Building Thinkers: Accessible Blueprints for Learning & Life

Tracy Clark & Toby Newman explore strategies for building seamless learning ecosystems that minimize friction between learners and the learning process. Discover how this approach fosters adult learner agency and unlocks limitless learning potential. Toby shares his insights on the intersection of AI and Learning Technology, the potential for improving our learning ecosystems, and the power of...

Sometimes the biggest obstacles to personal growth are the ones we overcomplicate. Today's guest is Tony Wang. He shares his personal transformation stories and the insights he’s gained on the path to self-discovery. Tony has a way of cutting through the noise and showing how we often make introspective change harder than it needs to be. We talk about navigating difficult emotions, breaking fr...

What if the way you communicate is holding you back more than you realize? I sit down with cross-cultural communication expert Paola Pascual to explore how language and culture shape the way we connect, collaborate, and show up at work. Paola brings such a powerful perspective on how non-native English speakers can shift their mindset, build confidence, and access more of their full selves when co...

What does it take to walk away from a successful business and completely reinvent yourself? That’s the exact journey Amanda Rickman has lived. In this episode, she shares how she went from running a local cake shop to building a thriving real estate business and leading a team. Along the way, she’s picked up lessons that apply far beyond real estate, insights any business owner or professional can...

Building a thriving community isn’t about luck. It’s about purpose, values, and intentional action. I sat down with Anamaria Dorgo to unpack what really makes communities of practice succeed. She shares why narrowing the gap between your community’s vision and reality depends on living your purpose and values every single day. We dive into how co-creation and human-centered design aren’t just buzz...

Real health and fitness changes don’t have to be complicated. In fact, less is often more. I’m chatting with Daniel Raz about the simple shifts people overlook when chasing health and fitness goals. Daniel breaks down how small, manageable changes can boost your health and confidence in ways that stick, no crazy diets or exhausting routines required. If you’re tired of overthinking your wellness o...

What if your next career move felt more like stepping into your true self than starting over? In this episode, I sit down with Tina Chessher, whose career journey is a masterclass in aligning your work with your strengths, while still leaving space to grow. Tina made a bold leap from childcare to the financial and insurance services industry, and she’s here to share what she learned along the way....

What if the reason our school boards aren’t working… is because we’ve made it way too complicated? In this episode of Building Thinkers, I chat with AJ Crabill to talk about the real purpose of school boards and why so many have drifted away from it. AJ has been deep in the work of turning around struggling school districts and serving at the state level, and he brings clarity to a space that ofte...

What if the real antidote to fear… is play? 🎈 I sit down with Kirsten Anderson to unpack something we don’t talk about nearly enough - the power of play. Kirsten believes (and I agree!) that play isn’t just for kids, it’s a serious tool for unlocking creativity, connection, and even productivity at work. Yes, productivity and play can coexist, and when they do, amazing things happen. Kirsten shar...

What can corporate leaders learn from someone about to command a naval warship? A lot more than you might think. In this episode, I sit down with Jason Fite, an insightful, grounded, and soon-to-be Navy commander, to explore what leadership development really looks like in high-stakes environments. Jason doesn’t lean on your typical leadership books. He studies biographies because context matters,...

Are we overcomplicating leadership? Because after this conversation with Kara Kirby… I think we are. In this episode of Building Thinkers, I sit down with Kara to unpack what actually builds strong leadership and people-first cultures, and spoiler alert: it’s often simpler (and more human) than we think. Kara brings real-world insight from her time inside some of the top-rated organizational cultu...

If you’ve ever overcomplicated a system or felt overwhelmed trying to “get organized,” this episode is for you. I’m joined by Gillian Calley, someone I deeply admire for her ability to bring calm, clarity, and structure to even the most complex work. We talk about what people get wrong when trying to build effective operations, and why simple, human-centered systems are often the most powerful. Gi...

Ever wonder what really fuels the work I do, and why I'm so passionate about unleashing human potential? In this special episode, I’m on the other side of the mic as my good friend Greg Garner interviews me about my own story. We dig into the winding path that led me here, the moments that shaped my mission, and the core beliefs that guide everything I do in learning strategy. If you've ev...

If you’re a high-achieving woman who’s done all the “right” things (degrees, career moves, leadership roles) but still feel uncertain when it comes to managing your money, you are not alone. I sat down with Eryn Schultz, a Harvard MBA and former Accenture consultant who now helps high-earning women get clear and confident about their finances. Eryn has this rare ability to take complex financial c...

If you’ve ever had a big idea but felt overwhelmed about where to begin or worried about how to protect it, this episode is for you. I’m chatting with Alex McFadyen, who brings a fresh perspective on what many of us overcomplicate: developing new products and navigating the patent process. Alex doesn’t just see products, he calls them “assets,” and he walks us through how to build something valuab...

We make developing people way harder than it needs to be, and in doing so, we often miss what actually helps them grow. I'm joined by Greg Garner, a learning and performance specialist at a pharmaceutical research company, to talk about what we tend to overcomplicate when it comes to leadership and human development. This isn’t about checklists or frameworks, it’s about mindset, motivation, an...

Most strategies fail, not because they’re wrong, but because they’re way too complicated. In this episode of Building Thinkers, I’m joined by Moss Pike for a conversation that dives into something I see all the time: how we overcomplicate strategy. We unpack what it really looks like to build strategy with clarity, without all the noise that usually surrounds it. Moss shares what he and his team a...

​What if building a brand didn’t have to be so complicated? In this episode, I talk with Kimberly Borges about the common ways people overthink everything from starting an apparel brand to manufacturing products and taking that first step as an entrepreneur. Kimberly also shares how the women in her family inspired her journey, and how she’s working to make her brand, PWR WMN, more inclusive and e...

Ever feel like building real connection and contentment is harder than it should be? In this episode of Building Thinkers, Ali Goljahmofrad and I dive into something we often overcomplicate: building true connection and contentment. We explore how we can break free from the “happy-when” mindset and embrace the power of presence in every moment. We’ll challenge you to rethink the idea of perfection...

Ever wonder what actually helps teachers, not just more training or tools, but real support? In this episode of Building Thinkers , I’m joined by Alton Riggins to dig into what really matters when it comes to supporting teachers and creating meaningful learning experiences for all students. We talk about how schools and leaders often overcomplicate instructional design and professional development...

What if we’ve been overthinking customer experience this whole time? In this episode, I’m joined by Katie Conley for a conversation that really made me pause and reflect, not just on how we serve our customers, but how we lead our teams. We explore what people tend to overcomplicate when it comes to creating meaningful, memorable service moments, and why the smallest gestures often leave the bigge...

I sit down with Davis Staedtler as we dive into the three things people tend to overcomplicate when building effective learning experiences. Whether you’re designing corporate training, online courses, or educational programs, we share insights on how to strike the right balance between timely and timeless elements. Listen in to hear how to simplify the process and create learning experiences that...

In this trailer Tracy Clark shares what the Building Thinkers podcast is all about and why she decided to explore the world of podcasting as a way to continue her own learning and create accessible blueprints on a range of topics (business, education, organization, building habits, therapy, finances, research, and learning science to name a few).