Go Out and Talk to Strangers

What if we stopped racing against time and started dancing with it? A year ago, I did an experiment. After years of chasing the sun, I let winter pull me in. I stayed. I listened. I let the darkness stretch, the quiet deepen. And in that stillness, something unexpected happened- I saw more. This episode is about rhythms. The ones we inherit, the ones we resist, and the ones we choose to embrace. I...

What does it take to create something that lasts 100 years? To dream so big that the future feels close enough to touch? Anne Beate Hovind knows. She commissions art in public spaces, but not just any art – meaningful actions of positive disruptions, geared with radical hope. Projects like the Future Library, where trees are growing today to one day become books for people not yet born, and Losæte...

What does it mean to truly be “in” a place? In Norwegian, the phrase for being outdoors translates to "being in" - a profound reminder of our inherent connection to the world around us. Today’s guest, Martin Lee Mueller, holds a PhD in philosophy and serves as the General Secretary for the Arne Næss Center for Ecology and Philosophy in Oslo, Norway. A philosopher, author, and storyteller, his work...

What does it mean to save a seed? And how can something so small carry the potential to reshape our ecosystems - and ourselves? In today’s episode, my guest is Andrew McMillion, a regenerative farmer, teacher, and passionate seed saver. Working with the Norwegian Seed Savers, Andrew is deeply involved in preserving Nordic cultivars and creating resilient, locally adapted ecosystems. But his work d...

What does it take to turn a dream into a thriving reality? – again and again? In this episode, Antonio Bortolotti - Husband, Father, Visionary Dreamer, and the creative force behind the Vacation Rental World Summit - shares his remarkable journey. From studying law in Germany to becoming a flight attendant, and ultimately building a dream vacation rental business in Sardinia, Antonio transformed h...

What if our buildings could carry the stories of the past while paving the way to a CO2-neutral future? In this episode, I sit down with Dominik Campanella, CEO and Co-Founder of Concular, a Berlin-based company dedicated to transforming the construction sector. Circular construction is often dismissed as a niche market for rural private residences - but is that really the case? In fact, this appr...

What if we celebrated ‘a night in?’ In this episode, I had the pleasure of hosting Rinat Sherzer, a visionary dreamer, passionate creator, and relentless advocate for both the earth and humanity. Rinat, currently a PhD candidate at RMIT, brings a wealth of experience to our conversation. She is a biotech engineer, transdisciplinary designer and artist, social entrepreneur, and educator. Rinat divi...

If I weren’t an architect, I would have become an anthropologist. My fascination with cultures from around the globe has fueled my imagination for as long as I can remember. In this episode, I had the immense pleasure of hosting someone who has profoundly expanded my understanding of hunter-gatherer societies and their worldview, and what it means for our lives today and the current state of the w...

Growing architecture is an innovative approach that integrates living plants into architectural designs, addressing ecological issues such as climate change adaptation and promoting sustainable living environments. This concept challenges traditional design methodologies by incorporating elements like growth, decay, chance, and probability into the creation of resilient and beautiful structures. T...

Have you ever heard about the living root bridges of Meghalaya? This episode was recorded in Northeast India, in the enchanting state of Meghalaya, known as one of the wettest places on Earth. The Khasi people have developed an extraordinary method of creating living root bridges by weaving the roots of trees. These unique structures continue to grow stronger over time. In this episode, I had the...

Michael Bungay Stanier and I sat down for a conversation. If you hear seagulls in the background, it’s because this episode was recorded in the beautiful coty of Tangier, Morocco. It began during a dinner he hosted as part of the House of Beautiful Business gathering, under the intriguing theme – How to Be a Stranger. We explored the delicate balance between having an outsider perspective and feel...

To end this season, I would like to share with you something that touched me deeply, a dream walk that was originally exhibited as a sound installation in an art exhibition called Revealed, in Melbourne in 2017. You can find it in Tyson Yunkaporta brilliant book Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World. Tyson recently published his new book ‘Right Story, Wrong Story’, and if you haven...

Ever heard of Davos, the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Switzerland? Now, what about its intriguing counterpart, unDavos? Meet Mark Turrell, the visionary mind questioning everything, forging new ideas, and disrupting conventional structures. unDavos, an entrepreneurial gathering running parallel to WEF events, is just one manifestation of Mark's innovative thinking. Mark wears many hats –...

In the dynamic world of coliving, the heartbeat isn't just the physical space but the vibrant communities that thrive within. Join us in an upcoming episode where we break ground on the fascinating landscape of coliving. We'll delve into the pivotal role of crafting customer-centric experiences, dispelling common misconceptions about the industry, and extracting invaluable advice for those venturi...

Bloxhub, the Nordic hub for urban innovation, is a captivating ecosystem that has left me truly fascinated. From companies matchmaking through a unique collaborative method, Bloxhub is building bridges with the intention of creating desirable urban futures and foster Interdisciplinary collaboration in the process. On this episode I had the pleasure to host Torben Klitgaard, the CEO of BLOXHUB – a ...

What values should modern education systems embrace? What does the future of learning look like? These were the very questions that consumed Rekha when she became a parent. Not content with the standard schooling system, Rekha ventured into the unknown, ultimately founding a company that has become a way of life. Their creation is revolutionizing education globally, offering an alternative for fam...

In the world of design, some believe there's a one-size-fits-all formula, a magical checklist that, once completed, transforms a project into a masterpiece. However, the reality is far more nuanced. Even when we check all the boxes, there's often an elusive element missing – a unique essence, a special DNA that belongs exclusively to a particular location or experience. My guest in this episode re...

Prepare for a mind-altering experience as we unravel the secrets of how our brains decode space, guided by the extraordinary Natalia Filvarova—neuroscientist and UX trailblazer at Google, reshaping the boundaries of digital identity systems. This episode promises not just a deep dive, but a plunge into the transformative intersection of neuroscience, space perception, and the art of design. Natali...

Let's dive into the captivating world of experience design, where the crafting of unforgettable moments becomes both an art and a science. In this episode, we'll embark on a journey to explore the secrets of this craft, unveiling the invaluable tools employed and gaining deeper insights into the pivotal role of experience design. Together, we'll discover the alchemy behind creating experiences, sp...

In the closing chapter of his book The Business Romantic, Tim extends an intriguing invitation. What started as a light-hearted jest has grown into a thriving community, uniting some of the most innovative and imaginative minds on the planet. Tim says that when it comes to gatherings, it is not only about the "why" but also deeply about the "how." What is a life-centered economy, and how can we in...

Imagine waking up one day and realizing that you've been dancing to the wrong tune your entire life. It's a jarring moment of truth, one that begs you to break free from the ordinary and embark on an extraordinary journey. For me, that moment was a catalyst for change – a signal to disrupt the status quo and set off on a path less traveled. Because sometimes, the most sensible thing is to sell all...

Trend is a mindset; by studying the ‘margins’ of society - the depths of culture that we tend to overlook - Lior Fisher Shiloni & Nataly Izchukov, founders of ‘The Visionary’, aim to aid clients with identifying upcoming major trends in the near and far future. By analyzing different social, political and cultural shifts around the world, The Visionary decipher future consumer preferences into act...

Why do coworking spaces fail? As the number of location independent workers grow, the demand is rising and new coworking spaces are being open everywhere. Yet, most of the times having great Wi-Fi and comfy desks is not enough. What makes coworking successful and how can we change lives by creating the optimal work environment conditions? Jean-Yves Huwart is the founder of SocialWorkplaces.com and...

How does tourism changes people and places? Martin Hohn is a regenerative catalyst from Switzerland who work at the intersection of placemaking and social innovation. With a background in hospitality management and food start-ups, Martin aims to establish ecological processes that elevates wellbeing, while working on various concepts that prototype a disruptive combination of consciousness, regene...

Change is not only the places where we live and work, it is also the way we see ourselves; our wish to belong to something new that is aligned with our value and purpose. From Bali, Indonesia to Sri Lanka, David co-founded Outpost: a network of ‘live-work’ spaces that support the community of remote workers who wish to go beyond the ‘water-cooler talk’. David’s unique career path has spanned from...