Creativity is the driving force behind many, if not all, innovative and long-lasting businesses. Because of this, people working in various creative fields are given venues to showcase their skills and passions, meet fellow creatives with whom they can work and launch new projects, and learn from the best experts in their respective fields.

Create Philippines is one such venue. This year, it was held on September 22-23 at The Globe Tower in BGC, in collaboration with Globe myBusiness. The Tower’s basement floor was converted to a showroom-type space where various featured artists put up their portfolios. This space also sported a main hall to host the event’s range of esteemed speakers, who took the stage to offer various useful tips and insights to the audience of designers, artists, and fellow creatives.

Here are some of the more unique yet no less crucial insights we picked up from some of the Create Philippines speakers:

• Communication design exists in almost every sector.

According to Paolo Mercado, president of the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines (CECP), communication design services add value to every sector, particularly in the form of brand design. He rightly considers branding to be every company’s most valuable asset, which is why business owners need to protect their brands.

• The business of design debunks the myth that business sense and creative talent are mutually exclusive.

Angel Guerrero, founder and CEO of Adobo Magazine, stated how branding, in the business world, is about making money. She stressed the importance of learning from giants in the industry of branding, namely people who have done their research and gotten results from hard work. These results came part and parcel with design thinking and design execution, both of which are creative processes. She adds that the Philippines has the potential to be globally recognized, so artists should embrace technology and their own talents, aim high and aim far.

• Develop your work ethic early on.

Team Manila’s Jowee Alviar talked about how their business started as a small group of creatives with set dreams and visions, before growing into the powerhouse of design that it is today. He also walked through the ways for others to follow in his footsteps: by effectively communicating your brand, introducing yourself to your market, identifying your contemporaries, and taking on challenges. Throughout his business journey, he notes that it couldn’t have happened if not for their dedication to the work right from the beginning.

• Be part of a team.

Plus 63 and Hydra Design Group’s Dan Matutina stated that he and his co-founders put up Hydra following the idea that “more heads are better than one,” and brought together a team of reliable and skilled designers to cater to the many needs of their shared market. Not only did this bring many talents together, it also allowed each member of the team to bring in a new and dynamic personality to the mix. Years later, he retells the story of how they’ve scaled up, launching more studios and offering more services, leading to their launch of Plus 63 later on.

• Embrace the country’s network of creatives.

AdSpark President and CEO Onat Roldan delivered the opening remarks on the event’s second day. His speech highlighted how organizations like the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Globe myBusiness make efforts to support local creatives and give them platforms to showcase and improve their talents. Surely, every creative in the audience understood the importance of having a place to belong, and a place to flourish in.

• Know your goals.

According to Masterclass teacher and featured guest speaker Chris Do, you need to be specific when it comes to forming your life and career goals. If your goal feels too far away, you won’t have the motivation to go for it. Break it up into smaller goals that can be achieved within a shorter period of time. For example, if your goal is to double the number of followers you have within a year, calculate how many followers you need per month. You’ll find it’s easier to think of that goal than the year-long one.

• Embrace a global mindset.

As Chris Do additionally proved to the crowd, the only people stopping us from achieving success on a global scale are ourselves. He stressed that while Filipinos have world-class talent and are capable of competing in the international scene, many of us are either confined to working locally, or settle for being unknown when working abroad. This, he says, is a mindset that can be changed by artists aiming for higher things. With full pride in the skills of his fellow Filipinos, Chris encouraged everyone to aim for recognition not just here, but all over the world.

Throughout the Create Philippines schedule, which included workshops, talks and networking events, creatives from all corners of Metro Manila were able to get to know each other, learn new skills, and even meet some of their creative idols. The event was truly encouraging, bringing inspiration to more people in the field and empowering them to create their success.

If you missed Create Philippines, don’t worry — we’ve got many more events and workshops in store for you. Sign up to Globe myBusiness Academy today! Let’s create success together!