Build For Better

This week is a special one...and one long in the making. Last year for Thanksgiving I did a solo episode about being thankful. This year, I thought it made sense to drop this episode because, well, i'm really thankful to be in a position to get to do it. Jeremy has been a friend and mentor for over a decade, a former co-host of a podcast with me, we ran a daily newsletter, have collaborated and helped each other on all kinds of projects, and now we run a company together. So naturally this episode is about doing things with your friends. The ups. The downs. Why it's the best. Why it can be complicated. And ultimately why there is no other place I would rather be than right where I am with this guy in the trenches. 

This week I was joined by Jonathan Lowenhar. Jonathan has become someone that I turn to VERY regularly to get my brain moving in the right direction. He is a beacon of sorts. A north star. And so damn funny and kind. This week we talk about finding purpose, creating purpose and what staying in your purpose requires of you, all while building something that matters in a way that brings you joy. This conversation could gave been 6 hours long. It's only 65 mins though so you can go enjoy your Halloween!

This week I was lucky enough to have Dr. Dani Chesson on the podcast to talk about context. Dr. Dani is an intellectual, a designer, a professor, and an absolute WEALTH of knowledge. During our chat we talk about Context;  how important it is, how to frame it, and how to plan for it. From her time to the corporate world to her time in the lab, she has developed a unique and data driven perspective on design thinking that I know will be useful to all who listen. 

WE ARE BACK! After a summer + some off, Build for Better Thursday are back in action, and I could not be more excited than to kick it off with my friend and incredible design leader J.B. This episode very much resembles my conversations with J.B. in life, running the gamut in topics from AI to Gen-Z to Elon, and just like in real life I walked away wishing I had more time with him. I am so excited to be back, and I am so excited to kick it off with such a brilliant mind. 

My guest this week is Alex Craig. Alex is the Founder of Triple Play Studios, a Shorty, Clio and Webby award winning Marketing Studio that has cracked the code on making Viral content and experiences for huge brands. Alex is one of those creatives that just has that spark. Whether it's shipping potatoes in the mail or having someone SMILE for an entire baseball game, he just thinks differently. This week we talk about his process, how to define "Viral" and, of course, AI and it's role in the future. 

This week, I'm thrilled to have Lee Elliott join me on the podcast.  Lee is a founder, a marketer, an industry vet and my favorite thing of all, a bit of a rascal. We tackle the ins and out of Generalism - when it's good, when it's not so good, what the future of it is, and when specialists are the best and the worst. We also talk a bit about philosophy, how all old things become new again, and how to approach this new generation of talent. Aside from a wide range of knowledge in marketing (and a genuinely refreshing honesty in what he doesn't know) Lee is also wildly insightful while being genuinely hilarious. I had a great time, and so will you. 

This week I am joined by Entrepreneur, Author, Connector and all around gentlemen Jeremy Berman. Jeremy is the Co-Founder of Good United, the worlds first fundraising platform for social networks, as well as Author of the new book "One-Click to Give". Good United is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary, so it only felt right that the subject of the episode be Perseverance. From sunsetting products, to hard conversations to having of 75% of the biggest Not for Profits in the world on your platform, Jeremy shares his journey, his learnings and some perspective.  

My guest this week is Danny Nathan. Danny is the Founder of Apollo21, a product dude, a UX designer, and so many more things, top among them a good friend. When I first mentioned the podcast to Danny, I barely got the idea out before he said "I want to talk about Failure". Danny has an ethos of "Failing Beautifully", which is a perfect topic to dive deep into, along with what failure means, what success actually looks like, and ways to approach all of those concepts to set yourself up for success. It's always a blast to sit down with Danny, and this time was no different. 

This week I am joined by Evan Shaprio. Aside from being a renowned media executive and innovator, known for his transformative work at IFC TV and Sundance Channel, he also happens to be one of the voices I most look forward to hearing from. Be it on LinkedIn, his Newsletter or his Podcast, Evan is one of those people you just kinda need to hear from. As the "Cartographer" of the Media Landscape, Evan shares his thoughts on building his community, the creator economy in general and his willingness and reasoning for sharing some of his life with his audience. I've been so excited to release this one....

This week I was so genuinely delighted and excited to have Barry join the podcast. Aside from being a respected and adored Product person in the digital space, Barry is also the Co-Founder and President of Highwire Improv in Baltimore. In this episode, we dive into all the things Barry has taken from his Improv work and how they have influenced him as a leader, a team member and a coach. As someone with a deep love of comedy and improv, we manage to not get too into the weeds, but if you have a love for either of those things, or even better a curiosity, Barrys knoweldge and approach is absolutely positive to peak your interest.