Creative excellence in a world where no one cares: Emily Jeffrey-Barrett, Founder of Among Equals, on the Design Next podcast
10 February 2026
In an ever-accelerating industry, what does “creative excellence” actually mean now – and what does it take to sustain it?
This is the topic of series three of Design Next, and our first guest, Emily Jeffrey-Barrett, joins us to talk about what it takes.
Emily is Founder of Among Equals. With studios in London and Dubai, they build the fastest growing brands in the world and help ambitious companies punch above their weight.
They have a really strong point of view on branding:
No one, in the real world, cares about brands.
Among Equals help change that.
“I am constantly haunted by lost opportunities. Have I squeezed everything that I possibly could out of this project? That is a natural feeling to have as a creative.”
Key topics we cover in this episode include:
- Driving excellence in a world where no one cares
- Building a team with high standards in a business that is only 5.5 years old
- What true collaboration with clients looks like now – and how to do it at pace
- The working methods that actually let creativity thrive, challenging agency norms
Emily is a rarity in the creative landscape. Not just in her position as a female founder (still scarce), but being a creative leader with a strong background in copywriting rather than design or client services. She founded her business in the midst of lockdown, working from a patio table in her flat to get things moving!
A fresh approach means she’s been able to meet the demands of ambitious, impatient brands with her own adaptable, fast-paced and effective ways of working. From early briefings (often 2-3 weeks before a project starts), to Whatsapping clients naming ideas, to dog-walking-brainstorms and The Yorkshire Test, Among Equals are reshaping the agency WOWs we all know and probably don’t love.
Emily truly made us rethink what excellence looks like now – but also reflect on the standard ways of working in the industry that are now, well, standard.
There are greater ways to embrace client collaboration, more ways to imbue creative thinking throughout your business, and being honest – with your team and with clients – allows you all to work better, and quicker, together.
“It’s never an issue for me if people don’t know how to do something, or they find something difficult. The only issue is if people aren’t trying.”
