl shares his journey into pharma, why creativity actually thrives within constraints, and how starting with a blank page still fuels his passion for the work.

We also dig into the realities of today’s job market for senior creatives — navigating layoffs, recruiter ghosting, LinkedIn’s evolution, and the emotional toll of being on the other side of hiring after years in leadership.

Throughout the conversation, Carl offers a steady, hard-earned perspective on resilience, collaboration, and creative confidence, reminding listeners that rejection is part of the craft, not a reflection of their value.

Topics we cover:

• Why pharma advertising is “working inside a box” and why that can spark better ideas

• The joy of starting with a blank page and building meaning from complexity

• How layoffs and rejection impact creative identity

• The loss of human connection in recruiting and hiring

• Why collaboration, not ego, makes great creative work

• Advice for creatives navigating uncertainty and long job searches

Carl leaves listeners with a simple but powerful reminder:

“Don’t take it personally. It’s part of the industry.”

CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction and Background

01:48 Carl's Journey into Pharma Advertising

05:23 The Creative Process in Pharma

09:51 The Impact of Pharma Work

12:16 Working with Teams and Collaboration

13:30 The Shift to Remote Work

17:08 Navigating the Job Market and Layoffs

20:03 The Role of LinkedIn in Job Searching

24:22 The Changing Dynamics of Recruitment

26:25 The Impact of Layoffs on Creative Confidence

27:42 Building Resilience in the Creative Industry

31:30 Shifts in the Advertising Landscape

34:49 Client Perspectives and Budget Constraints

39:45 Navigating the Pharma Creative Space

41:39 The Future of Freelancing and Small Agencies

44:35 Advice for Creatives Facing Challenges

RESOURCES & LINKS• Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlnapolitano/• The Flame website: https://www.theflamepod.com/• Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheFlamePodcast• Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-flame/id1774068657FIND YOUR FLAMEIf this helped you, please subscribe and share it with a friend who’s navigating a creative career change.

In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores how creative careers are changing in quieter, more subtle ways as AI becomes embedded in daily work.

Drawing on recent reporting from The New York Times, The Guardian, Adweek, Polygon, and Fast Company, Bob looks at how early creative tasks are shifting, why anxiety around AI makes sense, and how artists are pushing back around credit, ownership, and creative integrity.

The episode also examines how AI is reshaping the creative process itself — narrowing exploration too early — and why community, mentorship, and peer groups are becoming essential spaces for learning, taste-building, and staying human in uncertain times.

Topics covered include:

• How AI is quietly changing creative career paths

• Why worker anxiety around AI is growing

• Real examples of artists pushing back on AI usage

• How creative time and decision-making are shifting

• Why creative communities matter more than ever

In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores how fear shows up in creative work — and why finding the right community can be one of the most powerful ways to move through it.

After attending a local Creative Mornings event centered on Koorsoo — a Farsi word meaning “a faint glimmer of hope” — Bob reflects on conversations about fear, courage, and belonging, including insights shared by financial journalist and podcaster Farnoosh Torabi. He connects those ideas to his own experience navigating anxiety, entrepreneurship, and creative isolation.

This episode is a reminder that creatives aren’t meant to do this alone. From local meetups to online communities and coaching groups, Bob shares why human connection matters — especially in a time of remote work, world uncertainty, and creative burnout.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• How fear can be embraced rather than avoided

• Why creative community is essential for growth and resilience

• The impact of real, human connection in a work-from-home world

• Finding inspiration, encouragement, and hope through shared creative spaces

Perfect for creatives, designers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs looking for motivation, connection, and a grounded perspective on navigating fear and creativity.

In this episode of The Flame Podcast, host Bob Raynor talks with Naoma Serna-Zahn, founder of the branding agency Nuevo, about creativity, confidence, and career longevity in today’s design industry.

They discuss why designers struggle to stand out, how networking actually works behind the scenes, the impact of “design by committee,” and why separating self-worth from creative work is essential. Naoma also shares her perspective on AI in design, women in business, professional etiquette, and how travel and curiosity fuel better creative thinking.

This episode is essential listening for designers, creative leaders, freelancers, and anyone navigating rejection, visibility, or career pivots in a rapidly changing creative industry.

Starting 2026 With Clear Eyes | The Friday 5

As 2026 begins, many creatives are carrying a mix of optimism, uncertainty, and hard-earned experience into a rapidly changing industry. In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores how creative work is evolving — from learning and skill-building to AI, self-employment, and personal leadership.

This isn’t an episode about predictions or hype. It’s a grounded reflection on how to move forward with clarity, intention, and confidence — without chasing every trend or reinventing yourself overnight.

Bob encourages listeners to reflect honestly on the past year, approach learning thoughtfully, and step into the new year with a steady, realistic sense of optimism.

Topics include:

• Creative industry shifts heading into 2026

• Continuous learning and skill ownership

• AI’s role in creative careers

• Independent work and self-leadership

• Reflection, motivation, and forward momentum

What happens when a mechanical engineer walks away from a “safe” career and follows a creative spark?

In this episode of The Flame, host Bob Raynor speaks with filmmaker and Director of Photography Bert Archer, who shares his journey from engineering at Lockheed Martin to running his own video production studio. Bert opens up about layoffs, career pivots, the role of improv in unlocking creativity, and how problem-solving skills can transfer across industries.

This episode is for anyone navigating career change, creative burnout, or the fear of starting over — and looking for inspiration to keep going.

Topics Covered

• Growing up on an engineering track — and walking away from it

• Disillusionment with long-term projects and intangible work

• How improv sparked a creative awakening

• Translating engineering problem-solving into filmmaking

• Learning through failure and “throwing darts”

• The importance of support, especially from loved ones

• Working in high-pressure creative environments

• Finding fulfillment through storytelling and discovery

• Redefining success over time

• What “keeping the flame lit” means today

How Creatives Are Learning Their Way Forward | The Friday 5

In this episode of The Friday 5, Bob Raynor explores how creatives are staying relevant in an industry shaped by layoffs, AI, and constant change. From YouTube tutorials and online courses to mentors, business coaches, and peer communities, this episode breaks down how designers, freelancers, and entrepreneurs are approaching continuous education in real, practical ways.

Bob shares personal experience working with mentors like Rodd Chant, hiring a business coach, and building new skills intentionally, without chasing every new tool or credential.

This is a grounded, actionable conversation for creatives who are shifting gears, navigating uncertainty, or simply trying to stay useful and fulfilled in their work.

Topics include:

• How learning has changed for creatives

• Practical learning vs. traditional education

• The rise of mentors, coaches, and paid guidance

• Why business skills matter more than ever

• How to approach learning after a layoff or career shift