Podcasts about conversation why

Episode Summary Most people believe they know how to use AI—but are they simply treating ChatGPT like a replacement for Google? In this episode of The EdTech Podcast, Philippa Wraithmell speaks with Joshua, Co-founder and CEO of Mindstone, about what genuine AI competency looks like and why successful AI transformation depends far more on people, behaviour and organisational culture than technology. Joshua shares his journey from launching his first company as a teenager to co-founding SuperAwesome, the child-safety technology company later acquired by Epic Games. He explains how this experience shaped his thinking about digital safeguarding, parental responsibility and the need to help children engage with technology gradually, rather than attempting to protect them through blanket bans. The conversation explores why simply inserting AI into existing tasks rarely delivers meaningful value. Joshua argues that the real opportunity lies in changing how we approach work: asking AI to question us, challenge our assumptions, identify blind spots and support our thinking rather than outsourcing it. They also examine the widening AI skills divide. As experienced users build years of personal context, workflows and AI agents, those who delay may find themselves increasingly disadvantaged. This has major implications for workplaces, schools and universities—particularly when many institutions still respond to AI through prohibition rather than education. From leadership and workforce transformation to safeguarding, sustainability misconceptions and the future of employment, this episode asks an important question: are we preparing people to use AI well, or simply giving them access to the tools?  Key Topics What genuine AI competency looks like Why most people are using generative AI incorrectly Using AI to enhance rather than replace human thinking Why AI transformation is a people and behaviour-change challenge The responsibility of senior leaders during AI adoption The growing inequality between experienced and inexperienced AI users Why banning AI in schools can encourage secretive and inappropriate use Building safer, age-appropriate pathways into AI and social media The role of parents, governments and technology companies in safeguarding Misconceptions surrounding AI's environmental impact How AI agents are changing productivity and cognitive workload Preparing people for disruption across employment and education Chapters 00:00 – Welcome and Introduction to Joshua Joshua introduces Mindstone and its work helping non-technical teams use generative AI more effectively. 01:04 – Building a Business at Sixteen From creating websites for family connections to managing a team of students building technology for private banks. 02:08 – Early Start-up Lessons Joshua reflects on a failed start-up, turning down investment and the lessons that led to his next venture. 03:17 – Building SuperAwesome and Protecting Children Online How SuperAwesome developed advertising, privacy and verified parental-consent technology for global children's brands. 04:47 – Safeguarding, Regulation and Parental Responsibility Why Joshua believes governments must avoid removing parental agency when introducing online-safety regulation. 06:46 – Education, Curiosity and Challenging Authority Joshua discusses his school experiences, constant questioning and learning across six different school models. 10:04 – Why Joshua Founded Mindstone The transition from Epic Games into education, learning science and the future of workforce skills. 13:07 – When Skills Expire Before Degrees Are Completed Why the declining half-life of workplace skills raises fundamental questions about traditional education. 14:04 – ChatGPT Changes the Direction of Mindstone How generative AI transformed both the learning process and the skills likely to matter in the future. 15:28 – Why Most People Do Not Know How to Use AI Joshua explains why frequent ChatGPT use does not necessarily equal AI competency. 17:24 – ChatGPT Is Not a Search Engine Why treating AI as a Google replacement represents one of its least valuable applications. 18:17 – AI, Water and Energy Misconceptions A discussion about environmental claims, data centres and the importance of understanding evidence and scale. 20:45 – Stop Asking AI for Answers Joshua shares a simple technique: ask AI to question you, uncover blind spots and strengthen your thinking. 22:09 – Treating AI as a Conversation Why users should refine, challenge and continue the interaction rather than abandoning AI after one poor response. 24:10 – AI as a Digital Chief of Staff How accumulated context allows AI to understand preferences, decisions and working patterns more effectively. 25:04 – The Emerging AI Inequality Gap Why users who have spent years building AI systems and context may gain a compounding advantage. 26:54 – Why School AI Bans Are Failing How prohibition can drive AI use underground and encourage learners to outsource rather than demonstrate their thinking. 27:23 – Making AI the Baseline for Learning Why students should be expected to show how they improved upon AI-generated work rather than pretend the technology does not exist. 30:47 – AI Transformation Begins with Leadership Why executive teams must understand and use AI before asking the rest of an organisation to change. 33:11 – AI Is a People Problem The case for moving AI transformation from the chief technology officer to the chief people officer. 33:40 – Why Online Training Alone Does Not Change Behaviour How live demonstrations, personalised learning and practical workplace applications support meaningful adoption. 36:19 – Champions, Laggards and Organisational Change The role of internal champions, visible success stories and sustained momentum. 38:05 – Reclaiming Time for Meaningful Work How AI can reduce administrative burden and allow people to focus on the work they value most. 39:12 – The Safeguarding Knife Edge Joshua considers how children can gradually gain independence while parents retain appropriate visibility and support. 42:38 – The Problem with Digital Cliffs Why completely restricting children until a set age may leave them unprepared for the realities of online life. 44:38 – Technology Cannot Replace Parenting Lessons from SuperAwesome about parental consent, responsibility and the limitations of technical safeguards. 47:44 – Jobs, Robotics and the Next Decade Joshua shares an optimistic but honest view of significant employment disruption and rapid technological progress. 49:15 – AI Agents and 'Brain Fry' Why delegating routine work to AI can leave humans completing only the most cognitively demanding tasks. 50:48 – Becoming More Human in an AI World The opportunity to rethink work, protect time and make greater space for creativity, relationships and life beyond productivity. Mindstone Want to boost productivity by training your non-technical staff to use AI? Sign up for Mindstone's AI Competency Programme, or join one of the world's largest practical AI communities, with in-person events taking place every month around the world. AI Competency Programme: mindstone.com/enterprise Community and Events: community.mindstone.com/events

In this episode, I'm diving into the theme of seasons of Hustle and Harvest, specifically how to recognize when it's time to push, play, and prune. I'm sharing my personal perspective on hustle culture, the healthy (and unhealthy) ways to push forward, and why play and celebration are just as important as working hard. You'll also hear about my own struggles with skipping harvest seasons and how I've learned to embrace rhythms of joy, rest, and relationships. As a bonus, I'm introducing a 3-question litmus test you can use to discover which season you're in right now, so you can find clarity, set boundaries, and live in alignment with your values. The Heart of this Conversation: Why hustle isn't always toxic (and when it is necessary). The three essentials for a healthy hustle (goals, boundaries, intention). Why harvest (celebrating and enjoying life) can feel harder than hustle, and how to reframe it. Simple rhythms and practices to embrace the fruits of your labor The importance of pruning commitments, habits, and relationships to make space for growth. My 3-question litmus test for knowing if you should be pushing, playing, or pruning right now. Mentioned in this episode: [Episode 36]: How I Teach Women to Take Ownership of Their Life – A Your Brand of Beautiful Preview LET'S CONNECT!  For speaking, event, or podcasting collabs, email: hey@bailiewhite.com  Instagram: @heybailiewhite Website: www.bailiewhite.com  

This week on Cuts, Cardio and Conversation we're diging into some of the biggest myths from hair care fitness, and therapy.. We've uncovered one important truth: everyone is different!What You'll Hear Today:Cuts: Why hair isn't about ethnicity but about fiber.... Also why no two heads need the same treatmentCardio: How body types shape the kind of training you actually need to stay healthy, strong and consistent.Conversation: Why therapy isn't just for crisis. It's a process of growth maintenance, and self-understanding.From hair to health to healing, this episode is all about breaking down myths and embracing the fact that there's no one-size-fits-all approach to taking proper care of yourself.

How do you establish a belief in your true identity amid other people's expectations? Host Tina Yeager sits down with Christie Award-winning novelist and former therapist Amanda Cox for a heartfelt conversation on navigating the complex space between others' expectations and our true identities. Together, they explore how the search for belonging, the weight of family dynamics, and the pressure to seek approval can both hinder and reshape our sense of self. Amanda shares her personal journey, professional insights, and the powerful ways her novels—like The Bitter End Birding Society and He Should Have Told the Bees—reflect the challenges and triumphs of embracing who we are truly meant to be. If you've ever struggled to filter out the noise of other voices so you can step boldly into your God-given identity, this episode is just for you. Tune in and discover practical wisdom, encouragement, and hope for your own path toward authenticity and healing. Highlights from the Conversation: Why so many women struggle with identity: Amanda shares how our sense of self is shaped by family, friends, and society—and how we can untangle those outside influences from the truth of who God made us to be. Approval vs. Belonging: Learn the difference between healthy belonging and people-pleasing, and the freedom that comes from living for divine approval rather than human applause. Recognizing your strengths: Are you quiet, observant, or sensitive? Amanda reminds us that what's seen as a “weakness” by others may actually be your God-given superpower. Family dynamics and healing: Ever found yourself slipping back into old patterns the moment you go home? The episode explores how deep-rooted family roles shape us, and practical ways to heal and grow—even when our loved ones don't “get” the new us. Overcoming shame and bitterness: The team discusses the pitfalls of living in the “shoulds” and how forgiving others releases us to become the person God intends us to be. The healing power of fiction: Amanda's novels, including The Bitter End Birding Society and He Should Have Told the Bees, invite readers to process universal emotions like isolation, shame, and hope—showing that fiction can be a gentle guide through real-life challenges.

In this powerful episode, we explore what it really means to break free from the “good girl prison” and reclaim the wild, sensual, embodied self that lives within all of us. Topics of Conversation: ✨ Why people are so triggered by the presence of a sensual, embodied woman and how those triggers are actually invitations to growth. ✨ How judgment can reveal your next edge and why the best teachers might trigger you. ✨ Her inspiring story and the creation of her studio that doesn't fit in any box - where self-reclamation, sisterhood, and sensual movement meet. ✨ The magic of her 6-foot round sensory mats (yes, they're as incredible as they sound) and the signature slow and wild movement method. ✨ The power of moving beyond rigid, linear movement practices into something fluid, freeing, and deeply feminine. ✨ The 10 themes of self-reclamation explored in her Slow & Wild method: Body, Voice, Time, Space, Intuition, Sensuality, Sexuality, Spirituality, Passion, Desire. ✨ The balance of Alpha/Omega and masculine/feminine dynamics and how this transforms relationships. ✨ And yes—we talk about her Dirty Vanilla Parties (part workshop, part sex-ed, part dance party!) “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field—meet me there.” - Rumi   ✨ Links + Resources Slow & Wild Studios Dirty Vanilla Parties Slow & Wild on Instagram Book recommendation: Unbound  

"Behind the scenes, it's a Climate AI. It's a very deep Climate AI engine that we have built, which drives all of these workflows." Rohit Toshniwal pulls back the curtain on the sophisticated technology needed to tackle complex environmental challenges, highlighting how Artificial Intelligence is becoming essential for managing sustainability data and driving climate action. Rohit Toshniwal is a serial tech entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Sprih, which builds a Carbon Intelligence and Management platform using Climate AI to help organizations catalyze climate action. An IIT Kanpur graduate, Rohit previously co-founded Arkin Net, acquired by VMware for over $100 million, and helped scale that business within VMware to ~$250 million in revenue. Key Insights from the Conversation:

We back for another episode but this was an explosive one Different levels of reconciliation Well that's family A 1 on 1 is needed You still gotta that Conversation Why must we argue Socials Twitter @THDLongviewWoo/Deshawn_903 TikTok @Deshawn__903/@LakeportWoo Email TruthHitDifferent@Gmail.com Outro -Dru Hill-5 Steps

This week on Mondays at The Overhead Wire we're Han Solo but that doesn't stop us from talking about how to get groceries home without a car, how insurance could save us from climate catastrophe, and whether Houston should ditch its MPO to get better representation. Main News Arizona water shorts development - AP Biometrics reveal preferences - Scientific American Personal bubbles - The New Republic Mesa AZ autism friendly city - BBC Houston's bad MPO represenation - Urban Edge Insurance Politics - How Things Work La Sombrita - Streetsblog LA Tax vehicles by weight - Curbed Third places are important - Yes! Magazine Bonus Items Secondary overseas car market - CNN Minnesota transport deal - MinnPost Ford CEO says batteries fiscally unsustainable - The Verge America needs a road review - Streetsblog USA Depression more common in burbs - Conversation Why do urban stores stay empty - JCHS Emergency braking rules - WaPo Conflict and biking - Cycling Weekly Traffic cop sues city - Guardian Gun violence a public health issue - Guardian Ridership up on Tube, Amtrak - BBC | Reuters Puppies and Butterflies Dumb grocery argument - The Urbanist +++ Follow us on twitter @theoverheadwire Follow us on Mastadon theoverheadwire@sfba.social Support the show on Patreon http://patreon.com/theoverheadwire Buy books on our Bookshop.org Affiliate site!  And get our Cars are Cholesterol shirt at Tee-Public! And everything else at http://theoverheadwire.com  

Tune into the Public Health Insight Podcast as we explore some more fascinating and thought-provoking topics that are sure to spark your interest. In this episode, we discuss:◼️ Guinea worm - a parasitic disease that has plagued humans for centuries, and what it will take to get to zero cases globally.◼️ Tuberculosis (TB) - a disease that has once again become the deadliest in Africa. What has gone wrong, why progress has stalled, and what needs to be done to get back on track? ◼️ The link between HBO's hit series “The Last of US,” the rise of drug-resistant fungal infections in the real world; and the need for vaccines in the face of scientific and economic challenges.Articles Covered◼️ Guinea worm: A nasty parasite is nearly eradicated, but the push for zero cases will require patience (The Conversation)◼️ TB is once again the deadliest disease in Africa - what went wrong (The Conversation)◼️ Why don't we have vaccines for fungal infections? (Vox)Podcast Hosts◼️ Gordon Thane, BMSc, MPH, PMP®◼️ Leshawn Benedict, MPH, MSc, PMP®Subscribe to the NewsletterSubscribe to the newsletter so you don't miss out on the latest podcast episodes, live events, jobs, learning opportunities, and other engaging professional development content here.Leave Us A Five Star RatingIf you enjoy our podcasts, be sure to subscribe and leave us a rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify, and spread the word to your friends to help us get discovered by more people.

Forever Marriage at Lakewood exists to strengthen families by helping couples discover God's design for marriage.Season 2: Six Keys to Better Sex in MarriageEpisode 11: 4 Experiences to Live with Your Spouse in an Understanding WayIn this episode the Smiths conclude Key 3 - Regard Each Other's Needs as More Important than Your Own. They talk about how at various seasons of marriage and as you and your spouse age, you may have to deal with issues that can potentially affect your sexual intimacy. The Smiths discuss these 4 experiences to live with your spouse in an understanding way:Wives "coach" your husband to increase his knowledge and understanding of your unique biology, gynecology, health, and health history. Husbands, be coachable.Sexual trauma, changes in libido, sexual disfunction,  Illnesses, medication changes, injuries, and chronic pain can greatly affect your sexual relationship – communicate, seek wise counsel, and pray.Pregnancy and different seasons of life can present challenges.Often, infertility consumes the sexual relationship – talk and pray with each other.  Also, don't bear this burden alone.Scriptures mentioned in this episode: Proverbs 3:27, Galatians 6:2Couple's Conversation:Why is it sometimes difficult to be affectionate?Do you talk about how you can meet each other's need for affection?  If not, why not?What do you need in order to be in the mood for sex?Do you feel comfortable initiating sex?  Why or why not?How often would you prefer or expect sex?What sexual activities do you enjoy most?Are there specific sexual acts that make you uncomfortable?How could we each contribute to making our sexual relationship more satisfying?

This week, we lift our spirits (oooOOOooo) with a round-up of monsters. We explore their origins and effects on us, with examples ranging from memories of very real things in the past to a hypothesis that doesn't quite have legs (unlike griffins). Links Why we'll always be obsessed with – and afraid of – monsters (The Conversation) Why the scariest monsters look almost human (Wellcome Collection) Why We Still Need Monsters (Nautilus) Why Are So Many Monsters Hybrids? (Nautilus) A History of Monsters (Aeon) Why do we want to feel sorry for monsters that scare us? (Gizmodo) Why Frankenstein is the story that defines our fears (BBC) Neanderthals, Scandinavian trolls, and troglodytes (Norwegian American) Ōnamazu (Yokai.com) Namazu-e: Earthquake catfish prints (Pink Tentacle) Namazu (World History Encyclopedia) Giant catfish and a legacy of disaster in one of the world's most seismically active regions (Phys.org) Folklore and earthquakes: Native American oral traditions from Cascadia compared with written traditions from Japan (Geological Society, London, Special Publications via ResearchGate) Why Protoceratops almost certainly wasn't the inspiration for the griffin legend (Mark Witton) Griffin Bones (American Museum of Natural History) Andrewsarchus, "Superb Skull of a Gigantic Beast" (American Museum of Natural History) Jumbies of the West Indies (The Brown Geeks) Rare Book Library Summons Tales of World's Oldest Monsters (Smithsonian) The evolution of monsters in children's literature (Nature) A Visual History of Society's Monsters (Hyperallergic) The Nazi Werewolves Who Terrorized Allied Soldiers at the End of WWII (Smithsonian) Doin' The Mash (Tedium) The strange tale of ‘Monster Mash', the graveyard smash that will never die (NME) Contact Email the Dirt Podcast: thedirtpodcast@gmail.com ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet Tee Public Store Affiliates Wildnote TeePublic Timeular

This week, we lift our spirits (oooOOOooo) with a round-up of monsters. We explore their origins and effects on us, with examples ranging from memories of very real things in the past to a hypothesis that doesn't quite have legs (unlike griffins). Links Why we'll always be obsessed with – and afraid of – monsters (The Conversation) Why the scariest monsters look almost human (Wellcome Collection) Why We Still Need Monsters (Nautilus) Why Are So Many Monsters Hybrids? (Nautilus) A History of Monsters (Aeon) Why do we want to feel sorry for monsters that scare us? (Gizmodo) Why Frankenstein is the story that defines our fears (BBC) Neanderthals, Scandinavian trolls, and troglodytes (Norwegian American) Ōnamazu (Yokai.com) Namazu-e: Earthquake catfish prints (Pink Tentacle) Namazu (World History Encyclopedia) Giant catfish and a legacy of disaster in one of the world's most seismically active regions (Phys.org) Folklore and earthquakes: Native American oral traditions from Cascadia compared with written traditions from Japan (Geological Society, London, Special Publications via ResearchGate) Why Protoceratops almost certainly wasn't the inspiration for the griffin legend (Mark Witton) Griffin Bones (American Museum of Natural History) Andrewsarchus, "Superb Skull of a Gigantic Beast" (American Museum of Natural History) Jumbies of the West Indies (The Brown Geeks) Rare Book Library Summons Tales of World's Oldest Monsters (Smithsonian) The evolution of monsters in children's literature (Nature) A Visual History of Society's Monsters (Hyperallergic) The Nazi Werewolves Who Terrorized Allied Soldiers at the End of WWII (Smithsonian) Doin' The Mash (Tedium) The strange tale of ‘Monster Mash', the graveyard smash that will never die (NME) Contact Email the Dirt Podcast: thedirtpodcast@gmail.com ArchPodNet APN Website: https://www.archpodnet.com APN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnet APN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnet APN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnet Tee Public Store Affiliates Wildnote TeePublic Timeular

We're back after our summer break. Michael, Chris, Candis, and Jenna catch up on what happened over the summer, from COVID vaccine mandates to school board chaos to the refugee crisis in Afghanistan. The underlying theme of it all is one of democracy's central tensions — the collective vs. the individual. The tension between individual liberty and the common good plays itself out in America's COVID response, debates over how race and history are taught in schools, and how we respond to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. We discuss all of those issues this week and reflect on what our responsibilities are as democratic citizens. Related EpisodesRefugees and the politics of displacementThe clumsy journey to antiracismAdditional InformationChris Beem in The Conversation: Why refusing the COVID-19 vaccine is immoral and un-AmericanCandis Watts Smith in The Fulcrum: Experts fear ban on critical race theory could harm civics educationHurt Your Brain newsletter

David and Michael walk through John 2:12-25 to help you lead meaningful discussions about the text.Questions from the Conversation:Why was Jesus mad about the individuals selling goods and exchanging money in the Temple?How does John connect Jesus’s actions to Old Testament Prophecy? Why is that an important aspect of Jesus’s character?How does Jesus’s cleansing of the temple foreshadow the way he will cleanse us?What’s the significance of Jesus’s comment about tearing down the temple and raising it back up?Big Idea:Jesus purifies our access to God. → both the things we put between us and God AND the things innately within us between us and God.Application:What is something in your life that has been getting in the way of time with Jesus? How can we help keep each other accountable as a group to seek the unhindered presence of God in our lives?

This episode continues our talk with plenary speaker John Corbett about his talk Conversational Stories in English. Here are the questions: What if the students, or the teachers, are overly concerned with how things are being said during a conversation? At what point does Speaking turn into Conversation? Why teach students how to backchannel? You showed the results of corpus searches to show more frequent word use. What are some other ways to use corpus tools to promote Conversation in the classroom? As a conversational ethnographer, what is your preferred story type? Remember, if you missed the Overcoming Challenges in Education webinars, follow us on Instagram at @btrio_chapter for more details and lots of other useful info for teachers. See you!

Evan is the Founder of Caffeine Marketing and small business investor. Caffeine Marketing makes profitable marketing easy for small companies. As an investor Evan help small companies double and sometimes even triple their bottom line.Highlight Points of the Conversation-Why did Evan start Caffeine Marketing?-How should people go about marketing?-The key qualities of a great leader-Lessons Evan learned through adversityHow to contact Evan and Freebie:Free guide on "How To Build A Winning Sales Funnel" on both homepages of https://evanknox.com and https://caffeine.marketing Our Sponsors!15% OFF for this mug within 10 days by the link below:Discount link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/mpc/A1K6QGRGK3IXOK Brand name: DILLERProduct name: Mini 8 oz Coffee Travel MugWork from home with an amazing supportive team 80 Natural products...www.JoinFunBiz.comFollow:Twitter - https://twitter.com/TransformULiveFacebook - https://facebook.com/TransformULiveInstagram - https://instagram.com/transformunetworkShow IG – https://instagram.com/transformuliveshow Show IG – https://instagram.com/kineticpemixx Show IG – https://instagram.com/godpillwisdom Network Blog - https://transformubroadcast.com/blogStation Blog - https://transformu.us/blog

Evan is the Founder of Caffeine Marketing and small business investor. Caffeine Marketing makes profitable marketing easy for small companies. As an investor Evan help small companies double and sometimes even triple their bottom line.Highlight Points of the Conversation-Why did Evan start Caffeine Marketing?-How should people go about marketing?-The key qualities of a great leader-Lessons Evan learned through adversityHow to contact Evan and Freebie:Free guide on "How To Build A Winning Sales Funnel" on both homepages of https://evanknox.com and https://caffeine.marketing Our Sponsors!15% OFF for this mug within 10 days by the link below:Discount link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/mpc/A1K6QGRGK3IXOK Brand name: DILLERProduct name: Mini 8 oz Coffee Travel MugWork from home with an amazing supportive team 80 Natural products...www.JoinFunBiz.comFollow:Twitter - https://twitter.com/TransformULiveFacebook - https://facebook.com/TransformULiveInstagram - https://instagram.com/transformunetworkShow IG – https://instagram.com/transformuliveshow Show IG – https://instagram.com/kineticpemixx Show IG – https://instagram.com/godpillwisdom Network Blog - https://transformubroadcast.com/blogStation Blog - https://transformu.us/blog

10/27/19 Continue the Conversation • Why were you named, what you are named? • What does your name mean? • “Jesus, there's just something about that name...” Why is that? • When Jesus says, “Follow Me,” do you hear a question, a request, or a command? For more information on Faith Christian Church check out our website at www.fccnp.org

Topics of Conversation: Why it’s so important to take a 15 minute pause How can we re-energize? Life Energy Inventory The Meddler vs. The Player Feet on the Ground Challenge Personalogy Games

Ever been so starstruck in a conversation that you forget the titles to your sisters movies. That’s what happened to Tracy Gershon when she sat down with me in the Attic. Welcome to my life...Imagine learning about country music directly from Emmylou Harris and her pedal steel guitarist, Steve Fishell. That was Tracy Gershon’s introduction to the genre. Fast forward, Tracy understands country and its music industry. That’s how she’s made her living working as A&R for some of the biggest companies in the business. Tracy talks about discovering Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves, and what is the “It” factor that A&R looks for. What is even A&R today? Tracy is an artist manager with Red Light Management and a co-founder of Change the Conversation. What’s the Conversation? Why do female artists face a significantly more difficult struggle than male artists in country music.