The Futur with Chris Do – Details, episodes & analysis

A college dropout, Jennie Smythe had no backup plan — but she had one moment of clarity: she wasn’t going to follow the path others expected. She was going to build her own. By her early 40s, while grieving the loss of her father and newly diagnosed with breast cancer, she had built an award-winning digital marketing firm - Girlilla Marketing. In this conversation, Jennie shares how she turned crisis into clarity, and what it really looks like to start over with nothing. If you feel behind, unqualified, or unsure of your next move, this episode is for you. Timestamps: (00:00) – Intro (03:40) – Cancer, grief, and dropping out (07:29) – Choosing herself over expectations (11:10) – Walking away from the conventional path (14:42) – Why Jennie refuses to fake confidence (19:08) – Building with purpose and integrity (24:01) – Leading through grief (27:35) – Starting her business with zero funding (31:54) – Conversations that shaped her leadership (36:42) – The truths of rebuilding from nothing (42:13) – Identity shift: how to start over stronger About Jennie Smythe: Jennie Smythe is the founder and CEO of Girlilla Marketing, a Nashville-based digital marketing agency representing some of the biggest names in country music. With over two decades of experience at the intersection of entertainment, media, and strategy, Jennie has built a reputation as one of the most trusted voices in artist-first digital branding. Before launching Girlilla, she held leadership roles at Warner Music Nashville, Universal Music Group, and AOL Music. Her work is known for blending deep empathy with sharp execution — helping artists and entrepreneurs build lasting, values-driven communities online. Jennie is also a breast cancer survivor, advocate, and mentor to women navigating nontraditional leadership paths. Check out Jennie Smythe: https://www.girlillamarketing.com/about-jennie https://www.instagram.com/girlillajennie https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniesmythe Check out Chris Do: Website: https://zaap.bio/thechrisdo LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BizOfDesign Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thechrisdo/ Twitter:https://x.com/thechrisdo TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@thechrisdo Threads:https://www.threads.net/@thechrisdo Zaap: https://zaap.bio/thechrisdo Clubhouse:https://www.clubhouse.com/@thechrisdo Behance: https://www.behance.net/chrisdo Check out The Futur: Website: https://www.thefutur.com/ Courses: https://www.thefutur.com/shop Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-futur/ Podcasts: https://thefutur.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefuturishere/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theFuturisHere/ Twitter: https://x.com/thefuturishere TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefuturishere Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/thefuturishere Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We want to hear from you. If you're open to a quick chat with our producer or any of the other options, it only takes a few seconds to sign up: https://forms.gle/Enzzpq5FCVQKbHV9A In this playful and provocative episode, Chris reunites with Jodie Cook—entrepreneur, author and athlete — for a conversation about standing out, staying human, and showing up as your full self in a world ruled by conformity and AI. They explore the cultural pressure to "be normal," the rise of copy-paste personal brands, and why weirdness might just be your most valuable asset. From LinkedIn anarchy to fitness-fueled discipline, Jodie and Chris unpack how to build a brand (and life) that actually reflects who you are—and how being real is sometimes the weirdest thing of all. Timestamps: (00:02) – Why We Need to Get Weirder Online (01:19) – Turning Up the Dial on Your Personality (03:46) – Being a Lighthouse for Like-Minded Weirdos (04:25) – Unlearning the Pressure to Fit In (06:01) – What Counts as Weird (And Who Gets to Say?) (09:43) – Steve Jobs, Contrarians & the Price of Originality (12:09) – Context, Childhood & the Illusion of Normal (14:42) – LinkedIn, AI, and the Death of Strong Opinions (17:46) – Using Weirdness to Attract the Right People (18:07) – Fitness as a Life Hack (and Brand Differentiator) (22:10) – Can You Cheat Fitness? The Real Story Behind the Gains (27:11) – Craving Realness in a World of AI and Image (29:19) – Transparency, Weirdness, and the Power of Disclosure Check out today's guest, Jodie Cook: Jodie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-cook/ Jodie's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Jodie_Cook https://jodiecook.comhttps://coachvox.ai Check out The Futur: Website: https://www.thefutur.com/ Courses: https://www.thefutur.com/shop Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-futur/ Podcasts: https://thefutur.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefuturishere/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theFuturisHere/ Twitter: https://x.com/thefuturishere TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefuturishere Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/thefuturishere Check out Chris Do: Website: https://zaap.bio/thechrisdo LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BizOfDesign Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thechrisdo/ Twitter:https://x.com/thechrisdo TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@thechrisdo Threads:https://www.threads.net/@thechrisdo Zaap: https://zaap.bio/thechrisdo Clubhouse:https://www.clubhouse.com/@thechrisdo Behance: https://www.behance.net/chrisdo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We want to hear from you. If you're open to a quick chat with our producer or any of the other options, it only takes a few seconds to sign up: https://forms.gle/Enzzpq5FCVQKbHV9A In this episode, I sit down with Robert Brunner — the design mind behind Beats by Dre, former Apple design director, and founder of Ammunition — to unpack what it really takes to build enduring, emotional, and market-shifting products. We explore the tension between risk and restraint, the power of story in industrial design, and what separates mediocre products from cultural icons. Robert shares hard-won wisdom from 40+ years in the field, working with legends like Jimmy Iovine, Paula Scher, and the teams behind Apple and Beats — and how he now helps startups design with both craft and business outcomes in mind. Timestamps: (00:00) – The Fascination of Objects and Their Stories (05:49) – Navigating Client Relationships in Design (11:26) – The Evolution of Design Partnerships (23:20) – The Rise of Beats by Dre: Origins and Inspirations (30:17) – The Evolution of Design and Craftsmanship (41:37) – The Challenge of Perfection in Design (45:30) – Design Perspectives and Personal Favorites Check out today's guest, Robert Brunner: Robert's Website: https://www.ammunitiongroup.com/ Robert's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbrunner Check out The Futur: Website: https://www.thefutur.com/ Courses: https://www.thefutur.com/shop Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-futur/ Podcasts: https://thefutur.com/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefuturishere/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theFuturisHere/ Twitter: https://x.com/thefuturishere TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefuturishere Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/thefuturishere Check out Chris Do: Website: https://zaap.bio/thechrisdo LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/thechrisdo/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/BizOfDesign Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/thechrisdo/ Twitter:https://x.com/thechrisdo TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@thechrisdo Threads:https://www.threads.net/@thechrisdo Zaap: https://zaap.bio/thechrisdo Clubhouse:https://www.clubhouse.com/@thechrisdo Behance: https://www.behance.net/chrisdo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you do when you spend two decades of your life working with some of the biggest agencies and biggest brands in the world, on some of the most successful marketing campaigns of the time, and no one really knows who you are? That was the situation that Ryan Alford found himself in, after working on massive campaigns for huge brands. He found himself in a new world, where people care less about the entries on your resume, and more about the expertise that you publicly share, and the para social relationship they have with you. So Ryan did something that would, ultimately, change his life - He started his own agency, Radical, and a new podcast, Radcast. Radcast’s goal is to teach and entertain, and be a big, bright beacon bringing attention to Radical. Through Ryan’s charm and authenticity, the core of his personal brand, Radcast is now currently the #1 ranked Marketing Podcast on Apple Podcasts. In this conversation, Chris will be talking to Ryan about how he got started, the glory days of working with massive clients during a huge transition in the tech space, and the new frontier of Radical and Radcast, and how he’s successfully navigating it by being himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Innovation is an act of love.” So say’s our guest, Mauro Porcini, Senior Vice President and Chief Design Officer at PepsiCo. With over 1800 design and innovation awards having his name attached to them, if anyone would know, he would. On top of that, before joining PepsiCo, Mauro was 3M’s first Chief Design Officer, and was named one of Forbes’ 40 Under 40 (2012), Fast Company’s 50 Most Influential Designer’s In The USA (2011), and has received countless other accolades. Now he’s written a book, The Human Side Of Innovation: The Power Of People In Love With People which “reveals the secret to creating life-changing innovation: putting human needs and wants at the center of any design process.” In this episode, Mauro will talk about his youth, and how his parents steadfast values shaped the man he became, his three prerequisites for finding happiness, both personally and professionally, and how to successfully lead your employees. At the core of this discussion, like many we’ve had, is creating value, and Chris and Mauro will talk about why it is important to create emotional value for yourself, and how that emotional value can then turn into different kinds of value for others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s not unusual for people to be a little on edge about AI, both where it is now, and where it could be in the near future. As a creative, will you even have a job in five or ten years? If AI can create art, where do we humans fit in? In this episode, Chris is joined by fellow LA Motion Design Director Kevin Lau to talk about the similarities between starting their careers with the beginnings of After Effects and Motion Design in the mid 90’s, and how it feels similar to this dawning of a new AI era. Kevin has a long history working with the newest tools in the industry, building businesses, and winning awards, and after almost three decades, has a lot of insight to share about how the future isn’t something to be scared of. Kevin and Chris will talk about how taste will become the primary driver of a creative’s potential, in a world where AI can do a lot of the legwork, and why it’s important to pay attention to the trends of your youth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s so common, especially amongst creatives, and manifests in so many different ways. Imposter Syndrome. That overly critical inner voice. That self doubt about your accomplishments, or your intelligence, or your skills. Sometimes it comes so naturally, people don’t even realize they’re going through it. For some, it starts in childhood, with overbearing parents. For others, it manifests as they grow and evolve throughout their career. In this episode, Chris talks to Jule Kim, a life coach who has struggled with imposter syndrome herself, and now helps people navigate that internal minefield. They’ll discuss the shared impact of growing up as the children of immigrants, compliments and how we take them, and Jule will lay out the five types of Imposter Syndrome. This podcast is the kind of conversation that could spark some self reflection, and hearing Jule and Chris discuss it could open some doors for the listener that might lead to a better understanding of a condition that so many of us struggle with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of us have seen a TED talk, or attended a conference where someone was giving a keynote presentation. Many of us have probably thought they might like to do that at some point. The reason people don’t move forward with that, though, is they feel like they either don’t have a story to tell, or don’t know how to tell it in a way that can capture an audience’s attention. In this episode, Karen Eber, author of The Perfect Story, joins Chris to talk about storytelling and how you can use it to dynamically engage with others. Whether you’re giving a presentation, selling to a client or customer, or leading a team of people, the skills of storytelling are more vital than ever. If you’re trying to get a point or a lesson across, or sell a product or service, you want to be able to engage the brain in the very unique way that storytelling can. Karen and Chris will discuss storytelling from both an emotional and scientific standpoint, including how stories can induce Neural Coupling between the storyteller and the audience, the framework for a great story, why constraints are a key part of success when telling a story, and why vulnerability is so helpful in engaging your audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the modern world, there’s no shortage of carnival barkers trying to grab your attention. Everyone is looking to build an audience and become an Influencer, and social media has incentivized people to act a certain way to grab people’s focus and their follows. Many of us look at them and think “If I want to have influence in this world, that’s who I have to be”. Some look at them and think they can skip the expertise building stage and go straight to the authority stage. Leadership Development expert and Keynote Speaker Rene Rodriguez knows that just isn’t the case. There’s a difference between WANTING attention and CAPTURING attention. In this must listen episode, Rene and Chris dive into the concept of Influence, why the traditional idea of the “Alpha” is inaccurate, and the three key ingredients you need to win people over when you’re telling a story. Rene and Chris will also talk about why expertise building, in real world situations, is so important, and share personal experiences from their journey’s in building their audience by getting in the ring and taking their punches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some people are just natural entrepreneurs. Whether it’s in their bones, or they grow up with a positive entrepreneurial role model, they just feel that need deep down inside of them. But how do you become a positive entrepreneurial role model for others? Our guest, Jodie Cook, has started multiple businesses, as well as being an author (Ten Year Career and How To Raise Entrepreneurial Kids), powerlifter, and creator of Coachvox AI, a service that can help turn your knowledge and wisdom into an AI coach. In this episode, Jodie talks with Chris about growing up with an entrepreneurial mother, starting a business in her early twenties, working with AI to create virtual coaches, and how a Mastermind group helped her understand what kind of “game” she was playing. They’ll also talk about creating positive role models for kids, as entrepreneurs, so that kids can grow up with confidence and a respect for building a business and what comes with that.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices