Are you a creative business owner looking to leverage LinkedIn to its fullest potential? In this episode, we’re bringing a conversation that Chris had with Richard Moore on LinkedIn, earlier this year, to the podcast. Richard is a LinkedIn guru, who’s goal is to help users find and develop clients on one of the most active social sites on the web. In Richard’s words “Everyone you’ll do work with is here… Basically, anyone in B to B, who might buy your services, they’re here”. Chris and Richard will explore the importance of understanding user needs and discuss strategies for creating content that positions you as an expert in the eyes of your customers. They’ll also discuss how to attract and engage your target audience, and learn valuable insights on how to stand out from the crowd with compelling copy and unique approaches. This is the first part of a two part conversation, so make sure you join us for the rest of the conversation in the next episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do you do when you spend two decades of your life working with some of the biggest agencies and biggest brands in the world, on some of the most successful marketing campaigns of the time, and no one really knows who you are? That was the situation that Ryan Alford found himself in, after working on massive campaigns for huge brands. He found himself in a new world, where people care less about the entries on your resume, and more about the expertise that you publicly share, and the para social relationship they have with you. So Ryan did something that would, ultimately, change his life - He started his own agency, Radical, and a new podcast, Radcast. Radcast’s goal is to teach and entertain, and be a big, bright beacon bringing attention to Radical. Through Ryan’s charm and authenticity, the core of his personal brand, Radcast is now currently the #1 ranked Marketing Podcast on Apple Podcasts. In this conversation, Chris will be talking to Ryan about how he got started, the glory days of working with massive clients during a huge transition in the tech space, and the new frontier of Radical and Radcast, and how he’s successfully navigating it by being himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Innovation is an act of love.” So say’s our guest, Mauro Porcini, Senior Vice President and Chief Design Officer at PepsiCo. With over 1800 design and innovation awards having his name attached to them, if anyone would know, he would. On top of that, before joining PepsiCo, Mauro was 3M’s first Chief Design Officer, and was named one of Forbes’ 40 Under 40 (2012), Fast Company’s 50 Most Influential Designer’s In The USA (2011), and has received countless other accolades. Now he’s written a book, The Human Side Of Innovation: The Power Of People In Love With People which “reveals the secret to creating life-changing innovation: putting human needs and wants at the center of any design process.” In this episode, Mauro will talk about his youth, and how his parents steadfast values shaped the man he became, his three prerequisites for finding happiness, both personally and professionally, and how to successfully lead your employees. At the core of this discussion, like many we’ve had, is creating value, and Chris and Mauro will talk about why it is important to create emotional value for yourself, and how that emotional value can then turn into different kinds of value for others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s not unusual for people to be a little on edge about AI, both where it is now, and where it could be in the near future. As a creative, will you even have a job in five or ten years? If AI can create art, where do we humans fit in? In this episode, Chris is joined by fellow LA Motion Design Director Kevin Lau to talk about the similarities between starting their careers with the beginnings of After Effects and Motion Design in the mid 90’s, and how it feels similar to this dawning of a new AI era. Kevin has a long history working with the newest tools in the industry, building businesses, and winning awards, and after almost three decades, has a lot of insight to share about how the future isn’t something to be scared of. Kevin and Chris will talk about how taste will become the primary driver of a creative’s potential, in a world where AI can do a lot of the legwork, and why it’s important to pay attention to the trends of your youth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s so common, especially amongst creatives, and manifests in so many different ways. Imposter Syndrome. That overly critical inner voice. That self doubt about your accomplishments, or your intelligence, or your skills. Sometimes it comes so naturally, people don’t even realize they’re going through it. For some, it starts in childhood, with overbearing parents. For others, it manifests as they grow and evolve throughout their career. In this episode, Chris talks to Jule Kim, a life coach who has struggled with imposter syndrome herself, and now helps people navigate that internal minefield. They’ll discuss the shared impact of growing up as the children of immigrants, compliments and how we take them, and Jule will lay out the five types of Imposter Syndrome. This podcast is the kind of conversation that could spark some self reflection, and hearing Jule and Chris discuss it could open some doors for the listener that might lead to a better understanding of a condition that so many of us struggle with. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most of us have seen a TED talk, or attended a conference where someone was giving a keynote presentation. Many of us have probably thought they might like to do that at some point. The reason people don’t move forward with that, though, is they feel like they either don’t have a story to tell, or don’t know how to tell it in a way that can capture an audience’s attention. In this episode, Karen Eber, author of The Perfect Story, joins Chris to talk about storytelling and how you can use it to dynamically engage with others. Whether you’re giving a presentation, selling to a client or customer, or leading a team of people, the skills of storytelling are more vital than ever. If you’re trying to get a point or a lesson across, or sell a product or service, you want to be able to engage the brain in the very unique way that storytelling can. Karen and Chris will discuss storytelling from both an emotional and scientific standpoint, including how stories can induce Neural Coupling between the storyteller and the audience, the framework for a great story, why constraints are a key part of success when telling a story, and why vulnerability is so helpful in engaging your audience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the modern world, there’s no shortage of carnival barkers trying to grab your attention. Everyone is looking to build an audience and become an Influencer, and social media has incentivized people to act a certain way to grab people’s focus and their follows. Many of us look at them and think “If I want to have influence in this world, that’s who I have to be”. Some look at them and think they can skip the expertise building stage and go straight to the authority stage. Leadership Development expert and Keynote Speaker Rene Rodriguez knows that just isn’t the case. There’s a difference between WANTING attention and CAPTURING attention. In this must listen episode, Rene and Chris dive into the concept of Influence, why the traditional idea of the “Alpha” is inaccurate, and the three key ingredients you need to win people over when you’re telling a story. Rene and Chris will also talk about why expertise building, in real world situations, is so important, and share personal experiences from their journey’s in building their audience by getting in the ring and taking their punches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some people are just natural entrepreneurs. Whether it’s in their bones, or they grow up with a positive entrepreneurial role model, they just feel that need deep down inside of them. But how do you become a positive entrepreneurial role model for others? Our guest, Jodie Cook, has started multiple businesses, as well as being an author (Ten Year Career and How To Raise Entrepreneurial Kids), powerlifter, and creator of Coachvox AI, a service that can help turn your knowledge and wisdom into an AI coach. In this episode, Jodie talks with Chris about growing up with an entrepreneurial mother, starting a business in her early twenties, working with AI to create virtual coaches, and how a Mastermind group helped her understand what kind of “game” she was playing. They’ll also talk about creating positive role models for kids, as entrepreneurs, so that kids can grow up with confidence and a respect for building a business and what comes with that.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ayman Al-Abdullah is the former CEO of AppSumo, and now coaches CEO’s on how to scale their business from seven figures to nine. Graduating as an accounting major during the 2008 recession, Ayman saw a lot of his friends treading the battlefield of the job market. He had always been interested in entrepreneurship, so instead of working for someone else, he decided to begin his own business, but he kept coming up against a revenue wall - A monetary figure he just couldn’t get past. As time went by, he landed at AppSumo, and dedicated himself to breaking that barrier, taking the company from 3 million to 80 million. Now, as a coach, he stays booked up helping fellow CEO’s break through their own financial barriers. In this episode, Chris and Ayman will talk about his 9 Plateau’s that keep CEO’s from pushing their business’s from seven figures to nine. They’ll discuss the phases of a company’s growth, why doing less is one of the key steps to boosting revenue, and why identifying who you want to serve is the game changer your company just might need to shake itself out of its funk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, has been around a long time, but is surprisingly under diagnosed in the many that struggle with its symptoms. It can cause a variety of issues with concentration, finishing work, and following instructions (per the CDC). Those symptoms can then result in a variety of reactions, with one of the most common one’s being low self esteem. Our guest for this episode, Abi Lemon, believes that with self awareness and discipline, people with ADHD can manage the day to day symptoms that can otherwise cause them to burn out. As a coach for ADHD creatives, she helps individuals discover their strengths, and focuses on how to use those as tools to harness their best selves. In this episode, Abi will talk about living with ADHD, from childhood to present, some of the exercises she does to help her get through the things she needs to do with ADHD, and what people with ADHD can do to keep their brain regulated so they can take advantage of who they are.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever been curious what it would be like to talk to a business coach? To ask direct questions about the problems you or your business might be having, and get direct answers? Chris has been doing business coaching for years, but before he did, he had a business coach of his own - Keir McLaren. Chris hired Keir a few years into Blind’s existence, because he knew he needed someone to help him see what he wasn’t seeing, and could help him get to where he wanted to go. Unfortunately, we lost Keir last year, and his smile, and laugh, and wisdom is something that is missed every day. Recently, we found an archived conversation with Keir from a group of Clubhouse conversations Chris was holding a few years ago. There’s so much knowledge and wisdom that Keir had to pass on to the people who were in the (virtual) room, and we thought it could be helpful to pass that on, in case anyone listening might find themselves in a similar situation, looking for an answer. Finding a mentor, or a coach, can be one of the best decisions to make for yourself. We hope this episode inspires you, and gives you a little taste of the magic that Keir brought when he was with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In everyone’s career there is a moment where you need to make the leap from good to great if you want to keep growing. There’s always a point where everyone wants to level up their brand so they can work on bigger projects, and boost revenue and profit. Working with clients is a skill, just like your art, and in order to make the leap from good to great, you need to have the skills to get from where you are to where you want to go. Some people make that leap quickly, and others struggle with it. If you’re thinking about leveling up, or it’s taking you longer than you’d like, this episode is for you! Mo Ismail, owner of Mocs Media and long time Futur Pro Group member, returns to have a conversation with Chris about the three skills a designer, or really anyone who is dealing with clients, needs to make that leap from good to great.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever considered creating a workshop to teach others? Not just a single lecture that you’re going to give once, but a workshop you can teach in different situations, over and over again? Buckle up, because Rob Fitzpatrick, co-author of The Workshop Survival Guide, is here to talk to Chris about the in’s and out’s of designing a great workshop, and why it’s so important to treat it as your product. Rob shares some of the things he did wrong in his early workshop attempts, the iterations that led to his success, and what keeps an audience activated and engaged. This is a meaty, super sized conversation, because Rob has so many pearls of wisdom to share. A smooth running, educational, and engaging workshop is an art form, and this conversation will give you direct and actionable advice to make it look like you’ve been doing this for years.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Margolis believes that narrative storytelling is the #1 superpower of humanity, and that the three most important, fundamental skills for the future all come from the exercise of storytelling. As the CEO of Storied, a strategic messaging and leadership firm, Michael and his team help leaders and teams stand out through story. But why is story so important? and what makes a great story when it comes to a product or a business? In this episode, Chris and Michael are going to talk about the difference between story and narrative, why disruption should be backed up with data, and why character beats out credentials every time. Beyond just their regular conversation, though, Michael will take Chris through a mock workshop, using Storied’s three step narrative framework. Chris will talk about the Futur’s new project, Brand Lab, and Michael will challenge him to explore different aspects of Brand Lab’s story, so that they can work to find and improve its story. This is a dense and informative conversation, and should give you some things to think about when it comes to developing and refining your own story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LinkedIn. The very name conjures a variety of feelings amongst people. Hard to believe, but the social media juggernaut has been around for over two decades, and has over 930 MILLION users worldwide. Needless to say, whether you appreciate it or not, it is a force in the business world, whether you’re looking for a new job, or you’re an HR manager looking for potential recruits, or you’re a CEO looking to connect with people in similar positions, there’s a LOT that can be done on this site. Because it’s not a stereotypical social media site, however, you can’t treat it like any other social site. So, that begs the question - Are you utilizing LinkedIn in a way that is actually beneficial to you? That helps you build your business, or find a better job? Nicole Osborne is a Marketing Coach, mainly working with digital agency owners, who thinks that, more often than not, people aren't fully using LinkedIn for the incredible resource it is. It’s not just a networking site in the vein of Facebook, it is a way for potential clients to find you, get to know you (”date you”, as Nicole puts it), and potentially engage you for work. Chris and Nicole talk about the things that creatives don’t do enough of on the site, what you should try to achieve with your activity on LinkedIn, and why sharing your process is the one thing that can consistently help you connect with people. Nicole shared this quote by George Lucas, creator of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and it may just be the key to this entire conversation - “When people get to know the people behind your product, and how it’s made, they talk about you more”. Is your LinkedIn profile, or your companies profile, getting people talking? Do they want to know more? If LinkedIn feels like a mystery or a hassle to you, check out this conversation, and let Nicole demystify some of it for you. Have someone you think would be great for the podcast? You can send us a message at [email protected]. Emails to any other Futur addresses will be ignored and deleted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A website is an amazing sales tool. It can tell people who you are, what you do, and act as a sort of virtual handshake to begin a relationship between you and a potential customer. Often times, a website might be someone’s first point of contact with you or your business. So how do you optimize it to boost its ability to convert potential clients? There’s a lot of data that you can pull from a website, but are you using it effectively? Amanda Webb is a Digital Marketing and ROI consultant and trainer, who has mastered the ins and outs of analytics and data, and now uses her knowledge and resources to help others better understand and better utilize the information their site gives them. In this episode, she’ll be talking to Chris about data and how it can be used to improve your business, what kind of steps you can take to improve your website conversion rates, and why a well executed “About” page is so important. You don’t want to just grow your email list, you want to get the right people on it, and Amanda will discuss why analytics tools can provide invaluable insights into the potential of your digital marketing endeavors. So tune in, and let Amanda explain why, in her own words - “Once you start measuring something, you can become obsessed by it”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI has become such a buzz term lately. It was the mainstay of sci fi books and movies, for the longest time, and was something everybody thought of as being far in the future. And then Midjourney happened, and Stable Diffusion and ChatGPT. AI is definitely here, right now, and is growing almost exponentially, every single day. Through all of this, we’ve seen people create magical, non existent worlds, wild characters, and some very… weird stuff with AI like Midjourney. People have used ChatGPT to help them develop, research and write all kinds of projects. But what is the next step? This week’s guest thinks the next step is creating the AI of you. Sho Rust was a former student of Chris at Art Center. Growing up in Japan, he was coding from a young age, so technology was second nature to him. This eventually led him to creating Sho.ai, which creates (in their words) an “AI platform that continuously evolves with your brand, automates tedious tasks, seamlessly allowing experts to scale their story”. Sounds pretty cool, right? And when they had perfected the system, Sho knew exactly who he should try it out on - His old instructor, Chris Do. Thus was born the Do Bot. In this weeks conversation, Chris will talk to Sho about how he got to Sho.ai, how they created the Do Bot, and what both of them have learned in this process. It’s a fascinating conversation that feels like a glimpse into the future. Want to test out the Do Bot? It will be coming soon in The Futur Pro Group. For more info, check out: https://thefutur.com/pro-group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s common sense to think “I have a business. I should sell as much of my product to as many people as I can”. So why do companies, like Rolex or Ferrari, make so much money by limiting the amount of product that they sell? Why would anyone throw up road blocks in front of their own potential customers? And why is creating tension in the supply and demand equation a way to get people to want to buy from you? Daniel Priestley returns to talk with Chris about his concept of being “Oversubscribed”. Daniel asserts that many marketers have forgotten the number one rule of marketing - An imbalance in supply and demand sets both the price and the profit of a product. An “oversubscribed” business, then, is simply one that has limited or constrained supply, and there are more people that want that supply than is available. Daniel argues that you can create this tension between supply and demand by creating an official capacity, make sure people know what it is, and understand that it’s in hot demand. But that’s just simple supply and demand, right? Well, yes, but Daniel is going to take you through some of his methods for artificially creating the tension between supply and demand, so that you can get your business to the point of being oversubscribed. He’ll discuss the three ingredients you need to get people to buy, why “signal collecting” is so important, and the five phases of a bullet proof campaign. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Orly Israel is a communicator who wanted to improve his conversational skills, and realized the best way to do that was to learn how to listen. His concept to achieve his goal, The Listening Table, is just that - A table that he has set up in various cities across the country, where he sits and listens to anyone who wants to talk. His goal is to create a space where the other person can share whatever they need to, in a zone that is free of advice and free of judgment. Those two things are in plentiful supply in almost any conversation people have today, but Orly found out, very quickly, that those two things aren’t what people need. In fact, advice and judgment must be put aside to be a good listener. So what else makes a good listener? And what has setting up and inviting people to this table, over and over again, taught Orly? In this conversation, Chris and Orly will talk about the life changing power of these conversations, not just for the person speaking, but for the listener, as well. Orly will share the lessons he’s learned after having dozens of conversations, sometimes with friendly people, and sometimes not so friendly people. It’s an adventure that he has embarked on to understand his fellow humans more, and one he thinks all of us could benefit from. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Voss is a former FBI negotiator who is using his decades of knowledge to teach others how to negotiate in both life and business. His book Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It is a Wall Street Journal Best Seller, and Chris is teaching negotiation in classrooms, workshops, and through a popular series on the MasterClass website. In this episode, the two Chris’s (Do and Voss) talk about how negotiation works, whether it’s on a personal level or in sales. Chris Voss discusses the importance of being a straight shooter, why emotional intelligence is such an important part of being able to talk to someone, and the most important question to keep in mind in negotiating with family - Are you negotiating WITH someone, or AGAINST them? They also discuss the power of the “What” question, The Oprah rule, and the power of different tones of voice in negotiation. There’s SO MUCH to understanding negotiation, and while they couldn’t touch on it all, this episode is a fantastic primer led by a master in the subject. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our final discussion on the 5 Core Business Principles, Mo Ismail returns to talk to Chris about Attraction Marketing. In todays world, few people are looking at your social profiles by random chance. They’re looking to see who you are, and what you’ve done. One of the strongest way you can attract potential clients is to use those profiles to demonstrate your skills and knowledge in your area of expertise. That way you’re not just building an audience, you’re building trust. In this episode, Mo and Chris talk about a couple of different approaches to creating content and building value to attract the perfect person into your ecosystem. While you may start your career working in a more transactional way, using your time to create trust and expertise through content creation will help establish your personal brand and create an environment where, as Seth Godin say’s, you can “turn strangers into friends, and friends into customers”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the second part of Chris’s discussion with Mo Ismail on the 5 Core Business Principles, he’ll be talking about The Irresistible Offer, and how to create it. It’s natural to feel like “the work should sell itself”, but competition has risen to a level where you have to start creating a product, or service, that is SO attractive to a potential customer or client, that they want to buy from YOU. So how do you do create The Irresistible Offer? Two ways - Either lower the price, or create more value. Since we all know that none of us wants to lower our price, and doing so comes with its own perils, Chris and Mo are going to spend their time talking about how to raise the value of what you do, so the client will utter those magic words - “Take my money!” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For much of human history, mankind didn’t have very much in the way of resources. If there was food to eat, we ate it, and we would eat as much as we could, because we didn’t know when our next meal was going to come. Fast forward to the 21st century, and we have an abundance of food and mass produced goods which gives us choice. With this multitude of options, we start to ask ourselves “Why do we choose one over the other?”. Why do people buy? What are the core, psychological elements that get people to choose one brand over the other? In the first episode of a multi part series, Chris is joined by Mo Ismail for a masterclass in the 5 Core Essentials of Business. They’re going to talk about what it means to “decrease the pain, and increase the gain” for a client, so you, as a seller, can provide them a bridge from their current reality to their desired reality.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether you’re just starting out in a creative business, or pivoting to a new specialty, finding those first clients is one of the biggest hills you have to climb. So how do you build up your skills and get yourself seen by potential clients? If you’re adding a skill or a specialty, how do you get potential clients to see you as someone who can do more than just what you have already done for them? Mo Ismail returns to talk to Chris about how he went from being a student to landing clients as a freelancer, and how Chris found his first clients while he was still in school, and later found clients when pivoting from Motion Design to Branding. In this conversation, Chris lays out a step by step method to help you build your skills, expand your portfolio, and connect with potential clients, which Mo will summarize as the “5 C’s”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Money. How does that word make you feel? Some people hear it and think opportunity, success, maybe even happiness. Others have a much more complicated reaction. Chris has fielded a lot of questions and comments about money over the years, and the one thing that is consistent with these questions is that there is a surprising amount of negative attitude towards both money, and the people who have made a fair share of it. But, as Chris argues, money is simply “a score card of how much you are able to create value”. In this episode, Mo Ismail returns to prompt a conversation with Chris about money that’s really about mindset. Chris discusses his work history, and how both needing money, and making money, has effected him in different ways. The two also discuss how your thoughts and ideas, not just about money, but also about success, career, and so much more, are governed by an inner monologue that is ultimately trying to protect you, sometimes to your detriment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with our second episode with YouTube pro and entrepreneur Sean Cannell. Sean is the driving force behind ThinkMedia, a company focused on YouTube strategy and growth. He is also an international speaker and coach that helps entrepreneurs build their influence and income with online video.  In this episode, Sean and Chris continue their conversation about the importance of YouTube for entrepreneurs and business owners. Sean goes into topics like building a team, figuring out what to focus your content on, attracting the right audience, and why some of ThinkMedia’s most popular videos work. They also touch on “ethical” clickbait and why a mix of creating value, while also being polarizing, works for content creators, including The Futur. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean Cannell returns to the podcast to talk to Chris about why YouTube is the most undervalued social media platform, and how to take advantage of its amazing features. Sean is a successful YouTuber, and founder of ThinkMedia, an organization and YouTube channel focused on helping creators understand new technology, devise strategies, and create more success on YouTube. In the first part of a two part conversation, Sean and Chris talk about why being able to communicate is the most important skill in content creation, and why it must be a life long pursuit. They also discuss other important skills in content creation, why Sean thinks YouTube is the “forgotten” social media platform, and more tips on how to perfect your skills in content creation. As the saying goes, “Attention is a form of currency”, so get ready to take some notes as Sean lays out some truth.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

James Victore is a designer and fine artist, who’s work is part of the collection of the Museum of Modern Art. His stunning, expressive typography has helped to define his work, and is born out of the passion that he feels for the act of creating. He’s always known what he wanted to do, and has spent years whittling away the perfection so many of us suffer from to deliver work that is authentic, vulnerable, and bold. Because personality and humanity are the most important parts of his work.  In this episode, Chris talks to James about his life and work - From being given paper, pencil, and old design annuals as a child, to leaving school because he had a vision for his life and work, to a career with an ultimate goal of “being James Victore” and being paid for it. James and Chris talk life, work, and the push and pull between commercialism and artistry, and, more importantly, why James feels you don’t have to separate the two. Interested in James's course on creativity and finding your voice? Head on over to Your Work Is A Gift to learn more, and use code DO50 for $50 off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brett Williams is a designer and entrepreneur who runs DesignJoy, a design subscription service. He is essentially a one-man design agency that operates at scale and earns upwards of $1 million in annual revenue. In this podcast episode, Brett gives us a peek into how his business operates, the tools he uses, and what he’s learned after running a design subscription service for six years. It’s not for everyone, but to make something like this work you need two things: to be good and to be fast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Ventura is the founder of Sub Rosa, a strategy and design firm that works with some of the world’s largest brands, organizations, and startups. He is also a board member and advisor to several organizations, including Behance, The Burning Man Project, and The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. As if that weren’t impressive enough, he also owns a globally recognized design store in New York’s West Village and is a visiting lecturer at institutions like Princeton University and the United States Military Academy at West Point. In this podcast episode, Michael shares his experience as an entrepreneur, how he spends his precious time, and why his calling is helping other people overcome the obstacles in their way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this inspiring podcast episode, we welcome magician, father, and keynote speaker Vinh Giang to the show. Vinh walks us through his fascinating life and career path, sharing powerful personal stories from both along the way. We hear about how Vinh struggled as a shy and seemingly invisible kid and how the allure of magic and showmanship helped instill confidence and paved the way for an even bigger, worldly presence for him. Beyond the craft of magic, Vinh is a teacher at heart. And his topic of choice is communication. Throughout the conversation, Vinh offers actionable tips for how to use your voice and body to become a more effective communicator. Whether you’re presenting on stage, in a board room, or via video call we think you will takeaway at least three valuable communication tips from this episode. So, listen up and enjoy. This episode is sponsored by HelloFresh - https://hellofresh.com/futur50 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Emmanuel Probst is Global Lead of Brand Thought-Leadership at Ipsos, a leading market research agency in the world. He is also a WSJ bestselling author and adjunct professor at UCLA. We invited Dr. Probst on the show to share his deep understanding of consumer psychology, discuss how branding has evolved throughout the 21st century, and what it means for businesses to connect with their audience. In this episode, Emmanuel shares his thoughts about what a brand is and what a brand is not. Put simply: brands are not static. They are a dynamic co-creation that live in the hearts and minds of people. Whether you're a part of a small business or a large corporation, Dr. Probst's insights will give you a new perspective on how to connect with your audience and build brand desire that lasts. This episode is sponsored by Factor - https://factormeals.com/futur50 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vince Lebon is a husband, father, and a curious design collaborator. He founded the experiential footwear brand Rollie Nation, where he has designed for and collaborated with celebrities. In this episode, Vince discusses the importance of pursuing what makes him happy instead of chasing money. He shares how he honed his product design skills and started his own footwear brand from scratch. Vince also talks about Rollie Nation's future as an experience-centric brand and how he plans to blur the line between online and offline customer experience. If you aspire to design products people will love or build a brand that resonates with your audience, then this episode is a must-listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we are joined by Marshall Davis Jones, TEDx Speaker and founder of MindBodySpeak. Marshall is a competitive slam poet and world-bridger, known for his voice tone techniques that help people win negotiations, deescalate conflicts, and build business relationships across multiple industries. Throughout the conversation, Marshall emphasizes the importance of voice work in communication and how tonal decision making can impact behavior in others. He explains how mastering words and tone can help individuals read the room, modulate their tone, and communicate effectively, whether they're trying to be assertive, move things along, or slow things down. Marshall draws on his experience with slam poetry and battle rap to explain how he learned to read the room and grow from these live communication mistakes. He also discusses the importance of treating our words with care and understanding that our tone can either be a controlled explosion or a delicate dance, depending on the situation. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to improve their communication skills and connect with others through spoken language. This episode is sponsored by by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/FUTUR and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Phyllis Williams-Strawder is a certified brand strategist, life and business coach, and psychology marketing specialist who is known as the Ghetto Country Brandmother®. She has a passion for guiding people and helping them become brand leaders. Phyllis began her career in the food industry. She started by delivering lunches from her dining room table to eventually owning two restaurants and a catering company that generated millions in revenue. Her personal brand at that time was Mrs. Mista, where she was known for her motherly vibe. As her business grew, Phyllis herself grew out of the role and began coaching. She got her certification as a brand coach, and brand strategy allowed her to embrace her ghetto-country roots and find her real voice. And The Ghetto Country Brandmother® was born. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kevin Finn is a TEDx speaker, advisor, internationally recognized branding designer, and author who works with individuals and groups dedicated to creating a positive impact at scale. With 30 years of international experience, Kevin emphasizes that not every business is a brand, and that businesses become brands only when society says so. As an advisor, Kevin challenges his clients' assumptions objectively. He questions their identity in comparison to how their customers perceive them. In this conversation, he shares six fundamental questions that make up the basis of his brand advisory work: What value do you provide? Who are you talking to? What are you saying to them? You’ll have to listen to the episode to hear the other three. This episode is sponsored by Better Help - https://betterhelp.com/futur Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part Two of our discussion on when to quit and when to push through, we hear stories from listeners about perseverance and strategic quitting. Joining us again are Nidhi Tewari and Stefan Bucher, who both remind us that joy is an important factor in deciding whether to stay the course or not. If there’s one thing you take away from this conversation, it’s that sacrificing your personal well-being for professional success rarely works out in the long run. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Acclaimed NFL coach Vince Lombardi once said, "Winners never quit and quitters never win." It's a motivating and catchy sentiment, but famed marketer Seth Godin begs to differ. In his book, The Dip, he argues that quitting can be the best strategy. In this two-part episode, Chris is joined by therapist Nidhi Tewari and designer Stefan Bucher to discuss knowing when to quit and when to persevere. Like it or not, the free market rewards exceptionalism. Success goes to the obsessed. But where is the line between intense focus and toxic hustle? And how do you determine if what you're grinding away on is worth it? This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/FUTUR and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paco de Leon is the author and illustrator of Finance for the People, a practical guide to helping you navigate your financial life, no matter your situation. They also run a bookkeeping agency for creative professionals called Hell Yeah Bookkeeping. This episode focuses on helping creative professionals feel more confident about their finances. From applying value-based pricing to taking proactive steps for the financial health of your business. Biologically, humans have survived by having a scarcity mindset, but a growth mindset can take us further. Paco emphasizes the importance of observing our own thoughts and how others talk about money in order to better understand our relationship with it. Here's a quick financial tip from Paco: take 20 minutes (or up to an hour) once a week to check in on your finances. Doing this regularly will improve your relationship with them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 1 of this series, we established that boredom is the precursor to creativity. It provides important moments of stillness that allow one's mind to wander. Or as Deepak Chopra puts it, to “dream, imagine, and reflect.” But is that what boredom really is? And why do we associate it with laziness? In Part 2 of this series, we try to make sense of why boredom has such a bad reputation, or if it’s just a matter of semantics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There is no shortage of work to do when you run your own business. However, just because you are busy does not mean that what you are doing is productive; hence the term “busywork”. In this two-part episode, Chris coaches Mo Ismail on how to better spend his time as a business owner. He provides management tips and shares frameworks for hiring, training, and creating time for yourself to think. To quote Chris, “Boredom is the precursor to creativity.” If you have no time for being bored, then you have no time for being creative. And that’s not good for business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jacob Cass is a designer, strategist, and the founder of branding agency, JustCreative. In this podcast episode we talk with him about how to use affiliate marketing and SEO to build a successful online business. Jacob emphasizes the value of search over social media, and how having a blog that uses affiliate marketing and attracts inbound clients can be a key part of building a business. He also talks about how to create effective content that will be seen as authoritative by Google, and the importance of experimenting and analyzing data to optimize performance. If you’re not already using affiliate marketing, then you are leaving money on the table. Take Jacob’s advice and start today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Simon Ong is a personal development entrepreneur, coach, and public speaker. He is also the author of Energize, a book that will introduce you to the art and science of energy management. In this podcast episode, Simon and Chris talk about the role energy plays in our lives. Case in point: you can be ruthlessly efficient with your time, but without enough energy, your returns will be diminished. So, what is the best way to maximize your energy management? According to Simon: plan your day the night before and prioritize rest. If you struggle with accomplishing tasks or are feeling burned out then give this episode a listen. Simon will teach you how to be a better CEO—Chief Energy Officer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In part two of this series, we are joined again by Nidhi Tewari and Mo Ismail to continue our conversation about the role emotion plays in decision making. As a therapist, Nidhi points out the importance of processing and allowing yourself to feel strong emotions. Chris counters with the argument that emotions cloud the data, especially in business. Science then enters the chat to remind us that most decisions people make are rooted in emotion. So, should you listen to your heart or your mind. We think you should listen to this episode and decide for yourself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This two-part podcast episode features Chris Do, Nidhi Tewari, and Mo Ismail discussing the merits of whether to make decisions with your mind, your heart, or a little of both. In part one, Chris shares how he processes his feelings, how they affect his decisions, and why leading with rational thought is the best path forward. Chris also explains his own scale of karmic equity and shares stories about how he diverted from the path of logic when making business decisions and how those stories played out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lucy Werner wears many hats: public relations (PR) expert, business owner, author, coach, and mother. She is the founder of The Wern, a PR agency and design shop for startups, entrepreneurs, and independent brands. In her own words, she is a "nobody that helps people become somebody." This podcast episode is all about PR: what it is, what it isn't, and how to successfully use PR for your business (and yourself). Lucy shares her approach for creating meaningful PR and offers actionable tips for presenting yourself. Like what makes for a great headshot, how to write a concise bio, and why you should think of yourself as a magazine. If you're considering hiring a PR agency or looking for meaningful ways to break into publications and trades, then listen to what Lucy Werner has to say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People love YouTube for a variety of reasons, but it's most popular use: search engine. Unsure how to cut that mango? Here are twelve videos that will teach you. But how do you become that coveted top search result? The best of the best mango-cutting videos, so to speak. The not-so-secret key to success on YouTube is understanding how it works. In this episode, Chris is joined by Tom Ross, CEO and co-founder of designcuts.com, and Benji Travis, a veteran YouTuber and influencer coach. If you haven't guessed already, this episode is all about YouTube. Specifically, how to find meaningful success on the platform. If you struggle with YouTube, aren't seeing the results you'd like, or are looking for a deeper understanding of how YouTube works, then grab your headphones and hit play on this episode. Sponsored by: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In part two of our conversation about making better business decisions we get to sit in on a live coaching session with Chris Do, Mo Ismail, and Nidhi Tewari. The group continues to discuss data-based decision-making versus following your instinct, the longterm effects of your choices, and why every business should set aside money for R&D. Sponsored by: Masterclass - https://www.masterclass.com/futur Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices