Creative director Gil Gershoni connects with amazing dyslexics from around the world, exploring how we reimagine dyslexia as a hyper-ability. Together with co-hosts Kate Power and Kathy Iwanczak Forsyth, Gil talks to surgeons, architects, authors, farmers, entrepreneurs and designers about the advantages of the dyslexic mindset and outlines the steps needed to build awareness and effect change.
What if your challenges were actually your superpowers? In this episode, Gil welcomes Jake & Max Sussman, founders of Superpower Mentors, an online mentorship platform for youth with ADHD, dyslexia, autism and other learning differences. Jake and Max share what it was like growing up together and what “superpower” means to them, then turn the tables on Gil to find out he would have benefited from having a dyslexic mentor.This recording is an edited version of the original conversation.In this episode:Superpower Mentors website (https://www.superpowermentors.com/)Superpower Mentors on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/superpower_mentors/), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SuperpowerMentorship/) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/superpowermentors)The Forgotten Child: A poem dedicated to the neurodiverse (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBcW-T7pAnw)Find out more about Dyslexic Design Thinking (https://dyslexicdesignthinking.com/) or drop us a line at dyslexia@gershoni.com.Dyslexic Design Thinking is a production of Gershoni Creative, a full-service creative agency in San Francisco. For more information, visit gershoni.com (https://gershoni.com/).
Atari and Chuck E. Cheese founder Nolan Bushnell joins host Gil Gershoni for a conversation about gaming, technology, entrepreneurship and how dyslexia continues to influence a career that spans more than five decades. This recording is an abridged version of the original livestream.
In celebration of Dyslexia Awareness Month, Gil welcomes X Games skier, filmmaker and entrepreneur Alex Hackel for this live podcast recording. Alex discusses his medal-winning career, his work with the Swedish production house The Bunch and his ski brand 1000 Skis. This recording is an abridged version of the original conversation. In this episode: Alex Hackel on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. The Bunch 1000 Skis Find out more about Dyslexic Design Thinking or drop us a line at dyslexia@gershoni.com. Dyslexic Design Thinking is a production of Gershoni Creative, a full-service creative agency in San Francisco. For more information, visit gershoni.com.
Gil is joined by educator, designer, photographer and author Jeffrey Conger. Jeffrey talks about his upbringing in the Rocky Mountains, his passion for cars, the teachers who went to bat for him before he knew he was dyslexic and the Dyslexia & Innovation Symposium he co-founded at Montana State University, where he is a professor of graphic design. In this episode: Jeffrey Conger on LinkedIn Dyslexia & Innovation Symposium Find out more about Dyslexic Design Thinking or drop us a line at dyslexia@gershoni.com. Dyslexic Design Thinking is a production of Gershoni Creative, a full-service creative agency in San Francisco. For more information, visit gershoni.com.
Gil is joined by neuroscientist, author, meditation teacher and speaker Nicole Tetreault. Nicole discusses the concept of neuroindividuality, the power of twice exceptional (2e) individuals and the inspiration for her book “Insight Into a Bright Mind: A Neuroscientist's Personal Stories of Unique Thinking.” She also shares how a constellation of challenging life experiences led her to combine the unlikely worlds of neuroscience and meditation. In this episode: Nicole's website Nicole on Instagram Nicole's book, “Insight Into a Bright Mind: A Neuroscientist's Personal Stories of Unique Thinking” Find out more about Dyslexic Design Thinking or drop us a line at dyslexia@gershoni.com. Dyslexic Design Thinking is a production of Gershoni Creative, a full-service branding agency with offices in San Francisco and Dallas. For more information, visit gershoni.com.
Gil is joined by David Lucchino, an executive, entrepreneur and investor in the field of biotechnology. David shares insights from his career leading several groundbreaking biotech companies, as well as how he helps children and young adults find their passion for life sciences and how the ability to see around corners has been a key to his success. In this episode: David Lucchino on LinkedIn Landmark College David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice by Howard Gardner
Gil is joined by Theresa Fitzgerald, a mission-driven design leader, educator and designer. Theresa's career as a creative director and design executive includes stops at Sesame Workshop, Nickelodeon and United Media. Hear her discuss how she connects to her maker spirit as a creative director, what it's like being a reading tutor as a dyslexic and how the world's most famous children's TV program stays on-brand. For more information: Theresa Fitzgerald at Parsons School of Design, on Instagram and on LinkedIn. Children's Dyslexia Centers Find out more about Dyslexic Design Thinking or drop us a line at dyslexia@gershoni.com. Dyslexic Design Thinking is a production of Gershoni Creative, a full-service branding agency with offices in San Francisco and Dallas. For more information, visit gershoni.com.
Gil is joined by award-winning novelist Sally Gardner. Sally talks about her early career as a set designer and what it was like writing from the perspective of a dyslexic protagonist. Stick around to hear Sally share her favorite word. (Surprise: It's five syllables!) In this week's episode: Sally Gardner's website, Instagram and Twitter. Sally's contribution to Dyslexic Dictionary, the exhibit executive produced by Gil that premiered in San Francisco in 2022 Sally's appearance on The Bigger Picture With Amazing Dyslexics co-hosted by Gil, Kate Power and Kathy Iwanczak Forsyth from 2021 Find out more about Dyslexic Design Thinking or drop us a line at dyslexia@gershoni.com. Dyslexic Design Thinking is a production of Gershoni Creative, a full-service branding agency with offices in San Francisco and Dallas. For more information, visit gershoni.com.
Gil is joined by director, actor and writer Aaron Wolf. Aaron talks about how growing up on movie sets inspired him to start his own production company, how his I Am Able Foundation is empowering a new generation of dyslexics and how graduating with honors from a top university surprised even him. In this week's episode: Aaron Wolf's Instagram, Twitter, TikTok I Am Able Foundation Howling Wolf Productions The Hopeless Show with Aaron Wolf & Rohit Thawani Find out more about Dyslexic Design Thinking or drop us a line at dyslexia@gershoni.com. Dyslexic Design Thinking is a production of Gershoni Creative, a full-service branding agency with offices in San Francisco and Dallas. For more information, visit gershoni.com (https://gershoni.com/).
Gil is joined by David Taffet, a parallel entrepreneur, executive whisperer and photographer. David talks about the power of staying open to possibilities, the impact of being diagnosed as dyslexic later in life and, believe it or not, the world's first germ-freezing, zero-odor waste bin. For more information: Beginner's mind is a Zen Buddhist concept that was popularized by Shunryu Suzuki's 1970 book "Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind." David's Fast Company article: "Why the very best leaders embrace this one mindset" INVISIBLEMAN.PHOTOGRAPHY Follow David's photography on Instagram and Facebook Follow David on Twitter and LinkedIn
Gil is joined by James Kinross, a senior lecturer in colorectal surgery and consultant surgeon at Imperial College London. James talks about navigating med school as a dyslexic, the latest advances in robotic surgery and what the microbiome can teach us about preventing noncommunicable diseases. James' new book, Dark Matter: The New Science of the Microbiome, is out now on Penguin Random House. For more information: James' bio at Imperial College London Follow James on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn Order Dark Matter at Penguin Random House
Gil talks to Sara Fenske Bahat, the CEO of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco and a 2022 Presidential Leadership Scholar. Sara shares how she leveraged her background in finance and economics to develop a one-of-a-kind MBA program and how her dyslexic mindset influenced her innovative approach to calendaring and note-taking. For more information: Follow Sara on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Presidential Leadership Scholars Program
Award-winning director of photography Jake Swantko talks to Gil about his life behind the lens. Jake discusses the directors (all dyslexic!) who have influenced his career and shares how the dyslexic mindset became an asset to his work. He also offers tips for dyslexic cinematographers looking to break into the industry. For more information: Visit Jake's website Follow Jake on Instagram See a list of Jake's credits
Actor Lloyd Everitt talks to Gil about a career that has taken him from playing Othello at Shakespeare's Globe to a role in one of Britain's longest-running dramatic series. Find out about Lloyd's inventive approach to learning his lines and what advice he would give an aspiring actor with dyslexia. For more information: Follow Lloyd on Instagram Follow Lloyd on Twitter
Intercontinental flyweight champion boxer and author @ruqsanabegum_mt joins host Gil Gershoni on the new episode of Dyslexic Design Thinking. Ruqsana talks to Gil about the aspects of dyslexia that allowed her to become a world-champion fighter, the mantras that guide her life and what it meant to win Autobiography of the Year at the Sports Book Awards. For more information: Follow Ruqsana on Instagram Watch In the Ring with Ruqsana on YouTube Find Born Fighter by Ruqsana Begum on Amazon
In this special two-part episode, innovator, creative thinker, writer and entrepreneur Chris Arnold talks to Gil about the viral job posting that put dyslexic ingenuity on the map, what it takes to conduct an orchestra of creative minds and the trouble with being able to solve problems *too* quickly. Chris is the founder of CONNECT2, co-founder of Dyversity Lab and a former board director and creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi. For more information: Find Chris on LinkedIn. CONNECT 2 Dyversity Lab Ethical Marketing & The New Consumer by Chris Arnold Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott Do schools kill creativity? (TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson)
In this special two-part episode, innovator, creative thinker, writer and entrepreneur Chris Arnold talks to Gil about the viral job posting that put dyslexic ingenuity on the map, what it takes to conduct an orchestra of creative minds and the trouble with being able to solve problems *too* quickly. Chris is the founder of CONNECT2, co-founder of Dyversity Lab and a former board director and creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi. For more information: Find Chris on LinkedIn. CONNECT 2 Dyversity Lab Ethical Marketing & The New Consumer by Chris Arnold Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott Do schools kill creativity? (TED talk by Sir Ken Robinson)
Gil welcomes Joe Fuld, the founder and president of The Campaign Workshop, a consulting firm that specializes in political and advocacy campaigns. Joe talks to Gil about why dyslexics make great entrepreneurs, how his dyslexia disclosure impacted his career and what mentors can teach us about our differences. For more information: The Campaign Workshop (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) The Campaign Workshop Advocacy Training Program How to Win a Campaign How to Win a Campaign on Spotify Confessions of a Dyslexic Entrepreneur by Joe Fuld
Gil welcomes rocket scientist, adventure athlete and motivational speaker Meghan Buchanan to the podcast! Meghan talks to Gil about her pursuit of the explorer's grand slam, how she became a "fire chief" in her career and what her GGRIT philosophy can teach us about dyslexia.
Stu Shader talks to Gil about bringing a conference on neurodiversity to Silicon Valley, how companies are challenging assumptions about employees with differences, and what raising dyslexic children can teach parents about their own dyslexia.
Dyslexic Advantage founders Drs. Brock & Fernette Eide talk to Gil about patterns they've noticed among dyslexic creatives, why dyslexics make good astrophysicists and what they've learned in the decade since their groundbreaking book was published. For more information: Dyslexic Advantage Book Dyslexic Advantage Newsletter Donate to Dyslexic Advantage
Claire Shepherd is helping us kick off the new season of the Dyslexic Design Thinking podcast. The Unispace COO joins host Gil Gershoni to talk about how we can optimize workspaces to be more inclusive, more collaborative and more productive. Unispace has created spaces for Microsoft, Nike, Coca-Cola, GE and Verizon. For more information: The Dyslexia Association Claire Shepherd's LinkedIn Fast Company article
How can dyslexia teach us to dissolve boundaries and strengthen connections? Gil explores the impact of divergent thinking on community-building with entrepreneur Holly Tucker, Riverford Organic Farmers founder Guy Singh-Watson, furniture designer and entrepreneur Dom Wilder.
How can dyslexia influence the creation of new visual aesthetics? Gil explores dyslexia's role in art, film and media with director, actor and writer Aaron Wolf; dyslexic typographer Christian Boer; and DYSPLA founder Lennie Varvarides and creative director Kazimir Bielecki.
What does it mean to be a champion? Gil talks dyslexia, empathy and success with actor Lloyd Everitt, Muay Thai champion Ruqsana Begum and social worker Obi Ohaka Daniel.
How can dyslexia teach us to nurture curiosity and think creatively? Gil explores dyslexia's role in science and academic research with colorectal surgeon and lecturer James Kinross, cognitive and behavioral scientist Nicole Ofiesh, and professor of leukocyte and stem cell biology Sara Rankin.
How can dyslexia change the way we understand (dis)ability? Gil explores where changing perspectives and paradigm shifts meet with choreographers Charlotte Edmonds and Elizabeth Rose Arifien, I AM LEX founder Mark Francis Long, and dyslexia advocate and author Susanna Cederquist.
Where do the maker, the material and the dyslexic mind intersect? Gil explores the link between dyslexia and design with Bill Amberg (Bill Amberg Studio), Julian Ogiwara (Eric Parry Architects) and Sari Räthel (RÄTHEL & WOLF).
What do haute couture fashion, award-winning children's books and a creative agency have in common? Gil talks dyslexia and creativity with Flora McLean (House of Flora) and Sally Gardner (author of Maggot Moon).
How can dyslexia support a more inclusive way to learn? Gil talks diversity and education with Qona Rankin (Royal College of Art) and Marcia Brissett-Bailey (Waltham Forest Dyslexia Association).
What does it mean to “think big,” and how does it manifest in different fields? Gil explores the dyslexic mindset with choreographer Charlotte Edmonds, actor Lloyd Everitt, entrepreneur Pip Jamieson, surgeon James Kinross, researcher Helen Taylor and fellow creative director Ab Rogers.
Where do dyslexia and innovation intersect? Gil explores how inventors and marketers challenge existing ideas to make room for new ones with Tom Pellereau (winner of BBC One's ‘The Apprentice') and marketing leader Steven “Woody” Woodgate.