Podcasts about Fast Company

Most HR teams have already run their AI experiments. A pilot here, a policy draft there. Turning that scattered activity into something people actually use on a Tuesday is a completely different problem. In this episode: Why the biggest available gains from AI now come from teams working with it together, not individuals getting better at prompting How to pick a first project by finding the rock in your shoe instead of announcing a sweeping overhaul nobody asked forWhat the three Cs (crisis, commitment, and conflict) tell you about where AI should never touch an employee interaction Timestamps [00:01:52] What an AI catalyst actually does inside an HR function, and why the job changed from building fluency to driving adoption [00:02:49] Why HR teams that feel behind on AI are not, and what the range across SHRM's membership really looks like [00:03:53] Finding the rock in your shoe, and why the most annoying problem beats the most sophisticated one as a starting point [00:07:29] Nichol's dictation method for getting a model to write her prompts, including asking for a McKinsey-style or Fast Company-style prompt [00:08:15] How vibe teaming works, including the AI wrangler role, the facilitator role, and the transcript loop that feeds the group's corrections back in [00:10:08] The loneliness problem created by heavy individual AI use, and the 70-page proposal exchange that illustrates it [00:11:22] Over 44% of people use AI daily and nearly as many run into work slop daily, and what a biweekly team session does about it [00:12:44] Eight executive assistants who used vibe teaming remotely to redesign how their C-suite works together [00:15:09] The three Cs guardrail: crisis, commitment, and conflict are the moments to keep AI out of entirely [00:17:19] Why people can always tell whether a real human was on the other side, even when they can't identify AI-generated text Guest Bio Nichol Bradford is a futurist, investor, and executive with more than 20 years across technology and human potential. Her mission is to strengthen humanity's mental, emotional, and social health (MESH) as the foundation for innovation and progress. She reaches over 100,000 people annually through thought leadership and public speaking, including TEDx. As SHRM's AI + HI Executive-in-Residence, Bradford shapes global strategies that reach 362 million workers and their families through 340,000 HR professionals in 180 countries. In June 2025 she founded and launched Human Tech Week, which drew 250 speakers and more than 1,200 attendees in its first year. That event grew out of TransformativeTech.org, the global community she co-founded and built to members in 72 countries. She also co-founded Niremia Collective, a venture fund backing the future of human potential. Bradford works at the seam between advanced technology and deep human need, with a focus on human-centered AI adoption. Before this, she operated World of Warcraft in China. Today she runs the largest network for human potential technology. Brought to You by Paylocity Paylocity is the fastest growing unified platform for HR, Finance, and IT. Paylocity brings your people, processes, and data together in one place so HR leaders can spend less time managing systems and more time doing the work that actually moves their organizations forward. Learn more at paylocity.com Keywords: AI adoption in HR, responsible AI, vibe teaming, collective intelligence, work slop, AI guardrails, human potential, SHRM, AI catalyst, HR technology, team productivity, prompting, talent acquisition AI, performance management, employee experience, change management, workforce wellbeing, human-centered AI, Nichol Bradford, HR Mixtape

About This Episode In this episode, Frank Cottle sits down with David Grossman — one of America's foremost authorities on leadership and change communication inside organizations. Grossman is founder and CEO of The Grossman Group, a trusted executive coach to the C-suite, and a six-time author whose award-winning Heart First series is applauded by leaders worldwide. His latest book, The Heart Work of Modern Leadership: 6 Differentiators of Exceptional Leaders (Amplify Publishing Group, 2026), is an Amazon Best Seller across four business categories. His commentary has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company, Newsweek, the World Economic Forum — and Allwork.Space.   The conversation moves from The Grossman Group's research with The Harris Poll — which found AI to be the single biggest change-management issue in business today — into the surprising heart of his new book: it's not the bad leaders organizations should worry about. It's the good ones.

When life throws you a curveball, what's your first instinct?Defend yourself?Shut down?Get angry?According to leadership expert Lois Barth (www.loisbarth.com), there's a better option: Get curious.WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/4kUmYfmi5goIn this episode, Lois shares how curiosity, compassion, connection, and courage can completely transform the way we live, work and interact with others.From overcoming a life-changing eating disorder to helping organizations build healthier workplace cultures, Lois offers practical tools for replacing judgment with curiosity and "being nice" with something far more powerful: genuine kindness.If you've ever struggled with difficult conversations, imposter syndrome, change, conflict, or your own relentless inner critic, this conversation is packed with practical ideas you can start using immediately.In this episode:• The difference between being nice and being kind• How to have difficult conversations without damaging relationships• Why disruption can become your greatest teacher• Replacing your inner critic with curiosity and compassion• How healthy workplace cultures are actually builtChapters00:00  Introduction to Disruption as a Mindset01:45 Lois Barth's Journey and Philosophy07:17 The Four C's: Curiosity, Compassion, Connection, and Courage11:26 Curiosity's Role in Disruption14:30 Implementing the Four C's in the Workplace20:34 Creating a Culture of Beautiful Honesty27:59 The Structure Behind Honest ConversationsWant more from Lois?www.loisbarth.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/loisbarth/ Lois works with heart-centered go-getters who crave greater meaning, fulfillment, and impact in their lives by helping them clarify their goals, foster well-being, and be more effective leaders. A term she refers to as Behavioral Wellness Meets professional development. She has been the makeover life coach for SELF Magazine; Fitness Magazine and Fit Blog (Sears) which to date 3 million people registered for. Lois has been quoted and published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and SELF Magazine. Her speaking clients include Capital One Bank, L'Oreal, Women in Banking & Invesco to name a few.Anne Bonney is a keynote speaker and emcee who helps organizations lead through change by building resilience, emotional intelligence, and courageous communication.

Spencer Greenberg is an entrepreneur and mathematician with a PhD in applied math from NYU. He's the founder and CEO of ClearerThinking.org, a psychology education and research organization that designs and conducts novel studies in psychology and offers more than 80 interactive educational tools to the general public, used by hundreds of thousands of people. His work has been featured by numerous major media outlets, such as Forbes, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Independent, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, Fast Company, and Financial Times. Today on the show we discuss: why most self-help advice gets recycled, how to spot grifters and too-good-to-be-true promises, why smart people still get manipulated, the dangerous side of manifestation and toxic positivity, the evidence-backed psychological tools that actually improve your life, how to stop overthinking and turn better decisions into action and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it actually mean to lead with extreme commitment—and to follow through on your word, every single time? In this episode, Will sits down with Steve Farber, founder and CEO of The Extreme Leadership Institute, bestselling author, and one of the most respected voices in leadership development today.Steve's team has helped more than 25 companies earn spots on Best Places to Work lists, and his ideas have shaped leadership conversations far beyond the boardroom. He's the author of six acclaimed leadership books, starting with The Radical Leap, which won Fast Company's Readers' Choice Award and was named one of the 100 Best Business Books of All Time. His book Greater Than Yourself debuted as a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller, and Love Is Just Damn Good Business has been featured everywhere from Wharton Radio to the World Economic Forum. He even teamed up with Twisted Sister's Jay Jay French to write Twisted Business, pulling leadership lessons straight from a career in rock and roll.This conversation comes at a perfect moment—Steve's newest book, The Radical Promise: Mastering the Art of Doing What You Say You Will Do, co-written with leadership legends Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, launches the very day this episode is being recorded. Will and Rick dig into what it takes to build a culture of real accountability, why "doing what you say" is harder—and more radical—than it sounds, and how love and leadership intersect in ways most business books never touch.You can get Steve's book the Radical Promise here: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Promise-Mastering-Doing-What-ebook/dp/B0HF4T8DPS/ref=books_amazonstores_desktop_mfs_author_smart_catalog_unrecognized_0?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=MtBjT&content-id=amzn1.sym.47218010-ccda-4098-a91e-bc39e6d446f4&pf_rd_p=47218010-ccda-4098-a91e-bc39e6d446f4&pf_rd_r=133-2963950-0619343&pd_rd_wg=7Tc5H&pd_rd_r=a368e788-2454-4548-ad09-d063b282ef87Get your copy of Rick Segal's book, The Heart of It here: https://amplifypublishinggroup.com/product/nonfiction/business-and-finance/entrepreneurship/the-heart-of-it/Read Rick Segal's blog: https://impactinvestorsegal.com/blog

What is the real reason your first accounting hire is drowning? When should a business owner stop DIY'ing their numbers and bring in real help? What is the messy truth about the first 12 months as a CFO? Why do strong finance hires fail in the wrong setup? On this week's episode of the Crushing Debt Podcast, Shawn & George talk to Wassia Kamon, CPA, CMA, MBA, the Chief Financial Officer of Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE), a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) based in Georgia. She brings more than 15 years of experience across manufacturing, technology, pharmaceuticals, and the nonprofit sector, with leadership roles in accounting and FP&A. ​Named the 2025 CFO of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and a two-time CPA Practice Advisor 40 Under 40 honoree, Wassia is a keynote speaker and guest faculty member for the Wharton Online FP&A Certificate Program. Her insights on finance leadership and governance have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Accounting Today, Fast Company, and Strategic Finance. ​She is the host of The Diary of a CFO podcast, where she interviews finance leaders about team leadership and the realities of the modern CFO role in growing organizations. She serves on the AICPA Women's Initiatives Executive Committee and the AICPA Future of Finance Leadership Advisory Group. Please visit Wassia's websites at www.wassiakamon.com and www.TheDiaryOfACFO.com  Let us know if you enjoy this episode and, if so, please share it with your friends! Or, you can support the show by visiting our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/crushingDebt   To contact George Curbelo, you can email him at GCFinancialCoach21@gmail.com or follow his Tiktok channel - https://www.tiktok.com/@curbelofinancialcoach   To contact Shawn Yesner, you can email him at Shawn@Yesnerlaw.com or visit www.YesnerLaw.com. 

On today's episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk to former Fast Company senior editor and now Alto editorial director Jeff Beer about why the influencer bubble is finally popping. Then Yaz talks to Cotopaxi CEO Lindsay Shumlas about Cotopaxi's sustainability efforts, international expansion, and how they build credibility.  To check out Jeff's reporting, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/91576953/the-influencer-bubble-is-finally-popping  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

Stop letting broken workplace rules hijack your day. In this episode of I Dare You, I'm joined by award-winning psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Ron Friedman to tear down the myths keeping you and your team stuck in survival mode. Backed by the largest study of high-performing teams ever conducted in his new bestselling book, Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams, Dr. Friedman breaks down the exact, research-backed moves you need right now to take back control of your time, build fierce peer accountability, and unlock your real potential. In this episode, we get into: The Anatomy of a Superteam The Toxic Meeting Trap (and Attention Residue) The Uncomfortable Question Every Real Leader Asks Why 97% of Traditional Feedback Fails The Secret Cognitive Power of Movement Ron's Simple, High-Impact I Dare You Experiment Challenge About Dr. Ron Friedman:Ron Friedman, PhD, is an award-winning psychologist, founder of Superteams, Inc., and bestselling author of The Best Place to Work, Decoding Greatness, and Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams. An expert on human motivation and peak performance, Dr. Friedman has served on the faculties of the University of Rochester, Nazareth College, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. He contributes regularly to Harvard Business Review—where his article “How to Build a Superteam That Keeps Getting Better” was a recent cover story—and his work has also been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal.

Watch the show on television by downloading the SuperCrowd.tv Channel app to your Roku or Amazon Fire TV or e360tv channel app to your Roku, LG or Amazon Fire TV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?Chris: For me, I always think of it in terms of a toolbox or a toolkit. And there's a mix of things that I would put into that toolbox that I think have supported me on my leadership journey.Communication Service for the Deaf is expanding opportunity for deaf and hard of hearing people by fighting bias as much as by improving access.When I welcomed Chris Soukup, CEO of Communication Service for the Deaf, back to this episode, I wanted to understand how CSD's work has evolved over its 50-year history. Chris described a mission rooted in “a persevering commitment to advancing the quality of life for people who are deaf and for the broader disability community.”For decades, CSD helped lead the push for communication access. That work mattered. Interpreting services, video relay and new technologies opened doors that had long been closed.But Chris explained that access alone did not change the economic reality for the community. Employment barriers remained stubbornly high.“We're really confronting challenges with misperception and bias,” Chris said. He noted that the barrier often appears at the very start of a job search, when a deaf applicant identifies themselves and an employer immediately imagines cost, complexity or extra work.“That blocker has really made it difficult for our community to make meaningful progress,” he said.CSD is responding in every direction. Chris called the work “a process of breaking down barriers by land, by air, by sea.” That means media engagement, policy work, corporate partnerships, employee resource groups, storytelling and matching motivated employers with talented deaf professionals ready to contribute.One part of the work especially excites Chris: entrepreneurship. CSD supports deaf founders building their own businesses. As Chris explained, when those entrepreneurs succeed, “they turn right back around, and they hire from their community.”That creates a powerful cycle. Deaf business owners build companies, employ others and become proof points that help dismantle bias for the next person.Chris also reminded me that accessibility is still a matter of safety. In a 911 emergency, a deaf person may have to wait several minutes for a video relay interpreter before even reaching a dispatcher. In a crisis, that delay can be life or death.Chris's response is characteristic of CSD's culture: “There's a better way.”That optimism is not naive. It comes from 50 years of pushing systems to become more humane, more accessible and more just. CSD's work shows that inclusion is not charity. It is infrastructure. It is innovation. It is economic opportunity.tl;dr:CSD's 50-year commitment expands communication access, employment, and economic opportunity for deaf communities.Bias often blocks talented deaf professionals before employers recognize their value.Entrepreneurship is a powerful path for deaf leaders to create jobs and opportunities.Accessible emergency communication remains a critical issue of safety and equity.Chris's superpower is authentic perseverance in advocating for systemic change and inclusion.How to Develop Authentic Perseverance As a SuperpowerChris's superpower is authentic perseverance. He said leadership requires a “toolbox,” beginning with “authenticity.” Early in his career, he struggled with preconceived ideas of how a leader should behave. Over time, he learned that “you're doing yourself and the people that you support a disservice by not representing yourself in a way that really reflects the person that you are.” He also emphasized persistence: “Nothing happens overnight,” and “change happens by showing up every day and being committed to making a difference.”Chris described an awakening that came from noticing where he felt most effective. One-on-one, he could use humor, tell stories, share experiences, use metaphors and speak honestly about big goals and fears. He realized he could bring that same intimacy to a larger audience. Instead of manufacturing a leadership persona, he chose to show more of himself. That authenticity helped him connect more deeply and lead more effectively, whether speaking with one person or many.Stop performing a leadership role and identify what is genuinely true about your strengths and vulnerabilities.Practice sharing the messy mix that makes you human, including humor, confidence, fears and limitations.Notice where you feel most natural and effective, then bring that presence into bigger settings.Keep showing up month after month, even when meaningful change takes longer than expected.Stay focused on the world you want to create and keep moving toward it with resilience.By following Chris's example and advice, you can make authentic perseverance a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileChris Soukup (he/him):CEO, Communication Service for the DeafAbout Communication Service for the Deaf: Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD) is the largest Deaf-led social impact organization in the world. Since 1975, CSD has been a leader in creating and providing accessible and innovative solutions for deaf and hard of hearing communities. Today, CSD continues its work to create opportunities for personal and economic growth, specifically addressing leadership and employment. In 2022, CSD was named to Fast Company's “Most Innovative Companies” list.Website: csd.orgX/Twitter Handle: @ThisIsCSDCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/ThisIsCSDLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/thisiscsdInstagram: @thisiscsdBiographical Information: Chris Soukup is Chief Executive Officer of Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), one of the world's leading deaf-led social impact organizations. For 50 years, CSD has pioneered accessible technologies and communication services for the deaf and hard of hearing communities, including the first nationwide video relay service (VRS) in the United States and one of today's leading direct to video calling (DVC) solutions. Chris is a longtime leading advocate for the deaf and disability communities. For more than a decade, he has led CSD's transformation and global initiatives, including implementing a virtualized infrastructure; developing a disruptive sign language interpreting platform; launching the first social venture fund for deaf entrepreneurs; introducing a constellation of programs to advance employment opportunities within deaf and disabled communities; and creating a new community foundation designed to strengthen other deaf-centric nonprofits. Chris continues to serve a leadership role in the advancement of key policy and legislation to expand accessibility, including the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA). He also has served on several prominent committees and advisory boards to increase opportunities and accessibility for the deaf and disability communities: the Federal Communications Commission's Consumer Advisory Committee; the Disability:IN Disability Equality Index Advisory Committee; NTID Foundation Board and the TDI Board of Associates.LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/csoukupSupport Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include PurposeBuilt100™ Winners and supercrowd.tv. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact Members(We're grateful for every one of these community champions who make this work possible.)Brian Christie, Brainsy | Cameron Neil, Lend For Good | Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Eric Coury, Arthia AI | John Berlet, CORE Tax Deeds, LLC. | Justin Starbird, The Aebli Group | Ken Steele, Rotarian | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Mark Grimes, Networked Enterprise Development | Mike Babbit | Coledger Solutions | Mike Green, Envirosult | Nick Degnan, Unlimit Ventures | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.Join the SuperCrowd Impact League! You can be recognized for making impact investments via Reg CF. See how your activity compares to your peers. It's free. Win valuable prizes. Start now!SuperCrowd Impact Member Networking Session: Impact (and, of course, Max-Impact) Members of the SuperCrowd are invited to a private networking session on September 8th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT. Mark your calendar. We'll send private emails to Impact Members with registration details. Upgrade to Impact Membership today!SuperCrowd26 featuring PurposeBuilt100™: This August 25–27, founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders will gather for a three-day, broadcast-quality global experience focused on disciplined capital formation, regulated investment crowdfunding, and purpose-driven growth. We're bringing together leading voices in impact investing, compliance, digital marketing, and circular economy innovation to deliver practical frameworks, real-world case studies, and actionable strategies. The event culminates in the PurposeBuilt100™ Showcase, recognizing 100 of the fastest-growing purpose-driven companies in the U.S. Register now to secure your seat and get all the details. August 25–27, streaming worldwide.Visit Our Complete Community Event CalendarIf you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 10,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here.We share educational information—not investment advice. Some links may generate compensation. See our full disclosure.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

Ann Larson shares her journey from grocery store worker to author, revealing the hidden realities of the grocery industry, labor struggles, and potential reforms. Discover insights on corporate power, worker solidarity, and how consumers can support change.Ann Larson's writing on education, debt, and low-wage work has appeared in The New Republic, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fast Company, and The Nation, among other publications. She is author of Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register, and coauthor of Can't Pay Won't Pay: The Case for Economic Disobedience and Debt Abolition and is a fellow with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drowning in emails, client demands, and late nights at the office? In this episode, you'll learn how to use boundaries, focus, and smart delegation to transform your law practice from constant chaos into a business you actually enjoy running.   In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Elizabeth Grace Saunders discuss: Power of boundaries in time management Recognizing when your schedule has become a problem Niching and being selective about legal work and clients Setting and resetting client expectations around access and response times Delegation, email efficiency, and leveraging AI tools   Key Takeaways: Boundaries are one of the most powerful tools for managing time, and they start with taking responsibility for what you tolerate from clients, colleagues, and yourself. You have a time management problem when your schedule consistently harms your health, relationships, or client service—regardless of the number of hours you work. Saying yes to every kind of matter and every type of client creates “crazy” in a practice; focus on your true area of expertise and on clients who are a good fit and can pay reliably. Clear, consistent expectations around availability and response times—communicated up front and reinforced by your behavior—train clients to respect your time. Delegation, better email protocols, and AI tools that draft or prioritize messages can reclaim hours each week and free you to do higher-value legal and business development work.   "You need to be very clear within yourself and very explicit with your client when you are or not available." —  Elizabeth Grace Saunders   Check out my new show, Be That Lawyer Coaches Corner, and get the strategies I use with my clients to win more business and love your career again.   Join the Be That Lawyer Community and connect with ambitious lawyers who are serious about growing their book of business, strengthening their brand, and becoming confident, consistent rainmakers.   Ready to go from good to GOAT in your legal marketing game? Don't miss PIMCON—where the brightest minds in professional services gather to share what really works. Lock in your spot now: https://www.pimcon.org/   Thank you to our Sponsor! LEX Reception: https://www.lexreception.com/partners/bethatlawyer Rankings.io: https://rankings.io/ Lawyer.com: https://www.lawyer.com/   Ready to grow your law practice without selling or chasing? Book your free 30-minute strategy session now—let's make this your breakout year: https://fretzin.com/   About Elizabeth Grace Saunders: Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time management coach, member of the Forbes Coaches Council, and best-selling author of The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment, How to Invest Your Time Like Money, and Divine Time Management. Since founding Real Life E Time Coaching & Training in 2009, she has helped thousands of individuals globally—including newly promoted professionals and parents—overcome burnout, reduce stress, and achieve work-life balance. Named one of the World's Top 30 Time Management Professionals by Global Gurus annually since 2018, Elizabeth regularly contributes to Harvard Business Review and Fast Company, drawing on prior corporate experience at Meredith Corporation and Abbott Laboratories and her summa cum laude degree from Drake University.   Connect with Elizabeth Grace Saunders:   Website: https://reallifee.com/   Connect with Steve Fretzin: LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin Twitter: @stevefretzin Instagram: @fretzinsteve Facebook: Fretzin, Inc. Website: Fretzin.com Email: Steve@Fretzin.com Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more! YouTube: Steve Fretzin Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

When Warby Parker debuted in 2010, the brand disrupted not just how much eyeglasses cost, but also how customers purchased them. Its direct-to-consumer e-commerce business model left many wondering whether Luxottica's longstanding reign over the industry would soon be over. In the decade-and-a-half since, the answer to that question is still evolving. Max Chafkin profiled Warby Parker in its early days for Fast Company, and is currently a senior reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek. He joins David to discuss Warby Parker's staying power, the company's embrace of brick-and-mortar retail, and the current state of e-commerce.Check out Max's Bloomberg podcast Everybody's Business.Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Business Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Henna Pryor, workplace performance expert, executive coach, bestselling author of Good Awkward, and award-winning two-time TEDx and keynote speaker, joins me on this episode. Henna was named a SUCCESS Magazine Woman of Influence and has spoken to global organizations including Google, Johnson & Johnson, and JPMorgan Chase. She's been featured in popular media outlets including Forbes, NBC, The Washington Post, Business Insider, and Fast Company. Henna has spent much of her life thinking about what other people think, navigating the discomfort that comes with not fitting expectations, and learning what happens when we stop trying to avoid awkwardness and instead get better at it. Her work explores why awkwardness is a natural part of being human and how learning to navigate it can help us become more confident, courageous, creative, and connected. In our conversation, Henna shares the science behind awkwardness, why our social muscles may be getting weaker, and practical strategies we can use to become more comfortable with discomfort.

What if the way you use technology could actually teach you more about yourself? We spend so much of our lives surrounded by technology—scrolling, searching, streaming, texting, working, and increasingly, asking AI to think alongside us. But what if our relationship with technology isn't just about willpower or screen time? What if it's a window into our deeper emotional needs? In this episode of Centered in the City, I'm joined by Jay Vidyarthi, award-winning author of Reclaim Your Mind, designer, entrepreneur, and thought leader at the intersection of mindfulness and technology. Jay has spent more than 15 years practicing meditation and has helped design more than 50 technologies aimed at improving human wellbeing. His work includes Muse, the Healthy Minds Program, and other innovative approaches to using technology in service of human flourishing. We explore what it really means to reclaim our minds in a world designed to capture our attention. Jay offers a nuanced perspective: there is absolutely a responsibility on technology companies and attention-harvesting platforms to create healthier digital environments, but there is also a personal responsibility to become more aware of how and why we engage with technology. And that awareness can tell us a lot. In this conversation, we explore: Why our relationship with technology can be a mirror for our deeper emotional needs How scrolling, notifications, and algorithms can give us a watered-down version of what we're actually seeking How self-awareness can help us recognize when we're being hooked by an algorithm Why simply blaming technology doesn't give us back our agency How mindfulness or journaling can help us pause long enough to notice what we're actually looking for How to create a more empowered and intentional relationship with technology How we can use AI to enhance our capabilities without cannibalizing the very human capacities we want to preserve Why protecting our attention may be one of the most important ways we protect our humanity   Take a listen to this episode and share your takeaways with us on Instagram @OneWade  and @jay.vidyarthi   Resources: Centered Walks: Guided walking meditations to support you getting out of your head and into your body 100 Mindful Moments to Balance & Energize by Wade Brill Reclaim Your Mind By Jay Vidyarthi   ***** Jay Vidyarthi is the award-winning author of RECLAIM YOUR MIND and an accomplished designer, entrepreneur, and thought leader at the unique intersection of mindfulness and technology. As the founder of Still Ape, he's been involved in over fifty technologies that have helped millions of people improve their well-being, including Muse, the Healthy Minds Program, Sonic Cradle, and many more. His work and ideas have been featured by Harvard, MIT, TED, Forbes, CNN, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and Mashable. A meditation practitioner for over fifteen years, Jay is as comfy on a silent retreat as he is challenging his son to epic video game battles. On days off, he can usually be found making music, enjoying screen time, or out for a walk somewhere near Lake Ontario. Learn more at jayvidyarthi.com

Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky is a workplace belonging expert, internationally recognized keynote speaker, and bestselling author whose work explores friendship, loneliness, human connection, and the ways technology is reshaping our relationships with one another. In this conversation, Sam and Smiley trace a line from the early digital-detox movement and Camp Grounded to the present moment of AI, hybrid work, and widespread social disconnection. Smiley speaks about the loneliness crisis, the particular struggles facing young people and men, and why belonging and friendship have become increasingly important both inside and outside the workplace, arguing that organizations need to design intentionally for human connection, and that belonging cannot simply be handed off to an HR department - instead, it has to become part of the everyday culture of a workplace. The conversation also turns to artificial intelligence and the temptation to automate increasingly large parts of our creative and professional lives. Smiley makes the case for using AI thoughtfully while preserving the kinds of distinctly human practices—conversation, presence, intuition, personal storytelling, friendship, and simply spending time thinking—that technology can easily crowd out. Along the way, Sam and Smiley explore the value of “weak ties,” the difference between belonging and mattering, the difficulty of genuinely listening to another person, and why our most personal stories may become increasingly valuable in an age of machine-generated content. They close with Smiley's practice of moving from comparison toward care: when ambition, social media, or creative anxiety starts to take over, turn toward friendship, community, and service. About Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky is an internationally recognized keynote speaker, workplace belonging expert, and bestselling author of The Quarter-Life Breakthrough, The Breakthrough Speaker, and Friendship in the Age of Loneliness. He has spoken for organizations including Apple, Google, Verizon, JPMorgan Chase, and the U.S. Navy, and his work has appeared in publications including Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. Learn more about Smiley at smileyposwolsky.com, through his Substack newsletter Friends with Smiley, on LinkedIn as Adam Smiley Poswolsky, and on Instagram at @whatsupsmiley.

This week Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Jacqueline Corbelli. The two talk about breaking through gender barriers in male-dominated industries, the journey of building and scaling BrightLine, a company revolutionizing the television viewing experience with interactive, streaming-driven technology, and practical strategies for women navigating fundraising and leadership in tech. In this episode, we discuss: How technology served as a means to improve business outcomes and consumer experiences, rather than being an end in itself. What BrightLine does to transform the television viewer experience, enabling deeper two-way engagement with streaming content through embedded technologies. The pandemic accelerated changes in TV consumption patterns, creating rapid growth and new opportunities for companies operating in the streaming ad model. Why raising money as a technology entrepreneur is uniquely challenging, especially for women, and how networking and proven results help overcome those challenges. What opportunities does the rise of AI present for women founders today, creating a more level playing field if they harness these new tools for smarter business development and research? Jacqueline Corbelli, Author, Founder and CEO of BrightLine Jacqueline Corbelli is an innovator, transformational change leader, and technology entrepreneur, known for identifying technology inflection points and building companies at the intersection of innovation and impact. She's a founder and the current CEO of two companies, including one folks in the room may know well, BrightLine - the original pioneer of turning TV into a two-way interactive experience.  Jacqueline originally began her career in the financial services industry, where she led corporations through large-scale transformational change efforts across businesses and brands. She's also led major initiatives in African economic development and sustainability, and is a three-time author. Jacqueline began to apply her transformational change methodologies outside of business and into the world of economic development and sustainability. Most recently she founded the US Coalition on Sustainability and created SustainChain, a reinforcement learning AI technology built with the single purpose to unify and accelerate informed action on climate change across global supply chains.  SustainChain is a Fast Company 2023 Innovation by Design, and 2022 World Changing Ideas awards recipient. She sits on numerous public and private boards, including the SDG Center for Africa, the NY Academy of Sciences, Luminari Capital, Second Curve Capital, is a co-founder of Ethics in Action, a commission of the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and is on the Leadership Council of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Her latest book, "Changemaker: A Modern Playbook for Creating Personal Impact and Transformational Change," distills decades of experience across technology, finance, and global development into a playbook for driving meaningful change. She advises on organizational change, including the United Nations and the Vatican, while mentoring future leaders. Her achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including Fast Company's World Changing Ideas Award, Innovation by Design Award, and New York Business Journal's Women of Influence. Her thought leadership has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Variety, Bloomberg Radio, Fox Business, Business Insider, and Advertising Age. Jacqueline holds a Master's in International Banking, Business, and Finance from Columbia University. She continues to mentor future leaders, serve on global boards, and champion transformational change. Originally from Batavia in upstate New York, she is now based in New York City with her husband. She enjoys her garden, time with her adult daughters, golf and the company of her dog. Website:https://brightline.tv/ https://www.jacquelinecorbelli.com/ Social Media Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinecorbelli/        

Derek Champagne talks with Kyle Austin Young.Kyle Austin Young is an award-winning strategy consultant for high achievers, entrepreneurs, and leaders ina wide range of fields. This work has allowed him to develop and refine a powerful system for accomplishingbig, meaningful goals that focuses on understanding and changing your odds of success. Kyle is a popularwriter for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Boston Globe, CNBC, Psychology Today, Forbes,and Business Insider.His new book, SUCCESS IS A NUMBERS GAME: Achieve Bigger Goals by Changing the Odds (Hay House Business, November 2025), details this system. In the context of a single goal, it could be the secret advantage that changes your outcome. Over the course of several goals, it could transform the trajectory of your career. Appliedto a lifetime of goals, it can level up your legacy.Business Leadership Series Intro and Outro music provided by Just Off Turner: https://music.apple.com/za/album/the-long-walk-back/268386576

On ecosystem restoration; building coherent, sustainable supply chains into the garments we wear; creating resilience in our systems, our bodies, our hearts. 0:00 - Introduction to Vanessa Barboni Hallik and Another Tomorrow 2:49 - Exploring Another Tomorrow's Sustainability Practices 4:11 - Building Relationships and Technology in Fashion 13:20 - The Role of Education and Personal Journey 16:29 - Innovative Materials and Design 23:14 - The Power of Curiosity and Consumer Agency 32:30 - Personal Reflections and Future Directions Vanessa Barboni Hallik is the founder, co-CEO and Executive Chair of Another Tomorrow, a B Corp Certified end-to-end sustainable luxury brand with a mission to model a regenerative and resilient model for fashion, including a digitized blockchain-based product infrastructure delivering transparency, authenticated re-commerce, and additional digital to physical engagement. She is an active speaker on innovation, digitalization, regenerative supply chains, and new business models and has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Bloomberg, Forbes, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Cultured Magazine, and Vogue Business for her work among others, and is one of Wallpaper* Magazine's USA400, the Inc Magazine 500, and Worth Magazine's Worthy100. Prior to founding Another Tomorrow, Vanessa was a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, where she held several leadership roles in the emerging markets institutional securities business. Throughout her career she has worked across global markets and managed culturally diverse and cross-border teams. While at Morgan Stanley, she served as a Trustee on the Board of the Morgan Stanley Foundation and represented the firm at the Council on Foreign Relations. She likewise chaired the Fixed Income Philanthropy Committee, during which she initiated and subsequently led the firm's mentoring program with East Side Community High School, in partnership with PENCIL.org.

On today's episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk with Fast Company senior writer Ainsley Harris about the water brand Loonen and the rise of consumer safety as a status symbol. Then, Fast Company senior staff writer Jeff Beer interviews Dhar Mann about building an audience and how he ended up as the NFL's honorary chief kindness officer.  To read Ainsley's reporting, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/91565959/loonen-and-the-rise-of-consumer-safety-as-status-symbol  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

Carisa Hendrix never set out to be in show business, and yet she's created one of the most unique entertainment personas working today. Lucy Darling is a character Hendrix created who's part magician, part comedian, and wholly original. Lucy's quick-witted crowd work regularly goes viral online. But there's so much more to Lucy aside from her sharp tongue, old Hollywood glamour, and sleight of hand. What Hendrix is building through Lucy is an inclusive community and a thriving business that operates from a place of intention and values. In this episode of Creative Control, Hendrix unpacks her rather colorful start in showbiz, the origins of Lucy Darling, and how she's growing this very unlikely venture at her own pace.  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control

Episode 110: Evan "Kidd" Bogart has worn nearly every hat in the music industry. From mailroom A&R at Interscope Records to hit songwriter (Beyoncé's "Halo," Rihanna's "SOS"), artist manager, booking agent, and now buying music catalogs with Seeker and advocating for creators as Vice Chair of the Recording Academy. He's one of the rare people who has sat in nearly every seat at the table. In this episode, Elmo Lovano goes deep with Evan Bogart on both the craft and the business of music. Evan is the son of Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart, the legendary executive behind KISS, Donna Summer, Parliament, and the Village People, and manager, Joyce Bogart Trabulus. He grew up inside the music business, tried to make it as a rapper, and worked his way up from the Interscope mailroom to the A&R department. As a teenager, he discovered Eminem and was the first person to put Em in front of Jimmy Iovine. He'd go on to sign Kara's Flowers, who later changed their name to Maroon 5. After getting sober in his early 20s, Evan reinvented himself as a songwriter, and his very first composition, "SOS" for Rihanna, went to No. 1. He followed it with the Grammy-winning "Halo" for Beyoncé, co-written with Ryan Tedder in just three hours, plus hits for Britney Spears, Madonna, Lizzo, Jason Derulo, Leona Lewis, and more. Today, Evan is the CEO of Seeker Music, the creator-led music rights, publishing, and record company he's built into a catalog of more than 19,000 copyrights and master recordings valued at roughly $400 million. The catalog includes works by Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, One Direction, Drake, Christopher Cross, Joan Jett, Run the Jewels, and Lewis Capaldi. Named the #2 Most Innovative Music Company of 2025 by Fast Company, Seeker recently closed its inaugural $267 million asset-backed securitization with M&G Investments and announced a global distribution partnership with Virgin Music Group. If you don't know what that means, that's OK, because we break it all down. We get into how you actually value and buy a music catalog, the business of publishing and masters, how songwriter splits and royalties work, why music rights have become an institutional asset class, and how music-backed securitization deals get financed. We also dig into Evan's role as Vice Chair of the Recording Academy and Co-Chair of the GRAMMYs Songwriters & Composers Wing, where he fights for fair mechanical royalty rates, helped create the Songwriter of the Year Grammy, and is helping shape the conversation around AI and the future of music rights, creativity, and ownership. This is the deep, insider version of Evan Bogart's story. The craft, the deals, the money, and the mission. For anyone who wants to understand how the music business actually works. I hope you enjoy the conversation with my dear friend, Evan Bogart! This episode is brought to you by our friends at The Pod Company! Their portable sauna makes it easy to prioritize your health wherever you are, whether you're on tour, traveling, or at home. Use promo code ELMO to get yours for $499 instead of $999! Learn more at https://podcompany.com/ Huge thanks to our friends at DistroKid! DistroKid is the easiest and fastest way to get your music on over 150 platforms worldwide! Go to https://distrokid.com/vip/elmo to get 20% off your first year! Become a Patreon Member to stay in the loop as we post Patreon-only exclusive content, ad free episodes, and discussions about music and music careers. https://www.patreon.com/gowithelmo Please SUBSCRIBE / FOLLOW this podcast to catch new episodes as soon as they drop! Your likes, comments and shares are much appreciated! Listen to the audio form of this podcast wherever you get your podcasts: https://elmolovano.komi.io/ Follow Evan: https://www.instagram.com/kiddbogart/ Follow Go With Elmo: https://www.instagram.com/gowithelmo/ https://www.tiktok.com/@gowithelmo https://x.com/gowithelmopod Follow Elmo Lovano: https://Instagram.com/elmolovano https://x.com/elmolovano Follow Jammcard: https://www.youtube.com/@jammcard https://www.instagram.com/jammcard/ jammcard.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is transforming every industry, but few are changing as quickly as recruitment.This week, I'm joined by Arsham Ghahramani, Co-Founder and CEO of Ribbon, an AI-powered hiring platform helping companies interview every applicant through conversational AI.Before founding Ribbon, Arsham led machine learning teams at Amazon and completed a PhD focused on AI bias and model stress-testing. Since launching Ribbon, the company has grown to more than 500 customers, raised $8 million in funding, and was recently named Fast Company's #1 AI recruiting platform.In this episode, we discuss:Building AI that recruiters and candidates can trustWhy AI should improve—not replace—the hiring processThe biggest misconceptions around AI recruitmentWhy bias remains one of the hardest problems to solveProduct-market fit and scaling an AI startupWhat hiring could look like in five years' timeWhether you're a founder, recruiter, hiring manager, or simply interested in where AI is taking the future of work, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Julie Castle has dedicated her life to saving animals. Since joining Best Friends Animal Society in 1996 as employee #17, she has grown with the organization and advanced its mission to save the lives of dogs and cats in America's animal shelters.   Now CEO, Julie has helped guide Best Friends through a period of significant growth, including expanding the organization's fundraising from $60 million to more than $130 million. Under her leadership, Best Friends has been recognized as a Harris Poll Brand of the Year four times and named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. Throughout her career, Julie has championed an approach rooted in collaboration, helping bring together shelters, rescues, and communities around our shared commitment to lifesaving.   Celebrating 30 years with Best Friends in 2026, Julie remains focused on strengthening the partnerships, policies, and momentum needed to help every shelter and every community reach no-kill. She leads a team of nearly 1,000 employees working toward one shared mission: Save Them All.  

I asked Drew if we were heading toward a future where my younger cells become a currency I could trade. He didn't say “no”.There's a version of you from ten years ago. Skin that bounced back, hair that grew in thick, cells that healed fast and inflamed less.That version is gone.Unless you saved it.This week on the Nina's Notes Podcast, I sit down with Drew Taylor, CEO of Acorn Biolabs, whose team figured out that the stem cell goldmine we've been drilling into hip bones to reach has been sitting at the root of your hair this whole time.With their protocol, you pluck about hairs from the back of your head at your doctor's office, the follicles get shipped to a lab, checked for viability, and dropped into liquid nitrogen at -196°C.At that temperature there's no metabolism. No aging. Nothing.A version of you, frozen mid-sentence in storage for when you need it.And, banking those cells costs less than Netflix. $190 a year for frozen storage.Acorn has already taken plucked hair follicles, turned them into iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells which can become anything) and turned them into cartilage, bone, fat, and neurons. They even pushed those neurons into the exact dopamine-producing cells that Parkinson's destroys. Acron is also exploring using their protocol to create pancreatic cells for type 1 diabetes, and natural killer cells that hunt down senescent and cancerous cells, the same population that falls off a cliff as we age.Oh, and three patients have reported their gray hairs coming back. Nobody was tracking for that!I also asked - Who actually owns your cells if the company gets acquired? Does banking at 12 versus 45 create a two-tier longevity system? He answered both without flinching.Watch & listen to the whole episode on

⚠️ Aviso: Este episodio aborda el tema de medicamentos y tendencias de pérdida de peso desde una conversación coloquial y personal. No somos profesionales de la salud; cualquier medicamento mencionado debe tomarse únicamente bajo supervisión médica. Es un tema sensible, especialmente para personas con trastornos de conducta alimentaria (TCA) — escúchalo con cuidado y, si lo necesitas, busca apoyo profesional.Hablamos sobre la historia de los ideales de belleza, desde los años 80 hasta hoy, el fenómeno del heroin chic, el boom del BBL, la llegada de los medicamentos GLP-1 como Ozempic y cómo todo esto impacta la autoestima, la salud mental y la forma en que las mujeres se ven a sí mismas.También compartimos experiencias personales sobre dietas, trastornos alimenticios, redes sociales, amor propio y la presión constante por cumplir un estándar imposible.¿Crees que volvió la obsesión por estar flaca? ¿Las redes sociales están empeorando nuestra relación con el cuerpo?Déjalo en los comentarios.

A new Gallup poll indicates that Americans are more skeptical of AI in 2026, despite being more familiar with it. The Navy didn't just roll out AI. It rallied people around it. These expert opinions were written by Fast Company and Ash Kumra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On today's episode, cohost Yasmin Gagne talks with Fast Company and Inc. head of editorial strategy David Lidsky on what makes the fintech company Stripe an idea factory. Then NASCAR chief operating officer Ben Kennedy has a conversation with Yaz about bringing new audiences to car racing. To read David's reporting, go to: fastcompany.com/91538341/stripe-most-underrated-influential-159-billion-company-power-map  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news /news

Dr. Carole Keim welcomes entrepreneur and innovator Miki Agrawal to The Baby Manual for a thought-provoking conversation about sustainability, parenting, and how caring for our children can also mean caring for the planet they will inherit. Best known for founding Thinx and TUSHY, Miki shares the inspiration behind her newest venture, HIRO Diapers, and explains how becoming a mother led her to rethink one of the biggest sources of household waste: disposable diapers. Together, Dr. Keim and Miki explore how innovation, nature, and practical parenting solutions can work hand in hand. Miki explains the environmental challenges posed by disposable diapers and introduces the science behind HIRO Diapers, which pair reduced-plastic diapers with beneficial fungi designed to help accelerate biodegradation in landfills. She also discusses postpartum products, elimination communication, and ways families can make environmentally conscious choices without sacrificing convenience. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Keim and Miki encourage parents to remember that even small, thoughtful actions can add up to meaningful change for future generations. Key Moments 00:00 – Why diapers deserve their own episode Dr. Keim explains why she dedicated an entire episode to diapers and reviews disposable diapers, cloth diapers, and elimination communication before introducing today's guest. 12:59 – Meet Miki Agrawal and her entrepreneurial journey Miki shares her background, from founding WILD, THINX, and TUSHY to becoming inspired by motherhood to rethink disposable diapers. 17:47 – The environmental impact of disposable diapers Learn why billions of diapers end up in landfills, how long they last, and what motivated Miki to look for a better solution. 19:55 – The idea behind HIRO Diapers Miki describes the inspiration that led her to fungi-based diaper technology and the years of research behind the product. 23:42 – How the fungi system works Discover how the fungal pouch is designed to activate after disposal, why it stays separate from the baby, and the safety considerations behind it. 26:21 – Supporting parents beyond diapers Dr. Keim and Miki discuss postpartum recovery, period underwear, bidets, and products that can make the postpartum period more comfortable. 27:40 – Elimination communication and using fewer diapers The conversation explores early potty awareness, reducing diaper use, and balancing convenience with sustainability. 30:10 – Building an eco-conscious parenting community Miki explains HIRO's broader mission of educating parents about elimination communication, non-toxic living, and environmentally conscious parenting. 31:00 – Small choices can make a big difference The discussion turns to plastic pollution, ecosystem health, and how everyday parenting decisions can contribute to meaningful environmental change. 37:10 – Where parents can learn more Miki shares where families can find HIRO Diapers, follow the company's work, and connect with her mission online. About Miki Agrawal: Miki Agrawal is the creative force behind acclaimed social enterprises TUSHY (the modern bidet brand), THINX (period-proof underwear), and WILD (NYC's first gluten-free pizza concept), collectively valued at over $250 million. Miki is the author of best-selling books "DO COOL SH*T" and "DISRUPT-HER”. Her next company, HIRO, is a revolutionary nature-based start-up harnessing ancient technology - fungi - to help solve the global plastic crisis. Their first product is a baby diaper that is designed to return to the earth with the help of friendly fungi. (They chose diapers to launch with because they're the #1 household plastic waste item that takes 400+ years to decompose in a landfill - and each baby uses ~6,000 diapers in their lifetime. Wild, right?) HIRO Diapers' mission is to return to the earth with the help of little HIRO Myco-pods that you add in during the diaper change. They're soft, safe, unbleached (the only one!), high-performing, and ready to change the game. Check out HiroDiapers.com to learn more. Recognized as one of Fast Company's "Most Creative People," a "Young Global Leader" by the World Economic Forum, and named one of INC's "Most Impressive Women Entrepreneurs," Miki brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the stage as a keynote speaker. Her authentic talks have been validated by audiences at MindValley, EO, and Capitalism.com, who have voted for her as the #1 best speaker among hundreds of speakers. Miki's compelling presentations delve into her 20+ years of entrepreneurial adventures, from boldly inventing products in traditionally taboo categories to creatively launching and scaling them exponentially. She openly shares her authentic revelations, embracing the colorful journey that defines her. When you experience Miki on stage, you'll witness more than a speaker; she's a dynamic, truth-telling performer delivering an unforgettable one-woman show. Combining her captivating presence with her profound insights into innovation and creative marketing, Miki's presentations have the power to drive any company towards innovative transformation. For more, go to mikiagrawal.com/speaking __  Resources discussed in this episode: The Holistic Mamas Handbook is available on Amazon The Baby Manual is also available on Amazon TUSHY: HelloTushy.com Thinx: Thinx.com HIRO: HiroDiapers.com   Check out all of Dr Carole Keim's must-haves and essentials for your little one: https://www.amazon.com/shop/drcarolekeim __ Contact Dr. Carole Keim, MD Linktree linktr.ee/drkeim Tiktok @dr.keim Instagram DoctorAtYourDoor Website CaroleKeim.com   Contact Miki Agrawal: Website: MikiAgrawal.com LinkedIn: MikiAgrawal Instagram: MikiAgrawal ---FullScript VitaminsUse this link to get 10% off and free shipping for orders over $50.HIRO DiapersUse code DRCAROLEKEIM for a discount at checkout. Click here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Global challenges require useful intelligence rather than singular futures driven by tech hype. Executive Director Hala Hanna joins the podcast to share how MIT Solve acts as a marketplace for social impact, connecting early-stage ventures with critical funding and partners. This conversation highlights inspiring innovators and solvers who are transforming constrained design prompts into sustainable, sovereign systems across healthcare and education. Empowering communities through true open innovation proves that proximity to the problem is the ultimate tool for scalable, long-term change.   00:00 Introduction 04:36 The Flawed Metric of Monopolized Tech 07:42 Aligning Targets with Global Realities 10:08 The Select Few and the Select Best Seat 16:13 The False Solace of Parallel Systems 27:31 Reclaiming Data Ownership from Extractors 29:22 Transforming Government into a Platform 36:13 A Grumpy Contrast to Blind Optimism 25:22 Cultivating Agency Through Local Frugality 50:02 Leveraging Proximity as an Unfair Advantage   Hala Hanna is the Executive Director of MIT Solve, an MIT initiative that finds and scales tech-based solutions to global challenges. Hala's global career is about advancing equity and sustainability for all. She grew up in Lebanon, where conditions of conflict and constraint shaped her understanding of resilience as a design principle. She is a member of the Fast Company Impact Council and a contributor to the World Economic Forum. Her recent writing includes 'AI Has a Single Story Problem' (Fast Company, June 2026) and 'When Resilience Creates Innovation: Lessons for Entrepreneurs' (Entrepreneur MENA, April 2025). Previously she served as Managing Director of MIT Solve.   Connect with Hala Hanna

You've been chasing more followers, more content, more press. KJ Blattenbauer wants you to stop. Because none of that is your actual problem.Candy Motzek sits down with KJ Blattenbauer, founder of Hearsay PR, author of Pitchworthy, and creator of the Recognition Report and Roadmap. With nearly three decades in public relations and placements in Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, KJ has figured out why some coaches and experts take off while others work just as hard and stay stuck.It's not visibility. It's recognition.Visibility is being seen. Recognition is being known for the right thing, so clearly, so consistently, that when someone hears your name, they can say in one breath who you are and why someone else needs to talk to you.In this conversation, KJ shares the one question that causes every client to pause: if money were no object, what do you really want to be known for? She shares the story of an eight-figure founder who got three paid speaking gigs and two new clients within a week after fixing her messaging. And she shares the moment her friend called her hyperventilating after receiving her messaging kit because for the first time, she finally saw herself the way others already did.Visibility is not vanity. Your gifts are meant to be shared. This episode will help you figure out how to do that without burning yourself out.Grab the free course, Stop Guessing and Start Signing Clients, and start building a coaching business that's actually yours: https://candymotzek.lpages.co/vfo/Want to see what's actually working for coaches right now? Download the free Coaching Business Insights Report 2026: https://candymotzek.lpages.co/business-growth-survey/Ready to work with a coach? Book a free 30 minute call: https://stepintosuccessnow.com/

Katie Schlott spent 20 years in innovation — running experiments, iterating, testing what works. So when she realized her professional network had quietly gone dark during the years she was deep in parenting, she did what any good strategist would do: she designed an experiment.Day raves. Pop-up dinners in strangers' homes. Perfume making fundraisers. Online Slack communities. Wonder Woman dinners. A volunteer board for women's health research. She tried all of it, wrote about it for Inc Magazine, and then came back on AND/BOTH to talk through what she actually found.The conversation covers the new rules of networking, why smaller rooms build realer connections, how parents in particular need to rethink the whole model, and what happens when you decide to build the community you can't find. Plus Costco. A lot about Costco.In This EpisodeWhy Katie ran a networking experiment — and what the traditional model was missingThe day rave, the pop-up dinner, the perfume fundraiser — what each one taught herThe Old Girls Club and Society of Working Mothers — online communities built on realness over résumésWonder Woman Dinners — strangers become friends in under two hours, and why it works“Tell me something Google doesn't know about you” — the opener that changes everythingWhy funny is sticky and vulnerability gets built through shared experiencesIf you can't find what you're looking for, build it — Brilliant Failures, Brilliant Mothers, Mama PaloozaJoining a volunteer board for women's health research and what that unlockedWhy big conferences are often the least efficient use of a parent's limited time and energyManaging your network based on energy levels, not just calendar availabilityWhat happens when you let your network go dark — and how to rebuild authenticallyHow to be direct about what you're looking for instead of hoping the room delivers itNetworking with teenagers at home — and the season-by-season nature of connectionQuotes From This Episode“If you think you're an N of one, you're actually an N of 100. Just start it.”— Katie Schlott“Funny is sticky. Vulnerability is created in moments where you're actually having fun with people.”— Katie Schlott“I want to join communities that thrive on real life, not résumés.”— Katie Schlott“Every single founder said: just pick one thing, just start with one. Don't be overwhelmed, just get the ball rolling.”— Katie Schlott“The smaller rooms are the best. Everything that follows from a small room conversation — the email, the introduction, the follow-up — none of that ever comes from a big conference.”— Ashley BlackingtonResources & LinksConnect with Katie on LinkedInRead Katie's lnc. Magazine article on "The New Rules of Networking"Check out her consultancy and read ALL her articles (Fast Company, Inc and Business Insider)Buy the magical Costco totes that she uses to keep her cart contents tight!Connect with Ashley:Website: https://www.ashleyblackington.comPodcast website: https://www.andbothpodcast.com/Dovetail® App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dovetail-app/id6744341822Instagram: @mydovetail.appLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblackington/

DJ DiDonna makes the case for why taking more extended time off helps professionals get further in their careers–and shares tricks for actually snagging that time. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) How to convince your boss to let you take a sabbatical 2) How sabbaticals act as “regret insurance”3) How to plan a truly fulfilling sabbaticalSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1169 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT DJ — DJ DiDonna is a senior lecturer of business administration at Harvard Business School, where he teaches MBA courses on entrepreneurship and building meaningful professional and personal lives. He has spent his career translating social science research into real-world tools for positive change. In 2019, DiDonna founded The Sabbatical Project to define, explore, and research the role of sabbaticals in modern life. He has helped organizations around the world—from nonprofits to Fortune 50 companies—design and implement sabbatical policies.His work has been featured in The Atlantic, Harvard Business Review, Time, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. Previously, DiDonna cofounded EFL Global, a fintech company that enabled more than $2 billion in capital to underbanked businesses and individuals across twenty countries before its acquisition in 2018. DiDonna earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. On his sabbatical, DiDonna walked nine hundred miles on pilgrimage in Shikoku, Japan, helped lead the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities at his undergraduate alma mater, Notre Dame, and unskillfully remodeled his kitchen. Outside work, you can find him plotting how to be in the Big Outdoors.• Book: Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One by DJ DiDonna• LinkedIn: DJ DiDonna• Website: TheSabbaticalProject.org• Website: djdidonna.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Tool: Voice Dream Reader• Book: The Three-Body Problem (The Three-Body Problem Series, 1) by Cixin Liu• Book: Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career by Herminia Ibarra— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Shopify. Sign up for your free trial at Shopify.com/awesomepod• Monarch. Get 50% off your first year with code AWESOME at Monarch.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How can architects expand their role upstream in project decision-making, and what happens when live massing, area data, and cost metrics replace fragmented, slow feasibility workflows?In this episode of Practice Disrupted, host Evelyn Lee explores what it takes for architecture practices to show up earlier with clients, entering the room before the brief is fixed and the budget is locked. She is joined by Brad Sara, Principal and Digital Services Lead, and Anton Shaw, Senior Associate, BIM Manager, and Automation Lead at Warren and Mahoney (WAM), a 70-year-old practice named one of the 10 most innovative architecture firms in the world by Fast Company. Together, they discuss how WAM developed Quick Stack, a feasibility playbook enabled by Arcol that brings real-time cost, area, and zoning metrics directly into massing models.Brad and Anton unpack the traditional friction of early feasibility phases, where teams constantly cycle through disconnected tools like SketchUp or Rhino, Excel spreadsheets, and InDesign reports. This fragmented workflow creates version drift, manual data errors, and delayed answers during fast-paced client negotiations. By implementing Arcol within WAM's "One Studio" approach, connecting 350 staff across offices in New Zealand and Australia, the firm enables live, single-environment updates. The moment a design or massing shape changes, the numbers update instantly for the entire team and client.The discussion dives into the business and relationship benefits of swimming upstream. Brad and Anton share how co-designing live with clients and cost consultants builds deep trust, eliminates the traditional "starving artist" dynamic, and enables WAM to generate fees for pre-concept feasibility work they previously couldn't capture. "Architects don't need to become developers. They don't need to become cost consultants or software companies. But we do need to become more fluent in the decisions our clients are making before that project becomes a project." - Brad SaraThey also share practical advice on change management, explaining how targeted rollouts, solving real workflow pain points, and letting computers handle tedious tasks allow architects to focus on strategic judgment and design quality.Guests:Brad Sara is a Principal and Digital Services Lead at Warren and Mahoney. Over a two-decade career spanning New Zealand, Australia, the UAE, Asia, and the US, he has advocated for digital transformation and strategic client partnerships across all stages of project delivery.Anton Shaw is a Senior Associate, BIM Manager, and Automation Lead at Warren and Mahoney. With a background in technical delivery, he specializes in building internal systems, automation workflows, and digital tools that improve project efficiency and overall design quality.This episode is especially for you if:✅You want to learn how Warren and Mahoney uses ArcOL and Quick Stack to unify massing models, area metrics, and cost data in one live environment.✅You are interested in "swimming upstream" to engage clients earlier during site selection and pro forma testing before project briefs are locked.✅You want to explore how live, collaborative feasibility sessions build deep client trust and unlock new revenue streams for early-stage design services.✅You want practical change management strategies for introducing new technology into multi-office practices without causing friction or tool fatigue.✅You want to eliminate manual data entry, version drift, and slow iteration loops between modeling software, spreadsheets, and design presentations.What have you done to take action lately? Share your reflections with us on social and join the conversation.

Ann Larson is the author of Cleanup on Aisle Five: Essential Work, Poverty Wages, and the View from Behind the Supermarket Register. Her writing on education, debt, and low-wage work has appeared in The New Republic, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Fast Company, and The Nation, among other publications. She is coauthor of Can't Pay Won't Pay: The Case for Economic Disobedience and Debt Abolition and is a fellow with the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.  --- What do you find Weirdly Helpful? Call me at 844-935-2378 ⁠⁠THE WEIRDLY HELPFUL MERCH STORE!!!!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Become a WH Patron and listen to the show ad-free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is A Fan Favorite Rerun Episode I had an incredible conversation with Chris Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator, in this week's episode of Successful with ADHD. Chris shared so many valuable insights on communication, empathy, and understanding - topics that are very relevant for the ADHD community.Chris is a former Lead FBI Negotiator and dynamic speaker who debunks the biggest myths around negotiation. Chris engages all groups with captivating stories, insights, and useful tips for business and everyday life. Chris has lectured on negotiation at business schools across the country and has been seen on ABC, CBS, CNN, and Fox News. Chris has also been featured in Forbes, Time, Fast Company, and Inc. Chris's Keynotes are based on his book Never Split The Difference©.Episode Highlights:[01:06] – Starstruck by my guest Chris Voss and why his book means so much to me and my husband.[02:48] - Chris emphasizes the importance of listening and paying attention to more than just words in a conversation.[03:50] - Strategies Chris suggests for people with ADHD to improve focus when listening intently.[06:37] - How turning communication into a "game" can help capture wandering attention.[08:39] - The challenges of reading body language accurately via video calls compared to in-person interactions.[10:00] - Tips for maintaining engagement and energy on long video calls.[11:05] - Using the "mirroring" technique to bring attention back to key points you may have missed.[13:52] - Why some personalities may not enjoy being "mirrored" and prefer different approaches.[17:22] - The strategic use of apologies before interruptions or assertions.[19:10] - Why apologies shouldn't necessarily be seen as a sign of weakness.[20:10] - Whether communication tactics can be used effectively when both parties are aware of them.[21:33] - Chris explains prospect theory and loss aversion based on the work of Daniel Kahneman.[25:14] - The importance of empathy and appreciation when using the powerful tool of invoking loss.[26:34] - The benefits of handwriting over typing for memory retention and focus.[29:49] - Practicing mental hygiene to counter our innate negativity bias.[32:33] - Tuning into emotions rather than words when listening.[35:33] - Paying attention to the "emotional timeline" based on the type of feelings being expressed.[36:01] - Strategies for bridging disagreements by ensuring people feel truly heard.[40:03] - Thoughts on reducing conflict through understanding and empathy for all sides.[40:56] - Whether world peace can ever be achieved.[43:13] - The importance of making people feel heard in communication.Connect with Chris Voss:•Black Swan Ltd - Chris Voss's company website: www.blackswanltd.com•The Edge weekly email newsletter - get free negotiation tips from Chris•Never Split the Difference - Chris's bestselling bookI loved diving into so many facets of communication and empathy with an expert like Chris. Let me know if you found this episode valuable by leaving a review! And don't forget to follow along on social media @coachingwithbrooke. See you next time!

This week's episode is a special feed swap. Sam is handing the mic over to Courtney Elmer, host of Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast and founder of PodLaunch, who has helped over 70 business owners break into the Top 100 in their categories and whose work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Forbes, and Fast Company. In this episode, Courtney breaks down the three places in your podcast funnel that reveal whether you're attracting new listeners, keeping their attention, and turning them into revenue, going beyond downloads to look at the Spotify metrics that show whether your cover art and title are pulling their weight, and the Apple Podcasts data that reveals exactly where listeners drop off. If you've ever wondered whether your podcast is quietly leaking listeners, this one's for you.   Follow Courtney Elmer: https://podlaunchhq.com/ https://www.podlaunchhq.com/blog https://podlaunchhq.com/bingeworth-episode-framework https://www.podlaunchhq.com/blog?tag=podcast+seo https://www.podlaunchhq.com/blog?tag=creating+bingeworthy+content https://www.podlaunchhq.com/blog?tag=marketing+%26+growth    Want to grow your visibility through podcast guesting? Explore how PodWritten can help: https://podwritten.com/services/   Bonus tips and resources: ◼️ Blog: https://podwritten.com/blog/ ◼️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podwritten/ ◼️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podwritten   Questions or want to say hey? Email us at sam@podwritten.com   Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  

We're running one of our favorite episodes from The Business of You archives. If you missed it the first time, or just want to listen again, check this one out! What makes a truly iconic brand? Few people are better qualified to answer that question than Neil Barrie, the branding expert behind household names like Pinterest, Peloton, and Airbnb. Neil Barrie founded the TwentyFirstCenturyBrand agency in 2018 and works with many of the world's most innovative brands, including Headspace, Bumble, and Depop. From 2021-23, the company grew revenue by 70%. Originally a failed rock star, Neil has led the development and growth of top-tier brands including Disney, The Grammys, and Unilever. Throughout his career, he has used his platform to make the advertising industry better and has been featured in publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, and The Guardian. Landing Your First Client How did Neil and his co-founder land Pinterest as their very first client? A lot of it had to do with personal branding and the reputation they'd built for themselves in the industry. From the beginning, Neil was intentional about doing things for free for influential people, with the expectation that they would one day recommend TwentyFirstCenturyBrand. He and his co-founder held workshops for venture capitalists and offered to help them with their portfolios.  It also helped that they had a clear mission for their company (to build influential 21st-century brands) and a strong point of view on what made an iconic brand: it had to be purpose-led, community-driven, tech-enabled, and narrative-based.  Neil and his co-founder came out of the gate with a clear thesis. They published white papers on their four-part framework that helped companies see the value in branding. Their strategy paid off — Pinterest took a chance on the new agency, and TwentyFirstCenturyBrand's client list has only grown since. Ingredients of an Iconic Brand Branding can be broken down into two sides: input and output. Output is your brand reputation or what other people say about you when you're not around. Input is everything you put into the brand: your vision, your purpose, and the experience you create for your audience. When asked about the future of branding, Neil says there are three factors entrepreneurs need to consider: profit, purpose, and people. After the turmoil of the last few years, profitability is more important than ever. Purpose is your vision, and "people" refers to how you rally your community around that vision. To build a truly influential brand, you need to balance all three factors. Enjoy this episode with Neil Barrie… Soundbytes 21:02–21:30 "We had a very clear process that we insisted people go through, which had a certain bit of mythology around it, in terms of some of the rituals that we would do. We would have things like 'discuss the undiscussable,' where we put all of the C-suite into a private room and facilitate a discussion around five undiscussable themes that we'd uncovered from meeting everybody. These are things, not necessarily related to brand, just in your culture that you need to address before you can really achieve your potential." 31:53–32:22 "Culture is a very special thing: The values of a company. The commitment to work with certain types of clients, to the proper balance of growth agenda, purposeful, profitable growth, and so on. The ability to say no to things, to really look after the team in different ways. So, it was clear from a lot of those conversations that a lot of people wanted us, but they wanted to sort of merge us with another of their consulting agencies, and sort of strengthen that and gain access to our client base, and things like that. And it was just clear that it was going to ruin what we built." Quotes "Most tech companies are leaving money on the table because they mistrust branding." "It's tough to get business when you're starting out. From the start, community and doing things for free for influential people with the expectation they would recommend us was a big part of our strategy." "Out of the gate, we acted like we'd been around for 30 years and hoped that sense of confidence and conviction would be infectious." "Vulnerability is required if you're going to build a proper brand." "You need to invest the time in figuring out what you stand for, what you are, how you're going to codify that into your experience and so on." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Website: https://twentyfirstcenturybrand.com/ Connect with Neil Barrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neil-barrie-29488aa/ Book "A Colourful View from the Top": https://www.amazon.com/Colourful-View-Top-Twenty-One-Extraordinary/dp/1408715791 Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/

We are more connected and lonelier than ever. That paradox is shaping not just our personal lives, but our workplaces, our leadership, and our long-term well-being. And if we don't address it intentionally, loneliness becomes more than a social issue; it becomes a business risk.Today, welcome back Dr. Tracy Brower, who has spent her career studying exactly this intersection of community, happiness, and the future of work.Listen in as we unpack the epidemic of loneliness, the ROI of community in the workplace, and how leaders can balance the human need for connection with the flexibility employees have come to expect. Tracy also shares practical ways to create the conditions for belonging and meaningful relationships without manufacturing culture or mandating connection. Finally, we explore the power of mentorship and social capital, why diversity strengthens our communities when built with intention, and how even introverts benefit from thoughtful connection. This is a conversation about designing work and leadership around what humans actually need to thrive.To access the episode transcript, go to www.TheEmpathyEdge.com and search by episode title.Listen in for…Why loneliness is so prevalent, despite how digitally connected we now are. How work can be part of the solution to the loneliness epidemic. Building communities with intention. Thoughtful connection, for both introverts and extroverts. How to balance the need for human connection and the flexibility of hybrid work environments for leaders. "You won't be purely happy if everybody's like you; your best happiness and well-being come when your network is about 50/50 - 50% who are more similar to you, 50% who are different from you." — Dr. Tracy Brower Episode References: Book: Critical Connections: Build Relationships and Harness the Power of Community in Work and Life: https://www.porchlightbooks.com/products/critical-connections-tracy-brower-9781394362264The Empathy Edge podcast:Dr. Tracy Brower: The Secret to Happiness at WorkNeil Miller: How to Make Hybrid Work WORK!Jessica Swank: How Box Navigates the New World of WorkShasta Nelson: Why Successful Leaders Encourage Work FriendshipsAbout Dr. Tracy Brower, PhD: Author, Critical Connections, The Secrets to Happiness at Work, Bring Work to LifeDr. Tracy Brower is a PhD sociologist studying community, happiness, and the future of work and life. She is a Global 50 Thinker and the award-winning author of three books: Critical Connections, The Secrets to Happiness at Work, and Bring Work to Life. She is the vice president of workplace insights with Steelcase and a senior contributor to Forbes and Fast Company. She is a Top 101 Experience and Engagement Influencer, and her work has been translated into 25 languages, while her TEDx talk has been viewed 8.6 million times. Connect with Tracy:Website: tracybrower.com X: x.com/TracyBrower108 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tracybrowerphd Instagram: instagram.com/tlb108 TikTok: tiktok.com/@tracybrowerauthor Connect with Maria:Get Maria's books: Red-Slice.com/booksHire Maria to speak: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossTake the LinkedIn Learning Courses! Leading with Empathy and Balancing Empathy, Accountability, and Results as a Leader LinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaFacebook: Red Slice

What can you do to answer the calling that is tugging on your heart?  In this episode, Jeff and Stephen discuss:  Restarting from zero with faith and motivation.  Nerding out on the word of God and honoring Him in all things. The founding and growth of Truly Free and Truly Free Home.  Anti-slavery mission work and broader vision for conscious, freedom-centered business.  The evolution of social commerce and attention capital.     Key Takeaways:  A painful upbringing and chaotic family life can become fuel for protecting others and building something great. It does not have to hinder you, but can rather spark your fire.  Life will have crises. Those personal crises can spark mission-driven businesses or operations to solve real, everyday problems.  Faith does not need to be a distant tradition. Make it the center of your life - it can shape leadership and guide business decisions and long-term vision.  There are more women and children enslaved today than at any other point in history. Who is standing in the gap to find these women and children in bondage?  Consumers are changing their buying behaviors - startups and entrepreneurs are answering the call that big companies are not.    "The world needs more conscious entrepreneurs now than any other time in human history, and if you have a calling on your life to do good through commerce, the time is now, and don't let the grass grow under your feet." —  Stephen Ezell   About Stephen Ezell: Stephen Ezell is the founder and CEO of Truly Free Home and Truly Free. Renowned for its plant-based, non-toxic cleaning and laundry solutions, Ezell created Truly Free Home in 2015 to make family-safe, refillable cleaning and laundry products more accessible to consumers. Ezell's refillable cleaning revolution has freed more than 1,000,000 homes from harmful chemicals and toxins to date, eliminating 25 million single-use plastics from the environment. Named a 2023 Henry Crown Fellow, a 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, a 2025 Endeavor Entrepreneur, and Inc.'s Best in Business List in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Known as a disruptive thought leader in the conscious capital movement, Ezell architects brands and online marketplaces that drive revenue and positively impact the world. He has strategically positioned multiple companies to achieve industry leadership throughout his career, creating sustainable jobs in three countries. Most recently, Ezell expanded Truly Free Home's business portfolio with the launch of Truly Free, the world's first revenue-sharing, decentralized social commerce platform, to connect brands, creators, and consumers. In recognition of his business success and philanthropic work in combating human trafficking, Ezell has been featured in leading publications like Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Crain's Detroit Business Journal, and countless more.    Connect with Stephen Ezell: Website: https://trulyfreehome.com/  Website: https://trulyfree.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenjezell    Connect with Jeff Thomas:  Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/ Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/ Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-up Email: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisors Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw

What if the next breakthrough in leadership isn't another business strategy—but a deeper understanding of yourself?In this thought-provoking episode of the Conscious Leadership Revolution Podcast, Susan Hobson sits down with Harvard Business School MBA, entrepreneur, and Jaguar House founder Robert Lennox to explore one of the most talked-about frontiers in leadership development: psychedelic-assisted transformation.Together, they discuss how neuroscience, consciousness, and authentic leadership intersect in an era defined by AI, rapid disruption, and increasing pressure on today's leaders. From ego and authenticity to neuroplasticity and human potential, this conversation challenges conventional thinking about what it truly takes to lead at the highest level.Whether you're a CEO, entrepreneur, executive, coach, or high performer, this episode will leave you questioning how leadership is evolving—and what it means to develop from the inside out.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why conscious leadership is becoming the competitive advantage of the future• The difference between "power over" and "power for"• How psychedelics may support self-awareness, purpose, and authentic leadership• Why human intelligence (HI) may become more valuable than artificial intelligence (AI)• The neuroscience behind neuroplasticity and mindset transformation• How authenticity influences trust, creativity, and executive performance• Why leaders must train their nervous systems for the future of work• The importance of integration, coaching, and intentional personal development

Ludmila Praslova: The Canary Code Ludmila Praslova is a Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Vanguard University of Southern California and regularly writes for Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and Forbes. She's the recipient of the 2025 Talent Award from Thinker50 and has been named a LinkedIn Top Voice. She is the author of The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work (Amazon, Bookshop)*. We've all seen career paths that sound like this: analyst 1, analyst 2, senior analyst, lead analyst, manager of analysts, etc. Those paths to leadership work for some people, but they don't work for others. In this conversation, Ludmila and I explore how to create leadership paths that work for everyone. Key Points Canaries were used in coal mines because they were more sensitive to early indicators of problems – in a way that helped everyone. The same is often true for neurodivergent leaders in organizations. The “ideal leader” is a myth. If we are honest, no individual fits the ideal profile. Having different paths to leadership makes more sense in a complex world. Many of the best leaders are specialists in something. Instead of looking for “culture fit,” challenge yourself and your organization to do a “culture add.” Neurodiverse leaders can be less susceptible to bias and have higher levels of divergent thinking – huge benefits strengths for many organizations. In addition to people management, consider paths for leadership that focus strength and skill on system and process, strategy, expertise, though leadership, global leadership, and creative ideation. Making the workplace more accessible and equitable for one population almost always makes it better for everyone. Resources Mentioned The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work by Ludmilla Praslova (Amazon, Bookshop)* Interview Notes Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required). Related Episodes The Mindset Leaders Need to Address Burnout, with Christina Maslach (episode 608) The Neurodiversity Edge in Organizations, with Maureen Dunne (episode 694) How to Motivate Younger Employees, with David Yeager (episode 775) Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

DJ DiDonna is a Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, where he teaches entrepreneurship. In 2019, he founded The Sabbatical Project to define, explore, and research sabbaticals, and he has since advised organizations ranging from nonprofits to Fortune 50 companies on how to design sabbatical policies. His work on sabbaticals has been featured in outlets including The Atlantic, Time, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Fortune, and NPR. Before his work on sabbaticals, DJ co-founded EFL Global, a fintech social enterprise that helped enable more than $2 billion in capital for underbanked businesses and individuals across more than 20 countries. On his own sabbatical, DJ walked 900 miles on pilgrimage in Shikoku, Japan, and ran a poverty research lab at Notre Dame. DJ's is also the author of the book, Big Time Off: The Transformative Power of Sabbaticals and How to Take One In this episode we discuss the following: Sometimes we need to zoom out before we can know whether we should keep going. DJ had his  dream job, but over time, it stopped being fulfilling. So he took a sabbatical. Sabbaticals are different from vacations. On vacation, the work is often still waiting, and part of our brain is still running in the background. But on a true sabbatical, we step far enough away from normal life to see more clearly and focus on what is important, not just what is urgent. Sabbaticals also give us room to experiment with different versions of ourselves. When we're younger, we have socially acceptable ways to do that — school, internships, missions, study abroad, gap years. But as adults, those opportunities become less common, and we often stop experimenting altogether. We get on a track, stay in the lane, and assume the next thing should look a lot like the last thing. The sabbatical helps us break out. I love DJ's phrase that sabbaticals are “regret insurance.” Maybe we can't take a sabbatical tomorrow. But what are we doing five years from now? What would we regret never having done? And what would it look like to start planning now?

On today's episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk to Fast Company contributor John Pavlus about how the godmother of AI, Fei-Fei Li, is building world models — AI that many hope will replace LLMs. Then, Yaz talks to Fast Company staff writer Pavithra Mohan about her deep dive into how actual humans in the human resources department are disappearing and being replaced by apps and AI. To read John's reporting, go to: fastcompany.com/91549046/fei-fei-li-world-labs-ai-gets-physical-models-spatial-intelligence  To read Pavithra's deep dive, go to: fastcompany.com/91565321/amazon-is-taking-human-out-of-hr-ai-chatbot-app-aza  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

Rita McGrath, bestselling author, Columbia Business School professor, sought-after speaker, strategic advisor, and podcast host, joins me on this episode. Rita is a recognized expert in innovation, strategy, and growth, one of the world's Top 10 Management Thinkers, an award-winning academic researcher, and was named by Fast Company as one of the 25 Smartest Women to Follow on Twitter. Her clients include MetLife, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and many other leading organizations.

According to Bob's Burgers creator Loren Bouchard, you can either go the formal route of establishing a creative career—or just make shit. Both have their merits, to be sure. But to Bouchard, the latter is a true superpower.   Over the course of its 15-year run, Bob's Burgers has become one of the most beloved animated series on TV, following the misadventures of the working-class Belcher family as they try to keep their small business alive. But Bouchard will be the first to tell you that as a high school dropout with no formal training in animation, his path to creating a modern classic like Bob's Burgers was anything but conventional.   In this episode of Creative Control, we unpack Bouchard's unlikely journey to becoming one of animation's top showrunners, what it really takes to build work that lasts, and what keeps his creative passion burning for a project that's lasted a decade and a half. For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news To listen to the latest episodes of Creative Control on Fast Company:https://www.fastcompany.com/podcasts/creative-control

On today's episode, cohosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen talk to Fast Company's  Nate Berg about how a Walmart heir helped transform a small town in Arkansas. Then, Fast Company staff writer David Salazar sits down with the CEO of American Association of Independent Music Ian Harrisson and COO of an independent record label Partisan Records Zena White to talk about the challenges, opportunities, and future of the independent music business.  To check out Nate's reporting, go to: https://www.fastcompany.com/91550093/alice-walton-crystal-bridges-expansion-bentonville  For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to fastcompany.com/news

Eric Ries is the creator of the Lean Startup method and the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lean Startup, The Leader's Guide, and The Startup Way. As a founder, Eric has put his own ideas into practice through the Long-Term Stock Exchange (LTSE), Answer.AI, an AI R&D lab, Virgil, a legal services startup, and IMVU. On The Eric Ries Show, he talks with world-class technologists, thought leaders, and executives who are building for the long term. Get a copy of his new book Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad... and How Great Companies Stay Great New here? I am a two-time New York Times bestselling author and one of the most sought-after public speakers globally, having addressed over 500 companies in more than 40 countries. My clients include Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Nike. My work has been covered in print media, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, Time, Fast Company, Fortune, Politico, Inc., and Harvard Business Review. It has also been featured on NPR, NBC, FOX, and multiple times on The Steve Harvey Show. Get more stuff from me: Join 200K+ subscribers on my FREE weekly newsletter: https://gregmckeown.com/1mw/ Stay in touch with me: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gregorymckeown/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmckeown/ X https://x.com/GregoryMcKeown Hire me to speak: https://gregmckeown.com/keynote/

On the path to power through peace, our surprising energetic fingerprint, and practicing self-compassion.  0:00 — Introduction and Guest Welcome 1:39 — Discussion on "Permission to Glow" 3:50 — Exploring the Four Permissions 6:17 — The Difference Between Shining and Glowing 10:32 — The Pause Button and Personal Practices 13:23 — Meditation and Personal Transformation 19:28 — Self-Compassion and Personal Growth 19:40 — Conclusion and Final Thoughts Kristoffer Carter ('KC') is the author of Permission to Glow: A Spiritual Guide to Epic Leadership, which guides his team's coaching of Fortune 500 executive leaders. He is the CEO and founder of Epic Leadership, which has created a meditation practice for thousands. Kris's teachings have been featured in Men's Health, Fast Company, Thrive Global, and Good Life Project podcast. Kris sits on the Board of Directors of Yoga Alliance, and serves the global work of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi. He teaches at Kripalu, and on Substack, via his column Permission to Chill. Kristoffer lives in Northeast Ohio with his three children.

Tom Morris, one of the world's leading public philosophers, pioneering business thinkers, bestselling author of more than 30 books, keynote speaker, and advisor, joins me on this episode. Tom earned two master's degrees and a double Ph.D. in philosophy and religious studies from Yale University and spent 15 years as a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. Throughout his career, he has helped leaders and organizations apply timeless wisdom to modern business challenges, advising companies including Ford, Bank of America, Toyota, Target, and Walmart. His work has been profiled on NBC, ABC, CNN, CNBC, and NPR, and in the New York Times, Fast Company, USA Today, and many other media outlets.

Ron Friedman reveals the science behind unlocking extraordinary team performance. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The three strengths that separate superteams from average teams 2) Why managing energy and attention matters more than working harder3) The feedback approach that encourages lasting behavior change Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1163 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT RON — Ron Friedman, PhD, is an award-winning psychologist and the founder of ignite80, a learning and development company that teaches leaders science-based strategies for building high-performing teams. His research has been featured on NPR, Bloomberg, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, as well as in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail (Toronto), Fast Company, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review. He is the author of The Best Place to Work, an Inc. Magazine Best Business Book of the Year, and Decoding Greatness. He lives in Pittsford, New York.• Book: Superteams: The Science and Secrets of High-Performing Teams• Website: SuperteamsMasterclass.com• Website: SuperteamsInc— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Book: The Award: A Novel by Matthew Pearl— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Shopify. Sign up for your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/awesomepodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.