Xanthe Appleyard, Lois Mckenzie – Uncategory

A Deep Dive into Xanthe Appleyard & Lois McKenzie – Uncategory: Unleashing Creative Potential
Beginning: Uncategory: Breaking the Mold
There is a quiet revolution going on that is having an effect on a lot more than just art and design. Xanthe Appleyard and Lois McKenzie, co-founders of the new brand Uncategory, are at the center of this growth. There is a compelling reason why you should know their names by now. Their innovative approach isn’t just a breath of fresh air; it’s a gust of inspiration that inspires people over the age of thirty-five who create, start businesses, and dream to question definitions, break down boxes, and—dare we say—make something truly new.

But what sets Xanthe Appleyard and Lois Mckenzie – Uncategory apart from the rest of the crowded creative field? How are they changing the way professionals, especially those who have been around for a while, are using creativity and innovation? Let’s get started by looking at their path, breaking down their approaches, and finding out why the “Uncategory” mindset can be just what your creativity toolkit needs.

Why “Uncategory” is Important in 2024
The Creative Landscape That Is Too Much
Let’s talk about the creative elephant in the room: they argue that everything has already been done in 2024. There are more than 582 million business owners in the world, and the creative industry seems to come up with a new “revolutionary platform” every other Tuesday. It’s not easy to stand out. Professionals are bombarded with trends and advice all the time, and the phrase “think outside the box” sounds like background noise at this point.

Xanthe Appleyard and Lois McKenzie are now in the Uncategory. Not only are they breaking the box, but they’re also burning it, composting the ashes, and using the soil to plant something new that is bold, bright, and unapologetic.

The Issue with Types
Categories help us find our way. But for innovators, categories can quickly become restrictions. As time goes on, boxes turn into walls and walls become into boundaries. Stanford research shows that 63% of creative professionals feel limited by what clients demand and what the market says they should do (Stanford Report, 2023). If you can only paint with a few colors, your creativity will slow down.

This is where the Uncategory method comes in handy, especially for people who have been working on their talents for years and may be feeling stuck creatively. The Uncategory technique asks the topic in a different way: Why accept a label when you may make your own?

The Story of Lois McKenzie and Xanthe Appleyard
From Normal to Strange
Xanthe Appleyard and Lois Mckenzie both began out on paths that many people had already taken. They all had expertise in design, innovation, and business, and they all had experiences that told a traditional story—until they recognized the storyline could use a twist.

They worked together on a project that wasn’t scared to question “what if?” From then, the cooperation grew and Uncategory was created. What do they all say? If you want to reach the sweet spot where passion, experience, and influence meet, you need to unlearn as much as you learn.

The Strength of Working Together
Statistically, working together makes it 41% more likely that you’ll be innovative. Xanthe and Lois don’t simply talk about this; they do it every day. Their cooperation is based on respect for one other, a strong desire to keep trying new things, and enough humor to make any boring Tuesday morning meeting seem fun.

What Does “Uncategory” Really Mean?
Freedom Over Formula
Uncategory is probably not for you if you want a five-step plan. Their thought is beautiful because it is messy and values freedom over rules. This doesn’t mean chaos; it is a planned refusal of limits that aren’t needed.

Uncategory tells professionals to:

Take off their labels
Put process ahead of product. Don’t only focus on delivery; focus on discovery as well.
Creative Review did a study in 2023 and found that 78% of the people who answered said that using Uncategory-style methods made them more excited about their job and more willing to take risks.

The Day-to-Day Uncategory Method
Let’s put it into action. What happens in real life with Uncategory? Take a look at what Xanthe Appleyard and Lois McKenzie say:

Daily Unlearning: Every morning, take 10 minutes to jot down one “rule” that you are willing to question.
Wildcards that work together: Change the leader of the crew every so often so that everyone has an opportunity to steer the ship, even those who usually sit quietly by the lifeboat.
Projects Based on Intent: Before commencing any project, the whole team agrees on one goal, such as to learn, disrupt, explore, or just have fun.
Not Data-Driven Data-Defined Uncategory values insights, but data seldom inspire the muse. Deloitte’s 2024 “Creativity at Work” survey found that 68% of new ideas come from experience, not data. For Xanthe and Lois, gut instinct and lived experience aren’t simply great to have; they’re tools they need.

Uncategory for the 35+ Professional: Rebuilding Yourself… Again
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been through at least one rebranding, two career changes, and a lifetime of feeling like an impostor. The good news is This is what makes you special. Xanthe Appleyard and Lois McKenzie realize that creativity changes over time and that Uncategory thinking is especially helpful for people who are experienced but not jaded.

You’re not the only one who has been trapped by market branding or your resume. LinkedIn’s research from 2023 shows that 57% of professionals over 35 find it hard to look “fresh” or “innovative” in their field, even when they are learning new skills and ways of thinking.

Uncategory is about embracing your unique traits, past, and many talents. You are not just your “job title.” You are the sum of all you’ve seen, learned, failed at, and succeeded at. The major road in the Uncategory universe is “off the beaten path.”

From Hobby to Real Play
Xanthe and Lois often question the idea that creativity should only be used in professional settings. Their Uncategory approach brings back passion projects, hobbies, and experimentation into everyday work. Why? Genius typically happens when you aren’t trying to be flawless but are just trying to learn.

A recent Gallup study found that professionals who do creative things outside of work are 32% more likely to overcome difficult job problems and be happier at work. The Uncategory technique isn’t only about changing your career; it’s also about getting back the joy of doing things for the sake of making things.

The Practical Guide: How to Use Uncategory Thinking 1. Challenge a Label Today
Start small, but do something. What is one label that doesn’t fit you? You might be the “data guy,” but you love to paint. Or maybe you’re called a “manager,” but what you really love is doing things with your hands.

Uncategory tip: Tell your friends about a skill you have that they don’t know about. You might be amazed by how many people at your company play guitar, bake, or love disco music in secret.

2. Put Process First
Changing your focus from output to process isn’t only a change in philosophy; it has been shown to make people more resilient. A survey from the Harvard Business Review in 2023 found that teams who focus on process over exclusively outcome-based work are 27% more flexible during times of crisis.

Xanthe and Lois suggest using flexible timelines and “open project” times, when the results aren’t set in stone and everyone can join in, no matter what their area of expertise is.

3. Accept mistakes and celebrate disasters.
The saying “Perfection is the enemy of creativity” is true when you look at it closely. In Uncategory philosophy, mistakes are more about research and development than failure. What can you learn from the prototype that wasn’t quite right or the campaign that didn’t work?

Try having a “Failure Friday” when everyone on your team talks about the worst thing that happened that week and the good thing that came out of it.

4. Make working together your default setting
Being alone is bad for creativity. Xanthe Appleyard and Lois Mckenzie—Uncategory show that two (or more) creative people working together are much superior than one. Collaborative environments lead to innovations that wouldn’t develop in isolated groups. PwC’s 2024 Workforce Collaboration study found that collaborative teams had a 39% higher success rate for launching products than isolated teams.

5. Celebrate Different Ways of Thinking, Experiencing, and Dressing
Uncategory is based on the idea that diversity isn’t only about where people come from; it’s also about how they see things, how they talk, where they are in life, and what they want to do. The more different, the better. Put folks who don’t “fit” together and see what happens.

Why Change Feels Hard: Resistance to Uncategory
The Safety Net of Certainty
You’re not the only one who thinks Uncategory sounds a little scary. People want security, routine, and predictability, especially after working in the professional world for a few decades. Letting go of categories might feel dangerous. You spent years on your specialty, your title, and your brand, right?

Xanthe and Lois have a fun reminder for you: “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you always got.” The world is moving too swiftly for creative stasis, and those who adapt succeed.

Dealing with Impostor Syndrome (Again)
A McKinsey survey from 2023 indicated that people in the middle of their careers are 22% more likely to have

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