This week on the Communicating Purpose podcast, John Higginson is joined by Martin Allen Morales, CEO of the Institute of Imagination.

Martin has an extraordinary story to tell. From a childhood in Peru shadowed by terrorism and inequality, to arriving in a very divided 1980s Britain as a young boy seeking safety, his path has taken him through DJ booths, record labels, restaurant kitchens and the boardrooms of Apple and Disney.

Today, Martin leads one of the UK’s most innovative education charities, the Institute of Imagination - an organisation helping children and communities unlock creativity, build confidence and develop the skills for a better future.

In this episode, John and Martin discuss:

🧠 How memory-based education systems can suppress creativity in children

🎯 Why authenticity and community matter more than polished marketing

🚀 The marketing lessons charities can borrow from pop culture

💡 The leadership lessons Martin learned from building, and nearly losing, a £10m hospitality business

I hope you enjoy.

John Higginson,

Founder & CEO, Higginson Strategy