Rethinking creative strategy: The old model of ticking boxes on content plans is losing relevance. Burns sees a shift toward systems thinking—mapping the full user journey and applying creativity across every brand touchpoint. The days of focusing only on broadcast assets are over. What’s needed now, he says, is “a level of sophistication in terms of thinking across a big holistic brand picture that people aren't used to.”

Changing creative careers: "Everyone is in the creator economy now to a certain extent," Burns states. Activities once considered extra, like side projects, thought leadership, and personal branding, are now essential for finding work, collaborators, and clients. For new grads in particular he advises, “Start putting stuff out there and build your own unique point of view on the world and publish it."

Whether it’s a brand, a social post, or a full campaign, what cuts through is taste. Burns sees discerning subjectivity—the ability to confidently choose one direction over another—as what truly moves the needle for businesses and individuals alike.

Entrepreneurialism over diligence: "The most important skill these days is entrepreneurialism. It's desire to find solutions, solve problems, and build new things," Burns shares. In the simplest terms, just doing tasks and following directions won't cut it. "Being extremely diligent is less valuable because AI is the most diligent thing ever," he notes. While one could previously build a career by just following instructions, "now there's a machine that does what it's told, far faster and cheaper than any human being. The real shift is from diligence to entrepreneurialism."