Explore every episode of the podcast The Impossible Network
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The AI FlyWheel – Are You In or Out? | 03 Mar 2025 | 00:05:32 | |
In this episode, I explore the concept of the "AI flywheel" - the accelerating momentum of artificial intelligence development that's either carrying us forward or leaving us behind. As we approach the critical juncture of Artificial General Intelligence we need to understand what makes us uniquely human, something I discussed with recent guest, Dom Heinrich. Key Points
"As controllers of technology, we must balance technological connection with disconnection, have the discipline to lose ourselves in our unconscious minds, and have the focus to listen to our souls." I invites listeners to share how they're navigating the AI flywheel and what human qualities they believe will become more valuable as AI advances. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:08 The AI Flywheel Concept 00:38 Recent AI Developments 01:49 Choosing the Right AI Tool 02:49 Human Qualities in the Age of AI 03:43 Balancing Technology and Humanity 04:33 Engaging with AI Technology 05:12 Conclusion and Call to Action
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| Transforming Education with Julia Black's Lights On Framework | 27 Dec 2024 | 00:34:10 | |
In this follow-up conversation, Julia Black, a former TV producer turned education innovator, shares insights from her groundbreaking Lights On framework and her book 'Lights On Learning: A Parent's Blueprint for Happy, Fulfilled, Curious Kids.' Julia describes how her framework challenges traditional education paradigms by focusing on internal learning processes and parental involvement to treat disengagement as an opportunity for growth. She discusses the six learning signatures and provides real-life examples, including a case study of a six-year-old, demonstrating transformative changes. The discussion also touches on the relevance of her approach in the age of AI, emphasizing the importance of creativity and problem-solving. Additionally, Julia talks about her upcoming audiobook and collaborative projects aimed at building a community of curious, fulfilled learners. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:25 Julia's Journey and Book Release 01:55 Understanding the Lights On Approach 05:28 Parental Role in Education 10:06 Real-Life Success Stories 18:35 Empowering Parents and Teachers 32:12 Future Projects and Conclusion Social Links Links Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| My Life Long Learning, Lessons, Failures, and Building Community - Mark Fallows | 02 Jul 2024 | 00:58:56 | |
This week the tables are turned as I’m the guest on the Funds & Founders Podcast. Hosted by Abhinav Sinha, the pod explores the untold Journeys Behind Founders Breakthroughs. Across this broad conversation Abhi explores my view on life-long learning, building community, the differences between New York and Austin, forming Fabrica and the power of Storytelling, lessons from my failed start-up, Creating The Impossible Network, memorable interviews, the power of the network, my support system and my most transformational business experience. What I thoughtlessly forgot to acknowledge was the importance of my partner Elaine on my journey.. so making amends; thank you now Elaine. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:51 Commitment to Lifelong Learning 02:03 Exploring the Impact of AI 04:40 Defining and Building Community 08:28 Comparing Communities: New York vs. Austin 13:13 Journey from Advertising to Founding Fabrica Collective 20:24 Challenges and Lessons from Pundit Club 29:16 Transitioning to a Service Agency 30:43 Starting The Impossible Network Podcast 31:28 Procrastination and the Birth of Fabrica 32:12 Exploring Serendipity Through Podcasting 33:20 Building a Community Around the Podcast 33:57 Random Collisions and Serendipitous Connections 35:37 Challenges and Rewards of Podcasting 48:31 Support Systems and Personal Reflections 53:16 Transformational Business Experiences 57:29 Final Thoughts and Future Questions Social Links Links Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 166: Maryam Banikarim -The Purposeful Problem-Solving Mentality, Vitality and Curiosity of Next Door's CMO | 15 Jun 2021 | 00:54:52 | |
Guest overview This week's guest Maryam Banikarim does not see barriers, obstacles, or problems other than to seek out ways to remove or overcome or solve them. Born in Iran but raised in the US Maryam’s innately curious and inquisitive mind has enabled her to navigate every challenge that life has dealt her and set her on a diverse path of career success. Regularly Acknowledged in the ” most creative people" or "most powerful women in business" lists, Maryam devours challenges that can be summed up by the phrase she used in the interview “I love a good No” How Global CMO for Next Door, Maryam kindly agreed to share her perspective on life, work, and communities. Her lens on life is based on a desire to help others and through that she discovers purpose. Her work at Next Door and her pandemic initiative, New York City Next, Maryam’s work is bringing people together, building strong communities and connections, and cultivating neighborly kindness. In this interview, Maryam shares her perspective on life, work, and community and how we build stronger, more equitable, and resilient Neighborhoods, and Cities as we move beyond the pandemic. Maryam’s positive problem-solving mentality, curiosity, and vitality are uplifting and her infectious spirit of the possible will surely provide inspiration to all that encounter her. A shout out to Ben Hartley for recommending we interview Maryam Social Links Links in the show Susan McPherson the Lost Art of Connecting Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 165: Sav Rodgers - The Life Changing Serendipity of Discovering Ben Affleck and Chasing Amy | 08 Jun 2021 | 01:07:38 | |
Guest Overview Imagine being assigned female at birth, growing up feeling isolated at school, having your sexuality weaponized against you at age 12, by so-called friends, and coming out and identifying as pan-sexual at age 19, well this was the beginning of this week’s guest, Sav Rodgers’ life.
We cover a lot of ground in this episode as Sav recounts the challenges he’s faced and had to overcome. Sav is a shining example of resilience in the face of ignorance and bigotry, strength of character, with an indomitable spirit to survive. With it being Pride month this interview could not be more timely. For anyone with children that are gender fluid, nonbinary, or genderqueer, Sav’s interview is a must-listen. Sav is now an award-winning writer and director, currently in the final stages of post-production with his first feature, called Chasing Chasing Amy, a documentary about how 1990’s Rom-Com Chasing Amy, directed by Kevin Smith and starring Ben Affleck, provided him with a depiction of fluid sexuality that helped Sav live his authentic self as pansexual, embracing the tagline of the movie “It’s Not who you love, but how” Following his 2017 Ted talk, where Sav described the impact of Chasing Amy, he tweeted it and Kevin Smith, the director connected with Sav and is now collaborating with Sav on Chasing Chasing Amy. Sav and I go onto discuss the challenges we still face in the media with the limited casting of trans people in shows and films, and how the media reinforces LGBTQ bias and the need for changes in how sexuality is depicted in education. Sav’s life story, so far, is evidence of manifesting the life you want to live, and how serendipity opens doors and opportunities. Sav has expanded my understanding of sexuality and inspired me to learn more. I hope you enjoy the optimism and energy of Sav Rodgers. Social Links Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 164: Maysoon Zayid- Challenging Conventions Through Her Comedy, Cerebral Palsy and Compassionate Activism | 01 Jun 2021 | 01:00:23 | |
Guest Overview Imagine being born with Cerebral Palsy, to Palestinian immigrant parents, growing up being the only disabled Muslim in a Christian New Jersey town. Yet, blessed with her father's comic genes, her mother’s driving ambition, hard work ethic, and large family support network, Maysoon Zayid is an inspiring example of what is possible when self-limiting beliefs are cast asunder. Maysoon Zayid has blazed a trail through life as a writer, actor, stand-up comedian, educator, and activist. In 2014 her TED Talk 'I have 99 problems, Palsy is just one' went viral. In this broad-ranging interview, we cover, Maysoon’s early life experiences, setting her sights age 5 on being an actor in US soap opera, General Hospital, the defining moment of her childhood, aged 12, dancing on Broadway, on route to becoming a standup comedian. Maysoon provides an enlightening perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, discusses being a female Muslim comedian, post 9/11 and what changed under the Trump administration, and how things have changed in recent months. And of course, we discuss comedy, her inspirations, and her successful annual Arab American Comedy Festival. I think you will find this wide-ranging conversation inspiring, uplifting, and educational. Social Links Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 163: The Solo Show - Why I Started The Podcast and What I Have Learned From My Guests | 24 May 2021 | 00:20:17 | |
Okay folks this week, it's just a solo episode. I'm often asked about why I started this podcast and what it takes to keep going. We have to week, month after month now, two and a half years into this, I thought I would take some time just to step back and reflect on it and answer those questions as to what led to starting this podcast and carrying on. For most of my life, I've worked in advertising and been very interested in the power of curiosity as a characteristic, but also in the power and value of networks. And thirdly, I've always been interested in the concept of serendipity and what it is and the role it plays in people's lives. So when I started thinking about the podcast back in 2013, I did nothing about it. Two years later, I did something about it and created The Impossible Network and recorded a couple of episodes, and then did nothing with it. Procrastination really kicked in. I'll come and talk a bit about procrastination in more detail and the value it has, but it wasn't until 2018 when I really sat down and thought, what I want this podcast to be about? And that's when I really stepped back and thought about, networks, serendipity, and curiosity. It was a convergence of these three things that led to launching the Impossible Network. I had a simple thought, what if I interview three people that I know, two of them being clients, and asked them about their life journey, ask them about the impact of their upbringing, the role of curiosity in their life, their attitude to risk, their perception of fear and failure, and what's really fueled them and spurred them on to achieve what they would personally make their impossible, possible. But the key thing in these interviews is really to ask them who they recommend that I interview next, leaving the guests that we interviewed down to serendipity. And that has resulted in me interviewing over 90 guests now and rising some of the most extraordinary, unexpected people; people I would never, otherwise encountered or be connected with, and who now form part of the Impossible Network. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 162: Tweedy The Clown - Alan Digweed's Perspective On Life As A Clown | 04 May 2021 | 00:58:15 | |
Guest Overview Alan Digweed aka Tweedy The Clown is this week's guest. In this fascinating interview, we discuss Alan’s early life and the serendipitous moment he announced to his parents his intention to build his career in clowning. Alan explains the appeal of clowning, the influence, and inspiration of clowning genius du Laurel and Hardy, as well as the great like Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton, and Harry Langdon. He explains how he made his start pre-internet days at British Summer Holiday camp Butlins before pursuing opportunities in Circus to hone his craft and refine his clown character. Alan describes how everyone has a clown character, aligned to our inner child, why the core characteristics tend to be based on different personalities, and why all good clowning is based on solving problems. We discuss how Alan met American clown genius Bill Irwin at the famous Grimaldi Church service in London to honor the king of clowns Joseph Grimaldi where clowns attend in full costume. This encounter led him to develop his skills through one on one sessions with Bill. Alan explains the impact of the pandemic on his work and how he pivoted to creating a children's show online and the different experiences of not having a live audience. We also discuss how his performance will have to evolve while social distancing remains in place. We also discuss the evolution of a circus and clowning such as Archaos and Avner the Eccentric and Typeface. Finally, we cover where Alan thinks he will be in 2030 and all the quick-fire questions. I hope you will be uplifted by the joy, optimism, deeply thoughtful Tweedy The Clown. Social Links Links in Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 161: Sarah A. Abdallah - Re-imaging, Re-designing, and Re-creating With Functional Creative Design. | 28 Apr 2021 | 00:58:49 | |
Sarah A. Abdallah, polymath, innovator, and founder of New York-based bespoke Architecture & Design Studio - Functional Creative Design, is this week's guest. In part two we deep dive into Sarah’s journey prior to starting her design studio Functional Creative Design, working with Rockwell Group, Tony Chi & Associates, Perkins and Eastman, and Grand Hotels, and her vision and focus which led her to start her studio. Sarah describes her desire to add an additional layer to design and space planning. She discusses the importance of listening, fusing all input, using her functional skills and knowledge base, to meet a client's vision. We discuss sustainability in the industry, the need to take a 360 view, the impact of Covid, and the battle that many firms have to stay in business. Sarah explains her principles underpinning Functional Creative Design, how design will change in a post-Covid world, the power and value of our connectivity, how intimacy can be created through technology, physical spaces that incorporate the outdoors indoors, and the need to deliver improved accessibility and social justice, across all socio-economic groups. Anyone considering leaving their corporate job, Sarah’s story will provide inspiration of what is possible when you reimagine and add value to a category. Social Links Links in the show Robin Sharma - Monk Who Sold His Ferrari Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 160: The Non-Conforming, Curiosity Fueled Journey of Thought Leader and Entrepreneur - Sarah A. Abdallah | 27 Apr 2021 | 01:03:57 | |
Sarah A. Abdallah, polymath, innovator, and founder of New York-based bespoke Architecture & Design Studio - Functional Creative Design, is this week's guest. In this two-parter we spend the first hour exploring Sarah’s experience of being born a bi-racial child to Egyptian immigrant parents, growing up in New York, with two younger siblings. Immersing her in a culture that nurtured her natural curiosity, her parents instilled in her the foundational values of human kindness, the importance of education, and respect and understanding of other faiths. Sarah discusses how she developed an appreciation and love of the environment, her deep spirituality, questioning conventional wisdom, and rejecting parental pressures to conform. Sarah recounts overcoming the limitations of dyslexia, how her childhood curiosity of after-school clubs helped shape her into the thought leader and Entrepreneur she is today, and her prolific educational journey through psychology, art therapy, higher education, and interior design. Sarah also discusses how serendipity led her, at 21, a First Generation Muslim Egyptian American to live with the then 70-year-old, iconic lawyer, Jewish civil rights activist, and philanthropic fundraiser for NYU, Naomi Levine. In part two we deep dive into Sarah’s journey prior to starting her design studio Functional Creative Design, working with Rockwell Group, Tony Chi & Associates, Perkins and Eastman, and Grand Hotels, and her vision and focus which lead her to start her studio. For anyone with children, hearing Sarah’s journey and experience will provide valuable insights into encouraging young children’s curiosity and appreciation of other cultures and backgrounds and the value of education. In part two Sarah describes the experience of working with Tony Chi Associates, Rockwell Group, Perkins and Eastman, and Grand Hotels and her desire to add an additional layer to design and space planning. She discusses the importance of listening, fusing all input, using functional skills and knowledge base to meet a client's vision. We discuss sustainability in the industry, the need to take a 360 view of sustainability, the impact of Covid, and the battle that many firms have to stay in business. Sarah explains her principles underpinning Functional Creative Design, how design will change in a post-Covid world, and how intimacy can be created through technology, physical spaces that incorporate the outdoors indoors, and the need to deliver improved accessibility across socio-economic groups. Social Links Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 159: Art On The Ave - Shining a Spotlight On Under-Represented Artists - Jackie Graham and Barbara Anderson | 14 Apr 2021 | 01:07:28 | |
Guest Overview This week we welcome Mother and daughter team Barbara Anderson and Jackie Graham's, Founders of Art on the Ave, a New York based social impact initiative that spotlights the work of under-represented artists and turns storefronts into exhibition spaces and streets into open air galleries. In the first part of this interview we ask Barbara about Jackie as a child and explore with Jackie the impact of her mother and father on her life and career direction in art and work ethic. Jackie discusses her international upbringing and its influence on her sense of self and feeling of being a global citizen. We discuss how Jackie’s character and organizational skills were evident at an early age and how curiosity was cultivated. Jackie discusses education and her focus on art business and how a serendipitous summer internship opened her eyes to the value of accessibility to the arts and how that ultimately prepared her for the work she and Barbara are now doing with Art on the Avenue. We talk about the role of art in teaching children about socio cultural moments in history. Then we dive into their work with Art on the Ave, launching it as a response to the pandemic, the shuttered stores, barren windows and deserted neighborhoods in New York’s upper west side, with the aim of supporting local artists and bringing life back to the streets. Turning New York's Columbus Avenue's empty storefronts into a gallery space, Art on the Ave has reimagined street art and democratizes art spaces and community art access. Their second exhibition launches in the West Village and runs from April 15th through May. After over 150 submissions to their latest exhibition, their curated works will be displayed along Bleecker Street, Christopher Street and Hudson Street, creating what Barbara calls the West Village wander. Through organizations like Art on the Ave are reimagining the role of art in communities, its impact on what a neighborhood is, while creating new commercial opportunities for artists. If you want to learn more we have added links to Art on the Ave in the show notes. But for now be engaged, entertain and educated by the marvelous mother and daughter team of Barbara Anderson and Jackie Graham Social Links Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 158: Re-Engineering Education For A 2030 World - Kellie Lauth | 06 Apr 2021 | 01:19:16 | |
Guest Overview This week's guest is Kellie Lauth - a woman on a mission to re-engineer education and prepare children for the world of 2030, and mobilize a workforce capable of tackling the complex problems we are sure to face when the calendar turns to 2030. In this extended episode, we cover Kellie’s upbringing, developing a hard work ethic at an early age, the guiding influence of her mother and father in developing her foundational life values during what she describes as a magical childhood. Kellie describes how her mother and father nurtured and cultivated her curiosity and exposed her to the realities of social inequity at a young age. We explore her education experience, her focus on science and math, and the lack of gender diversity that drove her desire and intentionality to help young girls and underrepresented students through education and access. Kellie discusses her willingness to lean into discomfort and confront failure, following the path of education and the serendipity of a tragic event made her more resolute to make the most of her opportunity in life. Her response was to build a STEM, problem-based learning system that integrated local business partnerships that created a pathway to employment for children. Kellie describes the more significant impact of the system on the children’s perspective on possibility and life transformation. Now scaling the system nationally, Kellie describes transforming from the inside out and investing in teachers to drive the transformation needed. Kellie discusses the imperative of now and how she’s forming partnerships with local and nationals organizations to help them leverage the Mindspark strategy. Finally, we discuss the importance of diversity, playfulness, and innovation. We finish with Kellie’s principles, her hard choices, her advice on confronting the impossible, and the other quick-fire questions. I think you’ll be uplifted, inspired, and energized by the gentle determination and disruptive spirit of Kellie Lauth. Social Links Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 157: Unpacking The Weird And Wonderful of Modern Cultural Phenomena - Charlie Quirk and Britton Rice | 31 Mar 2021 | 01:25:45 | |
Guest Overview This week we interviewed the co-hosts of the podcast The Furious Curious - Charlie Quirk and Britton Rice. In the first 20 minutes of the interview, Chas and Brit explore the impact of their parents and upbringing on their values, cultivating curiosity and the life attributes that have prepared them for their life in advertising and for hosting a show that describes itself as a 'podcast that unpacks the weird and wonderful of modern cultural phenomena’ Charlie discusses his fiendish focus on things that interest him, and how it prepared him for a career in strategy in advertising and branding, Brit discusses his dyslexia and how his commitment to working harder enabled him to navigate school, the importance of sport and music in building relationships and empathy. We cover a lot of ground here. We explore the serendipity of their first meeting and the resonating connection that's endured.. We explore what drew them to advertising and their favorite ads. They deconstruct the organizational structure of agencies and changing complexion of the business as well as discussing the evolving role of brand purpose. For any listeners to The Furious Curious, you will want to hear the genesis of the show and how the pair apply their intellectual rigor to delivering a weekly dose of cultural insight and entertainment in a highly engaging manner. We discuss the future of the show and whether a video version is something they have considered. The quick-fire questions also provide a deeper insight into what makes this podcast duo tick. I hope you are engaged, entertained, and enlightened by the wit and wisdom of Charlie Quirk and Britton Rice. Social Links Links in the show Brian Eno Oblique Strategies Cards Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Amanda Hamilton - Beyond Nutrition, Her Curiosity, Holistic Nourishment, and Well-Being | 19 Jun 2024 | 01:33:04 | |
In this week's episode, I sit down with Amanda Hamilton, a renowned nutrition expert, ex-broadcaster, and founder of retreats focused on holistic well-being and women’s health. We cover how Amanda's innate curiosity drove her to independently travel the globe, open a fasting retreat, aged 27, create a groundbreaking TV show, and ultimately redefine what it means to live a truly nourished life. Amanda shares her pragmatic perspective on nourishing the body and mind through real, unprocessed foods, restorative sleep, movement, and most importantly - learning to listen to and trust your own body's cues over external data and trends and making small "edits" for graceful aging. Amanda also discusses fasting, food accessibility, and her wellness reset program. Amanda's journey is one of inspiration and innovation so whether you're seeking to optimize your well-being, navigate the overwhelming world of health information, or simply learn from a woman who has fearlessly followed her curiosity, this episode is not to be missed. Now over to Amanda. Thanks Dr Morgaine Gaye for the connection Time stamps 00:00 Introduction 00:55 Meet Amanda Hamilton: A Journey of Curiosity and Innovation 02:25 Amanda -Who is she as a human? 04:08 Who or What Made Her? 09:35 The Role of Travel in Shaping Perspectives 15:08 From Journalism to Nutrition: A Career Evolution 21:34 The Power of Fasting: Amanda's Breakthrough 24:27 Challenges and Successes in Broadcasting Fasting Retreats 32:07 What is Amanda Working to Achieve? 34:12 Holistic Wellbeing: Beyond Nutrition 46:42 Exploring the Complexities of Nutrition 47:48 Guiding Parents on Nutrition 48:43 Fundamentals of a Healthy Diet 50:12 The Impact of Sugar on Health 53:01 Navigating Modern Nutrition Challenges 01:01:59 The Importance of Sleep 01:07:52 Aging and Nutrition 01:15:09 The Role of Exercise 01:16:22 Programs and Future Plans 01:19:49 Dealing with Self-Doubt and Imposter Syndrome 01:22:40 Guiding Children Towards Independence 01:24:32 Principles and Inspirations 01:26:45 Recommended Books and Life Hacks 01:30:16 Final Thoughts and Recommendations Social Links Links in the show Books Fast Food Nation Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 156: Rowan C. Leslie - The Serendipitous Path to Traditional Music Mastery | 23 Mar 2021 | 00:52:32 | |
Guest Overview This week we interview our first musician, Glasgow-based, Irish born, Fiddle player, teacher, and composer, Rowan C Leslie. ( shout out to Scott Duncan for recommending) Rowan began playing the fiddle when his mother joined him in learning to play at age seven. Rowan recounts the experience of growing up in a small village of Broughshane, Northern Ireland, his supportive parents encouraging his sporting, musical, and his academic pursuits. We discuss growing up with English parents, attending an integrated school in a country historically defined by its religious divide. Rowan explains the draw to fiddle and traditional music, how it defined his sense of identity, the influential role of his charismatic musical mentor on his journey, and the abundant experience of building his musical network. Rowan describes his educational experiences, the differences across the traditional music spectrum, the global cultural influence of Irish traditional music, and his traditional music influences. We discuss the resurgence of interest in traditional music, the impact of the pandemic on himself and other musicians, and expanding his teaching to a global network of students. Rowan describes creating his first album in lockdown, Escaping the Dawn, releasing a book called Contemporary Fiddle Tunes from The North East of Ireland, and his hopes of returning to touring in 2021. We get into the evolution of traditional music, the differences in classical and traditional, the impact of AI and technology on music, and the role of serendipity on his journey. Rowan ends the interview playing a short excerpt of one of his tracks from his new album. I hope you enjoy this insight into the world of traditional music with Rowan C Leslie. Social Links Links in Show Contemporary Fiddle Tunes from The North East of Ireland
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| 155: The Multidimensional Mental Health Mission of Dr Tara Emrani and Mehdi Ansari | 18 Mar 2021 | 01:27:53 | |
Guest Overview This week I welcome two guests - NYC-based Clinical Psychologist Dr. Tara Emrani and Corporate Lawyer Mehdi Ansari. Tara and Mehdi were born and raised in Tehran, Iran, before moving to the US. Given the time challenges of having two guests, we didn’t spend much time on their backstories or upbringing. Meeting while both studying at UC Berkeley, Tara and Mehdi describe their journeys to Psychology and Law. I ask Tara to explain her humanistic, multidimensional approach to treatment and the differences to the new talk therapy platforms like Talk Space or Better Help. Tara discusses the mental health challenges that have emerged since the onset of the pandemic and how she helps her patients deal with them, and the underlying stresses, sadness, anxiety, and depression. She describes pivoting to online therapy and the differences to in-person treatment. Mehdi describes the pandemic impact on his firm’s staff, work practices, and relationships. Mehdi discusses why he is trying to drive the firm's mental health narrative and across the legal industry. He discusses how different structural approaches firms are taking as we snap back and the many unexpected impacts on training, teamwork, and career progression. He also explains the value of serendipitous water cooler moments and why those are lost on Zoom or Teams,, and the increased associated transaction costs. Both Tara and Mehdi discuss the future role of therapy inside organizations, the resultant positive impact on the bottom line, staff retention, and a happier, more productive environment. Mehdi reflects on the paradigm shift needed for mental health and mindfulness training to be taught in Universities. Medhi and Tara discuss parents' role to prepare children for an AI future and the displacement AI will have on today's simple transactional processes. Finally, they both reflect on the impact of serendipity on their journey.
If you’re a parent or have been affected by mental health personality or while in a work environment, I think you’ll be uplifted by the clarity and commitment of Tara and Mehdi to changing the narrative around mental health. Social Links Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 154: The Reimagining of The National Arts Club - Ben Hartley | 11 Mar 2021 | 01:21:19 | |
Guest Overview This week's guest is Sydney-born, New York-based Ben Hartley – Executive Director of The National Arts Club – what he describes as a 122-year-old startup. Ben recently invited us into the spectacular Gramercy Square location to record this fascinating interview. Ben recounts his early years and his parents' positive influence, his adventurous and analytical father, and his strong and emotionally engaged mother. Ben describes how his world view was expanded, and curiosity sparked as a result of being taken on a grand European canal boating tour when aged seven. Ben describes his embrace of discomfort as a means of pushing one's capabilities and his approach to seeking out serendipity. At 12 minutes – Ben describes his educational experience, how it opened a window to the world, the value of studying for a semester in Trenton, New Jersey, a decision that ultimately led him to return to NYC to study his Masters in Arts management. At 23 minutes – we discuss the common threads running through the career path he has taken. We discuss his journey to the National Arts Club and his experience of leading the international rollout of the Guggenheim to Bilbao and beyond. At 29 minutes – Ben explains the mission and structure of The National Arts Club. He provides a concise overview of The National Arts Club's history, being the first club to welcome women as members, events from its colorful history, the characters that defied this unique institution, and the recipients of its famed Medal of Honor. Ben describes how COVID has enabled him to apply his creativity to innovate and pivot the club's service, develop and vibrant digital program, and build community and connectivity. He describes the recent exhibitions curated in partnership with new art collectives that have emerged in New York during the Black Lives Matter protests displayed alongside the work of photographer Graham Macindoe We discuss the provocative role of art in today's society, the changing nature of distribution, the future role of The National Arts Club in the city and country's culture, and the innovative programs he has initiated connecting communities beyond the arts. Ben's refreshing perspectives will undoubtedly provide inspiration and provoke new ideas for anyone struggling to reimagine and reinvent their business or brand or deal with personal challenges in these changing times. Social Links The National Arts Club website Links Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 153: What is Mark's Story and What is Back The Neighborhood? The Furious Curious Find Out. | 03 Mar 2021 | 01:09:49 | |
Our host Mark Fallows was recently invited to be a guest on another podcast, the entertaining and educational - The Furious Curious. Hosts, Charlie Quirk and Britton Rice asked Mark to join them and discuss the urban regeneration project, Back The Neighborhood that he, Elaine Castillo Keller, and Vanessa Barboni Hallik are working on, as well as the genesis of The Impossible Network and Fabrica Collective If you enjoy this we encourage you to subscribe to The Furious Curious and follow @backtheneighborhood on Instagram. LINKS: LINKS: https://backthenighborhood.com © Charlie Quirk, Britton Rice Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 152: Science, Serendipity, and Visual Storytelling - Scott Duncan Climatologist | 23 Feb 2021 | 01:07:26 | |
Guest OverView This week's guest is meteorologist, Scottish Highlander, Gaelic speaker, and bag-piper Scott Duncan. Now London-based Scott grew up in the wilds of northern Scotland. Inspired by Scotland's dramatic natural habitat he developed a love for nature and especially climate. That led him to study meteorology at Reading Uni and Oklahoma University and propelled him to be one of the most talked-about climate communicators, resulting from his imaginative and creative application of climate pattern data visualization on Instagram and his own website. In this episode, Scott recounts his early years, the role of family, and the impact of growing up in such an inspiring environment. Developing an expansive world view of climate at a young age, Scott discusses his path to becoming a climate communicator, his intuitive interest and appreciation for the power of storytelling, and how this has transformed how he tells the story of climate. Scott provides a refreshingly simple explanation of the issues our planet faces, at the poles and beyond, he explains how he deals with activists, deniers, and trolls, and why he focuses on reputable data sources to navigate the politically charged field of climate communications. We discuss the decade of action, the expectations of the upcoming COP26 in Glasgow in November and Scott provides insight into what the target numbers mean. He also provides examples of the extreme weather patterns we are experiencing. I think you will leave this episode more grounded, informed, and inspired. Social Links Links in the Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 151: Courage, Heart and Humanity of LGBT Academic and Advocate - Graeme Reid | 10 Feb 2021 | 00:46:32 | |
Guest Overview Human rights are inextricably linked to identity. We all strive for our basic inalienable rights as human beings, regardless of race, religion, language, ethnicity or gender. This week we welcome one of the most vital thinkers in academia and advocates for LGBT human rights, Graeme Reid. Graeme is the Director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch, a respected expert and lecturer at Yale. Born in Johannesburg in Apartheid South Africa, raised in a politically liberal home, Graham’s demonstrated his individual will at an early age courageously confronting the conventional thinking of white South African establishment. Having studied Anthropology at University, Graeme’s ground-breaking Masters; ‘an ethnographic study of a black Pentecostal church on how a church community created the possibility for an integrated cultural identity for gay and lesbian Christians’ followed by his PhD thesis “How to be a’real-gay’ emerging gay spaces in small town South Africa” …established him as both a creative and leading thinker on gender identity. In this shorter than usual episode Graeme shares his personal story, his wisdom and perspective on where we find ourselves in today’s politically charged environment and what might be an inflection point in history. Enjoy the courage, heart and humanity of Graeme Reid. Social Links Links in The Show Graeme’s books: Shaggy Bain - Beyond All Imagining Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 150: Designing A Sustainable Fashion Future - Vanessa Barboni Hallik, Founder, Another Tomorrow | 02 Feb 2021 | 01:13:36 | |
Guest Overview What does it take to walk away from a successful career in Investment banking to form a woman's sustainable fashion startup, committed from the outset to sourcing responsibly grown, ethically manufactured materials, blending classic design with leading edge technologies, while building a platform for education, and advocacy? Well, by confronting fear, embracing uncertainty, accepting failure, trusting in serendipity while remaining resilient, steadfast, and focused on the bigger mission are the characteristics that enabled this week's guest, Vanessa Barboni Hallik, to launch Another Tomorrow - what New York Times described as a 'Brand as Ethically Minded as It Is Refined'. In this fascinating and broad-ranging interview Midwest born, Vanessa Barboni Hallik covers everything from her early life, and architectural ambitions, to her journey to an investment banking career and why she changed course to launch her ground-breaking sustainable women's fashion brand. Vanessa describes the impact of her free spirit artist mother and sociology professor 'wanna be hippie' father in cultivating her curiosity and the creative environment of constructive play that built her belief in the sense of the possible. Vanessa explains the circuitous path she took through education, the life-altering impact of her mother's tragic death when Vanessa was 19, and how the event that set her on a path to banking, the inner conflict she experienced having been raised in an environment of conscious capitalism, and how after quitting three times she finally found purpose in her entrepreneurial endeavor, She eloquently explains fundamental shifts in banking and finance and the increasing emphasis on environmental and social, and governance factors and the further shifts and regulatory changes she expects, will come post covid. We dive deep into what led At 35 minutes in, we dive deep into Another Tomorrow and why Vanessa focused on sustainable fashion. She covers the challenges she faced and why she's built her business grounded in animal, environmental and human welfare; using technology to deliver supply chain transparency; her commitment to resale, and creating a circular economy as a catalytic force on traditional fashion brands. I think you will be inspired by the clarity of vision and values of Vanessa Barboni Hallik. Social Links Links Mariana Mazzucato book Value of Everything Constellation of Vital Phenomena - Anthony Marra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 149: Documenting A Life Beyond Addiction - Graham MacIndoe and Susan Stellin | 25 Jan 2021 | 00:58:52 | |
Guest Overview This week's guests are Graham MacIndoe and Susan Stellin. Graham, a photographer and associate professor at Parsons School of Design in New York City, has been in recovery from addiction since 2010. Graham and his wife Susan -- a writer, researcher, and adjunct professor at The New School -- have been open about Graham's past struggle with drugs, his ten-year journey to coming clean, which began with nine months of incarceration because of a misdemeanor drug possession conviction. They've published and exhibited the self-portraits Graham took during his years of addiction, written a dual memoir called Chancers, and given many talks about the trajectory that upended Graham's photography career, isolated him from family and friends, and eventually landed him in jail. (I'll add links to the images that appeared in the Guardian and New York Mag coverage in the show notes, the book, and their talks in the show notes. ) Lately, they've shifted their focus to highlighting what it takes to recover from addiction -- a process millions of Americans have been through but is far less discussed both in private and in public settings. They're part of a growing movement of people trying to reframe the narrative more toward solutions and opening a dialogue about ways to help more people succeed with recovery. Graham and Susan recap their journey. We cover why Graham documented his addiction and why he and Susan are now documenting recovery stories across the US. We discuss why many people can't publicly acknowledge their past because of stigma, the consequences of admitting illegal drug use, and why they are part of a growing movement working to provide examples of success and hope to those still struggling with addiction. Their latest exhibit Beyond Addiction, Reframing Recovery demonstrates that recovery is possible and highlights some of the ways people have rebuilt their lives. We discuss the enduring stigma and cultural projection of drug addiction, the enduring War of Drugs, the racial injustice of drug policies, the need for reform, and we discuss decriminalization and legalization. Graham and Susan provide an enlightening perspective on the ongoing challenges, the Pandemic's impact, and Graham talks about how he has navigated his recovery. If you know someone struggling with recovery or a family member trying to support a loved one, please share this important episode or some of the resources in the show notes. I hope you are inspired by the courage, clarity, and candor of Graham MacIndoe and Susan Stellin. Social Links Beyond Addiction Reframing Recovery Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 148: Gillian Burke - Comfortably Living Life In A State Transition And Environmental Certainty | 13 Jan 2021 | 01:43:35 | |
GUEST OVERVIEW This week's guest, biologist, TV producer, presenter, public speaker, voiceover artist, writer, and mother, Gillian Burke, is second generation Kenyan, has lived a life transition - or as she refers to as a state of liminality. In this broad-ranging interview, Gillian deconstructs the complexity of her racially ambiguous 'creole' identity. Part West Indian, part SriLankan Gillian was born in Kenya, grew up in Vienna, and studied and settled in the UK, where she has built a successful career in broadcasting with the BBC. Gillian recounts her early memories of always feeling like an outsider, navigating change and uncertainty both in Kenya and Austria. She describes how her love of the outdoors developed, being comfortable in nature, and developing her environmental consciousness. She explains why the experience of growing up in the global south and the lack of buffer between environmental issues and the impact of home life, as well as witnessing the exploitation of nature, the environment and marginalized populations led her to develop her thirst for social justice and building a career in nature and environmental broadcasting. Gillian describes her path to the UK, her education in an international Baccalaureate school, developing a love of performing arts and ending up studying biology at Bristol University in the UK in 1992 and landing a job in the Natural History unit at the BBC. From 40 min in, Gillian explains why she feels we in many developed nations lack humility as we face the humbling impact of the Covid virus. We discuss how our path to progress is unsustainable, the climate crisis, the urgency to act, and the importance of looking to natural solutions and our interconnectedness to nature's matrix. Gillian discusses the regenerative power of the soil, indigenous knowledge, wisdom, and solutions that could pull us back from climate calamity. Finally, Gillian explains why she is focused on connecting the big existential issues facing us to what we do in our homes and how we live. I hope you are inspired to follow the environmental passion and purpose of Gillian Burke. SOCIAL LINKS LINKS IN THE SHOW Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 147: Carmen D'Alessio on Studio 54 - Our 2019 Interview Revisited | 10 Dec 2020 | 00:55:54 | |
Due to a guest rescheduling, this week we are republishing part two of last year's interview with New York nightlife legend Carmen D'Alessio. We loved this show not just for the incredible stories she tells, but for what she represents. Carmen is living proof that that reinvention is ageless, energy is infectious, and a reminder of the power of a large network. If you’ve not heard Carmen, buckle up, if you have I am it's worth a second listen. Now over to Carmen Guest Overview Born to a Peruvian father, and a Chilean mother, but grew up to become a legend of New York nightlife, impresario co-founder of Studio 54, and to this day not only continues to reinvent herself but also entertainment experiences, is this week’s guest Carmen D'Alessio. In Part two of this interview with Carmen D'Alessio, the New York nightlife legend, impresario, and co-founder of what is often referred to as the greatest club of all time; Studio 54, we explore the untold story of the nightclub’s formation. We start the interview with Carmen recounting her second marriage and leaving Italy and working for Valentino in Rome to return to NYC to build her ‘Queen of the Night’ reputation. If you’ve seen the 2018 Netflix documentary on the infamous nightclub you’ll hear the other side of the founder’s story on how the sensational nightclub came into existence. Carmen also recounts her memories of those unparalleled 33 months of hedonism, having her mother around her, and how the era ended and the world changed We also cover how she’s continued to reinvent herself and nightlife experiences around the world Finally, we cover her quick-fire questions and answers I hope you enjoy the wit, wisdom, and wonder of Carmen D’Alessio. What we discuss: How she moved into fashion Beginning her career as a nightlife promoter How a 1976 bicentennial party reported in the WSJ got her on the map How she met Ian Schrager and Steve Rubel and her collaboration with their Enchanted Garden ended up in Time How she was forced to invite them to collaborate when her Studio 54 backer dropped out The evolution of their business arrangement and how that saved her from jail How the day to day operation worked Her superpower of connecting people Spontaneity and living without consequences How Aids changed everything Building her list of 8000 names How nightlife has evolved as she has aged Carmen’s evolution Staying young, her sense of adventure and freedom Her mother’s lust for life Acqua fit in her 70’s Confronting conventions The Gospel according to carmen Her feeling of youthfulness Being thankful Her principles Establishing an environmental foundation Her patience and faith Links in the Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Suba Vasudevan - The Intersection of Trust, Safety, and Responsible Innovation | 12 Jun 2024 | 00:49:48 | |
I recently interviewed Suba Vasudevan, a tech optimist and eternal learner who has made a lasting impact in the realm of trust, safety, and responsible innovation. Growing up in Mumbai, Suba was shaped by her parents' unwavering support. Her innate curiosity led her to pursue computer engineering while also working as a journalist, exposing her to the importance of risk management and trust in technology. Over the years, Suba has worked at renowned companies such as News Corp, KPMG, and Meta, where she has been a driving force in operationalizing strategies and promoting responsible technology practices. In our conversation, she shares her insights on the importance of education, collaboration, and embracing change in the face of rapid advancements in AI. Suba also discusses the future of work, offering valuable advice on navigating the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Now over to Suba. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:41 Who is Suba as a human 03:26 Who or what made her? 09:31 The Intersection of Technology and Business 16:07 Understanding Trust, Safety, and Responsible Technology 19:16 Practical Examples from Meta 22:30 What she is Working to Achieve? 24:21 Embracing AI: Challenges and Opportunities 26:43 Emerging Big Tech Movements 27:34 The Importance of User Choice and Transparency 28:08 Collaborative Efforts and Regulatory Frameworks 29:13 Addressing Election Risks and Deepfakes 33:29 AI's Impact on Business Leadership 39:55 Parenting in the Age of AI 44:04 Quickfire Questions and Personal Insights 49:12 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Social Links Links In Show Book - The Checklist Manifesto Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 146: Raw And Resilient - Navigating 2020's Hospitality Apocalypse With Robert Marchetti | 01 Dec 2020 | 01:14:27 | |
Guest Overview This week we welcome back our previous guest, Robert Marchetti the New York-based, Australian hospitality veteran. Robert recently launched his own podcast The Raw Hospitality Show, where he interviews industry icons and what he describes as boots on the ground 'hospo peeps' (that an Aussie term) those unseen folk whose voices are seldom heard. Robert’s aim with the new show to inspire, motivate, and entertain the 16 million+ hospitality folks in the USA, and 50 million+ globally. With Covid-19 continuing to decimate the industry, Robert hopes that by interviewing industry veterans and on the ground game-changers, their views and insights into what’s next will inspire a generation of hospitality workers to remain resolute and resilient through these challenging times. In this fast-paced episode, Robert also covers how he embraced the challenges of Covid19 with a positive attitude and a radical acceptance that he may well lose his Soho restaurant and bar Gran Tivoli and Peppi's cellar. He explains the need to pivot, how he’s used this time to reorientate his business and goes on to explain the work he is now doing with Creative community workspace Neuehouse. Robert is more than resilient, he radiates practical positivity with a grounded sense of humor that is uplifting in these strangest of times. I hope you agree. Social Links Link in the Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 145: Wired This Way - Jessica Carson Mapping Creative Archetypes And Her Journey To Self Discovery | 18 Nov 2020 | 01:32:02 | |
Guest Overview Jessica Carson, creator, teacher, and author of Wired This Way, a book about Finding Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Well-being as a Creator, is this week's guest. In this wide ranging episode, we cover Jessica’s early life and development being the perfect combination of her right and left-brained parents. Jessica refers to Jungian psychology as a reference point to her adolescent development, and her innate passion and self-imposed pressures and character polarities and the impact that had on friendships and relationships. She discusses the transformational time of her life working as a social director at a start-up discovering her social fluidity and her empath character. Jessica discusses the common characteristics of the empath, the value, and the downsides and need for protection. She explains how this led her to study neuroscience at Georgetown. From around 30 min we get into creativity and serendipity. We discuss Jessica’s experiences of serendipity, describing herself as a ‘Serendipitor’ and by embracing the synchronicity of life she overcame her dis-ease, distress and angst. Jessica explains the different creative archetypes she has mapped in her book Wired this Way, which discusses the light and dark sides of different creators and she then explains the shared ten dimensions of a creator. Jessica discusses the dance between creativity and productivity and the deficit of creativity in our ‘hustle culture and the need for creative self-discovery. Jessica makes historic references and provides an overview of her six muses she uses as a framework and as a creative and customizable approach to the journey of self-discovery, a tapestry to understand what archetype a person is. We discuss happiness, creativity, self-discovery, procrastination, and creative incubation, and creative rebirth in the context of the times we live. We also cover education and mental health, innovation, and the importance of diversity in the innovation process. We end by discussing fear and failure. I hope you are stimulated by the creative explorations and archetypes of Jessica Carson. Social Links Links in Show Scott Barry Kauffman -Transcend: The New Science of Self Actualization Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 144: Tyrique Glasgow - Running a Corner to Changing Lives (From the Archive) | 11 Nov 2020 | 01:09:18 | |
This week we re-publish our first ever episode, recorded on a cold day in late 2018 on the streets of South Philadelphia with Tyrique Glasgow. Tyrique Glasgow is the Founder of the Young Chances Foundation, an organization providing after-school support, sports programs, and mentoring for South Philadelphia’s youth. Besides running the foundation, Tyrique works with the District Attorney's Office on its Focused Deterrence initiative, an effort that targets South Philly gang members, to offer an exit route from street life through job training and other services. Tyrique founded The Young Chances Foundation (YCF) is a 501(c)3 organization in 2012 as a second chance opportunity to make better opportunities for himself, his family and his South Philadelphia – Grays Ferry community. Tyrique's personal story is one of radical transformation from dealing drugs to delivering hope and opportunity. Tyrique's lowest point in life was the night in 2004 that it almost ended, as he lay unconscious on the cold ground of his South Philadelphia neighborhood, shot 11 times in the head, back, legs and arms. Surviving this life altering trauma he then had to serve five years in prison before returning to the Grays Ferry community as a reformed citizen, with an unstoppable passion to ‘save the children of Grays Ferry from following a similar path. In 2012 Young Chances Foundation’s Mission was born. I met Tyrique at a fundraising event in New York in mid 2018 and went to interview him later that year on the street Corner he used to run. Interviewing Tyrique was humbling, uplifting and inspiring - a beacon of possibility and the shining example of the potential that one human’s courage and commitment can have. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 143: Schuyler Moore - Managing Risk, Agile Living And A.I., Cyber and National Security. | 28 Oct 2020 | 01:37:23 | |
Guest overview Schuyler Moore is Director of Science and Technology at the Defense Innovation Board, in the US Department of Defense, by day. At night she is a competitive Hip Hop Dancer by night. She is sister to our previous guest Dr. Merritt Moore(Episode No14). Everything Schuyler shares in this episode is her personal view and perspective. She only speaks herself and does not speak for the Department of Defense or the Defense Innovation Board. LA born, of a Korean mother and American father, Schuyler’s upbringing equipped her with a deep curiosity, an independent world-view, and valuable problem-solving skills. Her unconventional mindset enabled her to defy convention, shed her comfort zone and traveling to teach school girls in Afghanistan in 2013 age, this boundary breaking attitude led her to and become director of science and technology at the DoD only six years later.
In this expansive and informative episode, Schuyler shares the value and impact of her parents on her life focus, how her interest in National Security emerged while teaching in Afghanistan, and shares her personal perspectives, knowledge, and insights on agile living and the imperative of how to consider and manage risk in an uncertain and unpredictable world. She explains how she applies this to build confidence, solve problems, maintain humility, and remain calm in the face of chaos. We also discuss gut instinct and innovation and her view on serendipity. Schuyler shares her advice to parents on how to guide their young daughters to thrive in STEM or Steam and her advice to women in the workforce. At 45 min in we also dive deep into A.I. as I ask Schuyler to define in simple terms what A.I. is, before we get into ethics, standards and traceability, the A.I. arms race and the value to humanity. I also ask Schuyler about Cyber warfare threats, defending it using zero trust architecture, and how we as nations and businesses think about our network security. Schuyler shares her recommendations on changes to education to prepare us for the future and hirIng for Creativity and finally we discuss the role of Diversity in innovation. I hope you enjoy this expansive educational exploration of agile living, risk, AI, Cyber warfare and so much more. Social Links Links in the show Zucked book AI Books Center for Security and Emerging Technology Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 142: The Possibility-Expanding Serendipity Mindset - Dr. Christian Busch | 21 Oct 2020 | 01:21:25 | |
This week’s guest, Dr Christian Basch, describes himself as a practical philosopher. He is also Author of the new book the Serendipity Mindset, and Director of NYU’s Global Economy program. In this absorbing interview Christian describes his upbringing in Germany to a cerebral intellectual father and empathetic and loving mother. Christian explains how his supportive parents instilled a sense of belief that whatever his focus in life, everything was possible. Christian discusses his wayward upbringing, his search for where to channel his energies and the life defining car crash that made him re-evaluate his attitude to life and set him on the path to writing the Serendipity Mindset. He maps out how In 2008 in London he formed his innovative global Sandbox network and describes the community they build as a serendipity accelerator. We cover purpose and social entrepreneurship and how he has worked with many of the top CEO’s to focus on how their companies can link their purpose to the sustainable development goals. If you want to jump forward to where we get into the specifics of the Serendipity Mindset head to AROUND 40 MIN min. Christian explains how the Serendipity Mindset is grounded in creating the structures and mindsets that enable people to create their own luck and I ask Christian to explain the role of procrastination in serendipity and what he calls productive procrastination. He sets out why spotting something unexpected and connecting dots when you see them is key to a serendipity mindset. He explains why sagacity and tenacity are the core elements to unlocking serendipity and why we need to avoid seeing life linear and more a series of random twisting lines and being prepared to see failure as an opportunity. Christian covers fear of failure, loss and overcoming self limiting beliefs and worthiness. I ask Christian about the role of his work to affect change in organizational behavior, and how brand values can define meeting agendas, and examining and learning from failure to solve large problems. We also discuss polarization, diversity, inclusion and seeking common denominators to solve our contemporary challenges. Finally we cover serendipity scores and the value to reframing behaviors. Christian describes how as a daily habit and a life philosophy it can transform how we view uncertainty and the unexpected from a threat to an ally. I hope you are empowered by the mind altering playbook of Dr Christian Busch. Social Links Show Links and Notes Goethe Quote - If you take someone as they are you make them worse But if you take them as what they could be you make them capable of becoming what they can be Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 141: A Purpose Worth Living For In A Post Pandemic World | 14 Oct 2020 | 00:12:48 | |
This week I want to make a change to our usual interview format. Instead, I want to talk about the issue of climate change. Whatever your perspective on the causes few will deny that dramatic and potentially irreversible changes are occurring that threaten humanity’s existence on the planet. We're now well into the fourth quarter of this tumultuous year. With news around our tiny unseen enemy still in abundance, and as we focus on addressing the immediate Covid-19 pandemic, we must not lose sight of the more significant existential threat: our climate crisis. The urgency to build on the much-cited 'We're all in this together' sentiment cannot be overstated. If we are to avert a climate collapse, now is the time to start a new contagion, one that spreads a radical and positive change in consumer and corporate behaviors. Behavior change is hard, but we should take inspiration from positive societal shifts that have emerged in recent months: 1. Covid-19 and our sheltering in place demonstrate that most people can, individually and collectively, on a global scale, radically change our way of life, sacrificing what once seemed sacrosanct. 2. The collective spirit of resistance and rage, ignited by the death of George Floyd and spate of other racial injustices, demonstrates the power of people to unite and confront the status quo. 3. The rapid collective action by some corporations, businesses, and brands in changing their marketing, operations, and supply chains to battle the pandemic prove business can be on the right side of race history. However, Covid-19 has not only exposed the deep and systemic social, economic, educational, racial, and technological inequity; it's also directly impacted our progress to achieve the UN's seventeen sustainable development goals (SDG's). As UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently stated: "As Member States recognized at the SDG Summit held last September, global efforts to date have been insufficient to deliver the change we need, jeopardizing the Agenda's promise to current and future generations. Now, due to COVID-19, unprecedented health, economic, and social crisis is threatening lives and livelihoods, making the achievement of Goals even more challenging."The climate target adopted at the 2015 Paris Agreement was to keep global temperature rise this century to less than 2 degrees Celsius, above pre-industrial levels, but set a 2030 target to limit the rise to +1.5°C.While Covid-19 may have paused the global economy, it's estimated to only reduce 2020 Carbon emissions by 6%, significantly below the required 50% annual reduction we need in this coming decade to avoid a climate abyss - the point at which there may be no way back. So what if we consider Covid-19 a wake up call to our global fragility, a kickstarter to elicit unified action to avoid climate calamity. With 2019 being the second warmest year on record, coming at the end of the warmest decade on record, we are currently "way off track meeting either the 1.5°C or 2°C targets", according to Guterres. With the world's average surface temperature projected to surpass 3 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, our children, and their children will experience melting ice caps, rising sea levels, flooded coastal capitals, mass migration north, food and water shortages, and mass social unrest, economic breakdown, and war. We have a simple choice. To act or not to act. As individuals, if we choose to act, we can start living more sustainable lives. As consumers, employees, or investors, we have the leverage to demand accelerated action from the corporations and brands that form the fabric of the carbon economy. We have individual role models; Bea Johnson and Joshua Spodek are examples of positive environmental behavior leaders. Two recent books, The Future We Choose and The Is No Planet B, also guide us on how ... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 140: Linda Rislin - Open Relationships Deconstructed | 08 Oct 2020 | 00:56:28 | |
This week's guest Linda Rislin is evidence of how life’s path leads us in directions we could never have planned. In Linda’s case, a visual designer turned Open Relationship Coach. Born to Haitian parents, Linda was born in New Jersey and grew up in an inter-generational home and at the intersection of diverse cultures. In part one Linda discusses the early years, her catholic education, her immersion in American culture, and the clash with Haitian values. She explains the influence of her parents on her character development, her mother's faith, and her father's levity. Linda discusses how growing up with scarcity guided her to seek financial security in a marketing role at Vimeo. Upon discovering how unfulfilled she felt Linda describes her career migration into visual design and the resultant impact on her life satisfaction. We end part one there and in Part two we cover Linda’s journey to becoming an Open Relationship Coach. Linda discusses how she and her partner evolved from a monogamous relationship to embrace open relationships. She reflects on how her previous relationship mode was based on the pursuit of finding a husband, the impact of her Haitian culture on how she perceived relationships, rather what she now calls seeking a life adventure partner. Linda discusses fear, the concept of soul mates, how previous relationships shaped her behavior and becoming her individual authentic self. Linda explains her early experience of open relationships, adult play-parties, and being 'Monogamish' and reflects communication, women’s roles in romantic culture, and the human condition. Linda discusses how she has applied her experiences in Open Relationships to help other women navigate open relationships, help them speak up and how she helping them deal with relationship stigmas and propaganda. We also discuss the impact on mental health, the economic impact of empowered relationships, and how she works with therapists as part of couples therapy, being true to oneself, cultivating openness and honesty.
I hope you enjoy the convention confronting candor of Linda Rislin. SOCIAL LINKS LINKS IN SHOW Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 139: An Intersectional Journey To Open Relationship Design - Linda Rislin, Part One | 07 Oct 2020 | 00:43:52 | |
GUEST OVERVIEW This week's guest is Linda Rislin, is evidence of how life’s path leads us in directions we could never have planned. In Linda’s case, a visual designer turned Open Relationship Coach. Born to Haitian parents, Linda was born in New Jersey and grew up in an inter-generational home and at the intersection of diverse cultures. In part one Linda discusses the early years, her catholic education, her immersion in American culture and the clash with Haitian values. She explains the influence of her parents on her character development, her mother's faith and her father levity. Linda discusses how growing up with scarcity guided her to seek financial security in a marketing role at Vimeo. Upon discovering how unfulfilled she felt Linda describes her career migration into visual design and the resultant impact on her life satisfaction. We end part one there and in Part two we cover Linda’s journey to becoming an Open Relationship Coach. SOCIAL LINKS LINKS IN SHOW Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 138: A Voice To Be Heard On Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - Jennifer L. Williams | 01 Oct 2020 | 00:53:52 | |
Jennifer L Williams is this week's guest and our first guest of Series 3. Jennifer is a leading thinker and advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. During this open, honest, and expansive discussion Jennifer discusses why diversity, equity, and inclusion must be foundational to reimagining how we work and how we build teams and move toward a more equitable society. In part one Jennifer discusses growing up as an only child in DC with her loving but overprotective, successful Panamanian immigrant mother, she navigated the highly controlled home environment by immersing herself in writing and books. This ignited her inner creativity and set her on a path to focusing on becoming her best self. In part two dive into Jennifer’s career and journey to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Jennifer deconstructs how working in HR inside ad agency Saatchi led her to be a vocal proponent of changing the narrative around diversity and respect, set her on the path to her current life focus consulting on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. For anyone that wants to appreciate the nuances of the Diversity and Inclusion, Jennifer delivers an explanation with simplicity and clarity and frames it in the context COVID, George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. We discuss how and when the systemic change will emerge and Jennifer explains her approach in consulting businesses in the process of transformation and the dynamics of the radical changes underway Jennifer provides a clear explanation around the lexicon and wordplay between Black, Latino, and People of Color. I for one certainly learned a lot from this episode I hope you enjoy the vitality and vigor of Jennifer L. Williams. Social Links Links in the show Scroobius Pip episode with Dane Baptiste Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 137: Jennifer L Williams - Her Path to Diversity, Equity And Inclusion | 30 Sep 2020 | 00:41:10 | |
Guest Overview Jennifer L Williams is this week's guest and our first guest of Series 3. Jennifer is a leading thinker and advocate for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. During this open, honest and expansive discussion Jennifer discusses why diversity, equity, and inclusion must be foundational to reimagining how we work and how we build teams, and move toward a more equitable society. In part one Jennifer discusses growing up as an only child in DC with her loving but over protective, successful Panamanian immigrant mother, she navigated the highly controlled home environment by immersing herself in writing and books. This ignited her inner creativity and set her on a path to focusing on becoming her best self. Jennifer reflects on the other foundational influences and people growing up, gratitude, anger and being responsible for one's own happiness and the second chances life gives us We also discuss immigration and inclusivity. She explains the transformational impact of attending a Landmark Forum course. Jennifer eloquently expresses the experience of establishing herself as a young black woman in corporate New York recounting her mother's sage words ‘you have to be twice as good to be considered half as competent.' We end part one as Jennifer discusses her experience of moving to New York and the caring safe environment she was welcomed into. In part two dive into Jennifer’s career and journey to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I hope you enjoy the vitality and vigor of Jennifer L Williams. Social Links Links in the show Scroobius Pip episode with Dane Baptiste Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Unlocking Business Growth Through Visual Communication and Creative Storytelling - Natalia Talkowska | 27 May 2024 | 00:45:35 | |
Natalia Talkowska shares her journey from Poland to London's startup ecosystem and how her insatiable curiosity led her to transform lives through visual storytelling. Interviewed at the Austin Public Library, Natalia delves into her mission of connecting people and making them feel seen and understood. She recounts the pivotal encounter with Darren Robson, a mentor who fundamentally shaped her career and personal growth. Natalia also discusses her approach to visual thinking as a strategic tool for distilling complex challenges and empowering decision-making within businesses. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of human connection, creativity, and storytelling in an increasingly digital world. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in innovative problem-solving, personal development, and the evolving role of AI in creativity. Thanks to Dave Birss for the recommendation. Time Codes 00:00 Intro 01:46 The Impact of Mentorship and Personal Growth 02:08 Exploring the Roots of Creativity and Connection 04:40 The Transformative Power of Curiosity and Networking 05:39 The Entrepreneurial Leap: Support and Strategy 10:40 Reflecting on Legacy and Future Ambitions 18:32 Strategic Storytelling and Visual Thinking Explained 20:05 Unlocking Creativity in the Corporate World 20:33 Why Visual Storytelling Works for Businesses 21:38 Overcoming Brand Fear with Creative Solutions 22:45 The Power of Simplifying Complex Ideas 23:10 Developing a Unique Methodology for Engagement 26:19 The Journey of Visual Storytelling and Its Impact 33:14 Navigating the Future of Storytelling in the AI Era 40:28 Advice for Navigating Uncertainty and Embracing Creativity 44:35 Final Thoughts and the Importance of Community
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| Carmen Medina Bonus - On Interconnectedness, Failure , Kindness and Optimism | 02 Sep 2020 | 00:32:08 | |
This weeks bonus episode we go back to Episode 76 where we interviewed Carmen Medina - the ex-Deputy Director for Intelligence at the CIA. We pick up this episode where I ask Carmen about her perspective on the state of the World today and the direction we are headed. Carmen discusses the web of causality, our interconnectedness and her perspective on communications, and being heard in a polarized environment and she values failure. Carmen is a deeply reflective woman that lives by the principles of playfulness and kindness. I hope you enjoy this short dose of optimism with Carmen Medina. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Debbie Millman Ep30 On Serendipity, Failure and Principles | 26 Aug 2020 | 00:25:04 | |
Guest Overview This week we go back to Episode 30 with Co-founder of the Masters in Branding program at New York’s School of Visual Arts and host of one of the most popular and longest-running podcasts, Design Matters, Debbie Millman. We pick up the interview at 20 min where Debbie discusses the serendipitous events that have effects her path in life and we go from there. If you missed this one last year, Debbie’s great strength is her candor and vulnerability. Be inspired by this short insight into the life design of Debbie Millman. What We Discuss Debbie’s innate curiosity How she interviews for attitude The transformative impact of coming out in her 50’s Her perspective on courage We discuss Debbie’s periods of depression and despair We cover her principles Her views on failure The hard choices she has made Her answer to our impossible question Who we interview next On Social Links In The Show Hacking the American Mind Robert Lustig Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Lorna Davis Ep 93 Serendipity Quickfire Questions | 19 Aug 2020 | 00:19:02 | |
Guest Overview B Corp evangelist Lorna Davis is a transformational thinker, leader, and visionary for why and how organizations can combine social, and environmental priorities with their financial imperatives to deliver improved business performance. As a highly respected coach, international speaker Lorna also serves on a number of boards to help them embrace meaning and purpose. Born in South Africa in the age of Apartheid, her education, parental guidance, curiosity, and worldly ambitions set her on the path to a stellar career in international business and marketing and finally leading Danone to become the first billion-dollar entity to become a public benefit corporation - welcome this week’s guest Lorna Davis. In this short bonus episode we discuss serendipity, education, diversity, divine intelligence, the joy of being human and how she uses curiosity as an antidote to pain, and her perspective on how humanity works. Oh and the quick-fire questions. I hope you’re inspired by the leadership values, heart, the humanity of Lorna Davis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 136: Cristina Jiménez - Daring To Dream And Fighting For The Undocumented | 12 Aug 2020 | 01:35:11 | |
Guest Overview Ecuadorian born, she became an undocumented migrant at 13, founded United We Dream, the largest youth-led US organization, fighting to protect and defend the rights of undocumented immigrants at 23, a MacArthur Fellow at 33; welcome this week/s guest, social justice activist Cristina Jiménez In this double length episode, Cristina recounts the story of her upbringing, being born in Ecuador, her early memories of living through the political and economic turmoil of Ecuador in the 90’s. She describes her father’s athleticism and how his mental fortitude instilled resilience and determination at an early age and how her mothers empathy became a characteristic she embraced. She reflects growing up with an abundance of love and being unaware of the economic challenges her parents faced. Cristina discusses arriving in Queens New York as an undocumented migrant child unable to speak English in the summer of 1998. Early on she experienced the shame, discrimination and exploitation immigrants encounter and we discuss the anxiety and fear that exist for immigrants with no status. She discusses the added pressure and racial profiling she experienced following 9/11 and the hatred and discrimination that ensued. Cristina sets out how the narrative shifts and changes in the policy and politics of immigration led her to begin her social justice fight. She also describes the challenges she faced accessing further education, how her advocacy began using her pseudonym Sandra and how this experience gave her a taste of the power of community action. At 1 hour into the interview, Cristina begins to discuss the beginning of her United We Dream movement and it’s interconnectedness with other movements like Black Lives Matter. She discusses congressional inaction, detention camps, the lack of progress to create pathways to fix immigration status and why both parties are responsible for the impasse She discusses how she and her teams campaigning and public shaming of the Obama administration led to Obama to sign an executive order to protect dreamers in 2012 We then cover the damaging effect of Covid19 on the indigenous, black, brown and immigrant communities, why they have been impacted more, the systems of discrimination and Cristina uses the example of Elmhurst hospital in Queens to emphasize the inequity and injustice facing minority communities. Cristina explains why her fight is a battle for the soul of the country, the possibility of change, her hopes for undocumented immigrants, her evolving role, and the future of democracy. We end with all our quick fire questions. I hope you are uplifted by the vitality, vision and courage of Cristina Jiménez Social Links Cristina's personal Social Links Links in The Show A house of my Own Sandra Cisneros
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| 135:Investing+Difference+Diversity=Innovation - Three Founders Purposeful Pledge (part two) | 06 Aug 2020 | 00:55:25 | |
Guest Overview Whether a startup founder, someone with a good idea that can’t get taken seriously due to gender, sex, or race, or if you're feeling jaded by the lack of passion and purpose in business; you’ll be uplifted by this weeks interview with Mark Gilmour, Allyn Shaw, and John Basnage. John, Allyn, and Mark recently joined forces to launch a new purpose-driven investment firm and fuse their diverse skills in Marketing and Branding, Corporate Finance, Law, and Technology. In Part One of the joint discussion, we cover their collective yet wildly diverse upbringings on their path to purpose. All three guests discuss their first memories of their emerging sexual identities, their self-awareness and discovery, early ambitions, influences, motivations, goals and the serendipity or happenstance that set them on their life journeys. In Part Two, Mark, Allyn and John dive deep into their path to purpose with their new venture, focused on recognizing, celebrating, embracing, difference through investing in the under-invested and under-represented minorities. They discuss the alchemy and untapped power of difference, why true innovation will be born from diversity, and why they are reimagining the very core of their business model to break the traditional corporate structure. Mark discusses investing in purpose-driven businesses, common unity delivering for the three P’s of people, planet, and profit. Mark, Allyn, and John discuss the exciting opportunity to invest in new business ideas that will emerge post-Covid to solve the problems that have emerged, how new networks and communities will emerge. We also discuss the positive value of procrastination, their life mottos and we cover all our quick-fire questions I hope you enjoy the ego-free honesty, passion, and purpose and common unity of Mark Gilmour, Allyn Shaw, and John Basnage. Social Links Links In Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 134: The Paths to Purpose Of Mark Gilmour, Allyn Shaw, and John Basnage - Part one | 05 Aug 2020 | 00:37:07 | |
Guest Overview Whether a startup founder, someone with a good idea that can’t get taken seriously due to gender, sex, or race, or if you're feeling jaded by the lack of passion and purpose in business; you’ll be uplifted by this weeks interview with Mark Gilmour, Allyn Shaw, and John Basnage. John, Allyn, and Mark recently joined forces to launch a new purpose-driven investment firm and fuse their diverse skills in Marketing and Branding, Corporate Finance, Law, and Technology. In Part one the joint discussion, we cover their collective yet wildly diverse upbringings on their path to purpose. Allyn was born in the notorious Compton neighborhood of LA, grew up in a poor but loving family who nurtured and guided him to an education that enabled him to escape being another statistic. Mark describes being born in Canada as a ‘welcome baby’. Moving to the UK at an early age, growing up in the private schooling system, his volatile and loud home environment conditioned him to ensure his voice was heard and prepared him to thrive in chaotic volatile work environments. John discusses being born into a loving quirky family and describes his upbringing as a container of abundance, scarcity, and boredom and how his early interest in academia. All three guests discuss their first memories of their emerging sexual identities, their self-awareness and discovery, early ambitions, influences, motivations, goals and the serendipity or happenstance that set them on their life journeys. In Part Two, Mark, Allyn and John dive deep into their path to purpose with their new venture, focused on recognizing, celebrating, embracing, difference through investing in the under-invested and under-represented minorities. They discuss the alchemy and untapped power of difference, why true innovation will be born from diversity, and why they are reimagining the very core of their business model to break the traditional corporate structure. Mark discusses investing in purpose-driven businesses, common unity delivering for the three P’s of people, planet, and profit. Mark, Allyn, and John discuss the exciting opportunity to invest in new business ideas that will emerge post-Covid to solve the problems that have emerged, how new networks and communities will emerge. We also discuss the positive value of procrastination, their life mottos and we cover all our quick-fire questions I hope you enjoy the ego-free honesty, passion, and purpose and common unity of Mark Gilmour, Allyn Shaw, and John Basnage. Social Links Links In Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 133: Future Vision For The Visually Impaired And Making His Impossible Possible, Simon Wheatcroft - Part 2 | 30 Jul 2020 | 00:54:39 | |
Guest Overview Simon Wheatcroft is living proof that resilience is born from adversity, accepting that things will go wrong, not go to plan, and being prepared to embrace failure without fear. Having lost his sight at an early age Simon used running solo as his foundation to building an abundant life as a runner, motivational speaker, and now teacher. In part one Simon discusses the impact of growing up in the 80’s, in a small coal-mining town in the North of England, and the devastating social and economic impact of the coal mine closures. He then takes us through his early life and journey to where he met the founders of Haptic Technology company Wear Works. In this episode Simon explains how he discovered the Haptic technology company Wear Works and how the combination of sensors enabled him to run races and sense people around him We discuss the future advances using Lidar technology to create 3 depth maps of spaces and object recognition technology that will transform the lives of people with visual impairments Simon explains the serendipitous moments that enabled him to study clinical psychology, computational neuroscience, and AI in later life and led him onto the motivational-speaking stage. Simon covers resilience, dealing with adversity, fear, failure, and managing pain. Simon discusses the appalling and enduring employment discrimination against blind or partially blind people and reveals why he is changing his career to teaching and explains his passion to provide visually impaired children with computer science skills to live an equal opportunity life. Simon and I discuss accessibility and how web page metadata and hierarchies work. Simon also reflects on his wife’s enduring support. And of course all our quick-fire questions I am sure you will feel uplifted, inspired and energized by the life story of Simon Wheatcroft. Social Links Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 132:Simon Wheatcroft - Finding Resilience Through The Adversity Of Losing His Sight | 29 Jul 2020 | 00:43:07 | |
Guest Overview Simon Wheatcroft is living proof that resilience is born from adversity, accepting that things will go wrong, not go to plan, and being prepared to embrace failure without fear. Having lost his sight at an early age Simon used running solo as his foundation to building an abundant life as a runner, motivational speaker, and now teacher. In part one Simon discusses the impact of growing up in the 80’s, in a small coal-mining town in the North of England, and the devastating social and economic impact of the coal mine closures Simon recounts the experience of growing up suffering from a degenerative eye disorder that ultimately resulted in his loss of sight by his late teens. Simon discusses how this impacted his ambitions, his education but how the degeneration of his site did help him develop spatial, memory, and mental acuity skills that prepared him to confront the challenges of living without sight. Having lived many years in a state of denial, Simon explains the pivotal point in his life when he accepted his condition and embraced running as a means of creating a new pathway in the world. We discuss the many challenges he faced in those early days, the value of the voice direction of the Runkeeper app, and his ability to sense what was underfoot. He discusses the daily challenge and stress of running solo without site, confronting the fear of not seeing oncoming obstacles or cars. We then cover his boundary-pushing attitude, that led him to the US and running 200 miles from Boston to New York to line up for his first New York marathon. Simon explains the serendipitous moment he met the voice of the Runkeeper app in a running store in Boston and the power her voice had in giving him the belief he could run solo. In part two Simon explains how he discovered the Haptic technology company Wear Works and how the combination of sensors enabled him to run races and sense people around him We discuss the future advances using Liidar technology to create 3 depth maps of spaces and object recognition technology that will transform the lives of people with visual impairments Simon explains the serendipitous moments in life that led him to that enabled him to study clinical psychology, computational neuroscience, and AI in later life and led him on a motivational public speaking stage. Simon discusses resilience, dealing with adversity, fear, failure, and managing pain. Simon reveals how he is changing his career to teaching and explains his passion to provide visually impaired children with computer science skills to live an equal opportunity to life. Simon and I discuss accessibility and how web page metadata and hierarchies work. Simon also reflects on his wife’s enduring support. And of course all our quick-fire questions I am sure you will feel uplifted, inspired and energized by the life story of Simon Wheatcroft Social Links Links in the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 131: Creative Activism And Impact Leader - Yana Buhrer Tavanier | 22 Jul 2020 | 01:11:34 | |
Guest Overview This week's guest was named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, was featured in WIRED's Smart List and Founder of Fine Acts a global creative activist platform. Welcome Yana Buhrer Tavanier. We cover a lot of ground in this episode. Yana discusses the impact of being born in Communist Bulgaria, being driven at an early age to confront injustice using words and recounts the influence and inspiration of her Aunt who resisted the regime through art and humor but was tortured by the and imprisoned in a mental institution leading her to ultimately to take her own life at 37. Yana describes how her family conditioned her to live by values and not by the rules imposed by the state and how this led her to investigative journalism exposing social and human rights abuses, using her writing as a weapon against injustice. Yana explains how her work to expose the inhumane and degrading treatment in mental institutions resulted in her being nominated as a World Economic Forum Young Global leader Yana explains why she evolved from journalism to activism. She recounts her early collaborations with artists to use art as a powerful communication tool to generate empathy. She explains how this led to her forming her activism organization Fine Acts, a non profit creative studio for social impact that leverages the power of play in the process of creating their campaigns. Yana describes her team fuse this with Hope-Based Communication and the shifts that are taking place in campaigning for human rights. Yana discusses the latest thinking and how neuroscience insights are changing the way activists operate and why they are releasing their artworks as open source. I ask Yana to reflect on the state of political leadership and the evolution of leadership around the world. We also discuss education, curiosity, creativity and procrastination before we jump into our quick-fire questions. There's a lot of inspiration in this episode but I was struck by how lack of experience never stopped Yana, how persistence and acceptance of failure spurred her one to achieve extraordinary impact. I hope you enjoy the heart, humanity and humility of Yana Tavanier. Social Links Beat – her creative social experiment, exploring the ominous silence surrounding domestic violence. Fakery – Yana’s project fighting fake news through beautiful but horribly tasting cupcakes. Labs - their open format bridging art and tech in support of human rights. Spring of Hope – their campaign on hope during the pandemic, where she collaborated with 80 artists from 30 countries to create over 100 free to use and adapt uplifting illustrations. 12 Black artists / 24 protest posters – recently, in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Yana teamed up with 12 Black typographers and lettering artists from around the world on an open pack of 24 protest posters – all free to print and share, and ready to be used in action Surviving Blackness – our current campaign, where we collaborated with Lee Mokobe – an award-winning Black trans slam poet – on a spoken word poem on systemic racism towards Black people. Links in the show Hope based communications Thomas Coomes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 130: Lights On - Igniting The Passion and Potential Of Every Child With Julia Black | 15 Jul 2020 | 00:37:14 | |
Guest Overview This week’s guest Julia Black is at the forefront of innovation in education, designing an educational approach that unleashes the talent, and unlocks the passion and true potential of every child. As the founder and CEO of Explorium, Julia’s Lights On methodology is changing the way we think about education. Julia explains that when becoming a mother, the values of her own mother, and her first daughter starting school created an inner conflict that led her to pivot away from film-making to focus on education reform. She discusses how the serendipity of creating a circus as a school fund-raiser opened her eyes to the potential in children, unleashed her boldness to confront the educational status quo, research innovations in education to create a vision to disrupt educational norms. Starting with a creative learning center in a pub, Julia describers why having a clear vision enables her to thrive on risk-taking, ambiguity and trusting that events will fall into place. Julia explains how she partnered with her father to transform her future vision into a social business reality. Julia breaks down the methodology and the impact Lights On is having on children and parents alike. Julia also reflects on why in the time of Covid parents can now witness their children’s disconnection from learning its mental health impact and why Light’s On provides the path forward for education. I hope you enjoy the vision, vitality and unfolding story of Julia Black. Social Links Links in the Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Rediscovering Wisdom, Grace, Kindness, and Connection in the Digital Age | 29 Apr 2024 | 01:34:31 | |
Lauren Hug joins me this week. Lauren Hug, is a writer, speaker and activist based in Colorado Springs. Lauren grew up with a unique mix of influences - a tech-savvy household, a love for the humanities, and a conservative religious upbringing. This sparked in her a deep curiosity about ideas and a passion for rediscovering and sharing the wisdom of the past. Lauren has focused much of her work on promoting digital kindness and encouraging healthier ways of interacting online. While social media often gets a bad rap, Lauren sees its potential for amplifying new voices and stories. Through her writing, speaking, and online presence, she inspires people to engage with more empathy, seek out different perspectives, and use digital platforms to spread uplifting content. In this wide-ranging discussion, Lauren opens up about her journey of unlearning default mindsets, coping with anxiety, and defining herself on her own terms. She shares her optimism about younger generations and her excitement about the creative potential made possible by emerging technologies. I think you'll find Lauren's perspective refreshing and thought-provoking. Now over to Lauren Time Codes 00:54 Introducing Lauren Hug 02:23 Lauren's Personal Philosophy: Rediscovering Ancient Wisdom 02:23 Exploring Identity and the Complexity of Self-Definition 03:57 The Role of Old Ways in Modern Times 05:29 Navigating Parenthood and the Pandemic's Effects 06:55 The Importance of Remembering and Celebrating Old Wisdom 07:15 Lauren's Unique Upbringing: Tech Meets Humanities 11:48 From Dreams to Reality: Lauren's Career Path 15:11 The Influence of Religion and the Quest for Authenticity 22:05 Digital Kindness: Lauren's Mission to Transform Online Spaces 36:48 The Challenge of Civil Discourse in a Digital World 48:08 Embracing Ambiguity in a Complex World 48:34 The Transformative Power of Uncertainty 49:01 Challenging Binary Views and Media Influence 49:38 Rethinking Social Constructs and Democracy 50:46 The Resurgence of Storytelling and Social Media's Role 51:32 Gen Z's Impact and the Future of Discourse 52:12 The Nuances of Gen Z and Social Media Perceptions 53:33 Redefining Business and Ideology for Gen Z 01:01:21 The Potential of AI and Rediscovering Humanity 01:06:33 The Importance of Intergenerational Communication 01:09:40 Exploring New Forms of Community and Connection 01:13:32 The Digital Kindness Journal: A Tool for Reflection 01:18:15 Personal Insights and Overcoming Challenges 01:22:21 The Future of Creativity and AI's Role 01:26:47 Concluding Thoughts on Digital Kindness and Legacy Social Links Links "The Dawn of Everything" by David Graeber and David Wengrow
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| 129: Julia Black - Path To Discovering Her Life's Purpose | 14 Jul 2020 | 00:35:30 | |
Guest Overview Over the course of the series, we have often asked our guests about what they would change to education to equip a generation of children with the skills they need to survive and thrive in our AI-driven future.
This week’s guest Julia Black is at the forefront of innovation in education, designing an educational approach that unleashes the talent, and unlocks the passion and true potential of every child.
As the founder and CEO of Explorium, Julia’s Lights On methodology is changing the way we think about education. In part one we discuss how finding her purpose in life was always on her mind. Julia discusses the huge impact of her parents; her father’s influence in her seeking a life in social impact, believing anything you set your mind to was possible, and being true to your authentic self. Julia also reflects how her fathers adventurous spirit was balanced by her mother’s more cautious influence in creating a stable and secure home environment. Julia explains her father’s story, being written off as a dyslexic, neurodiverse child to becoming a doctor and being one of the UK’s first social entrepreneurs forming the Maria Stopes foundation for female reproductive rights. Julia recounts how her father pushed her to confront fear, live outside her comfort zone, and embrace failure and its enduring value. We also cover her own educational experience, seeking out her purpose in early life. Discovering the power of storytelling to create a social impact during a year in South America, returning to the UK, persisting in pitching ideas to the UK broadcast Channel 4 that led her to become an award-winning documentary filmmaker. In part two we focus on Julia discovering her true purpose in her 40’s, her immersion in education reform, creating her Lights On platform, serendipity, and how the pandemic is providing the opportunity to scale the platform globally. I hope you enjoy the vision, vitality and unfolding story of Julia Black. Social Links Links in the Show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 128: Marcus G Miller - Moral Imagination, Racial Justice and Quantum Theory | 07 Jul 2020 | 00:55:02 | |
Guest Overview Last week I caught up with our guest from Episode No 56, the deep thinking, mathematician and musician, Marcus G Miller Marcus has written some thought provoking and expansive reflections on Covid19, about the death of George Floyd and the impact on the Black Lives Matter movement. As one of the most well read and thoughtful guests we have had I was keen to hear Marcus’s perspective on our current world reality and how the future might play out. I seek Marcus’s advice on what white folk can do to support the drive for racial justice. We discuss his perspective on the need for moral consciousness, and imagination. Marcus reflects on the media’s reporting of the death of black men by the police and the broader underreported killings across the country, the media’s handling of this and how the left and right react. Marcus recommends the books we should read to build our insight and knowledge on the nature of racism. Toward the end of the discussion I seek Marcus’s perspective on meditation and the unifying principle of physics as he shares the latest thinking on the topic. I hope you enjoy the thoughts, reflections and expansive imagination of Marcus G Miller.
Links to Social Links in the Show Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle Dr Philip Atiba Goff Center For Policing Equity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 127: Common Goal -Jürgen Griesbeck Creating Social Impact Through Football (Soccer) | 02 Jul 2020 | 00:40:23 | |
Guest Overview As a football fan since a boy and a believer that sport and football have the power to create social impact, I am so privileged to have the opportunity to interview this week’s guest Jürgen Griesbeck, Co-Founder of the game-changing organization Common Goal. Thank you, Ben Miller for the connection. In part two, we dive deep into Common Goal, and the incredible work Jürgen and his team are doing to inject social impact into the DNA of football. Jurgen explains the incubation of Common Goal. Leaving aside the CSR model, believing that it would never create sustainable and systemic impact, Jurgen and his team set up Common Goal as a movement where players commit 1% of their earnings to Common Goal's central fund. Together, they allocate and fund high-impact social organizations that harness football's power to advance the United Nations Global Goals. Beginning with Juan Mata from Manchester United and Spain, Common Goal now has over 150 players including, Mats Hummels, Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Shinji Kagawa, Giorgio Chiellini, and Liverpool F.C. manager Jurgen Klopp. Jürgen explains his long term vision for Common Goal, and the potential impact it can as an enabling force for good. Based on an ambition to build a culture where a better person is a better player, and that every person's contribution counts, Common Goal is now being adopted by younger players, managers, clubs, businesses and even supporters. Jürgen also discusses the organization's role in supporting the UN's Global Goals and using football to galvanize the global population around the goals. And Jürgen also answers our quick-fire questions. There is a lot to take out of this episode; the importance of avoiding the easy option, the value of collective responsibility, the power of teamwork, being prepared to take risks and trust in your gut and imagination. I hope you enjoy the wit, wisdom, and social impact of Jürgen Griesbeck. Social Links
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