Innovation is at its best when we’re seriously playful and curious. And it doesn’t always start with big, dramatic moves.
Innovation can emerge from small shifts, creative prompts, and spirited exploration. Maverick Minds’ “Innovation Playground” is a facilitated space that invites people to step back from the usual, see their business through a new lens, and uncover fresh insights through creative methods.
That’s what we experienced when I hosted a creative business session for the Basic Bananas Small Business Marketing Mentoring Community.
The Basic Bananas community is full of curious, generous business owners who are open to learning, sharing ideas, and doing things a little differently. It’s not just about marketing strategies – it’s about connection, creativity, and growing in ways that feel meaningful. I always come away from their sessions energised by the mix of practical insight and fresh thinking.
So when Franziska invited me to run a session with their community, I knew I didn’t want it to be a business-as-usual workshop. I jumped into curating the Innovation Playground, a workshop to untangle the complexity of business and to see what a playground of creative prompts and possibilities could bring to the surface.
This idea had been bubbling away for a while. I’d been thinking about how to create a space where people could step back, shake off the usual, and see their business through a different lens.
Using images, prompts, stories, and my Seriously Playful Creativity A to Z of ideas as flip cards in a virtual environment we helped each other break out of our usual ways of thinking. We turned things upside down, looked at the familiar differently, and opened space for new perspectives.
The insights and actions people shared were generous and valuable for everyone. That’s what I love about these sessions. They shift how we connect, how we think, and how we see things.
It reminded me why I do this work. I always learn something about myself and about my own business. This time, it helped me see my offer in a new way, and I think it helped others do the same with theirs.
Franziska Iseli, co-founder of Basic Bananas, said, “Cathryn’s Innovation Playground was equal parts soulful and strategic.” It invited us to pause, zoom out from the daily grind, and reconnect with our innate creativity. In a world racing ahead with AI, this session reminded us that curiosity and creative thinking are more crucial than ever. Our members left feeling energised, inspired, and reconnected to their imagination. I highly recommend Cathryn’s work, it’s not just impactful, it’s transformational. We can’t wait for part two at our annual summit The Experience.”
And a participant, Catherine, stated: “Usually, when I’m thinking about my business, it’s about my goals for social media posts or strategies to boost sales and practical things like that. But the Innovation Playground gave me the chance to pause and reflect on why I became an entrepreneur. I chose the artwork from the digital cards featuring the sun, which reminded me that I enjoy being able to see the sun whenever I want – in other words, freedom is important to me. We often get caught up in the daily grind, but during this session, I was able to reconnect with my purpose, and I really enjoyed looking at my business from this angle. “
The Innovation Playground offers a fresh way to think differently for teams or one-on-one. If you’re feeling stuck, let’s get you off the merry-go-round. If there’s anything in here that you’re interested for you or your team get in touch.