Creativity — Podcast

Creating Opportunity During Uncertainty with Ryan Estis

In Season One of 12 Geniuses, keynote speaker Ryan Estis joined the show to discuss the challenges he faced leaving a high-paying corporate job during a recession to create his own business. During that conversation, Ryan talked about how 2019 was poised to be the most successful year of his business. The year after that, the pandemic hit, and in-person events were abruptly canceled, leaving Ryan with a new set of challenges. This week, Ryan and Don meet once again to discuss how he reinvented himself and has emerged more relevant than ever before. Listen in to hear about the ways that Ryan pivoted his business to include virtual keynotes and workshops, as well as how the pandemic changed his outlook on life and his relationships with loved ones.

The Future of Food with Justin Sutherland

In this episode, Don MacPherson is joined by celebrity chef and restaurant owner Justin Sutherland. When Justin isn’t in front of a camera, he can be found in one of his several Minnesota restaurants making culinary works of art. He’s also heavily involved with the community, opening up a free food shelter to distribute food to those in need during the pandemic. Don and Justin discuss the future of food, including the concept of “food deserts” and how this contributes to food insecurity for disadvantaged Americans, how the food industry can help fight climate change and the impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry.

The Future of Psychedelics with Dr. Matthew Johnson

In this interview, Don MacPherson is joined by Dr. Matthew Johnson, an expert in psychoactive drug effects, addiction, and risk behavior. They discuss clinical research on psychedelics including psilocybin, ayahuasca, DMT, MDMA, LSD, and more. They also dive into the potential therapeutic applications for psychedelics including treating depression, PTSD, and addiction, and improving individual happiness, creativity, and selflessness.

Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., Professor at Johns Hopkins, is an expert in psychoactive drug effects, addiction, and risk behavior. He has worked with psychedelics since 2004. He developed and published the first psychedelic treatment of tobacco addiction in 2014. With colleagues, he conducted and published the largest study of psilocybin in cancer distress in 2016. He is Principal Investigator on upcoming psilocybin studies treating opioid addiction and PTSD, and LSD research treating chronic pain.

Leadership Moment - Creative Greatness Amid Our Duress

The curve is flattening. There is an end in sight to the shelter-in-place orders that have been made across many parts of the world. We may soon be able to experience life outside our homes and the freedom we are used to having. While no one knows exactly what normal will be like this summer or fall, society will certainly be presented with new ideas, companies, and works of art. Countless people have been using this gift of time to their advantage and we will be the beneficiaries.

As this four-minute podcast tells us, there is creative greatness amid our duress.

Making Sense of the Future: An Interview with Cecily Sommers

Over the last decade, technology has transformed life as we know it and innovation continues to accelerate. To help us understand how to get comfortable with the uncomfortable, we spoke with widely acclaimed futurist Cecily Sommers.

In this interview, podcast host Don MacPherson and Cecily look ahead at the forces shaping our future and identify some trends that will disrupt the way we live and work over the next decade. We touch on the impact of climate change, migration, changing birth rates, and more. We also discuss how we can be best prepared to embrace the changes to come and lean into new technology that makes us uncomfortable.

Cecily Sommers is a futurist and innovation expert. She speaks, write and consults on emerging trends, markets, and technologies shaping business and society.

"The Future Of..." Season Three Launches February 11th!

12 Geniuses is back and celebrating the new decade with a new season. Season Three is dedicated to the theme of “The Future of…” We are dedicating all 12 episodes to interviews with geniuses who are creating the future or who can help us understand the dramatic changes the future will bring. If you want to better understand how you, your team, and your organization can be better prepared for the future, this season of the podcast is for you. The first episode of Season Three is an interview with futurist Cecily Sommers. That episode is available on February 11th. We hope you’ll subscribe and tune in!

Lessons Learned from Season Two of 12 Geniuses

Podcast host Don MacPherson wraps up Season Two of the show by sharing five lessons learned about creativity and innovation. The lessons include:

To be your most creative, you have to be creative for yourself
It’s important to be frugal when you embark on an innovative pursuit
There is no creative magic. You have to show up and put in the work
Most of the guests interviewed had found their calling in their work
Beware the false fail. Many people chasing an innovation quit too early when they reach a false fail

Season Three of 12 Geniuses debuts February 11, 2020!

Innovation, Creativitydon macphersonFebruary 1, 2020Creativity, Innovation, Leadership

Building the Leaders of Tomorrow - with Shakeel Nelson

Shakeel Nelson and the Inner City Ducks are using sports in very innovative ways to reach young people and ensure they are on the right path in life. They provide mentoring, a safe space to play and learn, discipline, and exposure to new experiences for the young people in his community. The players have participated in tournaments in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Chicago, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. Eating in restaurants, staying in hotels, and seeing new places expands their sense of what is possible in their lives and teaches them life skills they will apply in adulthood.

In this interview, Shakeel shares his personal experience growing up without a father and candidly shares the challenges he faced. Shakeel explains his inspiration for creating the Inner City Ducks and how he sees the organization and its players growing in the years to come. Shakeel also tells us about the creative ways he is introducing his kids to new experiences and teaching them life skills while developing athletes hungry for success.

At the young age of 25, Shakeel volunteers four days a week to support the youth of his community as a coach, role model, and mentor through the Inner City Ducks. Shakeel’s vision for the organization is to serve 150+ boys and girls and to provide a community center where the kids can go after school to play, study, work out, and receive mentoring.

The Making of the “Miracle on Ice” - an Interview with Hockey Hall of Famer Lou Nanne

In arguably the greatest upset in sports history, the 1980 United States Olympic Hockey Team defeated the Soviet Union and then went on to clinch the gold medal against Finland. The sports world was shocked and the “Miracle on Ice” was complete.

In this interview, Lou Nanne, a key influencer of the team, takes us back nearly 40 years and tells the story of the 1980 “Miracle” team, his involvement in securing Herb Brooks as head coach, and how the team was best prepared to face the international competition through innovative practice routines and training methods.

Lou Nanne has been a leading figure in the hockey community for decades. Lou was captain of the 1968 United States Olympic Hockey Team. Later he played, coached, and served as general manager for the Minnesota North Stars. Lou is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. He has also been awarded the Lester Patrick trophy for his impact on the sport of hockey.

Nurturing the Crazy Ideas That Change the World - an Interview with Safi Bahcall

A lifelong innovator and expert on innovative practices, Safi Bahcall shares his process for nurturing “Loonshots” - the crazy ideas that disrupt industries, cure diseases, and change the world.

In this interview, Safi dives into how good ideas are often killed by great teams and how we can develop the skills to nurture and encourage “Loonshots.” Safi also discusses company culture and organizational structure, why companies need to separate their innovators from executors, the importance of getting incentives right, and why “failing fast” is not the best path toward innovation.

Safi worked for three years as a consultant for McKinsey before co-founding a biotechnology company that developed new drugs for treating cancer. Safi regularly speaks with senior executives about how to implement the ideas in his bestselling book “Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries.”

Following a Creative Passion - An Interview with Filmmaker Patrick Riley

A veteran technology entrepreneur, producer, and musician, Patrick Riley shares his experience of being a life-long creative while working as an executive for a software company.

In this interview, Patrick discusses the making of his new film Tuscaloosa, including collaborating with the cast and crew, solving for unexpected problems, and the complexity of creating an accurate depiction of 1970s Alabama. Patrick offers advice for creatives and provides examples for how to nurture your creativity while working in a professional career. Patrick also explains the innovations developing in the film industry and their impact on the way we consume, create, and find films.

As a technology entrepreneur, Patrick co-founded and was CEO of Modern Survey. Over the course of his career, Patrick has directed and produced dozens of music videos, documentaries, and short films.

Innovation, Creativitydon macphersonNovember 4, 2019Creativity, Failure, Film, Software, entrepreneurialism

The Spiritual Creative - Hip-Hop Legend Brother Ali

One of the most respected independent voices in music, Brother Ali shares candid anecdotes about his creative process and describes the importance of spirituality in creating meaningful art.

In this interview, Brother Ali discusses what the touring lifestyle is like, how he grounds himself while traveling, and the importance of Islam in his life and in his creative pursuits. Ali describes his process for creating songs and albums, how he pushes himself to get out of his creative comfort zone, and the collaboration process with other artists and producers. Later in the interview, Ali dives deep into the role music and art has on informing the human experience and expression.

Over the last two decades, Brother Ali has earned critical acclaim for his deeply personal, socially conscious, and inspiring brand of hip-hop.

A Concrete Innovation for Addressing Climate Change - An Interview with Mehrdad Mahoutian

An innovator in the field of carbon dioxide capture and building materials, Mehrdad Mahoutian discusses his journey to discovering a new process for creating concrete and his quest to use waste materials to create high-value products. More than 5% of global CO2 emissions comes from the production of concrete. The impact of this is so high that for every ton of concrete made, a ton of carbon is released into our air. Mehrdad’s innovative concrete-making process solves this problem and more, while making a stronger, cheaper, and carbon-negative construction material. As we tackle climate change, we will need thousands of innovations like Carbicrete to stop global warming.

In this interview, Mehrdad describes the problem cement and the resulting CO2 creates for our environment and shares how he came up with a carbon-negative process to create cement-free concrete. He also shares the failure along his innovative journey and how he came to see his new process as a viable product for mass production. Mehrdad also discusses the barriers to industry-wide adoption of the new process and how governments are responding to Carbicrete. Finally, Mehrdad explains the potential for the emerging market of CO2 based products and the integral role consumers and organizations will play in reducing our carbon emissions.

Mehrdad Mahoutian is CTO and Co-Founder of Carbicrete, a company that has developed a concrete-making process that is cement-free and carbon-negative.

MIT, Artificial Intelligence & the Power of People Analytics - An Interview with Ben Waber

An innovative leader in the field of people analytics, Ben Waber discusses the creative ways companies can unleash the full potential of their employees. Through data, companies can devise new management techniques, adjust the physical environment, and even re-design the employee experience to improve performance at all levels. Companies already have mountains of data available to them through ID badge scans, emails, meeting assignments and much more. Driven by a passion to help companies interpret this data, Ben Waber has created a company that uses AI to simplify the numbers and help leaders make better decisions.

In this interview, Ben talks about the creative environment at MIT. He explains how analytics can be used to inform company-wide decisions, understand how teams are working together, and improve individual career development. Ben also describes how the data can help us better understand bias and influence decision making. Finally, Ben talks about the future implementation of the technology and the ethical questions it may raise about employee and user privacy.

Ben Waber is President and Co-Founder of Humanyze, a behavior analytics company. For over 15 years, Ben has studied, researched, and implemented new technology to better understand human behavior.

Third Quarter Review

What did you accomplish in the third quarter of 2019? How do you plan to finish out this decade? What are your goals for 2020? In this special episode, Don and Devon talk about what they’re paying attention to, where Don traveled, what they’ve learned, and what they have planned for the show. Devon McGrath, Assistant Producer of 12 Geniuses talks with Don about recording the Leadership Moments, lessons from parenthood, remarkable travel moments, and what guests they have planned for Seasons Two and Three.

The Cleaner, Greener, and Smarter Jail of the Future - An Interview with Ken Ricci

An established justice architect, Ken Ricci discusses the impact building design has on those involved in the justice system. Nearly two thirds of those held in jails are still innocent in the eyes of our legal system, yet they are detained in dark, dingy, unsafe spaces that deprive them of a healthy lifestyle and access to the outside world. Driven by a passion to make correctional facilities more humane, Ken has dedicated his career to using innovative design to create facilities that are both safer and more comfortable for those inside.

In this interview, Ken describes the impact of design on the detention experience and provides insight into how we can build facilities that are safer for the guards and the detainees while still providing comfortable, open spaces with natural light. Ken also discusses his perspective on the future of our justice facilities.

Ken Ricci is a nationally recognized leader in the field of justice planning and design. Ken has devoted his entire career to designing better correctional facilities and he continues to educate others as a lecturer for the American Institute of Architects and the National Institute of Corrections.

Solving Sexual Harassment and Bullying with Virtual Reality - An Interview with Morgan Mercer

A breakthrough tech entrepreneur, Morgan Mercer discusses the power of Virtual Reality in building empathy and creating a safer work environment. Of the women that report sexual harassment in their workplace, 80% leave within two years. This has significant ripple effects from a career change, loss of economic opportunity, and even tarnished company profiles. As we look to the next decade, we have many social issues to resolve and one of the best ways to do that will be through empathy.

In this interview, Morgan Mercer explains why we need better training for a safer workplace, the impact of #MeToo on training standards, and how to build empathy through immersive experiences. She also discusses her experience as a woman of color in the tech industry, her drive to empower others through VR, and her take on the future of VR.

Morgan Mercer is the CEO and Founder of Vantage Point which serves clients around the world from their headquarters in Los Angeles.

Creating a Culture of Innovation with Simone Bhan Ahuja

An innovation expert, Simone Bhan Ahuja explains how large, established organizations can innovate and avoid disruption even in a volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous time. Only 14% of new graduates want to work for large organizations. Instead, they’re attracted to the start-up path and opportunities to be creative and innovative in their careers. In order to attract top talent and remain disruptive in any industry, larger organizations will need to adopt innovation at every level of their organization.

In this interview, Simone explains the argument for encouraging innovation and intrapreneurship, the barriers many organizations face in the pursuit of innovation, and the importance of creating a culture of psychological safety. Simone also provides insight on how to build an innovative structure within an organization, the benefits of keeping projects frugal, and what leaders can do today to start implementing these ideas.

Simone is the author of Disrupt It Yourself, and a co-author of Jugaad Innovation: Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Breakthrough Growth. For over 15 years Simone has studied emerging markets and how organizations can continue to innovate across all levels.

Daniel Pink Shares the Secrets of Perfect Timing

NYT & WSJ bestselling author Daniel Pink is here to help us understand how our cognitive ability changes throughout the day and how you can learn to plan your day around your brainpower. Knowing when to plan your creative activity, your executive work, and your administrative tasks has a massive influence over the quality of your performance.

In this interview, Daniel discusses his creative process, the importance of coordinating your creative work during the right time of day, strategies for selling your innovative ideas to investors and other decision makers, and a few tips that famous creatives have used to perform their best.

For nearly 20 years, Daniel has written about the intersection of human behavior and work. His books include Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, To Sell Is Human, A Whole New Mind, and his most recent bestseller When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.

Coming Soon: Season Two - Creators & Innovators

12 Geniuses is back with Season Two. We have 12 new episodes coming out this fall. This season is dedicated to the theme of creativity and innovation. We will talk directly to creators of culture and innovative problem solvers. If you want to better understand how you, your team, and your organization can be more creative and innovative, this season of the podcast is for you. The first episode of Season Two is an interview with bestselling author Daniel Pink. That episode is available on September 9th. We hope you’ll subscribe and tune in!

Innovation, Creativity, Podcastdon macphersonSeptember 4, 2019Trailer, Innovation, Creativity, entrepreneurialism

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