On this episode of Looking Outside, we’re exploring the role of humor in business. Whether it’s silly doodles, clever cartoons, or gentle jokes, giving and having the permission to laugh at ourselves, at our industry, and at our field of expertise can elevate corporate culture. Sharing how he does this every day, with over 200 corporate clients, is world-leading marketing cartoonist, Marketoonist and author of Your Ad Ignored Here, Tom Fishburne. Tom shares how provoking a laugh, and encouraging people to not take themselves too seriously in business, sets a new tone for corporate culture that elevates how people work together. ----------More:Looking Outside podcast www.looking-outside.comTomFishburne.com & on LinkedInMarketoonist.comTom's book Your Ad Ignored HereTom's podcast on Uncensored CMO at Cannes 2024Tom's TEDX Talk The Power of Laughing at Ourselves at WorkConnect with host, Jo Lepore----------⭐ Follow, like and rate the show - it makes a difference!----------Looking Outside is a podcast exploring fresh perspectives of familiar topics. Hosted by its creator, futurist and marketer, Jo Lepore. New episodes every 2 weeks. Never the same topic.All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers. Copyright 2024. Theme song by Azteca X.

In this episode of Looking Outside, we're exploring the influence and influencers of Food Culture, and the sociological, traditional and modern values that are redefining how we innovative in food. We're joined for this conversation by Jing Gao, Founder & CEO of modern Chinese food brand Fly by Jing. Armed with a desire to help people discover new facets of Asian cuisine, driven by re-discovering her own heritage, Jing shares her organic journey to helping people re-perceive how food culture is shaped, in the process opening up minds to new ways to enjoy familiar flavors. ----------More:Looking Outside podcast www.looking-outside.comWatch the interview on YouTube @lookingoutsideFly by Jing flybyjing.comJing Gao on LinkedIn & Insta Jing's cookbook The Book of Sichuan Chili CrispConnect with host, Jo Lepore----------⭐ Follow, like and rate the show - it makes a difference!----------Looking Outside is a podcast exploring fresh perspectives of familiar topics. Hosted by its creator, futurist and marketer, Jo Lepore. New episodes every 2 weeks. Never the same topic.All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers. Copyright 2024. Theme song by Azteca X.

We’ve covered climate change and environmental causes on Looking Outside, focused on the innovation that’s helping to create new solves for existing problems. On this episode, we’re exploring the topic of environmental action from a human perspective, looking at what sociology and the study of historical patterns of collective human behavior can tell us about how we’re reacting to, and in some cases rebelling against, the issue of climate change today. To do this, we’re joined by social scientist Dr Dana R. Fisher, Director of the Center for Environment, Community, & Equity (CECE) and a Professor in the School of International Service at American University. Dana has studied and written about the combined relationship of social and environmental change for over two decades.----------More:Looking Outside podcast www.looking-outside.comMore on this episodeWatch the interview on YouTube @lookingoutsideDana R. Fisher https://danarfisher.comGet 20% off Dana's book Saving Ourselves | Buy direct from the publisher and use code "CUP20" Connect with host, Jo Lepore----------⭐ Follow, like and rate the show - it makes a difference!----------Looking Outside is a podcast exploring fresh perspectives of familiar topics. Hosted by its creator, futurist and marketer, Jo Lepore. New episodes every 2 weeks. Never the same topic.All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers. Copyright 2024. Theme song by Azteca X.

Investigating for the hidden truth, putting the puzzle pieces together, building a strong case, leading with objectivity … you might be thinking of the responsibility of business leaders. But today, we’re exploring these same familiar elements from the perspective of a field where this holds greater weight. We’re speaking about investigations &amp; interrogations with private investigator and retired LAPD detective, Greg Kading.After 25 years working homicide in Los Angeles, Greg hasn’t taken off his detective hat, even after retiring. Instead turning to the PI world and storytelling, speaking about and writing of the cases he’s worked (and solved). Today, Greg is well known for writing Murder Rap, a recount of the cold case he and his task force took on to solve the Biggie Smalls case. A three year investigation that ultimately led to the discovery of Biggie and Tupac’s murders. It’s a case that’s thrust Greg into the spotlight, a shift from private case work that he’s taken easily, led by the resolution that the truth should be shared, wherever possible.It's also given Greg an opportunity to shine a light on the real life challenges of a detective, past the glamourous portrayal in books, movies and TV. Greg underpins the patience required of a detective: not getting evidence analyzed instantaneously, answers not revealing themselves easily, sometimes needing to start at the beginning and retracing your steps to see what you missed. Police work is naturally full of departmental procedures and red tape, which makes it even more imperative not to rush into short cuts or false conclusions. Maintaining objectivity and removing ego are two critical aspects of doing great police work. Greg stresses that sometimes we become entranced with an idea of what the truth is and lose sight of what the facts are actually telling us. The process for a detective is therefore quite scientific, in forming a hypothesis and working to disprove it. Instead of what most may imagine - working to prove a hunch. “Within reason, all things are possible” - Greg’s says this theory of openness is critical driving out bias in the investigative process.But this all takes time. You don’t become a detective once you get the badge; you get there through experience, learning, and building your natural instincts. While that feels very familiar for those of us in the business world, who are often placed in role without learned experience, it’s also in Greg’s world rife with deception, after all, suspects have motive to lie and misdirect. It requires careful study of human psychology to spot the red flags that may point to that deception, and perhaps surprisingly, it also demands empathy. While technology has advanced and will continue to progress the fields of forensics, profiling and surveillance, in his decades-long experience investigating crimes, Greg has been led by human psychology. He says it's important to marry various human insights and technological resources at your disposal in gathering evidence to form a hypothesis. And of course, then working to disprove it, in the search for the one truth.&gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Greg goes back into nature and spends time with the people close to him – without a phone or work on the mind. &gt;&gt;&gt;Greg Kading is an American author and former Los Angeles Police Department detective best known for working on a multi law-enforcement task force that investigated the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls in the mid-2000s.Read Murder Rap: the untold story of the Biggie Smalls &amp; Tupac Shakur Murder Investigations.Listen to <a...

Today we’re looking outside a very familiar topic, exploring brand building that strengthens a brand’s equity today and sets it up for the future. We’re joined for this all-marketing chat with marketing rockstar, fellow podcaster, Founder of unmtchd.brands and former Puma exec, Oana Leonte.Oana recently pivoted from a marketing career working to build some of the world’s biggest brands, including WB, Paramount and Disney, to building her own brand. Armed with a big ambition to make marketing a better place for marketers and in bringing the magic back into marketing, and with the goal of helping marketers focus on the most required skills for the future.With marketers todays over-fixed on chasing hype and virality, the focus has become more on performance than on brand building, and away from what Oana says is the real job of marketers. While marketing fundamentals shift with the changing times, when it comes to younger marketers, they’re often completely disregarded but, “They exist for a reason.” Oana encourages young marketers to understand those basics, and leverage the earned and learned knowledge of older leaders in the room, who have a seat at that table for a reason. The point is considering a diverse array of perspectives, including less experienced ones. Oana stresses she is an advocate for bringing young people into important forums with senior leaders. More and more, businesses and brands are spending time creating youth boards that allow young marketers a voice in the boardroom. Oana says this is particularly important to better compete with emerging disruptive small brands who are often run by smart, young marketers savvy with modern marketing tactics. Equally, Oana believes senior business leaders and CMOs need to hear more from the every day humans they are creating and marketing for. After all, if we still believe that the consumer is the ultimate boss, then they should be not just represented in data but heard with their own voice. Oana highlights how important this is not just to understand behaviors being exhibited today but in foreseeing how those behaviors are likely to evolve. In guiding brands towards futures that they can play a relevant role in, Jo and Oana also explore how culture shapes brands often without them realizing it, or indeed leveraging it. In the quest to protect the status quo, and keep up with past success, brands run the risk of making safe, predictable decisions that paralyze them in time. This is a particular risk for big brands that have more to lose. Whether it’s a big brand or a personal brand Oana’s unwavering push for future growth is led by a learner mindset and a choice to act bravely. She describes her own superpower as just that – unique to her. She encourages anyone who lacks confidence because they feel like they don’t fit in, to stop thinking of this as a liability but as an advantage that no one else has.&gt;&gt;&gt; To look outside, Oana connects with people who hold different experience from across varied industries, categories and backgrounds. Oana approaches this with curiosity, with what she calls an open heart and ear. She brings this curiosity to her learner’s mindset, like to technology which she sees as the biggest disruption in our lives. &gt;&gt;&gt;Oana Leonte is a seasoned brand marketer and the host of the popular marketing podcast, Unmtchd.With an impressive background, she brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles in marketing and consumer products for Fortune500 brands such as Disney, Warner Bros., and Viacom. She recently left her position as Marketing Director at PUMA, to devote herself to her mission of driving brand evolution toward a future of limitless creativity and impact through her brand transformation consultancy work, her podcast and her upcoming...

Today we’re taking a no BS look at the world of customer insights, leadership and business visioning with the President of software company Zappi, the ever-passionate and transparent leader, Ryan Barry.Having led Zappi for over four years, Ryan shares his no holds barred take on company leadership and people leadership, and it’s all anchored on authenticity. Years ago, Ryan says, he was called out by his wife on having a ‘work voice’ and realized he shouldn’t be wearing 50 different masks depending on who he’s speaking with. He says this new transparent approach to dealing with people and stakeholders alike makes his life easier, and ensures his leadership style is more human. Ryan is also committed to communication, or even over-communication, dropping casual and informal voice messages and videos as news evolves in his company regularly, to ensure no one has to second guess what is happening, and that business updates are intentional and impactful. To negate a possible consequence of this – dominance and over-assertion - Ryan says he leans into curiosity, asking questions openly on things he is not knowledgeable about and deferring to the experts. “Your job sometimes is just to listen,” he says.Jo and Ryan also discuss the future of the workplace, particularly as more remote, flexible and virtual working styles are implemented, and spontaneous moments to ‘break bread with people’ in a physical office become fewer. Nearly 70% of Ryan’s staff are on the other side of the planet to him. He’s cognizant of the necessity to build and nurture relationships and believes that cannot be replaced by physically being in the same place together. Trust, collaboration and understanding are best built in real life, Ryan says, as are new ideas generated from sporadic and unplanned moments ‘bumping into’ people. &nbsp;Whatever new technological automation and outsourcing the future holds for the workplace, this ability to connect, human to human, won’t be replaced.Holding a personal brand of his own, supported by his podcast Inside Insights and newsletter Ryan’s Rants, Ryan regularly shares reflections on the industry he operates in and where customer strategies go wrong. More and more companies are driven by two polarized objectives: short term earnings vs long term goals, awards and accolades vs ads that actually drive sales, political stances vs internal policies. Ryan highlights the importance of being frank with yourself on why business decisions are made, of taking input from your staff (whether you like what they say or not), of building principles that create consistency for future scenarios, and of ensuring your business actions match what you say. “People’s bullshit meter is way up”, and Ryan says that’s a good thing. &gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Ryan goes outside to get lost in nature and mountains, usually with his dog. Getting out from the physical reality he's surrounded by allows him to tap into another level of ideas in his subconscious.&gt;&gt;&gt;Ryan Barry oversees Zappi's global business operation leading the companies growth and impact internally and externally and serves as a member of the firm's executive leadership team. Prior to Zappi, Ryan worked for GMI, an online survey solution provider which was eventually acquired by Kantar and also started a dog care company which was sold in 2015 and a non profit aimed at raising money for less fortunate children.In addition to his work at Zappi, Ryan serves on Michigan State’s advisory board for their MR program. Ryan lives outside of Boston with his wife, two sons, daughter and his two hound dogs and loves the great outdoors and Boston sports.Follow Ryan on LinkedInSubscribe to

In this episode, we’re taking a look outside the very familiar food industry and a closer look at the emerging sector of plant-based food, with food activist, entrepreneur, and CEO and Co-Founder of Heura, Marc Coloma.Marc’s mission to transform the food industry starts with his own company, which acts as a symbol for what is possible; investing in food innovation to solve not just taste and nutrition challenges, but also ones related to social issues.Social activism is something Marc has been passionate about since he was a ‘rebellious’ child. His life and career were shaped by a drive to ask 'why?' and a desire to transform anger at what is imperfect in the world into a vehicle for positive change. As a ‘good rebel’, Marc is determined to shape his work around things that matter to him personally. In many ways, Marc’s ambition (and success) in this foray represents a modern shift in business; where people recognize a friction that exists between values and behaviors and work to close that gap. Marc calls it the 21st century way of doing business: companies already do make people’s lives better by providing solutions to existing problems, but now they can also make “multiplied impact in the value chain”. While shifts to address environmental, social and nutritional challenges need to take place across many sectors, for Marc, the focus started with the food industry, where many of the issues arise from modern day lifestyles. We are good at scaling solutions quickly in the food industry, he says, but equally at scaling their consequences. This is part of the impetus for the plant-based movement towards alternative solutions, or as Marc and his team call them, ‘successors’ of the current food system.Plant-based food are under a tremendous amount of scrutiny today, not just from the media but from frustrated customers and disappointed food retailers. Marc says a part of the declining performance is the fact that the industry was scaled too fast in a bid to tap into (warranted) enthusiasm to transform the food sector. But here speed came at the cost of a great customer experience, and most importantly, great taste. Marc says with transforming the food sector in sight, we forgot about the most critical target to win over – the customer.Heura, the plant-based food company Marc co-founded in 2017 and leads today, is outperforming its European competitors on taste. Marc stresses this is pivotal in changing consumer behavior, while supporting the rituals that people love. Taste will always win, and you may get one shot to prove that to customers. Marc believes plant-based food is only in the ‘early beginnings of potential’ and that we must expand frontiers of what we thought was possible. Planetary limitations are a reality of the future (put simply: many more people, consuming many more calories) and must be addressed in new ways.Jo and Marc also discuss how, in the end, it’s easy to blame others for inertia in current food systems, but that blaming an entire industry, sector or category is not helpful, particularly when change starts with us – with individual actions. It’s also not helpful to reject or distrust a growing and emerging industry like the plant-based one, especially one that does not exist to destroy anything but to help maintain the traditions we hold close to our hearts. &gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Marc learns through others, hearing first hand testimonies from people that spark unique ideas and an interest to learn more deeply about something new. Meanwhile, time in nature, hiking and sports like boxing, and yoga help him stay grounded.&gt;&gt;&gt;Marc Coloma is a food activist and CEO at Heura. Born in Barcelona, Marc has been involved in social activism since he was 16 years old. In 2015 he decided to take part in an entrepreneurship

In this episode of Looking Outside, we explore personal and professional growth from the angle of imperfection; not having it all figured out and embracing what you don’t know as a lever for learning. Even if you work for the world’s biggest and best brands. Just like our guest has done, Marco Andre, author of Imperfect Stories and Head of Marketing and Generative AI at Novartis.Marco shares how his journey from tech to pharma had no master plan, he was simply a geeky guy that liked designing things. A sustainability engineer by training, a jazz drummer by night and an author in his spare time, Marco has embraced adaptability and flexibility throughout his career. All while working for the world’s leading brands, P&amp;G, Google and now Novartis.Instead of a well-defined ‘life plan’, Marco describes his career journey as a desire to tap into his creativity, particularly as someone with “no shortage of ideas”. Creativity can mean assembling LEGO or writing stories, but it can also be expressed through learning a new topic. For Marco, his curiosity led him to Generative AI which he now heads up for his company, and speaks about on the public stage. He doesn’t call himself an AI guru, however. In fact, Marco approaches AI the same way he advises others to; with acknowledgement of the emotions that surround it (the 5 stages of AI grief), and with proactive experimentation. Jo and Marco discuss how AI needs to be intentionally and carefully explored, as it’s important to stay close to the changes in the external world instead of living in denial with blinkers on. But that ultimately the way we use it (and when we choose not to) is up to us. Even though Marco spends a lot of time presenting about AI and other topics, he makes it a point to do so with authenticity. He believes the time of polished and perfected TED Talks is over, and people want to hear more from leaders who have learnt from failure, who don’t know everything and who admit when they are scared. This, Marco says, is the new leadership that people – especially young people entering the workforce – expect. It requires us to think differently about traditional career paths that tied our professional expertise and personal development to one company for most of our lives. It also requires businesses to adapt to enable and incentivize these types of next generation leaders. It’s important, Marco explains, for companies who are particularly inward focused and disconnected with their customers, to think differently about how they “inject oxygen” into a stale environment by bringing in the outside world. &gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Marco goes for a walk to clear his mind. And when he’s trying to look differently at a topic, he leverages a small group of trusted people to gain a perspective that differs to his own. Then, taking in theirs and considering his own, he makes up his own mind. &gt;&gt;&gt;Marco Andre is the Global Head of Marketing and Generative AI Excellence at Novartis. He is a keynote speaker, AI advisor to executives and a published author.Marco has worked for 20+ years in companies such as Google, Procter &amp; Gamble and YouTube, where he held local, regional and global roles in Marketing, Sales, Partnerships and Operations. Marco’s achievements include scaling a country marketing operation 4x in two years, managing a $20M brand budget across 18 EMEA countries and advising C-Level executives on digital transformation for brands worth $40B in sales.Outside of work, Marco is the author of the book - Imperfect Stories, and builds a ton of LEGO. He is a proud owner of 20+ sets, with his favorite one being the Star Wars Millennium Falcon.Follow Marco on LinkedIn and...

On this episode of Looking Outside we discuss the evolved art of photography and its role in capturing the state of nature and wildlife as a form of conservation, with nature photographer and conservationist, Derek Nielsen. A photographer for more than 20 years, Derek’s journey to capture images from across each continent of the world started with curiosity; his passion for global travel prompted him to bring a camera wherever he went. Soon, this became a mission with a sense of responsibility to be an ambassador for the wildlife and nature degradation that can’t speak for itself, through his photos. Fearless since he was a child, Derek has been driven throughout his life by a calling to see things that are less comfortable and unnerving. He describes this as a “free fall of curiosity” that followed his passion for and companionship with nature. And prompted him to do more than just record and observe.Derek’s describes how photographers are storytellers today, tasked with providing more to their audience than beautiful images or documents of facts, but to move them through stories that they otherwise wouldn’t have the ability to hear. Derek’s stories incentivize people to do small or big action in support of the conservation cause; whether it’s a monetary donation or simply picking up their trash. One story Derek shares is in a moment of connection with a baby chimpanzee while he was visiting the Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda. The moving photo that captures the moment they locked eyes helps Derek tell a story of wildlife protection – and therefore inspire future photographers and donations. He says it’s in this way that photographers can play a bigger role in the world than garnering likes on social media. Having travelled to more than two dozen countries, Derek has seen some haunting things, and explains how important hope and optimism is in not becoming overwhelmed by the deterioration of the world, desensitized to problems, or disconnected from every day life back home. He seeks this out by surrounding himself with people who are kind and with the things that are driving positive change, not just with things to be outraged by.&gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Derek finds play. Whether it's Ping-Pong with his wife, a dog wrestle, or messing around with his nieces and nephews. Play re-centers him back to family and the things that are important in life. He calls this both instant happiness and a non-negotiable.&gt;&gt;&gt;Derek Nielsen is a conservation-driven fine art photographer of nature and wildlife who wants to inspire the world to fall in love with nature. After 20 years behind the lens, Derek's journey to capture, share—and ultimately help preserve—the fragile beauty of our planet has taken him to more than two dozen countries and every continent, from Rwanda’s endangered silverback gorillas to the overfished waters of Antarctica. His images and storytelling educate people about important conservation topics. With an emphasis on what is worth saving, he brings large-format fine art prints of beautiful landscapes or exotic animals to people's homes and offices so they can enjoy the benefits of nature daily.Find more at dereknielsen.comFollow Derek on LinkedIn, Instagram.&gt;&gt;&gt;Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is...

On this episode of Looking Outside we explore the intersection of creativity with marketing and what it takes to take a good brand to a great brand. Joining us is marketing and strategy leader, Juan Isaza, Chief strategy officer at DDB Latina, and Head of Brand and Social Media Strategy at creative agency 14.While today Juan is an award winning strategist and experienced marketer, he didn’t start in the field. Ever since he was seven years old, Juan wanted to be a journalist. But having done a stint at a Columbian newspaper, after studying journalism and communications, he saw quickly that his love of uncovering great stories and telling them in a compelling way was better served in the world of advertising.Juan shares how his journalism background helps him in strategy; particularly in being resourceful and telling engaging stories that hook the audience. But equally in telling better stories about people, by discovering them in unexpected places. Juan says this ability to find the emotive connection with culture is the biggest shift in communication taking place, and is a fruitful space for marketing.But it’s not necessarily easy. Jo and Juan discuss how brands are operating in emotional battle fields right now within which they can get caught on the "wrong" side or in the middle. Juan’s advice to brands is not to talk unless you have the credentials for it, based on actions already taken. This is the reason consumers are getting tired of brands meddling in political or social issues, Juan says, and just because they don’t want brands to get involved in politics doesn’t mean they don’t want brands to do good things for society. “Your best cause is the thing you’re living inside your company,” Juan stresses. Juan also shares his personal reflections of culture in the advertising world, where stereotyping still happens and freedoms can be inhibited. He says a lot of work is still to be done, and it needs to start with empathy, understanding and in-room representation. It’s part of the reason why Juan won DEI person of the year from the New York Festival for his work managing DDB Mexico, and it can – as the proof shows – lead to greater creativity. Juan and Jo discuss the formula for successful campaigns, and the need for brands to leverage the power of creativity in their content, by opening themselves to more experimentation. Juan has seen a positive move over time towards long term brand building, without compromising short term measurement metrics, but stresses that the old school thinking of marketers in trying to control every aspect of their brand and planning every element of how their brand will show up, limits their ability to inject spontaneity into their work – a key element of creative marketing.&gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Juan looks for ideas in everything he observes. Inspiration for him can come from any place, information, source or conversation. He finds them often in papers from philosophers and sociologists who are analyzing societal shifts at a macro level. Every year, Juan publishes a trend report, which started as a personal exercise, motivated by curiosity and led by a simple desired out come to discovery key topics emerging for brands. For this, Juan takes a few months towards the end of the year to create a mind map,, then synthesizes it at the quiet last week of the year. &gt;&gt;&gt;Juan Isaza is the Chief Strategy Officer at DDB Latina and leads the global Strategy and Social Media at 14, the DDB agency for SEAT and CUPRA brands (Volkswagen Group). He has worked in regional and global projects for major international brands such as Volkswagen, McDonald’s, Telefónica, BBVA, Bridgestone, Mars, and Clorox. He led the team that was the first in Latin...

Today we’re speaking of all things sweet in life, with French trained pastry chef, and Group Head Pastry Chef at Black Star Pastry, Arnaud Vodounou. Arnaud describes how his six year long training in Paris, covering all the basics of pastry making, gave him the foundation to be confident, flexible and creative in his craft today. A kind of intensive training that is rarely seen today.Despite his extensive training, Arnaud hesitated when offered his first opportunity as head pastry chef, initially turning it down from fear of letting others down. (A type of humility that is arguably also missing today.) Jo and Arnaud discuss how others' confidence in our potential can push us into places we didn't think possible for ourselves. Now a confident expert in his field, Arnaud speaks to the importance of continuing to look for creative inspiration for innovation, not just in coming up with new products but in improving the technical processes that form the foundation of pastry making. He describes this kind of creativity as the ability to improve with modern techniques but without a quality compromise. Chefs around the world are doing this and sharing new methods with each other today, which Arnaud says is a critical part of innovation for a traditional field that benefits from open collaboration. Having worked as pastry chef - including at 2 Michelin star Parisian restaurant Taillevent - across France, Switzerland, Vietnam and Australia, Arnaud also speaks to diversity of experience he has lived, alongside personal learnings of adapting his approach as a leader. Pastry making after all is a precise art, but like everything in life, knowledge is gained through living and learning through failure. &gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Arnaud travels, either physically or online. Pastry is always in his head and anything can spark his curiosity to create something new and "sensational". But to do this Arnaud says it's important to be observational, to keep your head up and look out, because travel gives you access to different products and techniques no matter where you are.&gt;&gt;&gt;Arnaud Vodounou is Group head Pastry Chef for Black Star Pastry, based in Sydney Australia.With over 16 years of global experience in the culinary arts, Arnaud has cultivated exquisite desserts across many prestigious establishments worldwide. Originating from France, his started his career in Paris, where Arnaud was quickly appointed the Head Pastry Chef at the famous Le Taillevent, a 3 Michelin star restaurant at the age of 24. Arnaud went on to work as the Executive Pastry Chef at the Grand Hotel Kempinski in Geneva, then taking a role as the Executive Pastry Chef at Aman Resorts in Vietnam. His career took him to Melbourne Australia in 2014 where he worked as the Executive Head Pastry Chef at local icon Chez Dre and Bibelot. Arnaud then took a pivotal role as the Group Executive Pastry Chef at George Calombaris’ Made Establishment, across multiple locations.&nbsp;Arnaud's next venture took him to Sydney Australia where he currently oversees Blackstar Pastry, managing all pastry operations for multiple boutique stores across Australia, including Black Star Pastry's iconic Strawberry Watermelon Cake, acclaimed as the world's most Instagrammed cake.Driven by the pursuit of perfection, Arnaud remains dedicated to elevating the pastry experience and continuous innovation. With a wealth of experience and an unwavering commitment to excellence, he continues to redefine the boundaries of pastry craftsmanship.Follow Arnaud on InstagramCheck out Black Star...

Data Scholar Michael Clark joins Looking Outside to discuss the value behind the data we collect and how the definition of data is changing. Michael is a futurist focused on data, a digital payment and open banking and Vice President of Global Digital Transformation at Mastercard. His interest in the interconnection of data to other aspects of our lives has led him to become a leading voice in this space and to write a book on the topic. To explore the topic, he starts quite simply by defining what data even is. Speaking to how data’s origin as a gift, quite literally the meaning of the word being datum or gift, has changed over time, Michael contextualizes not just what the concept of data is but how our relationship with it has changed.There is a difference between holding data as a highly valuable thing, which captures people’s unique memories and stories, with viewing data as a byproduct of a transaction or a statistic. This changing idea or re-evaluation of data has meant we have lost sight of what the value behind that data is, or as Michael puts it, quite literally giving our ‘gift’ away. In observing the signals of change in the world, Michael says this is not what the future holds for data. Rethink the concept of data means economies may change based on the value that’s ascribed to data, greater granularity may be ascribed to the true ‘cost’ of things and we may be able to even measure what is today unmeasurable.Through his research for the book he’s writing, “Data Revolution”, Michael provides a glimpse of the future of data, where it is more representative of your identity, where open and democratized systems provide greater sharing of economic rewards and where holders of data are required to operate more ethically as a cost of doing business.Jo and Michael also discuss the role of private organizations in evaluating what data they even need to collect in the first place, as they look to build first party data loyalty programs. If an individual is re-evaluating how their data is used and the previously hidden value in it, how should companies be thinking about the future customer and the relationship they have with customer data?Michael stresses the point of asking hard questions when it comes to data, particularly as the systems around it – like GDP driven by limited data capture, or even capitalism itself – are coming into question. It’s what Michael says will help us better understand the interconnected nature of technology to every other system that maintains our livelihoods. As well as the role of experts in democratizing knowledge on the topic; as Michael says, “When you know stuff you have a duty of care to give back, to work with governments and regulators to help them understand it”.&gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Michael gets outside, literally - out of his own head, into fresh air. This not only helps him get outside himself, but the forced push to stop what he's doing helps him to come back to it better focused. Michael says it's important to be comfortable stopping and simply doing nothing. &gt;&gt;&gt;Michael Clark is a data scholar, seasoned industry advisor, and innovation evangelist with over two decades of experience in cutting-edge technology solutions. Leading the data charge, Michael is redefining value and preparing institutions and governments for a future they haven’t even envisioned. His upcoming book, Data Revolution: The New Currency of You, is a roadmap that will decode the world of data and prepare you for the data revolution.Part of the Digital Labs leadership team at Mastercard, Michael leads Global Digital Transformation with a mandate to drive Disruptive Innovation, Agile Principles, and execution of Mastercard’s Digital vision, whilst also accelerating our client’s digital...

Today we welcome Elena Doms, climate tech leader and head of Earth Plus, on Looking Outside to discuss the progress and positive action taking place in the field of climate tech. Having spent 11 years at Mastercard on the corporate side, and now in the entrepreneur space in a start up, Elena brings with her a pragmatic and motivating perspective to driving impact in the climate space through partnership with companies big and small. Elena speaks to how she approaches climate change topics through an optimistic lens, despite the fact that the climate crisis is escalating and is riddled with anxiety and delayed by hardship. She says not despite this but because of it, climate innovation is becoming easier, because it’s no longer an issue that can be ignored but justifies a change in behavior and accelerates investment.Called a speaker who delivers ‘goosebumps’ with her talks, Elena shares how her stories about climate change are intentionally personal, recalling her time growing up in the Arctic (now classified a zone of risk) and calling to personal stories she finds interesting in the climate innovation space that resonate with people. While the data and facts are important, she says what every one wants is a story with hope at the end. And for that to be told by someone whose values are visible and relatable. Elena says&nbsp;public platforms of communication help to enable this - especially for young people, or people who want to be taken more seriously.Elena also recounts how the idea for her start up, Earth Plus, an organization designed to clean the planet from pollutants using nature based solutions, began, inspired by tragically true research on forever chemicals in Belgium and their impact on people’s health. She says she has developed tremendous respect for people who run their own start ups as the expectation of progress and pace of innovation is at a level she hadn’t experienced in the big corporate world.On the big corporates, Jo and Elena discuss the pointlessness of pointing fingers, particularly at people in big corporations, as these businesses are full of funding and resourcing needed to help collaborate to scale climate innovation. Elena also stresses these organizations are full of people who want to make a difference. The challenge, she highlights, is in creating a compelling case for investment with every stakeholder’s interest in mind. As she puts it, making climate investment ‘the candy everyone wants’.&gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Elena follows people in the climate space that she can learn from. She calls it a dynamic fast developing area and reminds herself not to be arrogant enough to not think she knows everything. She also reads books in different and unconnected areas and considers how to connect them into the climate space to enable unique ideas from contrasting topics.&gt;&gt;&gt;Elena Doms was born and raised in the Arctic. She spent 18 years there, surrounded by ice and boreal forests, witnessing climate change happen right in front of her. Throughout her career Elena led an NGO, focusing on social impact. Worked as a Director at Mastercard, merging digital and sustainable transformations. Led teams up to 500 people and became a LinkedIn influencer with a video series “What’s new in Sustainability this week in 1 min”. Seeing her childhood home melt away and becoming a mother inspired Elena to quit her corporate job in search for real impact. In partnership with C-biotech, she launched Earth Plus, a start-up with a crazy bold mission: To create the largest soil &amp; CO2 cleanup in history with nature. Earth Plus team collaborates with scientists to clean soils from chemical pollution and capture CO2 with plants. These plants are then turned into local circular construction materials that help decarbonize our...

In this episode of Looking Outside, we’re exploring Culture and the role of brands leveraging or influencing it, with University of Michigan marketing professor and best selling author of For the Culture, Dr Marcus Collins.Marcus has one foot in Academia and the other in marketing practice, having led strategy Wieden+Kennedy New York, which allowed him to go deep on the theory and science of culture, while helping brands to understand those systems of cultural norms to activate their marketing strategies in a more relevant and impactful way. To be able to balance the theory and practice, Marcus studied the social sciences, making his knowledge of culture less shallow and deeply nuanced.On the show, Marcus explains how culture is shaped, defined and cultivated by people, to create uniformity and ‘normality’. Because culture is a curation process to find others like us and create synergy in commonalities, Marcus explains that the curation process evolves from the definitions of ‘how to behave’ that you’re born into (that are ascribed to you), through to the cultures to subscribe to once you’re older. Jo and Marcus discuss the challenge for marketers to more deeply understanding human beings, their values and behaviors (which often do not match) in the effort to predict human responses and effectively persuade towards a favorite action for our brands. To achieve this, Marcus’ advice is to follow the path of least resistance; to seek out the ‘collective of the willing’ as he calls them, those people who are already leaning into the behaviors you’re looking to amplify. It’s a marketers job to spot those collectives and to reflect in their work things that make these people feel ‘seen’. This requires a certain level of intimacy with the customer that goes beyond easy segmentation by demographics or even psychographics.In a world where brands are more intertwined with popular, social and sometimes political issues, it’s important to know what you stand for, your role to play and your right to play in responding to cultural movements (or not responding, purposefully). Marcus stresses that first and foremost brand owners must pay attention to changes in culture, because the mainstream, normal or ‘middle’ customer base is not necessarily representative of your future customer. After all, everything that started in the fringes, that was once small or weird, later became popular. &gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Marcus speaks to his nine year old daughter to get her transparent and unfiltered perspective. Her responses help Marcus poke a hole in the wall as she usually sees something that he does not see. &gt;&gt;&gt;Dr. Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator with one foot in the world of practice—serving as the Chief Strategy Officer at Wieden+Kennedy New York—and one foot in the world of academia—as a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. He has spent his career translating culture for brands and translating brands for culture, becoming the architect of some of the best-known advertising campaigns of our time. Marcus has championed strategies for blue chip brands such as McDonald’s, Apple, Google, State Farm, Target, Peloton, and Budweiser, and even ran digital strategy for Beyonce. His honors include being an AAF Advertising Hall of Achievement Inductee, 2022 Cannes Lions Jury Member, a member of the 2023 Thinkers50 Radar Class and one of the favorite professors of the University of Michigan MBA class of 2022. He is also the recipient of Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40 award and Crain’s Business’ 40 Under 40 award.His much-anticipated book, “For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be”, examines the influence of culture on consumption and unpacks how everyone from marketers to activists...

Today we’re talking about catapulting your career into unexpected places, driven by self-reflection, self-determinism, and a recognition of your own self-limitations, with change advocate, and Editor in Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine, Jason Feifer.Speaking to a range of successful entrepreneurs is a part of Jason's day job, but he's also a bit of a start-up thinker himself. Aside from his role as editor, Jason is a podcast host, newsletter writer, speaker, start up advisor, book author … and perhaps most importantly, a reinventor, describing himself as an all purpose swiss army knife. Rather than staying in the specialty field he had worked to define himself an expert in, Jason chose to rethink, and reconsider, who he was to people, to live up to the largest opportunity in front of him. Jason says a good starting point is to better understand yourself by creating a mission statement, not for what you do but what you’re skilled in and what you can uniquely create. Jo and Jason also discuss working through trepidation that perhaps your success is a fleeting moment in time. That it may be a fluke, specific to the context, or unrepeatable. (A worry many successful people hold.) Jason advocates for sitting with the things you are good at and not discounting and offloading your strengths.Jason also explores the role of nostalgia as a change barrier. The past provides comfort and predictability, but also the false belief that things from our past were better than what the future can bring. He says, “The problem isn’t changing but in defining yourself too narrowly" within the comfort of what was. &gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside, Jason leverages his trusted network who he can be vulnerable with. These are people who he can ‘think out loud’ with, who give him honest feedback on ideas, and help him get out of his own head.&gt;&gt;&gt;Jason Feifer is the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine, a podcast host, book author, keynote speaker, startup advisor, and nonstop optimism machine. His goal is to help you become more resilient and adaptable in a world of constant change — so you can seize new opportunity before anyone else does!Find out more about Jason jasonfeifer.comSign up to Jason's newsletterBuy Jason's book, Build for Tomorrow on Amazon Listen to the Build for Tomorrow Podcast and the Help Wanted podcast Follow Jason on LinkedIn&gt;&gt;&gt;Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;Looking Outside community&nbsp;on LinkedIn.&gt;&gt;&gt;All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers....

On this episode of Looking Outside we explore the reality and risk behind the hype of AI, with Executive Director of the Institute for Experiential AI at Northeastern University, Founder of Open Insights, Data Scientist and AI expert, Usama Fayyad. Usama has been in the field of AI for three decades and has lived through three AI hype peaks followed by three winters. In this conversation he contextualizes how the current infatuation with the ‘eloquence’ of data-driven AI stacks up. Usama first points to an important problem with AI - not with the algorithm but with the data sets that inform the outputs. As the first person to ever hold a Chief Data Officer title, Usama stresses how critical it is to scrutinize the data sets that are feeding the algorithm, as these large data sets are really the breakthrough in this wave of AI, he says, not the machine learning advancements, and the data is filled with errors.Jo and Usama discuss the onus of the user in not over relying on the AI for our thinking, as the risk here is equally in erroneous output as it is in missing the ‘true contribution’ behind the source material. Usama puts this plainly to say AI has the potential to speed up banal tasks but can, for other tasks, be completely inappropriate – particularly when these require critical thinking and finding what’s between the lines. The algorithm is auto completing answers based on information fed into it: that information may be incorrectly summarized, incompletely inputted, biased, misrepresented or just plain incorrect. Usama says the user must be aware and in control, because at the moment most generative AI tools are like black boxes that hold things nobody understands. And when the AI gets it wrong, it’s up to us to catch the mistakes, otherwise a world of hurt in the form of misinformation, misrepresentation and perpetuation of bias lies ahead.&gt;&gt;&gt;Jump to key points in the episode:4:28 The true advancements of AI and the current hype cycle8:22 Data curation that leads to misinformation, bias and unpredictability 12:40 Impact on critical thinking with over-reliance on AI16:30 Irresponsible and inappropriate use of AI22:00 Dangerous versus safe application via new tools25:00 Deepfakes, misinformation and disinformation by bad actors&gt;&gt;&gt;To look outside Usama works to catch his own bias – bias built on his personal experience, training, and business objective. He does this by taking a situation and trying to see its effect on someone's live he wouldn't normally consider. This forces him to consider interesting aspects he wouldn't otherwise like social and ethical impacts that may arise. He marries this with talking to people, specifically in asking questions he knows the answer to, seeking to understand why a different answer may be given. &gt;&gt;&gt;Usama joined Northeastern University Khoury College of Computer Science as Professor of the Practice, and the Office of the Provost as the Inaugural Executive Director of the Institute for Experiential AI. He continues as Chairman of Open Insights, a company he founded as a technology and consulting firm in 2008 after leaving Yahoo! to enable enterprises to get value out of their data assets and optimize or create new business models based on the new evolving economy of interactions.He was the first person to hold the Chief Data Officer title when Yahoo! acquired his second startup in 2004. At Yahoo! he built the Strategic Data Solutions group and founded Yahoo! Research Labs. He has held leadership roles at Microsoft and founded the Machine Learning Systems group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.Usama has published over 100 technical articles on data mining, data science, AI/ML, and databases. He holds...

Looking Outside comes to you LIVE from the Dubai Future Forum, the largest gathering of futurists in the world.In this conversation we talk about disruptive technology and transformative blue sky innovation with Airbus Senior Vice President&nbsp;and Head of Disruptive Research and Technology, Dr Grzegorz (Greg) Ombach. Greg describes the mindset shift he experienced in leading innovative transformation across various industries, each with their own lifecycle - from Telecommunications with 1 to 2 year innovation cycles, then to Automotive where it moved out to 7-10 years and now in the Aerospace industry where he has 30-50 years in sight. As Greg considers future disruption, he is looking out to the next 50 years with a clear goal in mind. For Airbus, this takes the ambition of the company from accessible air travel, to sustainable air travel, and then to aerospace. Greg describes how this focus on transformation through disruptive technology requires active monitoring and proactive imagining. At Airbus, this is enabled firstly by enlisting open and curious people called 'Scouts' whose role it is to spot new trends across varied regions. These people are inhouse engineers who have a finger on the pulse of the air travel and aerospace ecosystem in which they operate daily and are therefore in the best position to assess the viability of the trends for the business. Accompanying this is the center of research where the 'Blue Sky Thinkers' live. Their job is to come up with moonshot ideas that are turned into pilots.Jo and Greg also discuss the need to look more broadly, assessing a product based on its ecosystem - what keeps the structure standing on the outside as well as the components that keep it relevant on the inside. --If Greg was not a futurist, he would be sailing around the world. He gets energy and drive from exploring new places, from discovering new places and being able to adjust the course based on the conditions. --Dr Grzegorz (Greg) Ombach, is Head of Disruptive Research &amp; Technology, Senior Vice President at Airbus. Greg is passionate about managing technological innovation from an idea to broad market adoption. His combination of technology, leadership and commercial expertise together with a truly global outlook, having worked across Europe, the USA and China, puts him in a solid position to drive international market success for high-tech innovations. As a Head of Disruptive R&amp;T, he shapes Airbus’s ability to be the global leader in innovation and future technologies across all Airbus divisions. He works very closely with all businesses and divisions globally. Before as Executive Vice President, Head of Battery Systems Business and Group Strategy and Innovation at Dräxlmaier, he was responsible for the strategy for the business and led the entire product commercialisation, from the initial concept to high volume production of cutting-edge technology in a premium market for the automotive sector. One example is the first high volume production of an 800V battery system for the Porsche Taycan. Earlier, he worked at Qualcomm as a Global Vice President and General Manager of a breakthrough automotive technology licensing business. He also has experience from Siemens VDO, Continental and Brose. Greg holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Silesian University of Technology, Poland and a Certificate in Global Management from INSEAD, The Business School for the World. He has also been awarded Guest Professorship at the Zhejiang University in China.Connect with Greg on LinkedInLearn more about Airbus--Looking...

Looking Outside comes to you LIVE from the Dubai Future Forum, the largest gathering of futurists in the world.In this conversation we talk about sustainable design with Arup's Director of Foresight, Josef Hargrave. Arup is focused on creating more sustainable built environments, and Josef speaks to how designing for the future needs to be anchored in decisions for the present, by understanding deeply the structural limitations and infrastructure of today. Josef details several projects he's run for designing out to 2050 across geographies exploring building for cities, having worked in and with over 30 cities around the world. He boils success down to context: it's easy to identify what is changing in the world, but the effort should be in what it means to the project and stakeholders holding the brief. Contextualizing the environment you're designing for will influence how you design for the future and the future populations living in this infrastructure. Jo and Josef also discuss how foresight done well should ultimately be about making yourself useful to the organization that you're a part of. As the company evolves over time, as Arup has in the 13 years Josef has been there, the application of foresight needs to evolve with it. --If Josef was not a futurist, he would be an artist or designer. Or open a Chinese restaurant, so he can craft something by and for himself.-- Josef Hargrave is Global Foresight Leader responsible for the delivery of Arup’s foresight services, tools, and projects globally, leading a multi-disciplinary team of programme managers, designers, and consultants that specialise in trends research, design thinking, strategic planning, innovation programmes, thought leadership, and vision making for both internal and external clients. Over the past 10+ years, Josef has delivered projects in over 20 countries, working for some of the world's leading organisations in property, technology, chemicals, mobility, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, consumer goods, and finance.Outside of Arup, Josef is an Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins as part of the MA for Innovation Management (London), a member of the World Cities Summit Science of Cities Knowledge Council (Singapore), a member of the International Panel of Experts at Urban Redevelopment Authority (Singapore), a member of the Friends of the Forum at Dubai Future Foundation (Dubai), and a member of the Advisory Board at Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (Manchester).Connect with Josef on LinkedInLearn more about Arup--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;Looking Outside community&nbsp;on LinkedIn.--All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers. Copyright 2023.OBOY&nbsp;&amp; <a...

Retail, shopping and lovers of physical activations, this one is for you. But perhaps it’s for all of us who look at bringing our brands to life in physical spaces. Today on Looking Outside we’re speaking with top voice in retail, Curator of Shop Drop Daily &amp; Chief Thinker at iiiF, Tim Nash. Tim's passion for brands led to his career specialty in shop and retail design. He fell into the fashion industry, starting in visual merchandising, and then fell in love with inspiring brands to best show up in physical spaces.As a natural creative who was always good at art, Tim helps brands find ways to reach their consumers in ways that spark a connection through visual cues, smart use of space, and rethinking the DNA across platforms. This is a critical part of the brief, Tim says, as activations or campaigns built for a specific channel is old fashioned thinking - it breaks apart brand cohesion and dilutes the message. Brands need to find new ways to connect the dots across platforms, to offer the consumer something that makes them feel special but also delivers on the unique brand promise, no matter where they’re shopping. Having researched, created and curated in the retail space for over 20 years, Tim describes how the pandemic was a critical turning point for retail that not all brands saw or understood. Retail spaces designed for the city center, as the best (or only) way to buy what you need, is not how the world operates now. New brands are able to build a community without a physical space, and to shape their DNA to live across all sub-channels. A lot of older brands stuck in the middle still think retail first, with other channels ‘thrown in’.Jo and Tim discuss other critical moments of pause that need to take place for retail to properly set it up for the future – including the one where we re-assess the environmental or ethical impact of ‘fast’ retail, shopping and fashion. Tim says retail has traditionally been painted with a negative brush, but it has the ability to wash this away if we can move past cookie-cutter, formulaic and old school ways of creating not just retail places, but brand spaces.--To look outside, Tim finds physical spaces that allow him to digest information and think through things. This can be city walk, a long train ride, or strolling through galleries and art exhibitions. It doesn’t have to be a grand experience, just something small to properly disconnect with the physical world, and connect with his thoughts.--Tim Nash is a strategic, forward-thinking creative dedicated to crafting immersive physical brand experiences that captivate the consumer.With an extensive background spanning two decades in the retail industry, Tim has been the architect behind a variety of celebrated global brand activations and visual concepts that engage and delight customers IRL.From a shop floor start to leadership roles within global businesses, Tim currently collaborates with a diverse portfolio of brands to curate innovative campaigns that relevantly talk to their audience.&nbsp;Beyond this, he's the driving force behind Shop Drop Daily, a pivotal inspirational resource and authoritative voice on the future of the industry.Follow Tim on LinkedIn and hereSign up to Shop Drop Daily shopdropdaily.com &amp; on InstagramLearn more about <a href="https://www.wild-vc.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer"...

Today we’re talking about the big topic of Sustainability within big business. Former Chief Sustainability &amp; Social Impact Officer at McDonalds, Bob Langert, joins the show and shares his three decade long journey in making environmental change happen at one of the biggest organizations in the world.An environmental activist at heart, Bob shares how he was able to take a topic he cared deeply about but was low on the company priority list, and over time use his passion to make people notice and act. Sustainability started as Corporate Social Responsibility and Bob recalls how in the 1980’s it was just starting to gain prominence and it took a long time for the topic to reach the mainstream status it has today in business. Companies need to be willing to change if they want to compete in a future environment 20 years from now which will look different to how it does today. Bob stresses the need for change agents within that; fewer people laying low and trying to stay out of trouble, more people who are open, patient and bring big ideas. Ultimately that passion and persistence helps the business, because as Bob says, “Businesses that are satisfied and content are going to die.”Bob does recognize that a key challenge in getting action on sustainability issues is trying to force it, either by being too emotional or pushing too hard. He describes how over time he achieved success by creating connections with people inside and outside the organization. These relationships rested on truthfulness, trust and empathy; putting yourself in others’ shoes to see different ways of influencing them. That empathy allows you to see new allies, as often we assume people don’t care, or will not be supportive, but they can surprise you. In fact some of your harshest critics can become your collaboration partners for change, or even your public advocates.Jo and Bob also discuss the need for companies to be more proactive and preemptive, but that often, that comes with little glory, as a hero in a crisis is easy to find, but credit for preventing a problem often never happens. But issues, like critics, will never stop coming, and Bob says that’s a reality you need to accept, and a target you need to bear on your back, when part of a big organization that needs to make money (and there’s nothing wrong with that).--To look outside, Bob reads a lot, particularly other perspectives of leadership and change through biographies. He also relies on travel to observe people across settings and cultures. He treats these as learning experiences that help him see things differently and promote a push beyond complacency, or accepting that 'things are the way they are'.--Bob Langert&nbsp;led McDonald’s Corporate Social Responsibility &amp; Sustainability efforts for more than twenty-five years before retiring in 2015. Currently, he provides corporate sustainability consulting through Mainstream Sustainability. Bob has been engaged in social responsibility issues at a global level since the late 1980s, leading environmental affairs, animal welfare, and Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities’ grants. He was appointed McDonald’s first vice president to lead sustainability in 2006 with contributions spanning sustainable fish, coffee, palm oil, beef, packaging, extensive animal welfare progress, protecting the Amazon rainforest, nutrition strategy and CSR reporting, measurement, and accountability. His book about McDonald’s sustainability journey, The Battle To Do Good: Inside McDonald’s Sustainability Journey, was published in January 2019.Langert received his BA from Lewis University and his MBA from Northwestern University. In 2007, Langert was named as one of the 100 Most Influential in Business Ethics by Ethisphere.&nbsp;Follow Bob on <a...

In this episode of Looking Outside we venture into dark futures with global futurist Nikolas Badminton, crossing over the line of realism into dystopia.Nikolas spent 30 years at the front line of emerging futures, aiding organizations and governments in the anticipating risks that lie ahead and shaking people out of unrealistic expectations. He says now he is hired to do the type of work he’d normally get fired for, as, often, Nik is tasked with telling people the future they are excited about is not going to happen, and prompting frank conversations. He uses ‘impossible’ scenarios to paint preposterous futures, those ideas about the future that appear ridiculous, in order to bring people out of their self interests or away from a yearning for nostalgia.While positive futures are important, Nik says facing into the fact that ‘bad stuff does exist’ is the important starting point. We often see plans or goals that are so far out, particularly in government policies, that are psychologically disconnected from the people planning them and therefore aren’t designed to provide anything tangible enough to motivate people to act. Jo and Nik also discuss the need to help organizations see beyond the ‘garbage’ that is out there about emerging risks and trends, often sensationalized, by painting change as accretive, with layers of complexity constantly building, instead of as hinging on a ‘switch’ from one state to another. Nik describes the need to bring people into future states by first taking them into the hybrid state where things are transitioning, seeking out evidence of the future to provide the missing link between disruption and strategy. Often we hear change is happening faster than ever before, but Nik counters that; “If you think things are happening quickly you’re not paying attention”.--To look outside, Nik moves away from his work quite literally by cycling around Toronto's water parks and trails, while listening to music or a podcast. He says through this, his thoughts become clearer and he is happier. --Nikolas Badminton is a global futurist speaker and Chief Futurist that mentors top executives and the highest levels of government to explore desirable futures, anticipate unforeseen risks, and strengthen strategic planning.&nbsp;He has spent 30+ years working with leadership at over 400 leading organizations at the frontline of futures, strategy and disruption - including NASA, Disney, Google, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, WM, JP Morgan, Verizon, VISA, TD Bank, American Express, BISCI, ISACA, Rolls Royce, Procter &amp; Gamble, US Department of State, UK Home Office, United Nations, and many more.&nbsp;Facing Our Futures: How foresight, futures design and strategy creates prosperity and growth&nbsp;- is Nikolas’ number one best selling book and has been named as JP Morgan Private bank’s ‘Next Gen Pick’ for their prestige 2023 Summer Reading List to guide new leaders to ignite curiosity and embrace futures thinking.Nikolas’ essential research has been featured by the BBC, VICE, The Atlantic, Fast Company, Business Insider, Forbes, Sunday Telegraph and many others.&nbsp;He appears on SIRIUSXM and CTV regularly, was a key advisor to the ‘Age of AI’ series with Robert Downey Jr, and appears in the Franklin Institute's series ‘2050’.Find out more about Nik Badminton at www.futurist.comFollow Nik on LinkedIn, YouTube and Blue Sky. Check out Nik's

In this episode of Looking Outside, we speak with someone crazy enough to think one company can make a difference, social entrepreneur Moritz Everding. Moritz founded food start up SOCHILI to act on his vision of creating food with purpose.Combining his love of spice, his experience in business innovation and his passion for positive social change, Moritz created his business from Germany with far reaching impact into sub-Saharan Africa. On this episode, Moritz speaks to his conviction that a profitable business idea, whether by someone inside a big corporation, or an entrepreneur, can and should be pressure tested against social, ethical and environmental standards. With his business model, Moritz balances the desire to make a big difference, in this case to 600 million people living without access to electricity, with the long term sustainability behind a small but growing product idea. He shares how his business was created to give back, visibly and transparently, directly to the farmers who supply the chilies for his hot sauce, most self-evidently in that for every bottle sold, the company is able to give first time access for its farmers to electricity for one day. Jo and Mo also discuss the distinction between a profitable social enterprise and an NGO and that it’s still the responsibility of the start ups, who are often much more severely critiqued for their social, ethical and sustainability initiatives, to not act like charities, but to live by the standards of social consumerism in giving people more of what they want. In this case, a delicious, great looking, functionally-smart product that also ticks the socially-responsible boxes. It’s no easy feat but Moritz believes it is possible, and is motivated in encouraging more food businesses to go the same way. Moritz’ belief that profit and purpose can go hand in hand also inspired him to start his Purpose Projects podcast where he gets to research a variety of topics changing the global food landscape, speaking directly to the social entrepreneurs working to make it happen. Social consumerism is the way of the future, Moritz says, and he is a living and breathing example of it.--To look outside, Moritz started a testing community. He asks community members, who all have varied perspectives that touch on the 17 SDGs, to pressure test (and taste test) the product against his impact model. Moritz says it's easy to get stuck in one lane, only listening to reaffirming positive feedback. To get outside his comfort zones, he seeks honest and varied perspectives from this community.--Find out more about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): sdgs.un.org/goals Listen to the Seth Goldman episode mentioned on ActivismListen to Moritz' own podcast, the Purpose Projects Podcast (in German)--Moritz Everding is Founder &amp; Managing Director of SOCHILI. Crazy about impact, crazy about hot sauces - Moritz is a social entrepreneur and advocate of purpose in the business world. As founder of the food start-up SOCHILI, he proves that social impact can also be tasty and spicy. With every single 'SOCHILI good hot sauce' the business empowers farmers in the Global South in the truest sense of the word: 1 hot sauce = 1 day of electricity.Connect with Moritz on LinkedIn Find out more about

Another Aussie joins us on Looking Outside to explore the power of laughter and positivity through comedy, with stand-up comedian, actor and TV personality, Monty Franklin.Having lived in the US and toured 42 states over the last ten years, Monty has performed to more than a million Americans, and whether it’s on stage or at the bank, he speaks to the privilege of making people forget their troubles, even for a little while. He says laughter is one of the greatest things people can experience, and it's his role to find the kind of comedy that is relatable; stories about day to day life that despite being his, are not really about him but his listeners. Story crafting has been an interest area for Monty since he was little, whether it was standing up and telling stories in front of his (funny) family, learning about the stories that shaped his home country of Australia, through indigenous culture, art and The Dreaming, or exploring the stories that live within other art forms like film or music.Today he funnels his love of storytelling into his comedy shows or in his writing. Monty says all we leave behind on this earth are the things we hear, learn and pass down. So it’s either in the fields of education or storytelling that we pass on the history of the world and learnings of our time on it. Monty speaks to positive stories about good people, doing good things for each other, as the ones we’re drawn to today, despite seemingly being divided by politics. Monty believes 99% of people are good and want to get along, and what helps in that is thinking outside the parameters of what we perceive as true; to consider a different take on things and not shut ourselves off to the evolution of ideas.Jo and Monty also chat through the ups and downs of Aussie relocation to America, particularly in having to ‘start over’ no matter what success was previously gained, of benefiting from the strength of the Aussie brand (a testament, Monty says, of the “good people” that went international) but also wearing its novelty-factor … and even after so long feeling a little out of place.While Monty admits that it is an ego-boost to be ‘in the limelight’, he says great comedians listen more than they talk. And while being on stage gives you a thick skin for critique, you’re not immune to feeling hurt from negative comments, or from having good and very bad days, which reinforces the need to strengthen your mental health to handle the swings of life, which ultimately should be expected because you can’t be up and laughing all the time.--To look outside, Monty listens to TED Talks in the morning. A 12 min video over breakfast on a range of topics gives him a fresh perspective and knowledge about something new and interesting. Monty says learning this way is quick and he gets something surprising from it every time. Once a year, Monty also takes a surf trip, with his friends and without a phone.--Monty Franklin is an Australian born stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television personality, now based in LA.He tours all over the world headlining some of the biggest comedy clubs and also opens for Rob Schneider, Joe Rogan and Jim Breuer. Monty was on Ep #1794 of The Joe Rogan Experience and he is currently appearing in 'Real Rob' on NETFLIX, season 1&amp;2.He has had roles on 'New Girl' -&nbsp;FOX, 'Becoming Bond' - Hulu and is the creator and star of 'The Manny' -&nbsp;TV Pilot.Monty’s numerous television stand-up performances include AXS TV's Live At Gotham, Channel 10s The Circle, Foxtel’s Stand Up Australia, and as part of The Comedy Channel’s special –&nbsp;The Best Of Stand Up&nbsp;and Comedy Gold.Monty has produced, written and starred in two TV Pilots of sketch-comedy show No Monkeys on Bikes&nbsp;for Channel 7, co-hosted a weekly radio show on Fox...

In this episode of Looking Outside we explore living your life and career curiously through an openness to learning with trained pharmacist and director of the Novartis Pavillon&nbsp;exhibiting the wonders of medicine, Marcel Braun. Marcel studied pharmacy but throughout his career has remained open to entering new fields and living in new places, something he calls both accidental in drifting from one opportunity to another, and intentional as he ticked off ‘dream roles’ from his bucket list. From roles in forensic accounting, corporate philanthropy, even national pharmacist for Vanuatu, and across disciplines ranging business administration, biology and chemistry … Marcel has worn many hats. He credits this to both chance (“What are the odds that I got to do everything I did?”) but equally to openness; as opportunities came up, scary or divergent as they may have been, Marcel first and immediate said yes, then worked out how to make it happen second.Committing yourself to new career paths doesn’t mean it has to be forever, as Marcel says, “A career is like a ladder, you can climb up and realize it’s leaning on the wrong wall.” Just as shifting careers doesn’t mean a complete departure from what you did before. Today Marcel heads up the exhibition in Basel, Switzerland for Novartis’ Pavillon, an exhibition that displays the past, present and future of medicine. While this may seem like a departure from pharmaceutical research or philanthropy, Marcel explains it’s connected, as much of the work in medicine is about good communication. Medicine, science and treatments are detailed topics with complex histories that must be explained simply. Jo and Marcel, both having lived and worked in various parts of the world, also explore what it means to adapt to and learn a new culture when relocating (in Marcel’s case, more then 11 times). Marcel says for him it’s about learning the culture through curiosity, as often it is little differences that mean an act can show offense or respect. He also credits being able to speak at least a little of the native language in building comfort and confidence, and to staying away from ‘toxic’ people who are unhappy with their experience (in other words, don’t just hang out with frustrated expats).Marcel and Jo also discuss the benefits of building interdisciplinary skills, as a way to create more unique career paths and a unique identifier for yourself by combining seemingly unconnected backgrounds, training or cultures. Marcel did this, wearing his ‘pharma backpack’ along with his ‘financial backpack’, and found it’s the cross-over of varied disciplines that helps you find new solutions to old problems. Despite having pushed himself into so many varied careers, Marcel says he wished he had said yes to more things. As it’s often the case that you underestimate what you’re capable of until you push yourself to the point past discomfort. But it’s only when you keep your radar wide, and stay open, that you find those new opportunities because often, “You can’t imagine what else could be out there”.--To look outside, Marcel became a passionate beekeeper. This is something that he never dared to start with extensive travels, and now has the time, patience and perseverance for. This is Marcel’s place to settle and be in the ‘now’, because when you’re in the beehive you have to focus. He calls the experience fully immersive, from the noise of the bees to the stickiness of the honey, and therefore uses it as a way to refresh his senses like a holiday. And even though he has been stung painfully and many times, 15-20 stings per year, it doesn’t deter him, in fact it reminds him constantly to stay in the moment.--Marcel Braun is the Director Novartis Exhibition at the newly opened Novartis Pavillon in Switzerland. Marcel took the “Wonders...

In this special LIVE episode of Looking Outside, recorded at the Insights and Innovation Exchange event in Texas, we look more closely at the symbols and signs that surround us, the study of Semiotics, with semiotician, author and marketer, Dr Rachel Lawes.Rachel blends her 20 years in Market Research and her academic training as a Social Psychologist, with a focus on how people communicate through the study of semiotics. Rachel describes this as looking more deeply and critically at what is at face-value, and how that can help us make more deliberate decisions.Stressing this point, Rachel says that semioticians can very easily become theoretical or academic; in essence become enamored with the art of hypothesizing what things mean, and often forget that that all this theory needs to be actionable to inform business strategy. Having authored two books on the topic that explore semiotics in the marketing and retail landscapes, Rachel speaks to how semiotics can help give brands a competitive advantage by paying attention to what is often missed. Rachel describes this as the unique tipping point from natural observation, which everyone does in noticing what is obvious, to looking at what’s not said and seen and what that tells us.Jo and Rachel also discuss the importance, for those of us in the job of observation, to catch when we’re over-analyzing things, because over-studying something can be dangerous, and what's critical is to remind ourselves about what is truly represented and representative of human culture.--To look outside, Rachel travels. This allows her to get a little uncomfortable and gain exposure to new experiences and people she wouldn’t otherwise have had.--Dr Rachel Lawes is a semiotician and marketer, and one of the original founders of British commercial semiotics. Through Lawes Consulting Ltd, established in 2002, she supplies semiotics to brand owners, ad agencies and marketers around the world. Her specialties include pharmaceuticals, banking and aviation, as well as everyday consumer goods.Rachel is author of two ground-breaking books on the business applications of semiotics. ‘Using Semiotics in Marketing’ (2nd edition published in 2023) is the first book to set out a step-by-step course in semiotics for marketers and market researchers. Her other book, ‘Using Semiotics in Retail’, is the winner of the Sales &amp; Marketing category of the Business Book Awards 2023.Rachel’s PhD is in social psychology. She is a Fellow of the Market Research Society.Follow Rachel on LinkedIn and InstagramLearn more about the work Rachel does through Lawes Consulting: lawes-consulting.co.ukBuy a copy of Rachel's books from koganpage.com with a special Looking Outside 20% discount, using the discount code "SEMIOTICS".Rachel's books, Using Semiotics in Marketing and Using Semiotics in Retail, are also available on Amazon.Read more about the story behind the Princess Diana photo at the Taj Mahal.--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted...

Are some people simply more cut out to take on big responsibilities, where lives are at stake, or is it actually just good training? In this episode of Looking Outside, we explore the mindset and skills of preparedness in Flying with commercial airline pilot, Ricardo Nunes. Being responsible for hundreds of people on the plane is not something Ricardo takes for granted. While many of us would find that extreme level of responsibility crippling, Ricardo says the confidence comes from understanding the weight of the responsibility, and taking that seriously by training for the worst. Ricardo describes how preparation has been pivotal to surviving challenges faced in his aviation career and prior to that, before he crossed to ‘the dark side’, when he flew Search and Rescue helicopters for the Portuguese Air Force. It’s all in the training, Ricardo stresses, as while the scenarios faced are different, the way to think through them is the same.Jo and Ricardo also explore the intersection of flying and foresight, in how anticipatory thinking allows you to ‘fly ahead of the plane’. Explaining that the mindset is similar in the military as in foresight, particularly in leveraging methods like scenario planning, Ricardo says constantly testing out different pathways in flight means he is prepared for unforeseen situations so that when a tough decision has to be made, its already been thought-through.While the life of a pilot may seem both illustrious and solitary, the success of the airline industry and its crew is entirely dependent on being humble and highly communicative. Ricardo explains how airlines strictly follow a “just culture”; where decisions, omissions and actions are reported or called out without reprimand. It is only by showing, not hiding, mistakes that the airline industry maintains a culture of trust and builds on knowledge that leads to its incredible safety record. Ricardo also speaks to how this kind of approach in pushing yourself into complex and challenging situations, and consistently training for them, makes you a better person … one who is less prone to panic in the moment, and one who can enjoy a unique life (for example, where you get the travel the world). Train hard and fight easy, as they say in the military.--To look outside, Ricardo says to talk to someone different; someone who doesn’t do what you do for a living or doesn’t think the same way. Sometimes you need an outsider view to help you think outside the box. --Ricardo Nunes is a former Portuguese Air Force pilot turned commercial airline pilot with a passion for foresight and scenario planning. Ricardo began his career in 2005 in the Portuguese Air Force, where he flew various fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, including the DHC-1 Chipmunk, TB-30 Epsilon, Allouette 3, and EH101 Merlin. He flew numerous Search and Rescue (SAR) missions, eventually becoming a SAR captain in 2011.In 2013, Ricardo transitioned to the civilian world, where he now logs thousands of flight hours aboard Airbus A320/321 aircraft, connecting Lisbon to destinations in Europe, Africa, and the Americas with over 5,000 flight hours under his belt.But flying is not Ricardo's only passion. He is also a founding member of the Portuguese Foresight Association, a non-profit organization established by like-minded individuals to promote foresight and future studies in Portuguese society.&nbsp;Despite his busy schedule, Ricardo remains true to his Lisbon roots, where he was born and raised. He holds a Master of Science in Air Transport Management from City, University of London, and post-graduates degrees in Foresight, Strategy, and Innovation from the Lisbon School of Economics (ISEG), and in Management from the NOVA School of Business and Economics. He has never lost his love for flying or his...

Lars Behrendt joins us for this episode of Looking Outside, discussing the bureaucracy, ego and over-perfection that gets in the way of great innovating … in other words, Innovation Bullshit. Now a voice of influence in the innovation space, particularly in his home country of Germany where he gets 10 million content views weekly, Lars shares how he ‘engineered’ a voice of authority in order to break through the clutter of innovation nonsense; with a few cuss words, a ton of humor and big hit of straight talk.Believing innovation shouldn’t take years and cost a fortune, and most definitely shouldn’t be designed to death, Lars shares how he orchestrated a new way of innovating in just one week (through his company Granny&amp;Smith) that allows real customers to make a decision on what’s a good idea, based on the most important metric of success: real sales. Jo and Lars discuss why innovation without execution is bullshit, and why no one but the customer is the real expert in what a good idea is. Besides, as Lars says, real market feedback is the fun part of innovating. He makes this shift in process successful only by getting absolute commitment upfront in a fast, iterative process where skepticism is left at the door and a safe bubble is erected with risk-averse people unwelcome. Why? Ultimately, people in the process who are ‘trying to find a problem, will create a problem.’Lars also discusses the plight of engineers, product designers and innovators who invest heart and soul into a system that often fails them; through roadblocks in getting a product to market, or a poor process of pre-testing that relegates the idea to failure. And how lowering the bar is a pivotal change that must happen in the innovation system.--To look outside, Lars goes deep on one single topic, completely blocking out all other distractions. He says only in this zone of intensive focus, while often exhausting and high pressure, can you discover new ways to approach old problems. --Lars Behrendt is considered one of the leading international innovation developers because he has been gaining real practical experience for more than 15 years, which makes him a true innovation expert. As a managing partner of the Granny&amp;Smith Innovation Lab, which he founded in 2006, Lars has gathered profound expertise while working with numerous Dax corporations and Fortune 500 companies.Born in Northern Germany, he started his company as a creative engineering firm and quickly became an innovation insider to major corporations.Today, he works for 7 out of 9 of the most innovative German companies. He is also a co-developer and driver of numerous groundbreaking innovations and supported companies like IBM, Telekom, BMW or Volkswagen in their innovation processes.Together with his team he co-developed more than 50 startups and launched countless innovations with the world's most renowned companies.Learn more about the innovation process run by Granny&amp;Smith: www.grannyandsmith.com &amp; Lars Listen to the Boiler Room podcast (in German).Buy Lars' book Get Real Innovation.Follow Lars on LinkedIn--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by...

In this episode we discuss the future of snacking with daydreamer, sunshine chaser and optimist, Matt Weiss. Matt founded his own upcycled snacking company, RIND Snacks, and lives by the mantra of making weird and wonderful things happen, even if it feels impossible.In this chat, Jo and Matt discuss what health means in the context of personal happiness and fulfilment, from what you eat, to the lens through which you see the world, to self awareness of what gives you sustenance (food or otherwise!).Born and raised in Miami in the 70’s and 80’s surrounded by an abundance of tropical fruit and a great grandmother who lived to 100 with great vitality, Matt describes his passion for making the food industry a little more in tune with mother nature, and therefore with fewer shortcuts and a little less of the ‘perfection’ we’re used to seeing in what’s pre-packed and produced at scale.Matt shares his transition from being in management consulting for over two decades, to creating and running his own company, and in particular the shift in disciple required to motivate a group of people to rally behind his own vision. A family business, Matt shares how RIND allows his children to also learn from the evolution of the company; sharing in its successful growth but also seeing first hand the sacrifices needed in making something happen when no one else will.--To look outside, Matt looks literally outside! Taking time to daydream clears his restless mind and allows space for imaginative thinking. By resetting his mind, and ensuring he is doing work not just ‘busy-ness’, Matt usually comes up with great ideas.--Prior to RIND, Matt Weiss spent 20 years in investment research at Baron Capital covering food &amp; beverage. Matt is a founding partner of Naturally New York, an organization supporting and connecting members of the local natural products community. In 2010, Matt founded Friends of Chelsea Green, a non-profit that helped fund and create a new public park in lower Manhattan. Matt lives in New York City with his wife and three children. He graduated with a B.A. from Duke University, is a CFA Charterholder and an avid birdwatcher.Connect with Matt on LinkedInFind out more about RIND rindsnacks.comFollow RIND on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;Looking Outside community&nbsp;on LinkedIn.--All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers. Copyright 2023.OBOY&nbsp;and Midnight Daydream music features in...

Inspired by a conversation at the 2023 CES Food Tech Expo, today we discuss how one of the most traditional industries is being transformed through Culinary Creativity, with CEO and Founder of Hungry House, a platform for creative chefs, Kristen Barnett.In creating Hungry House, Kristen shares how she puts the values of both the chef and the customer first, by focusing on food quality. Her platform allows the customer to add more meaning to the choices they make in how they explore and sustain through food, while the culinary creator, the chef, can ideate a full story around what they bring to the plate.Stories are a critical path to the future of food, Kristen says, because food has always been about more than just what you eat but the stories around the farmer, the sourcing, the produce, the chef. “It’s always been about content,” she says, and through her direct to consumer platform, Kristen is able to nurture chefs to create compelling content and meaningful meals.Kristen shares how she has always been a food lover, and wanted that to be part of her career, but experiencing lyme disease in her early 20's caused her to re-asses how what she ate and her lifestyle were part of the symptoms and solutions of her health. Her ‘early life crisis’ pushed her to make a hard pivot towards a career dedicated to food with a passion.Both in the food industry, Jo and Kristen also discuss how the food ecosystem is being disrupted, and how behind the food tech fads and old-school brand of the white-hat chef, sit creative culinary minds who know how to integrate food ideas, with compelling social content and convert it to commerce. &nbsp;--To look outside, Kristen goes to food pop ups anywhere she’s traveling but especially in her home city of New York. She says food pop ups showcase the new ways in which consumers can access food and chefs innovate in how to get their food to people, which yields different ways to think about things like a constant source of inventive thinking.--Kristen Barnett is the founder &amp; CEO of Hungry House, a NYC-based startup that partners with digitally-native chefs to bring their culinary ideas into reality through the Hungry House platform.&nbsp;Kristen started her career in the New York City office of The Boston Consulting Group. She unfortunately soon began to struggle with her health after contracting Chronic Lyme disease and she became seriously ill. Desperate to feel better, she turned to dietary change to feel better and she had miraculous results. Determined to make a bigger impact, she left consulting to pursue a career in the food industry. Since then, she’s worked at Dig (formerly Dig Inn) where she was Director of Strategic Operations and led supply chain strategy, menu development and their food delivery and ghost kitchen business. Kristen then went on to join Zuul, a ghost kitchen tech startup where she served as Chief Operating Officer and led product strategy to develop a proprietary tech platform and multiple virtual brands. Zuul was acquired by ghost kitchen competitor, Kitchen United in summer 2021, after which, she went on to found Hungry House. Having borne witness to the explosive growth in the ghost kitchen industry, mainly with a commoditized and unhealthy product offering, she founded Hungry House in summer 2021 to create the first direct-to-consumer ghost kitchen company focusing on sustainability, diversity, quality &amp; transparency.Kristen graduated from Cornell University magna cum laude and is passionate about plant-based eating and supporting other women in the food industry through a semi-regular women-in-food dinner series.Follow Hungry House on Instagram &amp; <a...

In these volatile and uncertain times, it can feel harder than ever to achieve things for ourselves and our teams, so today we take a cue from the performance experts, speaking about Motivation with mental performance coach, Lauren Johnson. The stakes are high for professional athletes, but they cope with the same challenges as all of us; building mental toughness to persevere physically, and creating positive habits to practice towards exceptional results. Lauren learnt this first hand working with the New York Yankees, coaching them to perform past the point of physical and mental exhaustion. Today, Lauren shares the principles of psychology that apply whether you’re an athlete or marketer. The principles of: self awareness to know your own signals before you burn out, self control to react appropriately in the space between external stimulus and your response to it, and of the laws of diminishing returns, beyond that point at which we are truly effective, whether we realize it or not. As two perfectionists, Lauren and Jo discuss the flaw it reveals of inflexibility. It's consistency which makes us effective. And high quality input should be achieve over time rather than all at once. Lauren also stresses that our motivation should focus also on the people we lead, because building their competence – also slowly, and not all perfect at once – will build their confidence. That confidence should then serve them in the big moments when it matters most.Now a keynote speaker who holds a Masters in Performance Psychology, Lauren shares honestly that this wasn’t her dream, but a tragedy and the ultimate disappointment in her life led her down a new path of opportunity she has embraced to help others.--To look outside, Lauren turns to her training in recognizing that space between the stimulus and subsequent emotional reaction, using rational thinking to process what she’s seeing, thinking and feeling. (An arguably pivotal skill to train in devise times.) She also turns to her husband, who knows when to prompt to that kind of rational thinking. --Lauren Johnson is a mental performance coach and keynote speaker. She works with CEO's, professional athletes, and fortune 500 companies through national speaking engagements, educational training workshops and consulting. Prior to opening her own consulting practice, Lauren served as the Mental Conditioning Coordinator for the New York Yankees. She received her Masters Degree in Performance Psychology from National University. Lauren's practical, straight-forward advice and mental performance strategies helps individuals become elite decision makers because her belief is you become elite by choice, not by chance.Download Lauren's free motivation guide &amp; learn more about her work at laurenjohnsonandco.comFollow Lauren on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;<a...

Marketing is often thought of as a creative field, in part because it leans into the art of negotiation to sell a product, but it must be done with rigor. In this episode, we explore that rigorous side of marketing, and the research that should shape its decisions, with Marketing Science research professor and Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Byron Sharp.Naturally curious and a lover of history, Byron sprinkles nuggets of real world truths, as he explains how marketing research is not geeky mathematics or engineering, but the observation of real people and their reaction to what they desire or require.Marketing science is at its core punk, or anti-establishment, and because of this Byron challenges any purist academic to ‘get out of the lab’ and the marketing bubble, and into the real world. There you must put aside your assumptions about what works based on isolated cases, or personal passions, and any snobbery you may hold about unglamourous categories, and seek out the patterns that form evidence. “Look and you will see,” Byron says, because most people don't bother to really look.Through evidence, and a methodical approach to separating what works and what doesn’t, guardrails for marketing become evident; guardrails, Byron says, that allow you the freedom to be more creative within a framework of success. Jo and Byron also discuss how making people things they want to buy, and making profit from this – in essence, the marketing economy - is not a shameful thing. And while we all want the world to be a better place, marketers must make decisions based on the logic of human behavior, and treat their brand’s budgets with measured discipline. --To look outside, Byron places himself literally in a different environment. Particularly if he is doing work that requires sustained deep thinking, lifting his head from the computer or walking out of the office and seeing something exciting and new can make it easier to think more creatively. This can be working out of a different location, going into a foreign supermarket or catching public transport ... the key is to leave your everyday environment and be open to surprise.--Byron Sharp is a Professor of Marketing Science and Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute&nbsp;– the world’s largest centre for&nbsp;research into marketing.&nbsp;Byron calls himself an old-fashioned scientist (known for research that seeks to discover and describe law-like patterns) who studies a 'new' area – marketing (buying behaviour and brand competition).His first book&nbsp;How Brands Grow: what marketers don’t know&nbsp;has been called one of the most influential marketing books of the&nbsp;past decade (Warc, 2015) and was voted marketing book of the year by AdAge readers. In 2015 he published the follow-up&nbsp;How&nbsp;Brands Grow Part 2&nbsp;with Professor Jenni Romaniuk. He has also written a textbook&nbsp;Marketing: Theory, Evidence, Practice&nbsp;which reflects modern knowledge about marketing and evidence-based thinking. The revised&nbsp;2nd <a...

Does conflict and incompatible perspectives always have to be a negative? In this episode of Looking Outside we speak with Raj B. Shroff, Founder &amp; Principal at PINE, a strategy and design agency to hear how he and his company leverages conflict to get to a better outcome.Raj shares how his workplace thrives on openness, when ideas are great or when things aren’t working, and how he creates the space for everyone part of the company to feel comfortable with that. It’s empathetic to be honest, Raj says, because head nodding doesn’t get the best out of people nor the work.As the leader of his organization, Raj tries to lead by example, often admitting when he doesn’t have an answer or asking for clarity. Just as importantly, he intentionally pays attention to his body language making sure it’s neutral or positive, being mindful of never showing negative.Jo and Raj discuss how &nbsp;conflict exists for a reason because something in the context isn’t right, and though it sometimes feels like it, it isn't personal.--To look outside, Raj lives by the principle of letting new experience in and allowing them to shape new world views. He does this through exposure to things outside his norm, particularly while traveling. It's not something he goes and does but rather is something he lives by.--Raj B. Shroff founded PINE in 2017. The core philosophy of PINE is the power of integrated left and right brain thinking. &nbsp;Prior to founding Pine, Raj was VP of Brand, Strategy &amp; Design at a global experience design firm. During his tenure there he led many turnkey research, strategy and omnichannel design initiatives. He loves technology and consults clients on topics such as blockchain, crypto, XR (AR/VR) and other more far out concepts. He has run many large-scale initiatives, having served in account leadership roles at Fitch (WPP), in the areas of Research, Retail, Brand and Product Design and at Resource (now IBM iX), in Digital Experience &amp; Marketing.Clients he has served include Intel, P&amp;G, Mars Wrigley and Unilever. Raj is an industry speaker on topics such as the future of retail, branding, digital engagement and consumer behavior.He is Adjunct Faculty at CCAD (Columbus College of Art and Design) teaching the business of design. He is a mentor to students at the Ohio State Fisher College of Business, where he earned his MBA.&nbsp;He loves spending his free time with his wife and two sons. He is an avid trail runner (ran his first 50-miler in April 2022), mountain biker, adventure traveler and recently picked up acoustic guitar.&nbsp;Find out more about PINE: pinesd.comConnect with Raj on LinkedIn.--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;Looking Outside community&nbsp;on LinkedIn.--All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers. Copyright 2023.OBOY&nbsp;and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4TuH8Zmt2rAIpqoke1IfJn" rel="noopener...

We kick off Season 4 bravely with the visionary Amy Webb, Quantitative Futurist, CEO of the Future Today Institute, professor at NYU and author. In this episode, as in Amy’s book The Genesis Machine, we discuss the paths towards synthetic futures and the methods in creating more credible focus on the long term future.Amy speaks to her journey coming into the "esoteric" field of futures, from a fact-based background in economics and journalism. Fortuitously, she meandered on the rocky path to foresight, from a pragmatic background that fuels her drive to make foresight more impactful.Passionate about the need for foresight, now more than ever before, Amy describes the fourth era of foresight we are in, the actioning era as she calls it, driven by technology. This comes after three eras of extrapolation and imagining, calculation and war gaming and most recently (or currently, for many futurists), design fiction and crafting future alternatives. The mission to move foresight from government to corporations effectively is one Amy feels is leveraging ineffective tools; ones that don’t lean enough on data and mathematical modeling. This has led to a dilution of foresight’s impact and deluded futurists.Jo and Amy discuss ways to create changed mindsets and commitment to action in businesses, moving beyond inspiring to problem solving. It’s a contentious topic in the field of foresight, which is still largely government-integrated and academic, to move past creative extrapolation through scenarios, to mathematically driven models of the future. (A perspective Amy has copped some flack for.)Amy then takes us into the future, and the topic of the latest book she co-authored with Andrew Hessel, The Genesis Machine, explaining how over 13 years of researching AI she noticed something profound happening in the synthetic biology space. General purpose technologies have the potential to fundamentally alter society and impact the economy, like electricity and the internet have, and while Amy concedes scaling it is a ‘ways off’, we should be paying attention, and planning for synthetic biology to act as the next generative purpose technology – transforming medicine, the environment and our food systems.--To look outside, Amy goes outside where cycling helps clear her busy mind. A familiar face on the conference circuit, Amy also makes a point to attend and learn from conferences and events that have nothing to do with her role or field of expertise. This broadening of perspective brings both a chance to learn and to gather surprising new topics to research.--Founder and CEO of the&nbsp;Future Today Institute (FTI), Amy Webb pioneered a data-driven foresight methodology that is now used within hundreds of organizations worldwide. She built FTI into one of America’s fastest-growing companies –– FTI has been ranked on the Inc 5000 list for two consecutive years. Amy helps CXOs of the world’s-admired companies achieve long-term growth, and she shows businesses how to spot disruption early enough to create new revenue or to mitigate risk. Amy also advises the leadership of government, military and central banks on risk and opportunity.Amy Webb was named by Forbes&nbsp;as one of the five women changing the world, listed as the BBC’s 100 Women of 2020, and in 2021 was ranked on the Thinkers50 list of the 50 most influential management thinkers globally. Her latest book,&nbsp;The Genesis Machine,&nbsp;explores the futures of synthetic biology.Learn more about Amy: https://amywebb.io Check out the foresight tools...

The final episode of Season 3 takes us to the precipice of change, looking at the topic of Fear. We discuss this with Mark Minukas, co-author of Unfear, a book on the very topic. &nbsp;As someone who had to face into fear a few times, transitioning from a career as a civil engineer in the US Navy, to navigating the corporate world of management consulting, Mark shares how the discomfort of this change gave him perspective and forced him to see himself in ways he was previously blind to.Mark explains the inaccuracy of the concept that to be strong and trusted, particularly if in a position of leadership, you are ineffective if you show vulnerability. Instead that trust comes from comes from competence and equally from honesty. It’s a false dichotomy that trust is built from an all or nothing approach. Vulnerably, Mark shares how he has dealt with perceptions of male ‘strength’, and placing too much value being motivated by others' perception of him, to intervene in the stories he was being told and was telling himself. Through intervention, and self-reflection, Mark illustrates how we can use fear and fear-driven reactions to our benefit, to better understand what we’re trying to ‘react’ to and what threatens our self-identity. The game is to be curious, Mark says, and use fear as a cue for learning more about yourself.--To look outside Mark turns to books that activate his mind in different ways. While he reads business books, it’s fiction he has rediscovered a love for, and uses for deeper human insight. As Albert Camus famously said, 'Fiction is the lie&nbsp;through which we&nbsp;tell the truth.'Mark also leverages meditation to create distance to the busy-ness of a cluttered mind ... though he resisted it for a while thinking it was silly, and certainly against type.--Mark Minukas&nbsp;has been helping organizations transform their business performance for over 15 years. His work has taken him around the world exploring all kinds of industries – manufacturing, technology, travel and logistics, government, and financial services. Through this he discovered that human beings are the core of any organization. How people show up, communicate, problem solve, and lead determines how large the gap is between strategy and execution.He now advises, consults, and coaches senior leaders and their teams on how they can design effective improvement programs and harness the talent and creativity of their people to achieve significantly better business results.Mark began exploring the topics of leadership and operational improvement when he was an officer in the US Navy. An engineer by training, he studied how humans and organizations affected the reliability and safety of engineered systems. Following this, Mark ventured to McKinsey and Company as member of the Operations Practice. There he actively learnt about the technical aspect of organizational transformation and process improvement (lean management based on the Toyota Production System), but also the softer or cultural side of transformation. Today, Mark is Managing Partner at Co-Creation Partners, supporting clients with multi-year lean and agile transformation programs and activating operational excellence.Mark is also co-author of the book Unfear: Transform your organization to create breakthrough performance and employee well-being, alongside Co-Creation Partners' Founder, Guarav Bhatnagar, and is a trained executive coach through Newfield Network.--Connect...

In episode 29 we peek back in time and look at the future that comes from the past, exploring the field of Archives with Senior Manager of the McDonald’s Golden Archives, Archivist Mike Bullington.As an information gathering profession, often thought to be buried in old relics and secret data, Mike shares how he turns the knowledge into action, amplified by people throughout the organization, by making people care about the past. Mike shares the process of deciding when something is valuable enough to keep - how to see its intrinsic value - and why he relies on collecting stories told first hand by their creators. Importantly, Mike speaks to why we must keep those items that are shameful parts of our past, as they speak to the truth of the context of time in which they existed, and retell stories as they were remembered.Jo and Mike reflect on the difference between digital items versus those that are physically tangible, how things like letters and books are remembered differently even if they hold the same information. And how, no matter what the format, what’s most important is that the artefacts of the past are illuminated through storytelling, that they are fact checked for accuracy, and of course that the stories of the past are not lost, especially by those voices previously muted.--To look outside, Mike speak to younger people who are coming into the field and have knowledge of new information-keeping tools. Being around young people also keeps Mike full of fresh ideas, as his mum liked to say. He also accesses a broad array of sources,&nbsp; from literature and the archives community, to stay abreast of the latest practices, and exchange tools and resources. --Michael Bullington is a certified archivist and the senior manager for McDonald’s Golden Archives. He is responsible for ensuring that the legacy of the McDonald’s brand is preserved in support of the business. Prior to joining McDonald’s, Mike served as an archivist for Kraft Foods Inc. and Rush Medical Center. He previously served as President of the Academy of Certified Archivists, Chair of the Illinois State Archives Advisory Board and the Illinois State Records Advisory Board. Mike is a Member of the Academy of Certified Archivists, the Society of American Archivists, the Midwest Archive Conference and the Chicago Area Archivists. Mike holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from Illinois State University. In 2012, the Illinois State University Department of History recognized him as a Distinguished Alumnus. Connect with Mike on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @AramundMike --Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;Looking Outside community&nbsp;on LinkedIn.--All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers. Copyright 2023.OBOY&nbsp;and JCar music features in Episode...

We start a new year with a new way of Thinking, approaching the topic of careful consideration, extrapolation and explanation in a critical way. Joining us is self-proclaimed overthinker, award winning writer, leading cultural commentator and Foresight &amp; Strategy Lead at Reddit, Matt Klein.As can be seen by his intro, Matt takes on a lot and he takes in a lot. He starts by sharing how he loads information and how he avoids overloading - a process where he binge eats information and then let's it "simmer" at its own pace during a silent walk outside. When he returns to it, it forms a constellation of connection points and inspiration sparks.Both in foresight, Jo and Matt discuss the challenge of translating complex trends and ideas into something easily understood and actionable to others, without over-simplification. Matt does this by using tangible, real examples, particularly in showing how black and white (and grey) can co-exist in culture.Matt also speaks to the importance of recalibrating your reality by listening to something that makes you uncomfortable. From hearing that other perspective, he attempts to form an understanding so he doesn’t shut out or attack those ideas he ardently disagrees with, because whether or not he agrees with them, "that person exists".Matt recognizes that this process of thinking critically can be hard work and often demotivating, particularly when you have to catch yourself from feeling like you’ve got it all figured out. But that our job should be not just pointing to what’s interesting but to what’s true. --To look outside, Matt takes in a lot of varied sources, whether it's publications, subreddits, or twitter accounts. He also carefully inspects an everyday interaction, as a method of cultural immersion. An example is being mindful when you're shopping by observing what’s on the shelf, what people buy, what your local store is doing that’s unique. Then reflecting on what says about that organization, about a collective society, about people. Matt does this intentionally as an exercise in being open, mindful and paying attention.--Matt Klein leads the foresight practice at Reddit where he studies culture and helps brands across all verticals identify emerging social shifts and author future-proofing business strategies.As a quantitative futurist with a decade of experience in trend forecasting, marketing and innovation, Matt has consulted with the United Nations and Fortune 100 businesses, to venture capital investors, TV producers, and startups on what comes next.With a background in CyberPsychology and Memetics, Matt’s POV is rooted in the psycho- and sociological implication of emerging tech.An award-winning writer and leading voice in cultural theory, Matt's a frequent commentator for The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Atlantic, DAZED, VICE and Rolling Stone.Quoted by the likes of Arianna Huffington and Richard Branson, and subscribed to by thousands globally, Matt's own publication ZINE offers executives and students alike explanations into overlooked cultural trends.Matt is also the Founder and now Advisor of PRSNL Branding, an education platform helping systemically disadvantaged professionals strengthen their online presence and advance their careers.Always looking to give back to the field he loves, Matt is a university lecturer (NYU, Queens College, University of Oregon), keynote speaker (SXSW, CAA, Sweathead), industry judge (The Webby Awards), advisor and mentor.When not analyzing culture, Matt’s collecting hobbies including cycling, drumming and wine studies, and volunteering with Big Brothers of...

We end 2022 on a pragmatic but aspirational note, reflecting on the ability to make positive change without needing to disregard nor fully transform the current dominant system. We discuss Good business that can also be Profitable, with Do Good Foods Co-CEO and Co-founder, Justin Kamine.As an ambitioned leader of a company progressing the agriculture industry forward on climate action, Justin proposes the concept of a business that is more sustainable, more equitable for food producers, and still profitable.Jo and Justin reflect on how there is a disconnect between people and the food they eat, desensitization of the hardship of farmers, and illogical expectations of what we can buy - a disconnect that demands a change in how we should think about food systems. Fueled by environmental pragmatism, Justin addresses how he tackles criticism from “environmental elitists” through open and honest conversation about the need to find multitudes of varied solutions, and no one magical solve.Entrepreneurship and innovation runs in Justin’s family and he speaks to how this mindset allows him to approach any field that’s facing a problem and look for a “third door” that can lead to both scalable, but profitable, change.--To look outside, Justin has regular conversations with people outside his industry to gain inspiration, take lessons and find creative approaches to existing problems. He has found combining entrepreneurial mindsets, led by perseverance, deep understanding and creative ideas, can create a multitude of new business opportunities. --Justin Kamine is a planet-forward entrepreneur who co-founded Do Good Foods with his brother Matthew to combat climate change by fighting food waste. The Kamine brothers’ company builds on the family’s 40-year heritage of solving macro environmental problems through building large infrastructure solutions.Do Good Foods is yet another example of how Justin combines his passion for the planet with good business sense to build sustainable, scalable systems that can drive meaningful change. His track record has earned him the Forbes 30U30 award for Food, ranked him as one of the 50 Most Impactful Entrepreneurs in the U.S. and earned him the Clean Tech Equity Award presented by the Prince of Monaco.Justin graduated Lafayette College in 2011, with a major in Environmental Public Policy and Economics.Justin believes profoundly that we need massive change across society and to prioritize protecting our planet and its resources. Most of all, he believes that working together we can and should all Do Good. --Curious for more?Follow Justin on LinkedIn.Learn about Do Good Foods dogoodfoods.com and Do Good Chicken dogoodchicken.comRead about KDC (Kamine Development Corp) Agribusiness: www.kdc.earthFollow KDC Agribusiness on Twitter--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;Looking...

In this episode of Looking Outside we learn how to weave together the voices of the future, the agents with vision, to create Coalitions of Change, with Cat Tully, Founder and Director of the School of International Futures.With a broad, and ‘mongrel’ background, Cat shares how her mixed experiences from across multiple sectors, government to private, have helped her to fine tune learned behavior in looking broadly at the influences of change and facing into their often uncomfortable realities.Having created the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Network, Cat speaks to why it’s critical we use the voice of young people as evidence towards future planning, by allowing those who will live in the future to speak for it.Jo and Cat discuss the important but challenging role of the Horizon 2 operator, the middleman between horizon 1’s business realities, and Horizon 3’s future necessities, as being a critical bridge between the past and future. Cat also highlights the need for leaders to recognize a bias towards what’s comfortable, the quick dismissal of what’s seemingly ridiculous, and a rejection of possible futures driven by sadness for loss of the present. And therefore the importance of providing cover for people in organizations to explore and provoke about the future with sympathy, vulnerability and compassion.--To look outside, Cat turns to the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Network, a 600+ strong network of young change agents across 90 countries, who are using futures to challenge the status quo in a brave way, raising the alarm on issues they care about. Cat proactively reaches out to listen.--Catarina&nbsp;Zuzarte Tully leads the School of International Futures (SOIF), a not-for-profit international collective of practitioners based in the&nbsp;UK. SOIF&nbsp;uses future thinking to inspire change at the local, national and global levels.&nbsp;Since its inception in 2012, Catarina has&nbsp;worked with the UN, Omidyar, NATO, the Royal Society, and national governments to make the world fairer for&nbsp;current and&nbsp;future generations.&nbsp;She has also led a team to&nbsp;create&nbsp;a framework for intergenerational fairness assessment and is working on anticipatory governance ecosystems.&nbsp;Cat also mentors&nbsp;a growing network of Next Generation Foresight Practitioners,&nbsp;an initiative by SOIF.&nbsp;Previously, Cat served as Strategy Project Director at the UK FCO and Policy Advisor in the PM’s Strategy Unit.--Curious for more?Follow Cat on Twitter @cattullyfoh Follow SOIF on Twitter @nxtgenforesight and @SOIFuturesLearn more about the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Network: NGFPRead about the Intergenerational Fairness Observatory assessment: IGFSee more a bout the School of International Futures:&nbsp;soif.org.uk&nbsp;Follow SOIF on LinkedIn and Instagram--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at...

Episode 25 of Looking Outside welcomes prize-winning author, former professor, social worker, and activist, Dr Nora Gold to explore the perception and potential of Narratives; those stories we tell others and ourselves that ultimately limit or empower us.Passionate about fiction, and writer of her own stories, Nora shares both her perspective and the social science research on how fictional stories can literally change us. How escaping into the story of someone else brings down our defenses, makes us more empathic, and turns us into a different person by the time we close the book.A former social worker, Nora speaks to how she has seen people reframe the narrative they’ve told or been told about themselves, taking control of their story in an active way. She explains that you can become the author of your own life by seeing your story as editable and crafted through perception. And in particular how re-framing a past trauma can give it new meaning, perhaps even without needing to be ‘fixed’.Nora and Jo also discuss how the world, like us, is constantly changing, and we benefit from looking at ourselves as amendable alongside those changes, versus holding an idea of our lives as being linear – past, present and future. --To look outside, Nora turns to books, learning from characters in how they solve their problems. In particular she likes to enter the inner lives of people who are different to her.--Dr. Nora Gold is a prize-winning author, the editor of a prestigious literary journal, and a former professor, social worker, and activist. From 1990-2000 Dr. Gold was a tenured professor of social work, and in 2000 she left academia to write fiction full-time. Her most recent book, the novel&nbsp;The Dead Man, was internationally praised, received a Translation Grant from Canada Council for the Arts, and was published in Hebrew. Her previous novel,&nbsp;Fields of Exile, won a Canadian Jewish Literary Award.&nbsp;Marrow and Other Stories&nbsp;won a Canadian Jewish Book Award and praise from Nobel Prize winning author Alice Munro. Nora's forthcoming book,&nbsp;In Sickness and In Health&nbsp;&nbsp;(two novellas), will be published in 2024 by Guernica Editions.Dr. Gold is the founder and editor of the highly regarded online literary journal&nbsp;Jewish Fiction .net, which in its first 12 years published over 500 works of fiction from around the world, either written in English or translated into English from 18 languages.&nbsp;Jewish Fiction .net&nbsp; has readers in 140 countries.--Curious for more?Follow Dr Gold on&nbsp;LinkedIn or Facebook.Find Nora's books on Amazon: The Dead Man, Fields of Exile, Marrow and Other StoriesLearn more about Dr...

Be prepared to teeter on the edge of excitement and cynicism, as we explore The Metaverse in this episode of Looking Outside, with technology futurist and Metaverse expert, Theo Priestley. Theo is CEO and Co-Founder of Metanomic, a complete web3 economic platform for developers, but he is also one of the public voices ready to poke holes in Metaverse concepts commonly spouted.To peel back the polished veneer, Theo discusses the need to look at the gaps in the arguments made today on the Metaverse; like how technologies that make up web3 are at varied levels of understanding and development across industries, while the technologies adopted in every day use are still quite dated.Theo discusses the positive potential of web3 to connect us in new ways, allow new (safe) platforms of self-expression and to create a free market of ideas, but that platforms that currently enable that – mainly, gaming – are still not taken seriously and are seen as the poor cousins of other industries.A sci-fi fan, Theo also points out our obsessive fascination with technologies that are novel and fun but not necessarily very useful, while deprioritizing those technologies that appear boring but have traditionally been the gateway to progress for our civilization.Jo and Theo also explore our fascination with dystopian, frightful futures where we are controlled by technologies that have gotten away from us, and how perhaps that is an inevitable flaw in us - to want to be controlled and to seek out only negative futures as they feel more realistic than positive ones.--To look outside Theo doesn’t believe you should have one go-to, otherwise you can quickly form a bias. He likes to read anything and everything, and particularly those things he disagrees with to be able to learn more and gain more breadth. He also devours science fiction and comic books to help him see the potential of things. --Theo Priestley is a leading tech futurist and globally recognized author and public speaker on the convergence of many emerging trends towards the metaverse and Web3.He is the CEO and co-founder of&nbsp;Metanomic, a complete web3 economic and AI analytics platform for game developers, metaverse builders and the creator economy.Theo has worked with some of the biggest names in tech and business including SAP, Siemens, Bosch, Software AG, AON, and&nbsp;Hewlett Packard Enterprise - consulting, and advising on implementing innovation strategies, strategic foresight, and emerging technologies.He has mentored for a number of startup accelerators and has published more than 250 articles on topics including Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Fintech and Blockchain, Smart Cities, Web3, Metaverse, Marketing, Digital Transformation, and Virtual Reality, for Forbes, the European, WIRED, Huffington Post and Business2Community. He has also contributed to VentureBeat, GigaOM, The Times Raconteur, and has been interviewed for BBC Radio and UK national television news on technology trends.--Learn more about Theo on his website: www.theopriestley.comCheck out Theo's recently authored book, The Future Starts Now.Find out more about Metanomic: www.metanomic.netFollow Theo on LinkedIn and...

In this episode of Looking Outside we look closer at the numbers and what they are telling us, exploring the predictive human powers of Demographics. For this we chat with fellow Aussie, Bernard Salt, Founder &amp; Executive Director of The Demographics Group. As a well known personality, famous for injecting a bit of humor into his public speaking events and newspaper columns, Bernard shares his philosophy on presenting the numbers in a way that is engaging and compelling. He speaks to how to establish the facts, make a strong case, demonstrate your credibility … and be bold enough to have a bit of fun with it.Demographics is a field anchored in sociology, and the numbers, charts, tables of figures are boring standalone; it’s the narrative they tell you about people that’s interesting. Jo and Bernard discuss the importance of letting the numbers form a story about people, and then sharing that through a compelling narrative that “reaches back in time” and presents future opportunities in context.Bernard also shares his personal experience presenting numbers to senior leaders, or ‘sharks circling the water’, how he formed the self-confidence to brave this as someone from a small country town, and his observations of the changing lifestyle and culture of Australians.--To look outside Bernard focuses on popular culture. When changes happen they don’t just show up in the figures but in culture around us, and small actions observed in public can be telling about individual, collective and expressed value shifts. People watching can “speak volumes” about where communities are and where they are headed.--Bernard Salt is an Australian business advisor, corporate speaker and newspaper columnist.&nbsp; Bernard has had a long career in corporate consulting mostly as a Partner with KPMG Australia. He founded KPMG Demographics (2002) where he popularized the use of demographics to interpret future business and consumer trends.&nbsp; He has written 6 popular books (2002-2014), hosted a TV show (The Next Five Years 2017-2019) on SkyNews Business, hosted a popular podcast series (What Happens Next 2020-2021), currently writes 2 weekly columns in The Australian newspaper (one since 2002), and for 20 years has delivered more than 100 corporate presentations per year across Australia, New Zealand and beyond including the US.He uses long-term (mostly UN) datasets to show megatrends like the rise of the consumption era (1990-2020) and the advent of the baby bust (2020s) on a country by country basis.&nbsp; He has invented acronyms to describe social trends like pumcins (professional urban middle class in nice suburbs) and VESPAs (virus escapees seeking provincial Australia/America).&nbsp; His 2016 column on smashed avocado went viral globally. Bernard is founder and executive director of The Demographics Group (www.tdgp.com.au).&nbsp; He was an adjunct professor at Curtin University Business School 2011-2020, a board member of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) 2014-2018, appointed a member of the Council (board) of the National Museum of Australia in March 2022.&nbsp; He was made a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2017 for his services to demographics.--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;<a href="https://my.captivate.fm/looking-outside.com" rel="noopener...

In this slightly poetic episode, we look both inside and outside the often simplified topic of Identity, exploring what it means to be, create and become who we are, with Creative Strategist and Founding Poet at Brand Poetry Inc., Theophilus Wells IV.Naturally philosophically minded, Theo shares his observations on the dichotomy of human nature and will in shaping our individual identities, stressing the benefit of being curious about the things that make us different, and the power in observing the negative. A creative by profession, Theo also explains the process of idea generation, specifically the need to submit to ideas once you've made space for them. Theo also distinguishes ideas that give people more of what they want (often the things that reaffirm an identity formed long ago) from ideas that can become an extension of who people want to be.What does this have to do with business? Our strategies are packed with simple sounding words loaded with meaning, words like culture, identity, progress. In our quest to give and gain something to our customers, it pays to slow down and practice curiosity in what these things even mean.--To look outside, Theo opens himself up to see what is unknown or uncomfortable, without judgement or complaint. Theo thinks of it in terms of bravery; "daring" to marvel at the world &amp; to be be fascinated with the things that aren't, well, about you.--Theophilus Wells IV is a Writer / Strategist / Space Maker based in New York, and Founding Poet at Brand Poetry Inc.. As a high school student and HBCU Graduate he finds himself lost in stories. These stories brought him to advertising. He is currently working on improving his strategic process and taking a less is more approach to everything.&nbsp;Theo's web3 consultancy:&nbsp;wealthystrats.xyz/Connect with Theo on LinkedIn.--Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, consumer goods innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more at&nbsp;looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;Looking Outside community&nbsp;on LinkedIn.--All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of their employers. Copyright 2022.OBOY&nbsp;and Sam Barsh music features in Episode 22.

We start season 3 digging deep into human values, while speculating on their evolved expression into the future, with futurist and Associate Professor at University of Houston's Foresight Program, Dr Andy Hines.Having authored a book on the topic of values, ConsumerShift, Andy shares how defining what a value is and how it is expressed by people with differing typologies, helps us perceive them as something less static and therefore shows us their potential evolution into the future.Jo and Andy discuss how values - an integral part of a person’s identity (their purpose, needs, world views and beliefs) - are expressed in the real world, as directed by external pressures but also individual choices. Andy speculates how modern values, built on capitalism, competition and an obsession with accumulation, may evolve.Andy has been practicing futurism for over three decades and now teaches the skills of a futurist, but he has also applied it first hand during his time at Kellogg's and Dow Chemical. Through observing and projecting changes in the world, he explains why the science of futurism is fruitful, that more things have come true than not, but that we must align to the motion of change with patience, because contrary to popular thought, change happens slower than we think. --To look outside, Andy speaks to different groups of people looking for diversity of thought; people who come at the world in a way that Andy doesn’t. He says this can be done observationally, through reading a magazine you don’t normally read, going on community boards you wouldn’t normally engage in, but that it should be done with patience, over an extended period of time. By seeking out unique view points, Andy seeks to build a better understanding of people in sub-cultures outside his own.--Dr. Andy Hines is Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for the University of Houston’s Graduate Program in Foresight and is also speaking, workshopping, and consulting through his firm Hinesight. His 30+ years of professional futurist experience includes a decade working inside first the Kellogg Company and later Dow Chemical, and consulting work with Coates &amp; Jarratt, Inc. and Social Technologies/Innovaro. His books include The Knowledge Base of Futures Studies 2020, Thinking about the Future (2nd edition), Teaching about the Future, ConsumerShift: How Changing Values Are Reshaping the Consumer Landscape, 2025: Science and Technology Reshapes US and Global Society, and his dissertation was “The Role of an Organizational Futurist in Integrating Foresight into Organizations”. He is a member and was Founding Chair of the Association of Professional Futurists.&nbsp;Learn more about Andy and his company Hinesite: www.andyhinesight.com. Follow Andy <a...

We end Season 2 of Looking Outside with a frank look at the very topical topic of activism in business. We do this not theoretically or observationally but first hand with activist entrepreneur and CEO of Eat the Change, Seth Goldman.Seth speaks to why 'acting' is critical in activism, as he's done first hand by venturing into organic packaged food, healthier fast-casual restaurants and planet-friendly meat alternatives. Seth shares how he has done this by crafting ideas designed to change large scale food system issues while appealing to evolving consumer values. A proud activist, Seth also speaks to how important it is that your business ideas aren't altruistic but meet the needs of the farmer, the buyer, the retailer and of course the employees of the company. Here Seth shares his unique experience as a CEO who tries to live by the commitments he sets in a way that doesn't trade off on business success.Jo and Seth also discuss the benefits and watchouts of brands crafting a “purpose”. Specifically the well-laid intentions that have the potential for positive impact, the risk of running into greenwashing before you’ve substantiated your initiatives, and the watchouts of trying to solve problems you help to fuel or even created in the world. This is not just a hot topic, a stellar guest but also of course a thought provoking way we're wrapping up Season 2 of Looking Outside.--To look outside, Seth reaches out to the communities he is working with and supporting through his business. Seeing his impact first hand in those markets helps bring him perspective, particularly in those moments when he is physically outside the office and in nature. Importantly, Seth also tries to speak with people who think differently, ask different questions and see the world in a fresh way. Insight can come from anywhere, even sometimes close to home.Seth recognizes that he is working on serious issues, but that we also need to stop and have fun, and make sure these progressive shifts are fun for our consumers too.--Seth Goldman is Co-Founder of Eat the Change®, a planet-friendly snack brand that helps people ‘Snack to the Future™’. Eat the Change® recently launched Just Ice Tea, a line of organic bottled tea to go along with the company’s mushroom jerky and carrot snacks. Seth and his co-Founder, Celebrity Chef Spike Mendelsohn are also co-founders of PLNT Burger, a plant-based quick-serve restaurant that offers delicious burgers, sandwiches, fries, and soft-serve. Seth is also the Co-founder of Honest Tea and Chair of the board of Beyond Meat. He has been widely recognized for his entrepreneurial success and impact, including Ernst &amp; Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in Greater Washington, the Washington DC Business Hall of Fame, Beverage Industry Magazine’s Executive of the Year and Partnership for Healthier America’s CEO of the Year. Seth and his wife, Julie Farkas, have also launched ETC Impact, which is a donating $1.25M over three years into non-profit organizations that educate and inspire consumers to make climate-conscious choices with their diet. &nbsp;Find out more about Eat the Change eatthechange.com &amp; try the products.Follow Seth on Twitter: <a...

In Episode 19 we speak with marketing strategist and successful author, Mark Schaefer on the way to generate and leverage Influence, for both your personal and professional brands.Author of nine books including Return on Influence and Cumulative Advantage, Mark shares his research and experience in the area of content marketing. He explains why it’s not enough to simply generate content; why you must rise above the noise with a ‘spiky point of view’.Mark and Jo reflect on the challenges faced by people with a business or personal brand in being genuine, proving trustworthiness and the importance of creating comfortable and supportive spaces for your audience.As a &nbsp;global public speaker and a professor, Mark shares lessons on how to create a distinct value proposition by observing changes in the world and lining them up with your own unique experience. And on how important patience and self-awareness are in building a successful venture.--To look outside Mark relies on three to five sources - from blogs, newsletters, podcasts - that inspire him every week. Mark says having these handful of regular sources focuses your attention on what’s relevant and forces you to look at things in a new way. Mark is a self-proclaimed ‘look outside junkie’ because he lives in the world of ‘what’s next’, which means he relies on observation of the fast changing world.--Mark W. Schaefer is a globally-recognized author, keynote speaker, futurist, and business consultant who blogs at&nbsp;{grow}&nbsp;— one of the top five marketing blogs of the world. He teaches graduate marketing classes at Rutgers University and has written nine best-selling books. Mark’s new book&nbsp;Cumulative Advantage: How to Build Momentum for Your Ideas, Business and Life Against All Odds&nbsp;is an essential new path to being seen and heard in a busy world.Mark has worked in global sales, PR, and marketing positions for more than 30 years and now provides consulting services as Executive Director of U.S.-based Schaefer Marketing Solutions.&nbsp; He specializes in marketing strategy and&nbsp;social media workshops.&nbsp;Clients include both start-ups and global brands such as Adidas, Cisco, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Dell, Pfizer, The U.S. Air Force, and the UK government.He has been a keynote speaker at prestigious events all over the world including SXSW, Marketing Summit Tokyo, and the Institute for International and European Affairs. Mark has appeared as a guest on media channels such as CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and CBS News.He is the co-host of&nbsp;The Marketing Companion, one of the top 10 marketing podcasts on iTunes.See more from Mark:Mark’s consultancy, Schaefer Marketing Solutions at businessesgrow.com Mark’s latest book Cumulative Advantage which you can purchase on AmazonConnect...

In the latest episode of Looking Outside, we explore Exploration itself, and what it means to be truly curious about people, places and the future, with Zak Dychtwald, Founder of Young China Group and author of Young China.Zak shares how he approaches exploration: from visiting countries that are ‘misunderstood’, to immersing himself in stories about the far off possible future, to building an ‘intimacy’ with foreign cultures, places and people that you wouldn’t get from descriptions by outsiders.Zak and Jo also discuss their love of science fiction. It was Zak’s love of sci-fi that drove him to study, live and start a company in China, a place he found more unique and exciting than any other part of the world, more indicative of the future, and greatly misunderstood by foreigners.Jo and Zak also speak to the responsibility of science fiction to craft more positive futures, vs the dystopian ones we’re used to fearing, because those visions are, as Zak says, ‘seeds into the consciousness of the world’; they help others imagine what could be and ultimately influence the futures that are created.--To look outside, Zak likes to read (a lot). When Zak is about to travel, he likes to read stories, narrative non-fiction or modern fiction, written by authors from those places he’s about to visit. Zak believes in the power of stories to impact people.--On the show we mentioned:AI 2041 by Kai-Fu Lee &amp; Chen QiufanRay BradburyAbundance by Peter Diamandis (co-founder of Singularity University)The Three-Body Problem by Cixin LuWaste Tide by Chen QuifanYoung China by Zak himself Great Sci-Fi including Minority Report, Solaris, Star Trek, Interstellar.--Zak Dychtwald is the author of critically acclaimed Young China: How the Restless Generation Will Change Their Country and the World and founder of market insights firm, Young China Group.Zak’s work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, and many other platforms. A fluent mandarin speaker with over a decade on the ground in

Episode 17 of Looking Outside shows us the courage, self-awareness and patience needed to make a Career Pivot, or in the case of Nihal Advani, Founder &amp; CEO of QualSights … several! What mindset does it take flip your life around and try something completely different? Nihal takes us on his personal journey from professional tennis player, to tech ‘idea guy’ at Microsoft, to creating and leading his own business. He details how adaptability is a pivotal component of seeing new opportunities, alongside the criticality of knowing yourself and your own strengths. Jo and Nihal talk about constantly fueling your own momentum, while keeping a watch on burning out from the excessive need for progress.As someone who truly lives by the word agile, Nihal also explains his process of evolving ideas - from cultivation to percolation - the challenges faced when bringing others along during the pivots and the benefit of patience.--To look outside, Nihal taps into a set of outside advisors from different walks of life. He also enjoys documentaries like Explained when they can teach him new things and spark ideas, inspired by people and industries outside the one he operates in.--Nihal Advani is the Founder and CEO of QualSights, an insights technology platform that helps companies generate deeper and more authentic insights from consumers anywhere in the world in a remarkably fast and cost-effective manner. Nihal spent his teenage years as an internationally ranked tennis player but decided to pursue his passion for technology instead and began his career working for tech giants like Google and Microsoft. He combined his entrepreneurial spirit and interest in seeing and understanding the world by launching QualSights.Ranked the fastest growing company in Illinois and the fastest growing consumer insights platform in America by Inc. Magazine, QualSights’ technology blends the depth and authenticity of qualitative research with the speed and agility of quantitative research. In addition to offering a variety of options to capture deep consumer insights, QualSights offers a powerful suite of AI tools as well as an easy-to-use presentation builder that helps brands analyze faster than ever before and quickly present compelling stories.Nihal is now a trusted thought leader within the consumer insights community, working alongside leading Fortune 500 companies who utilize his award-winning insights platform to drive their business forward.Connect with Nihal on LinkedIn.Learn more about QualSights: www.qualsights.com &amp; follow them on Twitter.Hear more from Nihal by checking out his interview on the Success Stories podcast. --Looking Outside is a podcast dedicated to exploring fresh perspectives of familiar business topics. The show is hosted by its creator, Joanna Lepore, innovator and futurist at McDonald's. Find out more about Jo &amp; Looking Outside at www.looking-outside.com.Connect&nbsp;with Jo&nbsp;and join the&nbsp;Looking Outside community&nbsp;on LinkedIn.--All views are that of the host and guests and don’t necessarily reflect those of...

In episode 16 we get grounded in how a strategist thinks, and their process in creating impactful strategy, with Mark Pollard, CEO Sweathead.A guide to many creative thinkers and long-time strategists, Mark discusses the role of chaos within orderly processes, the purpose of finding personal meaning in your thinking, and the need to balance intellectualism with practicality.Having written a book about it, ‘Strategy is your Words’, Mark discusses the purpose of the written expression and the criticality of choosing words carefully when considering their impact within business. In other words, helping people easily get your idea through precise, emotive and concise arguments that persuade without an over-reliance on data and superfluous language.&nbsp;Jo and Mark also venture into slightly darker places; the struggle of creative and existential thinkers in a world lacking empathy and over-reliant on formality. Specifically, how Mark’s intention to express the darker parts of his life has helped others connect with and share theirs. And how this has led to new ways of forming impactful strategies.--To look outside, Mark goes to stand up comedy gigs, and takes long walks around Central Park. The walks are a part of the process of his work, where ideas are generated through connection to physical movement, external stimulus and the thoughts sparked by the podcasts he listens to. Stand up comedy, meanwhile, helps him connect to the darkness. Comedy being one of the rare art forms today (for now, at least) where ideas can be contrary, brutally human and provocative.--On the show we mentioned:Victor Frankl - Man’s Search for MeaningPsychological analysis of Carl Gustav Jung Psychology TodayEdward De Bono writings on lateral thinking--Mark Pollard runs Sweathead, a strategy training company with a community of 18,000 strategists and a podcast with over 1.2 million listens.In recent years, he's consulted and trained companies like Wall Street Journal, Twitter, Complex Media, EA Games, The Economist as well as agencies around the world.In 2020, he published his Kickstarter-funded book "Strategy Is Your Words". It's a 400-page dive into the minds of strategists and builds around a framework he uses called The Four Points. You can find his Australian accent in New York and strategy articles on his website. You can find him at @markpollard, in the podcast and Facebook group Sweathead, and you can read some of his words here: How To Explain an Idea and <a...