The Crazy One
The Crazy One is an award-winning podcast for creatives, leaders, and anyone who refuses to settle. Hosted by renowned designer and global design leader Stephen Gates, this show delivers unfiltered honesty, actionable insights, and hard-won wisdom to help you grow your creativity, lead with confidence, and build a meaningful career.
With over two decades leading world-class design teams at companies like InVision, Citi, Starwood Hotels, WW, and McCann Erickson, Stephen has built brands and digital experiences for clients including Disney, American Airlines, W Hotels, Verizon, Acura, and more — work that’s earned over 150 international awards and has been featured by Apple in 10 keynotes, 4 commercials, and the Human Interface Guidelines.
Now as the founder of CRZY, an independent strategy and design studio, he’s helping companies find bold new visions for their brands, experiences, and creative futures. Through The Crazy One, he shares everything he’s learned along the way — from integrating behavioral science with human-centered design to navigating imposter syndrome to building a career and creative life on your own terms.
With over 100 episodes and a loyal global audience, The Crazy One has been named:
• Webby Award Honoree for Best Technology Podcast
• #1 Podcast by Inside Design, HOW Design Live, and Springboard
• 5-star rated across every iTunes Store worldwide
This is more than a design podcast. It’s a wake-up call. A masterclass. A real-talk guide for finding your voice, owning your crazy, and changing the game.
No BS. No buzzwords. Just real insights from someone who’s been there.
Episodes
146 episodes
Ep 140 Keynote: 'Bet on Yourself" BeMore Festival 2025
In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates shares the lessons learned from his journey of leaving corporate America to start his own agency. With over 20 years of experience across industries, Stephen dives deep into the tough dec...
•
Episode 140
•
57:05
Ep 139 Career: The Hard Truth About Creativity’s Role in Business Today (and Yesterday)
In this fired-up episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates dives into the reality of the design industry today—where companies often fail to truly value creativity, even though it’s been proven to drive success. Drawing from his own expe...
•
Episode 139
•
17:22
Ep 138 Creativity: The Era of Creatives and Copycats: AI’s Impact on Design
In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates dives into the impact of AI on the creative industry. With AI tools making waves in design, writing, and coding, Stephen shares his perspective on how these technologies are changing the ...
•
Episode 138
•
19:26
Ep 137 Career: The Pros and Cons of Going Out on Your Own
In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates shares the raw and honest story of his journey from working in agencies to building his own creative business. After being laid off for the third time, Stephen had to face the uncertainty...
•
Episode 137
•
23:31
Ep 136 Career: Overcoming Fear and Insecurity: Why You Need a Plan, Not the Answers
In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates shares his most valuable piece of advice for creative leaders: “You don’t need all the answers, you just need a plan.” Drawing from years of experience, Stephen discusses the common strug...
•
Episode 136
•
11:03
Ep 135 Career: The Hidden Problem of ‘Experience-ism’ in Creative Careers
In The Crazy One Episode 135, Stephen Gates dives deep into a pressing topic in the creative industry today: “experience-ism.” As companies face economic downturns and shifting priorities, experience that once stood as an asset now fee...
•
Episode 135
•
10:23
Ep 134 Career: Tough Love for Your Portfolio: Stand Out or Stay Stuck
In episode 134 of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates dives into one of the most pressing challenges creatives face: navigating the job search. With many creatives either seeking new positions due to layoffs or dissatisfaction in their curren...
•
Episode 134
•
34:52
Ep 133 Career: How to get laid off
In this episode of The Crazy One, host Stephen Gates dives into a topic that’s all too familiar for many: getting laid off. With his personal experience of being laid off three times throughout his career, Stephen offers practical advi...
•
Episode 133
•
18:10
Ep 132 Career: Navigating the Mess: Insights into the 2024 Job Market
In this thought-provoking episode of The Crazy One, host Stephen Gates dives deep into the state of the creative industry in 2024. As the industry grapples with unprecedented layoffs and shifting dynamics, Stephen shares invaluable ins...
•
Episode 132
•
15:23
Ep 131 Career: What's stopping you from going out on your own?!?
In episode 131 of The Crazy One podcast, Stephen Gates dives into one of the most common questions he encounters: “Should I start my own thing?” Drawing from his journey of leaving New York, starting his agency, and mentoring creatives...
•
Episode 131
•
14:37
Ep 130: Ending the hiatus. Is this thing still on?
In this long-awaited return to The Crazy One podcast, host Stephen Gates shares an honest and introspective look at his journey over the past year, from leaving New York and launching his own studio to grappling with burnout and redisc...
•
Episode 130
•
9:16
Ep 129 Keynote: BeMore Festival 2023 - How to build a breakthrough career
In this powerful episode of The Crazy One podcast, Stephen Gates shares his standout keynote from the 2023 BeMore Festival, the ultimate 24-hour global super conference featuring over 100 top voices in Design, AI, Product Development, ...
•
Episode 129
•
56:26
Ep 128 Career: How to start your studio or freelance business
With layoffs and uncertainty affecting creatives everywhere, many are asking: Is it time to go out on my own? In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates breaks down the critical questions to consider before diving into fr...
•
Episode 128
•
47:24
Ep 127 Career: How to navigate and succeed in the era of defensive employment
In today’s career landscape, achieving success means taking on more responsibilities and adopting a proactive mindset—a shift Stephen Gates calls the “new era of defensive employment.” In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen unpacks ...
•
Episode 127
•
45:35
Ep 126 Career: Understanding the 2022 job market, a shift is coming
As the job market shifts from a fierce competition for talent to widespread layoffs and uncertainty, the creative industry faces both unprecedented challenges and new opportunities. In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates break...
•
Episode 126
•
49:39
Ep 125 Value of Design P3: Showing the value and impact of design
In the final episode of this 3-part series, Stephen Gates reveals actionable steps to help your team and organization truly appreciate the value of design. This episode of The Crazy One dives deep into how to conduct impactful design r...
•
Episode 125
•
36:57
Ep 124 Value of Design P2: Creating demand for design
In this powerful second installment of the 3-part series, Stephen Gates dives deep into strategies for elevating design’s role within your team and company. In this episode of The Crazy One, he reveals how to create demand for design b...
•
Episode 124
•
35:18
Ep 123 Value of Design P1: Understanding the power and stigma of the word 'Design'
In the kickoff to this insightful 3-part series, Stephen Gates breaks down essential steps to help your team and company fully appreciate the value of design. In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen explores how to shift perceptions ...
•
Episode 123
•
35:15
Ep 122 Career: How to decide if you should quit your job (or get a promotion)
In this insightful episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates tackles the challenging crossroads of career decisions, whether you’re aiming for a promotion or considering a job change. Both scenarios require clarity, self-reflection, and ...
•
Episode 122
•
40:57
Ep 121 Design Thinking: The U.S. Army can teach you a lot about Design Thinking
In this unique episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates dives into an unexpected source of inspiration for Design Thinking—the US Army’s Design Methodology. After exploring how the Army approaches problem-solving and strategy, Stephen s...
•
Episode 121
•
45:55
Ep 120 Career: Don't apply for your next job (and what to do instead)
In this eye-opening episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates reveals why traditional job applications only have a 5% success rate—and why it’s time for a new approach to landing your next role. Backed by 2022 job market data, Stephen sh...
•
Episode 120
•
41:33
Back from hiatus
I'm sure you noticed this show went on an unannounced 7-month hiatus. Before I started recording new episodes, I wanted to take a few minutes to explain what happened that made me stop, what kept me from restarting, and why it is coming back no...
•
10:26
Ep 119 Teamwork: How to become a great meeting and workshop facilitator
In this episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates dives into the art of facilitation—a crucial yet often overlooked skill that transforms meetings and workshops into spaces where everyone can contribute meaningfully. Stephen breaks down ...
•
Episode 119
•
44:55
Ep 118 Teamwork: The best remote team building activities
In this essential episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates tackles the top challenges of remote work—unplugging, loneliness, and collaboration—and shares why building trust, teamwork, and vulnerability is crucial to remote team success....
•
Episode 118
•
45:05
Ep 117 Teamwork: Understanding your team's cognitive and emotional culture
In this insightful episode of The Crazy One, Stephen Gates uncovers the deeper layers of company culture beyond team-building events and office perks. He explains how culture is truly shaped by the daily behaviors of every employee—fro...
•
Episode 117
•
54:17