Designing Schools

Let’s face it. The American Education System could definitely use a makeover. We don’t teach students how to be leaders and problem-solve and think for themselves. Instead, they learn how to be a part of a whole, how to get hired by a corporation, how to fit in. In this episode, Nancy talks about how different skills like leadership and entrepreneurship can better benefit students.   Click here fo...

Nancy Bosnoian is a sleep activist and the founder and executive director of End No Sleep, Inc., a youth-led, nonprofit committed to providing sleep resources to vulnerable communities through education, awareness, and direct service. In this episode, she talks about why she recommends gap years and/or taking semesters off to help students find their passions and figure out what they want to pursu...

In this follow-up episode, Diana and Kandis share some advice with new graduates. They talk about finding opportunities to practice your passion, connecting with people from all over the world, building your network, and being creative.   Click here for the full episode! To complement the summer series I’ve created a free guide for you to master how to develop the clarity and confidence to showcas...

“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” This Japanese proverb explains that before you can act, you must plan, and before you can plan, you must have a vision. Diana Ying Liu and Kandis O'Brien agree. Diana and Kandis are co-founders of The Six, a consulting company working with leaders and their teams to help design better business operating models, processes,...

One thing that isn’t talked about enough is the importance of collaboration in an organization. The leaders, staff, interns, volunteers, must be able to talk, debate ideas, and share their hearts in a safe way, or they won’t share at all. And when the different parts of a company aren’t communicating, the issues just get bigger, and harder to deal with. In this follow-up episode, Bob gives us an e...

Alex Jamieson and Bob Gower have been helping leaders align their teams for the past two decades. They founded The Alignment Company and have worked with clients like Zoom, GE, and Foot Locker. One thing they see often in this line of work is imposter syndrome. And in this episode, Alex and Bob give us tips on how to manage it.   Click here for the full episode! To complement the summer series I’v...

One of the biggest problems with our education system today is that it takes a very narrow approach to learning. We should be measuring students’ progress in typical subjects like math and language, but we should also be taking the time to pause and reflect on things like students’ mental health and relationship building. In this episode, I go further into this and talk about the possible benefits...

What does the future look like? The truth is no one knows. So, how do we prepare for the future, if we have no idea what it will be? The answer isn’t simple or easy, but it has to do with having the right mindset to thrive in the unknown. In this episode, I talk about how design thinking can develop and nurture that growth mindset.    Click here for the full episode! To complement the summer serie...

Today’s guest is Dan Faill, speaker, facilitator, and expert in failure and impostor syndrome. If there is one thing he would want everyone to take from his message, it would be to unlearn negative self-talk and comparison and to acknowledge our power! In this episode, Dan talks about the time he finally realized that he was standing in his own way, and what he did to move forward.   Click here fo...

This follow-up episode is all about Clubhouse, an audio-only social experience where communities from all over the world can come together to share ideas, experiences, and education. It is an inclusive space that allows everyone to have a voice and gives us accessibility to influential people. Listen now to learn more.   Click here for the full episode! To complement the summer series I’ve created...

I’ve been having a lot of conversions with people lately, and I’m discovering how many adults struggle with confidence, how many adults don’t think they’re good enough. And, I can’t help but wonder how much that has to do with our current grading system. If you’ve spent your whole life being told you’re not good at certain things, and you’re only good at other things, what does that do to our psyc...

When we hear the term “personal branding,” we tend to think it’s all about you, the person building the brand, right? But, it’s so much more than that. Good personal branding has a balance between the brand (who you are and the strengths that you possess) and the audience (who you are servicing). And those two things are always evolving. In this episode, Brittany Krystle talks about the 2 paths to...

It is 2021 and social media apps like clubhouse are leveling the playing field in terms of who you can have access to. Brittany Krystle, the personal branding and growth expert, has some great ideas about how you can use these tools to build relationships and attain success. In this episode, she shares some tips to create content and brand yourself and your business.   Click here for the full epis...

What is your passion? Whether it’s music, or working with children, or organizing the chaos in other people’s lives, Jeremy and Angie’s advice would be to find your passion and live in it. Don’t be afraid to try new things and draw close to what inspires you. In this episode the duo shares more tips to help you live the life you want to live.    Click here for the full episode! To complement the s...

Jeremy Austin and Angie Villa are luxury travel content creators with over a million followers across their social media platforms. They get paid to travel all over the world and stay in the most luxurious hotels and resorts. They are influencers on social media and in real life. Jeremy and Angie truly believe in providing inspiration, love, and motivation to their peers, family, and friends. In t...

In this follow-up episode, Brant shares a powerful story about a time where he had to rely on emotion because he hadn’t yet defined his Black Sheep Values, explaining why these non-negotiables are so important.  To complement the summer series I’ve created a free guide for you to master how to develop the clarity and confidence to showcase your strengths, skills, and ideas in an online portfolio....

What does authentic change look like? According to Brant Menswar, it looks like Pittsburgh, the “City of Bridges.” Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is home to over 400 bridges that play a huge role in the city’s transportation system, connecting a series of valleys, hillsides, and river plains, and connecting city residents to each other. In the same way, authentic change looks to connect values, building...

Brian’s mantra “Press the damn button!” is a call to action for everyone who is doing great things in the world. Yes, social media can be overwhelming, but it can also be a tool to let your audience in and give them access to you, your story, and the amazing things you’re doing! Brian tells us to stop waiting for the right time. “Perfection is a fairytale and control is an illusion… the time is no...

According to his website, Brian Fanzo is a digital futurist keynote speaker who translates the trends of tomorrow to inspire change today. He created his own luck by being active in school, sports, fraternities, and talking to people. He loves bringing people together to question and explore everything. And if you take anything away from this episode, it should be to remain curious about the world...

I’m sure you knew that prehistoric humans used rocks to carve and paint pictures on stone to communicate, right? Well, did you know that humans living today still use rocks (yes chalk is a sedimentary rock) to educate? I’m not ashamed to say, our education system could definitely use a tune-up. So in this episode, my guest Erik Brynjolfsson and I talk about experimentation in education and seeing...

Artificial intelligence (AI), simply put, is the simulation of intelligence in machines, and in the year 2021, AI is everywhere, from social media monitoring to self-driving cars. It is one of the most powerful tools we can use today. So how do you use it? In this episode, my guest Erik Brynjolfsson and I talk about AI’s role in this second machine age and our responsibility to use technology in t...

In this follow-up episode, I talk about how to get over the fear of failure, and it starts with your mindset. We’re so used to immediate feedback. We turn in an assignment, we get a grade. We turn on the tv and watch a show. But crafting something different takes time. That’s why patience is so important. Never underestimate who’s watching and listening.  To complement the summer series I’ve creat...

We hear this all the time… “the fear of failure holds us back,” or “don’t be afraid to fail,” but it’s usually coming from people who can afford to fail, right? So instead I want to focus on how we can give people strategies for success. And what that comes down to is doing small things, taking small steps. Sometimes failure is a part of the process. So in this episode, I share three ways you can...

This summer instead of new episodes I’m sharing highlights from previous guests. Their insights and ideas will challenge your thinking and help you explore new opportunities and overcome challenges you may be experiencing. You have the power to design your life, to pursue your passion and there is a world of people who will serve as mentors, advocates, and bridges to opportunities. But first, you...

In this episode we discuss: Why language matters and the difference between designing change and managing change The difference between designing change in corporate vs education environments Why designing change extends beyond the IT department The importance of creating shared definitions within your organization The value of creating shared purpose and why humans want to be part of something bi...