Have you noticed how similar some products are becoming? A Tesla and a Lotus, that’s an easy one. But I’m talking about the similarities between seemingly disparate objects, like an Audi car and Oakley sunglasses, a 3M stapler and an Alessi teapot, or a Starbucks café and your bank lobby.

Apple is a company synonymous with creativity. It’s a brand that’s encouraged others to “Think Different” and, in turn, actually made that happen. Simply seeing the Apple logo has proven to spark individuals’ creativity; their actions mirroring how they perceive the brand.

Design is more than aesthetics. It’s more than creative concepts or graphical outputs. It’s more than just how something looks, it’s about how something works.

Customers care about aesthetics, and smart companies know it. Indeed, a study by Adobe and Forrester Consulting found that 82% of companies believe there is a strong connection between creativity – including creative design – and business success.

I’m often asked, “What’s next?” People want to know how I fill my time now that I’ve simplified my life, gotten rid of most of my stuff, and opted out of the corporate grind. They also want to know how they will spend their time.

What do you think of when you think about creativity? Many people think that creativity only lies within the paintbrush of an artist or in the sculpture of an architect, but perhaps creativity can appear in more places than just a studio.