Creative Ops Summit Los Angeles 2025

Built to Last

What the Grateful Dead Can Teach Us About Creative Operations
(It’s There but Not Intrusive)

Observations:

At first glance, the Grateful Dead and Creative Operations might seem like strangers. But the band built one of the most resilient, adaptive, creative ecosystems in modern history. They mastered the art of creating ‘Freedom Within Frameworks’. 

Embracing ‘Freedom Within Frameworks’ helps Creative Ops teams spark innovation while staying on track.

Key insights include:

• The magic is in the mess - but the mess needs a map
• You can’t systematize a spark, but you can build a path that leads to it
• The Dead disguised a powerful creative machine as a freewheeling vibe - and that’s exactly the kind of mastery today’s Creative Ops leaders need

Gordon Thomas, Creative Director, Warner Music Group

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